That night, Ronan—who had barely escaped the horror of the graveyard—returned to the village. The atmosphere in the guild instantly fell silent for a moment. Those who saw him were surprised, because the so-called "experienced" hunter had returned empty-handed, without any valuable loot, with nothing in his possession.
— What happened, Ronan? Came back with nothing? Did your little evil plan fail this time? — one of the men sitting near the counter said mockingly.
Ronan responded only with a furious glance.
— Shut your mouth! There were far more Stalkers than I expected, — he said through clenched teeth, taking a drink from the bartender and finishing it in one gulp.
— What about the others? That young guy and the NPCs? — the same man asked again, without any real concern in his tone.
— What do you think happened... they're probably dead, — Ronan replied indifferently, shrugging. — There's no place for the weak in this world.
— You never changed that habit, huh, — someone else added from the side. — Why do you always send newcomers to their deaths so easily? Doesn't your conscience bother you?
Ronan burst into a mocking laugh. There was something cold and broken in it.
— Conscience? After surviving in this hell for so many years, do you think there's still room for something like conscience? When I first came here, I faced death alone. No one helped me. I survived only by relying on my own strength and mind. Survival is an art, my friends. And I'm just feeding the artist.
---
Meanwhile, far from the graveyard, after the pain in his body gradually subsided, Reymond stood up. The sun had already risen; it was around nine in the morning. His leg had not fully healed even after the system's medicine, but he could at least walk.
Sitting on the grass, he began analyzing what had happened. Whenever he recalled Ronan's name, a fire of hatred burned inside him.
— "If I go back to that village… what can I even do? He is far stronger and more experienced than me. Facing him now would be walking straight into death," — he thought, but his anger would not calm down.
He opened the floating blue system window: [Solve questions]
[Complete quests]
[Check statistics]
He selected the first option.
— Why did Ronan betray me? Does the system allow something like that? — he asked, staring into the air.
Letters began typing instantly: [This world, "The Infinite Game," is a survival-type game. There are no moral restrictions or fixed rules. Players may use any means necessary to survive and achieve their goals (betray allies, kill teammates, etc.).]
As Reymond read this, a cold sensation passed through his body. So in this world, not only monsters, but the system itself pushed humans toward becoming beasts.
— Then what am I supposed to do? There's no point going back to the village, — he asked again.
[The world of "The Infinite Game" is vast. There are other settlements and cities in nearby regions.]
— A city? — Reymond's eyes lit up. — Where is it? Show me the way!
[The nearest city is 20 km to the south from here.]
Reymond fell into thought. A city meant development. There would surely be more opportunities to grow stronger.
— I got coins from quests. Where and how can I use them?
[Coins can be used in the System Shop to purchase weapons, items, and special potions.]
— Is there food in the shop? — Reymond asked hopefully, feeling hunger.
[The System Shop does not contain conventional food. Only energy drinks and nutritional capsules that sustain the body.]
Reymond looked toward the distant southern horizon. A dangerous 20-kilometer journey and a new, harsh life awaited him. Burying thoughts of Ronan deep inside his mind, he took his first step.
Each step caused sharp pain in his healing leg. The system's medicine had closed the external wound, but the internal bone pain still lingered. Staring at the distant flickering outline of the city, he realized walking the entire distance was impossible. He needed transport.
Reluctantly, he returned to the same cursed village. On the way, he purchased an "Energy Recovery" elixir from the system shop for 2 coins. As soon as he drank it, the heaviness in his body disappeared, his muscles regained strength, and his steps became steady.
At the village gate, the same emotionless robot-like guards opened the gate as before.
— "I need to reach the city. And this time, I should rely only on NPCs. Human betrayal is far more dangerous than system commands," — he thought.
Walking through the narrow village streets, he stopped near an old cart in the corner. The cart was worn out, and the horse attached to it looked weak and exhausted. An old man sat holding the reins, staring blankly ahead. Reymond's attention was drawn to him.
— "Better than nothing," — he thought, and approached.
— Sorry to disturb you, sir. I have a request.
The old man slowly turned his head. There was no curiosity or emotion in his eyes.
— Where do you want to go? — he asked in a flat tone.
That emptiness in his voice reassured Reymond—this was a true NPC.
— I want to go to the nearest city, — Reymond said firmly.
Immediately, a blue screen appeared: [Toll fee: 1 Coin. Do you agree?]
Reymond pressed accept and climbed into the wooden cart. The rough cloth above him blocked the harsh sunlight. As the wheels began to creak forward, he leaned back and thought deeply.
— "Once I reach the city, I need to find a way to survive. My money is almost gone. System coins only work with NPC trade, it seems. I must learn what currency humans use in cities, otherwise I'll be cheated again or left on the streets."
He stared at the fading village gate behind him. This world had already taught him one harsh truth: survival is not only about fighting monsters, but also about thinking, planning, and adapting. With each bump of the cart, he began forming a clearer plan. The city ahead could be either salvation—or a new hell.
---
The cart kept moving without stopping. The rhythmic creaking of wheels and gentle shaking lulled Reymond into sleep. Exhausted by fear and tension, he slept through the entire day.
When the sun dipped below the horizon and the sky turned dark purple, the system suddenly flashed and woke him.
[Warning: You have entered the "Red Zone." Extreme caution is required!]
Reymond rubbed his eyes and read the message, freezing instantly. Every sense in his body sharpened. He felt danger approaching.
— What does Red Zone mean? — he asked nervously.
But the system remained silent.
[Kundalik javob berish limiti tugagan.]
Reymond became uneasy. The system had abandoned him at the worst possible moment.
— "Red Zone… even the name sounds like death," — he thought, gripping his sword tightly.
In the distance, dark moving shapes appeared on the horizon. They approached rapidly.
As they got closer, their identity became clear: a pack of enormous wolves with glowing, hungry eyes. There were at least fifteen of them.
— "Faster!" — Reymond shouted at the driver.
— Of course, — the old man replied calmly.
The cart sped up, but the wolves closed in quickly. One of them leapt onto the cart. Reymond instinctively swung his sword and struck its eye. The beast fell with a scream.
— Why can't I just travel peacefully?! — he thought in frustration.
More wolves attacked from the sides. The cart tilted violently as they tried to overturn it. The battle intensified. The wolves shifted strategy, targeting the horse directly.
— No! If they kill the horse, I'm finished! — Reymond moved forward.
He activated his "Night Vision" ability. The world became clearer in darkness. He could now see every movement of the wolves.
When one of them leapt again, Reymond did not swing blindly this time—he struck with precision, piercing its throat.
— I just wanted to reach the city in one piece… now this too? — he muttered bitterly.
In the distance, the city walls finally appeared, glowing like a beacon. But the wolves were still relentless.
Eventually, the cart overturned. Reymond managed to jump away and landed hard on the ground.
Behind him, chaos erupted. Wolves attacked the NPC driver and the horse. Neither resisted; both were killed instantly.
— "Move, Reymond! If you stop now, you're next!" — his mind screamed.
He ran toward the city gates. Several wolves pursued him. Using Night Vision, he avoided obstacles and kept running. One wolf managed to bite his shoulder, but his armor reduced the damage.
Finally, he reached the city gates. Guards immediately noticed him.
— Fire! — one of them shouted.
A fireball erupted from the soldier's hand and incinerated one of the wolves. The rest were quickly eliminated.
Reymond collapsed, breathing heavily.
— Are you alright? — one guard asked. — What happened? Wolves never come this close to the gate.
— I… I came by cart… wolves attacked suddenly… they killed the driver and horse in front of me… I just ran, — Reymond said, still trembling.
The guards exchanged glances. The city walls now surrounded him, offering safety—but the scent of death still clung to his clothes. He had reached the city… but whether it was salvation or the beginning of something far worse, he did not yet know.