Enter System, page 45
part #1 of Natural Laws Apocalypse Series
When Jeff finally stopped laughing, Marc got to explain about his Technical Writing skill and what he thought he could do with it. Now Jeff wasn't laughing at all.
“Oh, you bastard. You realize that if it works the way you think it does, you could sell those manuals you write? If a simple spell scroll goes for ten gold like you said, how much would one of those books go for?” Jeff asked.
Marc shrugged. It wasn't something he'd thought of, he was more interested in having the books available to the Safe Zone so people could gain classes and add skills more easily.
“It might work that way. I haven't done anything with the skill yet though, so we'll have to see how it works.”
Jeff shook his head.
“Lucky bastard, gets a rare class and then a hidden one on top of it. Well, at least he's in my group,” Jeff muttered, under his breath.
He might've meant for it to go unheard, but with their increased stats, most of the group heard him anyway.
* * *
In the end they agreed that they'd sell the coins they'd found and then each take a portion of the proceeds in System coinage and put the rest towards the Safe Zone treasury to be used for things like the upgrades and wages for those who were already working without them. Marc had pointed out that the cooks were busting their butts for nothing more than room and board, and that several of the other residents were doing the same. He wanted the funds to start paying the Farmers, Cooks, and all the others that were already pulling their own weight.
Because that might get some of the slackers off their asses also, and I'd much rather motivate them than banish them, he thought.
After they were done discussing everything, he asked if anyone was up for a walk, wanting to check on their new experience farm. With little else planned for the day, the rest of the group came along with him.
When they reached the ranch he was amazed. He didn't see any kobolds yet, not that he'd expected to see any outside, but the ranch house itself was different. All of the outbuildings were still in the same shape as before, but the ranch house looked completely different. As opposed to a rotting out, close to falling down, sprawling ranch house, it was now two stories, had a much smaller footprint, and seemed to be in significantly better shape.
It looked solid now, although still decrepit if you could somehow mix the two together. The style was completely different, bordering on Gothic, but not quite there. It gave off the feel of the type of house you'd see in a low budget horror movie with the bleached boards of the building and the spiky iron fence that now surrounded the house, twenty feet out from its walls.
“Well, something's certainly happening,” Marc said.
Rob was just staring.
“How did it change so much overnight?” he asked.
“Rob, if we can expand the Safe Zone and build new buildings in just a few minutes, don't you think the System can do the same anywhere it wants?” Marc asked.
“Huh, I wonder if there's a leader type kobold already and it's planning out its lair the way we plan out our Safe Zone?” Felicia asked.
Marc didn't have an answer, but he knew that if she was right and there were such a kobold already, he wouldn't want to sit down to tea with it. Any mind that thought the creation Marc was staring at would make a good home wasn't someone he had any desire to hang out with.
* * *
Chapter Thirty-Three
When they arrived back at the Safe Zone, Marc settled in for some research. He wrote out what he wanted to do to upgrade the Safe Zone and provide entertainment and the like. Those notes were based off the ideas from his group. Then he started walking around, stopping people for a minute or two worth of conversation where he asked questions about what they'd like to see in the Safe Zone.
While he was doing that, he started checking in with what people were working on. The list that included their jobs had filled in quite a few blank spots since he'd evicted the Sternns. Evidently the example that people wouldn't be allowed to simply rest on their laurels had been taken to heart.
As he spoke, he tried to determine who would need to be paid for their efforts by the Safe Zone, and how much. He based his estimates for pay off of the cost of some of the basics available in the shop. He knew that a lot of it was overpriced, but for the moment they didn't have any other alternatives.
While he walked and talked he kept his eyes open for a few specific people. Three people had listed tending livestock as an option for what they wanted to do, and he wanted to speak to at least one of them before he bought the chickens for the coop. He also wanted to find the older gentleman with the Game Warden class. He hadn't thought to get the man's name before, or if he had, he'd forgotten it already. The Wildlife Preserve was ready though, and Marc wanted to let him know and officially assign him to it. He also wanted to warn him that he should bring a guard or adventuring group most of the time out there since he could be attacked by the spawns while in the Preserve.
The first of the individuals he'd been keeping an eye open for showed up about forty-five minutes into his rounds of walking and talking to people. She was one of the people who'd said she wanted to tend livestock.
“Aha! You wanted to handle livestock, right?” Marc said, once he'd gotten her name.
“Yes, why, do we have some?” Sheila answered.
Marc nodded.
“Well, we will. I got a chicken coop on the last upgrade, and that made live chickens available for purchase in the shop. Would you like to help me pick them? I've got no idea if they have different breeds or anything.”
She smiled.
“I raised backyard chickens for a while. That was years ago though. I can probably handle it, and I'm sure I can remember some of the better breeds for laying eggs or getting meat.”
“There are different breeds for things like that?” Marc asked.
Sheila nodded.
“Yes, plus if they're available we'll want heritage breeds, that's a type of chicken that breeds true. Some of the hybrids don't.”
Marc shook his head helplessly.
“I'll have to leave that up to you,” he said. “I know nothing at all about raising chickens.”
“Well, if you're ready to buy chickens, we can go look at the shop,” she said.
Marc led her down to the gymnasium and over to the shop. When he opened it up and searched for live chickens, he found a huge list.
“Um, here?” he said, gesturing to Sheila and moving out of her way.
She started looking through and a few moments later pointed at the screen.
“Them. I remember those best. Rhode Island Reds are a dual-purpose breed, good for both eggs and meat. They're mostly peaceful, lay very well, and they breed true. My second choice is on there also, but if we've only got the one coop and want to breed up our own flock, then we probably don't want to mix breeds.”
“Well, the listing on the coop said it was sufficient for up to fifty birds,” Marc said.
“Big coop then,” Sheila said. “I do remember that chickens should have at least two square feet apiece in their coop, more is better.”
“I haven't actually looked at it yet,” Marc said. “Maybe we should do that before purchasing the birds?”
Sheila smiled and nodded.
“That's probably a good idea. Where did you put it?”
“It's behind the keep. There were wide open areas back there and I thought that the chickens should probably have some wide open grassy areas, yes?”
“Only if we can fence it in. They'll get everywhere otherwise, plus some flying creatures might be a problem. Eagles and other raptors will go after chickens given the opportunity.”
Marc took her out to where the coop was, then glanced inside. Like the other buildings it had a pad inside of it. This one appeared to be a straight copy of a book, with forward notes that dealt with this coop specifically. After the forward came the cover of the book, which read Storey's Guide to Raising Chickens. When he pointed that out to Sheila she nodded.
“That's a good one, I used to have a copy of it.”
The other surprise was that there was an enclosure like the one on the shop. Marc found that he could access the chicken purchase screen here, plus another screen for animal feed and bedding.
“Looks like we can get the chickens here,” he said.
“Fifty won't be a problem, there's enough room,” Sheila replied. “Maybe start with fewer than that though so I can get my hand back in on raising them?”
“Ten hens and a rooster?” Marc asked, wincing when he looked at the prices.
The hens were five silver apiece and the rooster ten silver all by himself.
“That ought to work. I was talking with the others that wanted to do livestock also, so we'll probably all work this for now until you get more, assuming you plan on getting more.”
Marc nodded.
“I don't know where or how yet, but I'd like to have a small herd of cows and some pigs also. Beef and bacon, you know?”
“Yeah, I was married for twenty years. I know men and their desire for steak and bacon. At least my man craved it.”
This was why Marc wasn't so social. He had no idea if he should ask her about her husband and if he was ex, or late, or what. So instead, he punched in the order for the chickens and authorized it. He also ordered some bedding and a bag of feed. A moment later a clucking noise came from the little enclosure.
He opened it and a chicken paraded out, looking around before starting to peck at something. As soon as he closed the door, the clucking started again. So he opened it and let another hen out. That repeated itself until his entire order of eleven chickens had been delivered. The very last one out was larger than the others, with a larger comb and what looked like an extra addition to its legs. That one gave him a glare as soon as it arrived.
There was a dull thump after the rooster came out and Marc pulled out the bedding, a bale of straw, then another thump as the feed arrived. The rooster was wandering around as he pulled those things out, and now it was close to him and glaring again.
“Watch him,” Sheila said. “Those spurs on his legs can cut you up pretty bad if you aren't careful.”
“Well, I'll leave you to this. I've got a bunch more people that I need to talk to today,” Marc said, backing out of the coop.
* * *
Marc had a thought and moved down the road towards the new pond. Sure enough, the man who said he had the Game Warden class was sitting there, fishing.
“Hi,” Marc said. “I'm afraid I didn't ask your name last time.”
“Ramon,” the older man said, “and you're Marc. I assume you're here to offer me the Game Warden position? I was notified that the Safe Zone had added a Wildlife Preserve.”
Marc nodded.
“Yes, but also to warn you that if you take it, you'll want to take one of the guards or an adventuring group with you when dealing with it. The description I got said that spawns can't attack the game in there, but they can attack hunters or Game Wardens in the Preserve.”
“Well, Ron said we're going to back you all the way, so I can show you this. If you can spare some shells, I ought to be alright,” Ramon said.
He reached into nowhere, accessing his inventory Marc knew, and pulled out a double barreled shotgun. It was obvious that the weapon had been Systemized.
“12 gauge, I'm used to buckshot and birdshot, so if you've got some of those you can give me then I ought to be just fine,” Ramon said.
“I can certainly get you some shells. I think we've only got double ought buckshot, is that okay?”
“So long as you don't want me hunting any birds, it ought to be fine.”
“I'd still recommend you take someone with you most of the time. The spawns can come in large groups.”
“Oh, I'd be an idiot to go it alone. I don't intend to do that. I just need to be able to defend myself and not have to rely on someone else to do it for me. I ran my shells out helping those boys defend our neighborhood though, so I just need a resupply.”
“Well, we'll be working out pay and the like, and we'll try to supply the materials for jobs. It sounds to me like some of your materials ought to be shotgun shells. What do you think?”
“I think you're trying to butter me up, Marc, but it is working. I'll take the position, starting officially as soon as you get me those shotgun shells.”
“I also need to place a gate in the back wall,” Marc said. “Otherwise you'd be walking all the way around the Safe Zone just to get there.”
“I could do it if I had to, I won't lie and say I'd prefer it though. I'll wait for the gate,” Ramon said.
“Well, come with me and we'll get the shells for you.”
As they walked back towards the keep, Marc assigned the Wildlife Preserve manager slot to Ramon. Once they made it back, he found the shotgun shells in his room. He and Felicia had brought the rest of the ammunition and his dad's guns to his room when they'd recovered it.
“How many shells do you need? Will twenty-five do you for now?” Marc asked.
Ramon nodded.
“I shouldn't even need that many. I only get two at a time with my double barrel, so that would mean I was in a lot of fights if I went through that many. I'd prefer to avoid that, if possible.”
“Well, take twenty-five for now. If you're supporting during a fight you'll have a chance to reload, so it might not be as many fights to run out as you're thinking. Like you said, I hope there aren't any, but I'm also not going to count on that with the System in charge.”
Ramon looked like he wanted to spit at the mention of the System. He refrained though, since he was in Marc's room. Instead he just grunted.
“I'll go add in that gate now,” Marc said. “I'd prefer you not head out there on your own, but it's your call.”
“I'll wait until I know the place better before I try it by myself. My class gives me some sneaky abilities, so if I know the area first there's a good chance I can avoid any trouble that shows up,” Ramon said.
“Thanks, I figure once you've got a few levels, it won't be as dangerous.”
Ramon laughed.
“I did mention I was backing the boys with my shotgun before, right? I was an unclassed level four before I was offered the Game Warden class. Then I was a level four Game Warden and I've been climbing towards five. Catch and release of the younger fish actually gives me experience, more than the ones I catch and keep even.”
Marc had completely forgotten that you could level while unclassed and carry it over to your class. Now that he remembered, he realized that Ramon may well have missed out on a bunch of stats, but he seemed happy with his class now, so Marc didn't bring that up.
“Good then, that'll happen even sooner if you're starting at level four,” Marc said.
Ramon grinned at him and shook his head.
“I'd ask what level you thought was safe to be out there on my own, but I'm guessing you don't have an answer for it.”
Marc shrugged.
“It depends on what spawns are around. At level four I'd say the kobolds, goblins, and even hobgoblins wouldn't be a problem for you unless they outnumbered you badly. On the other hand, the ogres we found would be a serious problem for you, so...”
“I get it. Things aren't the way I'm used to them being,” Ramon said. “I'll be careful for a while until I see what types of things get in there.”
“Also, I only made it seven hundred and fifty acres so far. At some point, when I have enough extra wood, I plan on expanding that to make it larger,” Marc said.
“Seven fifty seems pretty big to start,” Ramon said.
“Yes, but if we keep getting more and more people, we may need the extra game a larger Preserve can provide,” Marc countered.
Ramon dipped his head in acknowledgment.
“Well, I'll go see who I can convince to come along with me,” Ramon said.
“You might see if some of the adventuring groups want to take a light day and explore the area with you tomorrow,” Marc said. “Most of the people staying behind wouldn't be a lot of help in a fight, with the exception of my group and the wall guards.”
Ramon nodded as they left Marc's room.
“Couple of Ron's boys stopped fighting cause they didn't like it too much. They got a few levels first though, so I thought of them. It'd give them something useful to do and if they aren't out looking for fights and they're just keeping an eye on me? I imagine it's something they could handle better than the daily fights they were getting into before.”
“You know them better than I,” Marc said. “I wasn't even aware that there were any other combat classes in the people Ron brought in.”
Ramon nodded, then raised a hand.
“I'll go talk to them. If they're willing, then maybe I can get out to look around today. You going to put that gate in right now?”
Marc nodded.
“No time like the present,” he said.
* * *
The modification to add the gate was inexpensive, costing all of five stone, ten wood, and ten metal. All of which they had. Since he'd only needed a little over two hundred wood from the recyclers today and they normally brought in a lot more than that if they focused on a single material, he just did it.
It was almost dinner time, but he sat down and went through the suggestions that had been made for the Safe Zone. Some of them were ludicrous and things that only a single person had requested, but there were a number that had multiple requests so he had to take those more seriously. One of the requests was for a library. He knew that the school used to have one, but not what had happened to it. So he tracked down Jeff to ask.
“Sure, the library is still here. I moved it down into the basement though since no-one ever used it,” Jeff said.
Marc groaned and wanted to smack himself in the forehead.
Of course Jeff would think no-one used it, because he wouldn't have used it and if he didn't use it than no-one else would, at least that's how Jeff thinks.
“So, it's in the basement?” Marc asked.
