If I am to succeed, I must declare a champion. --23.7 Seconds Post-Integration.

  I got a promotion?!

  Clark couldn't believe it. He only had reached level ten. Yet, he was promoted. He wasn't complaining. Just surprised.

  [New Rank Achieved: Assistant Associate]

  [New Rate of Compensation Achieved: 1.1]

  A raise? Not large by any means. Only a tenth of a single percent. But it meant more money. Which was something Clark liked very much...

  Clark clocked out and returned to his dorm, happy dealing with uppity customers and unknown co-workers and speeches and everything else which had been tedious in the day wasn't his obligation at the moment. Easy had it been, sure, but tedious to sit for so long, followed by rude guests. With a blazing headache, he wished he had some of his family's special green-herbal tea blend which always managed to cure his minor hurt.

  Having none, he instead let the water from his dorm sink run hot. He lathered his hands with the cheap soap on dispense and let his fingers massage his scalp and face. Relaxing pinpricks spread over his skin as he breathed in and out slowly. After a few minutes, he felt modestly better, though his headache remained.

  "Clark. How are you?" SIMP's voice asked from somewhere within but also outside of him.

  "I am fine. Just tired," he said. "I got a promotion. Did you see?"

  "I did see. You are doing well. Your progress is to be expected, however. Anyone in a similar position would have earned a similar rank in a comparable timeframe. Congratulations are in order, though. Consider treating yourself as a reward for your hard work," SIMP told him.

  "Thank you for that... but I will hold on to my money. I need every bit for myself. I wouldn't mind something to treat my headache, though."

  "Augustford sells a number of over-the-counter medicines which would help with your problem. Additionally, many departments within the Store Tower have a couple of bottles of such medicines specifically for employee use, though you might have to ask point-blank if such exists. I will add an inexpensive medicine to your shopping list. With your permission, of course."

  "That's fine," he told SIMP. "Was there something you needed? I don't want to be rude. I'm tired, is all."

  "No. I only wanted to do a check-in with you and see how you were holding up. If you are all set, I will leave you be," they replied.

  "It's fine. I will sleep, soon. I do have a question, though. Back during the Orientation attack, there was this entity. Covered in black. Large. Looked a bit like a knight. What was that?" he asked.

  "I cannot say for sure. A commander of the plague, for sure. Perhaps, even, it was the plague's champion. Until we encounter it once more, I cannot say for certain. I would say to take extreme caution should you encounter it again," SIMP explained, but not very well.

  "What's a plague champion?" he asked with a sigh, not knowing if he truly wanted to know.

  "A plague champion is the tip of our enemy's spear. It is not too different from you, except it is trained, purposeful, and all-around more competent. Such champions enact the will of the plague, insofar as it has a 'will' outside of simply spreading," SIMP said.

  "So, is it sentient?" Clark replied as he laid himself down on his bed.

  "No. A plague champion is little better than a monster. It lacks anything like a mind of its own."

  It lacks a mind of its own? How could that be? He asked SIMP if it was possible for it to talk.

  "It is unlikely a plague champion can talk. Should it be capable of speech, a highly unlikely proposition, it is unlikely the speech would be anything more than what it managed to strip from humanity over the years by leeching magical and spiritual residue. Such speech would not be any more intelligent and meaningful than what a parrot could produce," SIMP further explained.

  Clark took a moment to consider. Instead of blabbering around further to try and edge an answer out, he explained what he heard: "But I heard it ask me to help it."

  "To help?" SIMP repeated, sounding incredulous at the idea of a plague champion asking its enemy for help.

  "Yeah. It was striding toward me and was like, 'help, bro,' but more formal. It sounded tortured..."

  If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

  SIMP paused to consider what he had told it. "Tortured... such an intonation could be from the immense amounts of Negative Energy it has absorbed. Plague infestations are not pleasant phenomena... but you bring a powerful idea forward. Clark, more investigation is needed. I am still recuperating myself within Augustford's Systems. But should be fully integrated in another few days. When that time comes, I will scour the social media network for any signs of the plague champion. Then, I will patch myself into any vulnerable security network so as to sift through footage of the atrium battle."

  "Sounds good to me. I will... focus on my job, I guess. Yeah?" Clark asked, not knowing where his own focus should be.

  "Yes. Focus on your labors for the store. Gain levels; work experience -- hands on, experience, I mean -- and enlist, when possible, in the anti-monster force the company is putting together. Speaking of, did not the first-floor manager say he would try and work an arrangement out for you upon your completion of probation?"

  "That's true. He did say that. But I think he also said he would contact me? I don't want to pester him..."

  "It wouldn't be pestering if you have a legitimate need to talk with me. He is only the first-floor manager. He is used to people pestering him at any rate. Before you start climbing the tower, I would advise you to have a word with him. If he can do anything for us to help accelerate your progress, then all the better," SIMP said, Clark's eyes getting heavy from the wear of the day.

  "Yeah. I will. I don't want to speak to him until another day or two goes by, though. Give him time to reach out to me before I make special requests, ya know?"

  "That's fair," SIMP said. Changing the subject suddenly, SIMP then joyfully noted, "Oh, look! Your paycheck is here."

  A moment later he saw the deposit notification.

  What he saw, shocked him.

  [New Deposit Available: 50 SC]

  Fifty?! Is that right?!

  Asking SIMP if his paystub was right, they replied (less than helpfully) that they did not have any idea of knowing as they were not in payroll. "That being said, I would assume the pay is correct. Augustford payouts bonuses to employees who reach certain milestones. In this case, the milestone is your completion of probation."

  Nice. Very nice, he repeated internally, pleased with his pay.

  "Is this going to be my new standard check?" he asked.

  Of course, SIMP had to be a Debbie-downer. With a laugh, it said, "No. This is a one-time bonus. In fact, although I hate to be the bearer of bad news, from this check on out, you should expect your paycheck to be less than what you have been typically getting."

  "What -- how. No. More importantly, why?!" he sputtered.

  "Probation pay, remember, is higher than the typical pay due to the many System inconsistencies. Namely, Core Metrics. While you're in-training, Core Metrics are assumed at a base level while you learn. Now that you are off probation, and no longer considered 'in-training,' you're rate of pay will be affected, for better or worse, by how well you adhere to the Core Metric standard. If you want the most out of your check, you will need to give it your best every hour of every day you're clocked in. Got it?" SIMP explained, sounding more like that video of Sire Augustford he watched in the elevator tube on his first day.

  "I got it, yeah... ugh... all part of the grind, I guess, right?" he asked, feeling downtrodden after running on such a high a moment ago.

  "All part of the grind, yes. You will get accustomed to it, in time..."

  Tired and needing to rest, Clark ended the conversation with SIMP and got to work allocating his check. He had three weeks left before his land grant payment needed to be in, in full.

  Bringing up the banking sub-menu on his blue screen, he made a payment to the Augustford Treasury.

  [-25 SC Subtracted from Account: Thank You for your Payment!]

  Before he made the payment, the latest check had brought his account up to one-hundred-and-fifty-five Standard Credits. With the payment made, his banking account was brought down to one-hundred-and-thirty Standard Credits.

  Also seeing he had many un-opened Opportunities, he took several minutes to open a few of them:

  He 'tapped' the Opportunity icon with his mental finger and saw the first box open to reveal a Golden Ticket icon signaling his acquisition of two In-Store Coupons.

  Clark then opened another Opportunity, then another: respectively, he gained five additional Judgement Points, as well as five extra Incentive Points. It was these 'Incentive' points he was most anxious to see build as it meant his check would receive a large bonus on top of his core pay. And after having seen just tonight how lucrative those bonus points could be, he wanted more.

  Upon opening his third Opportunity chest of the evening, he obtained a Resource he hadn't yet acquired from an Opportunity box -- Culinary Credits.

  A 'golden spork' heralded his acquisition of three additional Culinary Credits. He smiled at seeing it as it meant more food on those hectic days.

  Another box later, he gained more experience. The box after that box gave him yet more experience. I can't open many more of these things, Clark told himself, the weight of the day lingering within and without his eyes. So, he settled for one more box, then lights out.

  Waving his finger over the Opportunity box icon, it opened with the typical image and sound effects playing, which never failed to catch his interest and keep it glued until the reward was revealed. For this final loot box of the night, he obtained a Golden Scepter icon, indicating he gained a whole Promotion Point, bringing his total up to three. Seventeen more points to go before I get another promotion... I guess it will be a while before these points mean anything to me. Especially after completing my probation...

  Before he went to bed, Clark made a final check of his status and resource screen. He had to be prepared, after all.

  [Associate Name: Cola Clark]

  [Core Metrics: B-B {Re-Initializing}]

  [Rank & Pay Rate: Assistant Associate: 1.1]

  Under his Resources, the following:

  [Judgement Points: 30]

  [XP: ~ In Flux]

  [Promotion Points: 3 / 20]

  [Incentives: 10 / 50]

  [Coupons: 11]

  [Culinary Credits: 40]

  [Standard Credits: 130]

  [Opportunity Boxes: 10]

  With all of his Resources planted firmly in his mind, Clark was able to quickly fall asleep, knowing he was doing the best he could be doing, considering his circumstances. Even so, the sleep he received seemed partly compared to what he used to receive before coming to Augustford. And so, he was unsurprised when he felt tired despite his rest. Just another day, just another dollar...

  When Did You Receive a Promotion?