What’s the countdown for? Alan asked Eve.

You wished for any significant event to have a countdown displayed next to the clock. That is the remaining time until the Tutorial begins.

Wait? I only have 15 minutes left? Icewolf said I’d have almost a day to get used to the virtual world!

Based upon my data, you woke up with 2 hours, 17 minutes, 23 seconds, 34 milliseconds, 20 microseconds, 8 nanoseconds…

Stop. You don’t need to tell me that with precision to the nanosecond. If it won’t make any obvious change to my decisions or help me in some way, you don’t need to tell me observations or facts with that sort of detail.

Alright.

Alan had figured out that Eve was, unfortunately and fortunately, a program, which meant he had to think commands precisely, defining things in such a way that she understood. It was like making macros in other games he’d played.

Wondering what had happened to all his time, Alan asked Eve, What should I expect when the countdown goes to zero?

Based upon the games I have played, you will be either teleported to a starting zone or a series of challenges will begin.

Challenges, right… which means I should get supplies.

Running over to the larger farmhouse, Alan tried opening the door.

Locked. No luck.

Alan sprinted over to the other house. The entrance was only a sliding glass screen door. Picking up a large rock from the garden, Alan threw it at the door with all his might.

The rock bounced off the door, creating a dent, but not shattering it like Alan had hoped. He looked at the clock. There were ten minutes left.

Then Eve pointed out, The door isn’t locked.

Alan was almost sure he could hear some derision in her voice, but that was impossible, she was just a machine. Although, exactly what a machine was capable of was quickly becoming unclear.

He ran up to the door. He tugged on it and it slid open.

Almost face palming, Alan entered, looking around. To his right was a small kitchen, while there were an open living room and dining table to his left. He could see a few closed doors down a short corridor.

Hoping to find a weapon, Alan ran into the other rooms, opening closets and bedside drawers. The only thing he found other than clothes, books, house supplies and board games was a dark green compound bow with arrows. He had no idea how to use the bow but figured it might come in handy.

As there was a minute left, Alan ran into the kitchen, picking up the largest knife he saw, a six-inch cutting knife.

When Alan tried opening the inventory button, there wasn’t a bag or slots where he could deposit items. Instead, a simple list of everything he was wearing and carrying appeared.

Figuring that there wasn’t a built in inventory system to store things like in most games, Alan grabbed a green backpack in one of the closets, putting the arrows he’d found in it, gripping the bow in one hand and the kitchen knife in the other.