Chapter 2: The System’s Deadly Rules

During spring excursion, our school bus lose control, tumble off cliff. That morning, rain just stop. Driver dey shout, conductor dey argue. Next thing, screech! Gbam! All of us tumble like bags of rice.

All classmates die. For split second, darkness cover everywhere. We dey float, dey hear church bell, mosque call, all join together.

When we open eyes again, na another world we land. No okada sound, no horn, only bush smell and old trees. Some people dey touch body, dey confirm say dem still be human.

We transmigrate enter olden days, come become strategy players. Everybody dey look around, some dey cry, some dey pray. One boy kneel, dey beg, "Mama, abeg, if na dream, wake me!"

The system voice echo:

[Your raid target na young chief’s son. If you succeed, bonus dey wait, you go fit return to real world.]

[Currently, 30 surviving strategy players. Bonus pool: 10 million.]

[Each person start with 10 points. One point go dey comot for each day you survive.]

[Abeg, do your best to survive.]

After system finish talk, everywhere silent. No pin drop, no frog croak. Even bush fowl hold mouth.

"Wuwu... How we suppose raid... I no wan die o." Wailing start small, then scatter. One girl sit for ground dey roll, "Na juju? Na test? Abeg, God, carry me back!"

One boy wey dey form hard guy begin sob. Even class clown, Femi, no fit joke. Na real gbege.

I force myself calm, touch system tattoo for wrist, open strategy shop. Na small glowing mark for wrist, dey pulse like village oracle. When I touch am, options pop out like bet9ja ticket – food, wrapper, slippers, even chieftaincy cap.

I see beans cake, ofe onugbu, sponge, small lamp. Even soap wey get strong smell like old woman house. Change-face function dey, but price fit make person cry. Everything na points – even the air wey we dey breathe, I dey suspect e go soon need points too.

Ada, our class prefect, clear throat, stand like JAMB invigilator. "Make we reason am together, abeg. If we scatter, na die remain."

But class beauty cut in, dey look down on everybody: "Is it not just a raid? I dey read strategy novels every day. Just one chief’s son? I fit win am over sharp-sharp."

Her voice dey high, eye dey shine. Some boys dey nod, others dey hiss. Her mouth sharp no be here.

Class beauty really fine: almond-shaped eyes, brows like river, sabi traditional dance, waka soft, voice sweet. She sabi arrange herself, no be play.

Everybody dey look her, nobody fit talk. Confidence for her face fit make snake fear to bite her.

Suddenly, system prompt again:

[The male lead’s first love get beauty mark for back of her neck.]

People start murmur, "Na sign be this?"

Class beauty open teeth, dimple show. For Lagos, boys for don rush am that moment. She press tattoo, dey scroll shop menu like person dey pick aso-ebi for party.

"I just need spend 15 points let system give me beauty mark. I sure say chief’s son go fall for me."

She talk am with confidence, the kind wey dey make people vex but still respect am. Some girls hiss, boys dey smile small.

After she talk, she look me with challenging smile. Her eyes sharp, eyebrow raise, like she dey dare me. I fit feel am for my body.

"Hey, Ijeoma, borrow me 5 points."

All eyes face me. Some dey expect me beg, some dey pity, but most dey wait for drama.

"Borrow? Shey you fit even lend points?" Na one boy with big nose ask, voice low. People dey tap each other, dey murmur.

System reply: "Whether to lend points or not, na up to strategy players. System no go interfere."

As system talk finish, cold breeze blow. Some people even shiver small.

I squeeze my wrapper, voice small like mosquito. My eyes dey ground, I dey fear but I no wan give in. "...I no go fit lend."

Class beauty laughter loud, echo for shrine like evil spirit. E choke.

*Pa—* Her hand swing out fast, slap me hard for face. My ear ring, eye water. Some people gasp, others just dey look. If na old world, teacher for shout, but here, na silence.