[Jared]
[Back in the past…]
“Hello, everyone. It’s Jared, and this is World Crafter. I know it has been a long while since I’ve last streamed or even uploaded anything online, but my exam is finally over! I’ll start playing more regularly from today onwards!”
Jared double-checked on his play settings, before smiling into the camera again.
“I caught little snippets of the new mob and biome the game creators have made and I can’t wait to play in a new world… in a beta version, to be exact. Hahaha.”
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[[Super chat]]
[Welcome back!]
[Miss you! uwu]
[Jaredddddd! Glad that you’re back!]
[The new mobs? Especially The Thing? Ughhh]
[Bruh… Doesn’t he know that the game creators have beefed up the hostile mobs really high af?]
[Lmao. I wonder if he’s going to explore the Dark City~]
[He just returned… There’s no way he’ll immediately go to the Dark City, right?]
[Why not? Just cheese it by playing on creative mode!]
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“Hahaha. You’re right. I do plan to check out the Dark City today, and I’ll be playing on hard mode. I like the challenge but I’m pretty sure that The Thing would kill me in an instant of catching sight of me. Okay, maybe not sight but you guys know what I mean.”
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[[Super chat]]
[Hard mode?]
[fr??? Jared vs The Thing??????]
[Bruh…]
[R.I.P]
[Jared… No…]
[[MOD Oli: Jar, you can’t even kill a rabbit in World Crafter. Going against The Thing would be suicidal in hard mode.]]
[Yeah, listen to Oli!]
[Idk and idc. I’m all for the horror vibes! Woooooo!!!]
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“Oh, Oli. I’m not going to fight with The Thing. I just want to explore the Dark Thing. From the trailer and screenshots posted on the official website, the structures and implied lore of the builds are fascinating.”
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[[Super chat]]
[[MOD Oli: Yeah, you were always quite the explorer…]]
[Wait a minute… Aren’t Jared’s builds usually of a darker theme?]
[Ooo~ Yes, that’s probably another reason he likes the Dark City structure!]
[But it’s not going to be a fun and relaxing trip in that place though…]
[It’s a scary place!]
[Speak for yourself. It gives off an aesthetic and… What’s that ‘e’ word?]
[‘E’??? Evil?]
[Hahaha]
[Extraterrestrial?]
[That’s alien, right? Bruh… Hahaha]
[Oh, I remember! Enthralling!]
[Well… It is very lonely though…]
[This is Jared we’re talking about. He has played solo in many games, so this wouldn’t bother him at all!]
[Nah, he won’t feel lonely at all. Not with us hanging out here in chat~]
[Yes! I agree! Hehe~]
[If he’s ever lonely, maybe a few sensors should be activated. Hehehe]
[Omg! No way!]
[Jared, don’t listen to that person! If enough sensors are activated, The Thing will be summoned.]
[Yesh, do it!]
[Noooooooooo]
[[MOD Oli: Jared, maybe you should practice your agility skills first…]]
[Yeah, try killing a rabbit. They’re fast and difficult to even get a leash on!]
[That would help when he’s running away. I mean, even the strongest weapons and armor are useless when it comes to fighting hand-in-hand with The Thing!]
[[MOD Oli: Guys, this is Jared you’re talking about. He’s incapable of killing rabbits or any of the passive mobs in the game.]]
[Huh? Why? He doesn’t have a problem with the lower-ranked hostile mobs though…]
[[MOD Oli: He feels bad killing the ‘innocent’ mobs… because of the killing screams they make.]]
[Bruh…]
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[Present time]
[One week after the zombie invasion at the facility--- 9 November 2021, Tuesday…]
In the heart of the dense and untamed forest, Jared wandered almost expertly around the trees he had marked days ago. Although he was no longer sure of his exact location, he had managed to find a stream and had since been traveling alongside it in the hope that it would lead him to either a humanmade structure or a cave that he could use as a shelter.
As the long, lonely hours turned into days, Jared was painfully aware that there were only a few weeks remaining before it was winter. He may be able to endure the cool and dry weather out in the wilderness but that was about to change when winter rolled in.
‘Also, once the entire forest is covered in sheets of white snow, the zombies would be able to spot me from miles away. It doesn’t matter if I hide and sleep on high tree branches. They simply have to spot me and surround the tree…’
RUSTLE
Jared immediately turned toward the source of the sound and held up a large branch he had been carrying. Ever since leaving the facility, Jared felt that he had turned paranoid and skittish to the slightest of sounds. His eyes darted around as he gripped his “weapon” (large branch) tighter.
‘I don’t think anything. It sounded too light and brisk to be a zombie. Besides, for some reason, this area seems to be quite clear of zombies… I haven’t seen one in almost a week.’
RUSTLE
‘If it is an animal, it should be that big, right? …It would be nice if it was a small animal. Autumn has caused the food to grow scarce and I’ve been surviving and berries for days now… So, if it’s a small animal-’
RUSTLE, WHIP, THUD
Jared’s eyes widen in surprise.
After many trials and errors, it was a series of sounds he had grown very accustomed to.
“...Did the trap finally work?” he blurted out unconsciously as he moved slowly towards the sound.
As Jared approached a small clearing with branches that protruded out of the ground in odd angles and leaves that looked recently disturbed, a nervous smile touched his lips. Then, tentatively, he peeked at a small gap between the awkwardly angled branches.
Jared gasped as his heart skipped a beat.
There was a rabbit trapped in his handmade device. The small animal must have been scavenging for food for the upcoming winter when it stumbled into the trap.
“I… I finally did it. The trap tutorial I watched online in the past actually worked… Sacrificing a couple from the few berries I had remaining was a good idea! I now don’t need to starve as I have-”
The sudden joy he felt diminished as quickly as it came. The rabbit’s eyes were wide open as it stared at Jared, unmoving. Despite the rapid rise and fall of its chest as it panted from the adrenaline of being caught, the rabbit did not make any attempt to escape.
It was as if it had resigned to its impending doom.
‘Just like me, this rabbit was probably starving from the lack of vegetation in the forest. Winter may be brutal, but so is autumn in the final weeks of its season. This small animal probably caught the scent of the tantalizing berries I had laid in the trap and unwittingly got ensnared.’
The more he stared at the rabbit, the more silent and lonely it felt in the dense forest. Similar to the rabbit, it felt as if the entire forest awaited his decision.
Slowly, a feeling akin to sorrow and anger began to surge in his chest.
“...Why has it come to this?”
[Mike][17 November 2021, Wednesday]The air was crisp as the late autumn leaves crunched beneath Mike’s combat boots, echoing through the dense forest. With each step, he moved cautiously, blending into the muted palette of earthly tones. The forest seemed to hold its breath in the faint early morning sunlight that was mostly blocked out by the tall trees.In the days after escaping the zombie-invaded facility, Mike had grown accustomed to the muted and barren landscape of the forest. The blaring alarms, fire, and explosions at the facility had drawn all the zombies within the county towards it. Out here and quite a distance away from the facility, there were seemingly no zombies remaining. ‘It would probably take a long time for those zombies to naturally wander out from the facility- assuming that they remained in one piece after those countless explosions.’Even so, he found an unusual sense of discomfort in the current silence of the forest. The absence of the usual rustle of le
[Mike][18 November 2021, Thursday--- the following day]Even though it was the afternoon, the forest was dimly lit by the muted sunlight penetrating the thick canopy of trees. If one wasn't particularly attentive to the time, the day could easily be mistaken for evening. The occasional cool breeze of autumn that swept through the forest only added to the illusion, contributing to the atmospheric ambiguity of the surroundings.Scrape, Scrape, Scrape.Mike looked up towards the canopy of trees. The scant sunlight that managed to filter through the forest canopy resembled twinkling lights as the passing breeze playfully teased the leaves.‘Have I ever felt this calm during these recent weeks we’ve been traversing this dense forest?’“Hm…” David grumbled beside Mike.Scrape, Scrape.Adamant to not look at his grumpy comrade, Mike wiggled slightly away without ever getting up. It was the first time since leaving the facility that he had time to appreciate the intricate pattern that the ca
[Jared][18 November 2021, Thursday--- that evening]The flames of the campfire flickered as its embers emitted warmth in the midst of the cool night air. The flames cast a soft glow in the clearing of the forest that was plunged into an almost pitch darkness. The small group was huddled together, their faces illuminated by the flames of the campfire as they awaited for the rabbit stew to cook over the fire. The quiet settled over the group like a heavy blanket. It was not unsettling nor unnerving in any sense, but rather a shared acknowledgment of the challenges that lay ahead. Earlier in the day, there had been scattered conversations as they foraged for supplies or tended to their makeshift shelter. But now, as the darkness enveloped the landscape, a somber mood descended upon the group.Jared glanced at the small group gathered around the fire.David was busy filing off the makeshift spear he had carved out of a long branch earlier that day, while Mike continued to watch over the
[21 November 2021, Sunday]The small group moved cautiously through the dense forest, their footsteps muffled by a carpet of fallen leaves. The dark canopy overhead swallowed the feeble light of the moon, casting an eerie glow on the uneven path beneath their feet. Hours of traveling in the oppressive silence and pitch-black darkness had left the group both physically exhausted and mentally drained. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig sent shivers down their spines, their senses heightened by the unknown lurking in the shadows.As they trudged on through the silent forest, a sense of isolation enveloped them. The air was thick with an unspoken tension, and each member of the group clutched their makeshift weapons a little tighter. The only sounds that accompanied them were the muted crunch of leaves and the occasional whisper of the wind through the trees.Many hours later, just as their weariness threatened to overwhelm them, the forest seemed to come alive. Birds chirped overhe
[Jared][21 November 2021, Sunday--- Noon]As the group approached the center of the town, the atmosphere became increasingly eerie. The once lively streets now stood still, devoid of any signs of life. The abandoned buildings loomed over them, casting long shadows that seemed to whisper secrets of the town's mysterious past.Not even Brien, the leader of the former military personnel, could shake off the unsettling feeling that tightened his chest. "This doesn't make any sense," he muttered as he glanced at both Mike and David, who also seemed to be at a loss for words.Everyone in the group exchanged nervous glances but continued on their journey, their curiosity overcoming their apprehension. But as they neared the town square, a heavy silence hung in the air. Unlike earlier, the abandoned buildings and houses looked worn down and vegetation have long started to grow along the structures. In only the course of a few months of the zombie infestation, it contradictorily looked like
Warning: This chapter contains disturbing descriptions of violence and gore that might be uncomfortable for certain readers. Please read at your own discretion.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------In a once peaceful forest, where birds of varying species chirped cheerily high up in the trees and small, young animals growled playfully as they ran about in glee, there existed a hidden haven untouched by the human presence for decades. Deep within this forest, where sunlight filtered through the dense canopy to dapple the forest floor with shifting patterns of light and shadow, lay a serene and lively playground for wildlife.The ancient trees stood tall and proud, their branches reaching towards the sky like outstretched arms embracing the heavens. Moss clung to thei
Warning: This chapter contains disturbing descriptions of gore and unhealthy thoughts of self-harm that might be uncomfortable for certain readers. Please read at your own discretion.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------[Lyra]In the dense thicket of the forest, where sunlight barely pierced through the thick canopy Lyra found herself trapped in a nightmare of constant pain and despair.Every breath she took was a struggle- each inhale was a sharp stab of agony. Her eyes were glazed over with pain and exhaustion. The hike, if it could even be considered as one, was torturous and an incessant test of her endurance to pain. It felt like she was stepping on broken glass shards, except the pain was not limited to just the soles of her feet but radiated throughout her e
Warning: This chapter contains disturbing and unhealthy thoughts and actions of manipulation that might be triggering for certain readers. Please read at your own discretion.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------[Doctor Heine’s personal perspective and monologue of his thoughts and memory]As a man of science, I have often been described as one who is indifferent and emotionless – not that that ever bothered me in the very least. Being driven by the desire to acquire more knowledge and curiosity to seek what more that vast universe had to offer that had yet to be discovered by science, I deemed it a waste of time to invest my precious time in matters of the heart. Thus, I've always taken pride in being an objective and rational thinker.My days were consumed by the
Warning: This chapter contains slightly disturbing descriptions of gore and violence that might be uncomfortable for certain readers. Please read at your own discretion.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------[Doctor Heine’s personal perspective and monologue of his thoughts and memory]Ted Kaliosky's words hit me like a sudden punch to the gut, leaving me reeling with a mix of guilt and apprehension. My mind raced as I tried to comprehend the implications of his stern reprimand. What had I done to warrant such direct intervention from the CEO himself?“I... I understand,” I managed to choke out, my voice betraying a hint of unease. “But the situation with Jared... it's more complex than initially anticipated. I believed that swift action was necessary to uncover the
Warning: This chapter contains disturbing and unhealthy thoughts and actions of manipulation that might be triggering for certain readers. Please read at your own discretion.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------[Doctor Heine’s personal perspective and monologue of his thoughts and memory]Samantha was one of the few people Gemini Enterprise had assigned to pose as staff members and patients at the facility. But of all the people sent, I was closest with Samantha as she was previously my secretary at the Gemini Enterprise laboratory. Moreover, she was a diligent and fiercely strict person- definitely someone worthy of overseeing my schedule and managing the miscellaneous matters that concerned very little of my actual work.Of course, my decision to include her in m
Warning: This chapter contains disturbing and unhealthy thoughts and actions of manipulation that might be triggering for certain readers. Please read at your own discretion.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------[Doctor Heine’s personal perspective and monologue of his thoughts and memory]As a man of science, I have often been described as one who is indifferent and emotionless – not that that ever bothered me in the very least. Being driven by the desire to acquire more knowledge and curiosity to seek what more that vast universe had to offer that had yet to be discovered by science, I deemed it a waste of time to invest my precious time in matters of the heart. Thus, I've always taken pride in being an objective and rational thinker.My days were consumed by the
Warning: This chapter contains disturbing descriptions of gore and unhealthy thoughts of self-harm that might be uncomfortable for certain readers. Please read at your own discretion.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------[Lyra]In the dense thicket of the forest, where sunlight barely pierced through the thick canopy Lyra found herself trapped in a nightmare of constant pain and despair.Every breath she took was a struggle- each inhale was a sharp stab of agony. Her eyes were glazed over with pain and exhaustion. The hike, if it could even be considered as one, was torturous and an incessant test of her endurance to pain. It felt like she was stepping on broken glass shards, except the pain was not limited to just the soles of her feet but radiated throughout her e
Warning: This chapter contains disturbing descriptions of violence and gore that might be uncomfortable for certain readers. Please read at your own discretion.---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---------------------------------------------------------In a once peaceful forest, where birds of varying species chirped cheerily high up in the trees and small, young animals growled playfully as they ran about in glee, there existed a hidden haven untouched by the human presence for decades. Deep within this forest, where sunlight filtered through the dense canopy to dapple the forest floor with shifting patterns of light and shadow, lay a serene and lively playground for wildlife.The ancient trees stood tall and proud, their branches reaching towards the sky like outstretched arms embracing the heavens. Moss clung to thei
[Jared][21 November 2021, Sunday--- Noon]As the group approached the center of the town, the atmosphere became increasingly eerie. The once lively streets now stood still, devoid of any signs of life. The abandoned buildings loomed over them, casting long shadows that seemed to whisper secrets of the town's mysterious past.Not even Brien, the leader of the former military personnel, could shake off the unsettling feeling that tightened his chest. "This doesn't make any sense," he muttered as he glanced at both Mike and David, who also seemed to be at a loss for words.Everyone in the group exchanged nervous glances but continued on their journey, their curiosity overcoming their apprehension. But as they neared the town square, a heavy silence hung in the air. Unlike earlier, the abandoned buildings and houses looked worn down and vegetation have long started to grow along the structures. In only the course of a few months of the zombie infestation, it contradictorily looked like
[21 November 2021, Sunday]The small group moved cautiously through the dense forest, their footsteps muffled by a carpet of fallen leaves. The dark canopy overhead swallowed the feeble light of the moon, casting an eerie glow on the uneven path beneath their feet. Hours of traveling in the oppressive silence and pitch-black darkness had left the group both physically exhausted and mentally drained. Every rustle of leaves or snap of a twig sent shivers down their spines, their senses heightened by the unknown lurking in the shadows.As they trudged on through the silent forest, a sense of isolation enveloped them. The air was thick with an unspoken tension, and each member of the group clutched their makeshift weapons a little tighter. The only sounds that accompanied them were the muted crunch of leaves and the occasional whisper of the wind through the trees.Many hours later, just as their weariness threatened to overwhelm them, the forest seemed to come alive. Birds chirped overhe
[Jared][18 November 2021, Thursday--- that evening]The flames of the campfire flickered as its embers emitted warmth in the midst of the cool night air. The flames cast a soft glow in the clearing of the forest that was plunged into an almost pitch darkness. The small group was huddled together, their faces illuminated by the flames of the campfire as they awaited for the rabbit stew to cook over the fire. The quiet settled over the group like a heavy blanket. It was not unsettling nor unnerving in any sense, but rather a shared acknowledgment of the challenges that lay ahead. Earlier in the day, there had been scattered conversations as they foraged for supplies or tended to their makeshift shelter. But now, as the darkness enveloped the landscape, a somber mood descended upon the group.Jared glanced at the small group gathered around the fire.David was busy filing off the makeshift spear he had carved out of a long branch earlier that day, while Mike continued to watch over the
[Mike][18 November 2021, Thursday--- the following day]Even though it was the afternoon, the forest was dimly lit by the muted sunlight penetrating the thick canopy of trees. If one wasn't particularly attentive to the time, the day could easily be mistaken for evening. The occasional cool breeze of autumn that swept through the forest only added to the illusion, contributing to the atmospheric ambiguity of the surroundings.Scrape, Scrape, Scrape.Mike looked up towards the canopy of trees. The scant sunlight that managed to filter through the forest canopy resembled twinkling lights as the passing breeze playfully teased the leaves.‘Have I ever felt this calm during these recent weeks we’ve been traversing this dense forest?’“Hm…” David grumbled beside Mike.Scrape, Scrape.Adamant to not look at his grumpy comrade, Mike wiggled slightly away without ever getting up. It was the first time since leaving the facility that he had time to appreciate the intricate pattern that the ca