Caelan looked at the screen of his computer. He was speechless. There, on the screen, is the result that shows the algorithm he had created had worked.
The God Program is what he was trying to create.
It is an algorithm that simultaneously solves three of the impossible trillion-dollar questions in the world of tech: Can it solve problems as fast as it can verify them? Can it prove that a huge complex software system is free of critical bugs? Can you build systems that are consistently correct and fault-tolerant even if you scale them into thousands of machines?
Experts will say no, no, and no. It's impossible! Meanwhile, the God Program says YES YES YES!
Caelan had done it!
This is the equivalent of Einstein's quest for the Unified Field Theory. The difference is that Einstein failed while Caelan succeeded.
"No way... no fucking way..."
Caelan muttered as adrenaline rushed all over him. This is the greatest achievement he can ever get - any programmer can ever dream of!
He was excited to show the world what he had done, but was also very tired. He figured that letting his secretary know of the good news could wait until after he takes a long-needed rest.
Now, the work is finished, and Caelan is ready to finish his session. His eyes glanced heavily over to his side.
His desk was filled with books, papers, wires, and other monitors.
'My phone... where's my phone...' Caelan slowly shifted the books and papers to find his phone. But it's dead.
"Wait..." he muttered, "Didn't I fully charge this?"
Placing it on top of the wireless charging pad, Caelan leaned back as he felt his whole body was sore.
"Ughh... how long have I been sitting here?"
With each passing second, his body is becoming heavier and heavier to the point of feeling pain. Curiosity fueled his movement as he hovered over the clock software of his computer.
Caelan has an extreme trait that made him a genius in his field. Once he starts focusing, it's hard to stop him. The time is non-existent when he is in this state. That's why his secretary has been nagging him about taking care of himself.
"Oh, yeah, water..." that reminded him. His secretary was adamant that he keep water beside him at all times. Caelan agreed, but in return, the secretary is prohibited from interrupting his focus.
Caelan can become very annoyed when he is interrupted. To the point that he built a reinforced wall surrounding his room, and the only way to get in or out is with his biometrics.
'Wait, what was I doing again?'
Caelan proceeded to look at the time after his mind wandered a bit. Maybe he really was too tired to think.
The time is...
It's 17:52.
"Huh... It's just been 8 hours." He was surprised. Was he really a genius, solving three of the world's greatest programming problems in just 8 hours of intense focus?
Baffled, Caelan took a peek at the calendar.
There was no way, right? There was no way that Caelan would stay up for 3 days again.
But what the calendar shows confused Caelan. It's been... nine days?
"M-maybe, I was wrong..." Caelan muttered as he scratched his head. Right then, he noticed his lips were quite sore. He touched it, and it was like a dried leaf. It bled the moment he touched it.
He tried to swallow but found it hard to. There was not much saliva to swallow in the first place. Signs of extreme dehydration had become noticeable.
Caelan's last few strands of strenght was fading away as he collapsed onto the ground. The adrenaline that was keeping him barely alive finally dissipates.
Right then, his phone was charged enough to open on its own.
A series of dings rang from his phone as it vibrated.
"Call Jin..."
With the last of his strength, Caelan muttered, and his phone rang, which was immediately picked up.
["Professor! Finally! It's been over a week! What were you doing!?"]
No answer was given.
["Hello? Professor? Are you okay?"]
["Is this a butt dial? Can you answer, Professor? You're making me worried here. Just tell me you are eating and sleeping well in the past week?"]
["Professor?? Oh god, please reply! I'll come there, okay? I hope you did not hole yourself in your lab again... oh god, I hope he ate and drank water. No way, right? He at least has the basic survival instinct to eat and drink water. There's no way he locked himself in his lab for more than 3 days this time..."]
With no answers, Secretary Jin began to talk to himself.
Caelan's mind drifted, and his secretary's voice slowly tuned out in the background.
His life went by him...
Caelan had been an oddball since he was born. He was obsessed with anything related to creating and building things.
When given LEGOs at age five, Caelan spent all his days building massive cities. His parents became so worried that they tried diverting his attention to other hobbies he might have. At age eight, he was given a guitar, and he created new music pieces. At age ten, he was allowed in the kitchen and created new recipes. Then, at age twelve, Caelan was handed a second-hand laptop. It wasn't connected to the internet at first, but it was enough.
Caelan learned programming, then robotics, as it was a mixture of engineering and electronics as well.
Caelan seems to be a genius. But, it wasn't without a downside. He had almost zero social life growing up. Being the unusual kid, Caelan was often bullied and had to change schools frequently.
He didn't care. Caelan just wants to do what he has been doing all this time: creation!
This was the only thing that fueled his life. No, it is his life!
Unfortunately, as ironic as it is, the trait of unparalleled focus that made him a genius was also the same trait that cost him his life.
No...
For a moment before death, Caelan stopped blaming his situation and his traits for this outcome. It was he who was irresponsible. It was he who didn't learn. It was he who didn't listen to others to take care of himself.
Thinking back now, he fully regrets it.
What's the point of achieving the greatest feat, when it will be the last?
Caelan realized that he is indeed very smart, and also very, very stupid. He doubts that the average person has this problem. It was only him, someone this stupid.
Thinking about it, there was no pressure for him to perform; there was no deadline. He just ignored everything else in the world just because he loves what he was doing. Even if it's productive, anything too much is always for the worse.
If only he were given another chance, Caelan promises that he will value his own life as much as he values his creation.
However, we only have one life. There are no second chances.
At age 34, Caelan, a genius of his time, had passed away...
...
...
[Karma is real.]
A soft voice shocked Caelan awake. His eyes turned wide open as he looked at the sky.
Wait... the sky? Wasn't he in a lab? Or, at least, he should see the ceiling of a hospital room as he did back when he stayed up for 3 days in a row.
"??"
Caelan thought he must be in a dream. It feels surreal enough to be one. Look, there's even a big lizard with wings flying through the clouds as if it were swimming. With that size, it shouldn't be able to fly.
Yep, this is a dream.
Caelan tried to close his eyes again when the voice returned.
[You have helped millions of lives with your contributions.]
[As such, decided by the Heavenly Court above, you are given a second chance at life.]
Caelan slowly opened his eyes and sat up. He was just in a daze as he looked over the land of greenery. Tall mountain ranges could be seen from afar, followed by the endless seas of trees. On the right side was a grassy plain with a peaceful pond lying just around the horizon.
A blow of cold wind brushed against Caelan's skin, jolting him awake.
"Hold on... this feels too real..."
The voice continued in his head.
[We hope you'll like Madanea. Since you are ordinary in nature, we'll leave you a gift.]
[Survive, live, and enjoy.]
The soft voice then disappeared, followed by a monotonous voice.
[Chosen Innovator System has been integrated successfully.]
[Caelan Mirwood was successfully verified as The User.]
[System Unique Skill: Inspect. Unlocked.]
[System Unique Skill: Explore. Unlocked.]
[System Unique Skill: Storage. Unlocked.]
[System Unique Skill: Manual. Unlocked.]
Caelan was in a mixture of dumbfounded, shocked, and confused state. He shook his head and stood up. He found that his body has plenty of strength now.
"I don't follow..." Caelan whispered as he held his head, trying to understand the situation.
After a brief moment, he asked, "I'm alive?"
No one answered.
Caelan was a person of science. All rational beliefs tell him that he is currently dreaming. However, his guts, perception, and sensation are telling him otherwise.
Everything feels real.
Caelan turned to look around, trying to grasp the new world he was in, when he was greeted by a tall statue.
It's a humanoid statue with countless wings on its back. It's like its wings have wings. Then, from head to toe, it was covered in thick robes. The statue does not show the human's face, but Caelan can feel that it is of holy origin.
Caelan was still in disbelief.
"Was I really-"
His words were cut short as he felt them- the gazes of other beings. Behind the statue were eyes staring at him from the shadows created by the thick, lush trees.
It dawned on him, the specific word that gave Caelan a rising sense of anxiety: The soft voice in his head said, 'Survive'.
A dream, or not, Caelan felt deep fear. He immediately turned back and tried to run away from these watchful gazes.
"Whoa!"
But, noticed that he was at the end of a cliff.
Grrr---!
Caelan's heart dropped, and his face paled. There's no escape here. In front of him would lead him down to his death, while behind him, unknown beings growl.
Hearing light footsteps, Caelan faced the unknown presence.
Turned out, they were dogs, their teeth bared against him. Saliva dripped from their mouth. Their eyes meant no mercy. Four of these beings came out of the shadows of the trees one by one, as they tried to surround the newcomer.
'I just arrived here!' Caelan cursed these dogs. From the looks of it, it seemed that they were still far from him as they slowly approached him with careful steps.
Meanwhile, Caelan felt like his heart was about to escape his ribcage from how hard it was pounding. His feet and hands lost its temparature, as he sweat profusely.
Every second Caelan stood there and did nothing, the dogs were inching closer and closer.
'Fuck! What do I do? What do I have--?'
Then, Caelan remembered the monotonous voice from earlier. With a quick thought, he recollected what he heard. As a programmer in his previous life, he already thought of what the monotonous voice entails. It's definitely like a computer notifying him of updates and status.
The thought was too ridiculous, but then again, the whole situation is too ridiculous.
That's why Caelan had to try.
If I'm correct, a system was integrated into me. How is that even possible- No, I'll try to think of that later. What's important is that I know that this is a gift from that angelic voice; it should give me a chance of survival!
Caelan threw away all of his preconceived logic and common sense as he racked his brain on what he could do in this seemingly impossible situation.
Skills... The system gave me skills. What are they... Inspect, Explore, Storage, and Manual.
How the fuck do I use them!?
"A-ahh... manual...!" Caelan tried calling it out. To his surprise, it worked! A translucent panel appeared in front of him.
[User has interacted with the system for the first time.]
[Hidden Quest: The Beginning completed.]
[Reward: Starter's Pack]
[Would you like to open the item 'Starter's Pack'?]
Fuck, yeah, hurry up! Give me something!
Caelan almost cried as the dogs were just a few meters away from him, ready to pounce at any moment.
[Opening Starter's Pack...]
[Basic Machete x1 received!]
[Basic Wooden Buckler x1 received!]
[Basic Chain Vest x1 received!]
[Exp Points x100 received!]
[The User leveled up to Level 2!]
[The User leveled up to Level 3!]
[The User leveled up to Level 4!]
Huh?? Exp points? Level?
All of the notifications just popped one after another in front of Caelan.
At that moment, the dogs that were ready to pounce paused briefly. Did their prey just level up three times in one go?
Caelan didn't know what was going on in their heads, but in a desperate measure and while they were briefly stunned, he called out to his Storage. This should be where all the items he received will go, right?
There, he saw the items and immediately shouted, "Equip, equip, equip!"