Chapter 3

Alivia stood in the ankle-deep water of the cove, her fingers fumbling with the knotted leather strap at her neck. The animal skin smelled like sour milk and old sweat. She couldn't wait to rip it off.

Ding!

A piercing electronic sound exploded inside her skull, so loud she flinched, her hands flying up to cover her ears. She dropped into a crouch, her eyes darting around the empty cove, her hand reaching for a sharp rock on the riverbed.

Nothing. Just the rustle of leaves and the gurgle of water. The sound was inside her head.

"Booting up..." a voice announced, smooth and arrogant, with a distinct Silicon Valley tech-bro cadence. "Super Charm AI, designation Kai, at your service."

Alivia pressed her fingers hard against her temples, convinced she was hallucinating. "Great," she muttered. "The toxins finally fried my brain."

"Stop pressing," Kai said, his tone dripping with condescension. "I'm not a brain tumor, lady. I'm your only golden finger in this savage world. You're welcome."

A translucent blue holographic screen flickered into existence, hovering right in front of her retina. Numbers and stats scrolled across it.

Appearance Value: -50.

Charm Value: -100.

Survival Probability: 2%.

Alivia stared at the numbers, her eye twitching. "Charm value negative one hundred? Are you kidding me?"

"Main quest initiated," Kai continued, ignoring her. "Conquer your five designated mates. Collect affection points."

Alivia let out a sharp, humorless laugh. "Excuse me? Conquer those five jerks? The one I just kneed in the balls wants to kill me. I'd rather take my chances in the wilderness."

A harsh, grating alarm blared in her mind. "Warning. Refusal will result in system energy depletion and immediate soul erasure. You have no choice."

The threat was real. Alivia could feel the cold grip of the system around her consciousness. She hated being cornered. She hated being forced. But she was a survivor.

She straightened up, dropping the rock, and switched into negotiation mode. "Fine. I'll do your stupid quest. But I need an advance. Show me some sincerity."

The screen flickered. Kai was silent for a moment, clearly not used to a host who talked back. "Given your current... hygienic situation, which is severely impacting the visual experience, the system has approved a 'Novice Cleaning Pack'."

A golden gift box icon popped up on the screen. Alivia mentally clicked it.

A flash of light, and three items materialized in her palm: a bar of lavender soap, a soft-bristled toothbrush, and a fluffy white cotton towel.

Alivia stared at them. The scent of lavender, artificial and chemical and utterly divine, wafted up from the soap. It was a piece of modern civilization, a lifeline in this stinking hellhole.

She didn't hesitate. She draped the towel over a rock and plunged the soap into the water, working up a thick lather. The white foam was beautiful against her grimy skin.

She scrubbed. She scrubbed hard, the rough texture of the soap grating away layers of filth. Black water sluiced off her body and swirled away downstream.

"Just wait until you get the advanced whitening cream," Kai chattered in her head. "One swipe, and that sallow skin will be-"

"Shut up, Kai," Alivia snapped, rinsing the soap from her arms. "I'll do the quest. My way."

She picked up the toothbrush. No toothpaste, but even brushing with water and crushed mint leaves made her mouth feel less like a sewer. It took half an hour, and she used almost half the bar of soap, but finally, the first layer of grime was gone.

She was still fat. The rash was still there. But her skin was its natural color, and the stench was replaced by the clean scent of lavender.

Alivia dried off with the towel, the soft cotton a luxury against her skin. She felt lighter, human again. She wrapped the damp, clean-ish animal skin back around herself and turned to leave the water.

Then, the hair on the back of her neck stood up. A shift in the air current. A presence behind her.