NOVEL WEB Chapter 4: Pain Extraction
'What was that?!' His eyes opened immediately.
'what did I just hear?'
'no I heard it correctly, it said I have awakened a system,'
'what does that mean… is it like one of those systems in those books?'
He took in rough jaggered breathes, burning his lungs with every breath. The adrenaline that dulled the pain from the bullet wound had already worn off, now he was feeling the full extent of the injury and it was the most painful thing he had ever experienced.
Yet his eyes shone with a new found thought, 'what if there is hope?'
'What if I actually received a system that could change my life?'
With that thought he struggled to move his hand through the pain, forcing himself to his feet. He was unable to even stand upright, but that didn't stop him.
Taking one weak step after the other he started walking.
'I can't give up now'
He staggered but still managed to remain standing.
'I have to get to a hospital'
The pain was starting to cloud his mind, he could no longer process his thoughts easily. The closest hospital was probably miles away.
He took a few very difficult steps before collapsing to the floor.
'I can't give up'
He coughed up some blood, before getting back on his feet.
He staggered with every step like he was a zombie. The pain was almost unbearable, but yet he wanted to live. Whatever that message was, he was going to figure it out.
But this wasn't a movie, he fell to the floor once again and this time there wasn't even enough energy to get back up. He had already lost too much blood.
"I… have to…"
[Pain extraction begins]
[Your pain has been extracted, it has been classified as excruciating pain. You have acquired +81 points]
[Do you want to use these points to increase your regeneration and endurance?]
His voice was weak but he still managed to answer,
"Y-yes"
[Sure thing]
The pain immediately began to reduce, and a new found energy filled his body and soul. Once again he managed to stand to his feet and limp in the direction of the hospital.
After falling and standing up a number of times he finally found himself at the steps of a small local hospital in the area, where he was found by a nurse and immediately began receiving treatment.
The next morning when he woke up he was visited by a doctor.
"You said your name is Vincent Carlo?" The doctor asked as he wrote on his clipboard.
"Yeah," Vincent sat up, every slight movement caused his back to throb.
The pain from the bullet wound was not totally gone but it was now very much bearable.
"Try not to move too much," the doctor advised, "we were able to remove the bullet but it would take a few weeks before the wound fully heals. The bullet damaged your small intestine but it was like your body was repairing itself before you got here, if not you would have been dead,"
Vincent held his breath as he heard the doctor, he still had clear memories of last night so he knew it had something to do with the system.
"When can I go back home?"
"Well, we need to keep you here for observation just to make sure you are safe, so maybe in a few days. Now Mr Vincent, can you tell me where and how you got injured?"
"Why?" Vincent asked defensively,
"We have to file a police report. A gunshot injury isn't something to be taken lightly. We have to know if your life is still in any danger,"
"I've already called the cops, they would be here soon,"
All the alarms in Vincent's head immediately fired up,
"The cops?!"
"No you can't do that,"
The doctor was a bit taken aback, "it's too late for that sir, I already called them a while ago. They should be here any minute now,"
Vincent gritted his teeth, 'shit! What if those cops from last night come again?'
He couldn't afford to wait around and find out. Grabbing his shorts, he jumped out of bed and bolted out of the hospital room. Doctors and nurses shouted after him, trying to block his path, but he was too determined. He pushed through the small crowd, ignoring their protests.
"How is he able to move like that after just getting shot?" one of the nurses wondered as she watched him sprint away.
Once Vincent got out of the hospital he took a taxi that would take him straight home. He still had the cash the boss had given him so it was no problem.
He finally entered his room, bolting on the three locks on the door for extra protection. As far as he knew his life was currently in danger.
Those men from last night were real police men, it wasn't easy to acquire a gun otherwise.
"What have I gotten myself into?" He sighed, as he rested his back against the door.
"Arch…"
The image of his friend getting killed right in front of his eyes replayed in his head.
'why did he have to die like that'
Why did those officers try to kill us, why did the boss even send us there in the first place?
Arch had been his oldest friend in the city, when he first got here and had nowhere else to stay, Arch was kind enough to let him stay in his house and even helped him get a house in the same apartment building.
He was a nice man that always looked out for those that needed help. Now he was no more.
"I would have been dead too if it wasn't for that system,"
As he said the word 'system' a small system interface appeared before him.
[Host: Vincent Marco]
[Congratulations on acquiring the Pain extraction system. The pain extraction system is a system that allows you to turn your pain and the pain you inflict on others into points, these points can then be used to upgrade anything]
His eyes widened, "so it really was a system, I can't believe it!"
He read through the contents, "what do you mean anything?"
[I mean anything at all, looks, strength, speed or even intelligence, it all depends on how much pain you are able to extract]