"Ah, it’s our new comrade Herman! Come come, join us at the fire, the mornings here are quite chilly." Jimbo bellowed with his characteristic loud and boisterous voice.

  Herman hurried toward the rusty old barrel where the work gang huddled in a tight circle, them seeking warmth against the biting cold. All the workers wore simple blue jumpsuits, which clearly weren't suited for the current weather. All of them held their trembling hands close to the meager flame, trying to absorb as much from the heat as possible.

  The group quickly made space for the man, then just as fast closed the gap around him, not willing to let any exes heat leave the circle of people.

  "Thanks, I didn't realize the nights here can get so cold." Herman said as he observed the shivering people around him. The frost covered desert sand crunched beneath his feet and the breath of the people near him was clearly visible, indicating the low temperature.

  Though he strangely didn't feel any discomfort himself. He contemplated the issue for a few moments, then a tinge of worry crossed his mind. Was it because he was too fat? He worriedly glanced down at his protruding belly, and the sight didn't fill him with confidence.

  No that was preposterous, yes, he might be a bit on the rounder side, but that alone wasn’t enough to insulate him from the cold. No, something else was going on he…

  "If you think this is cold, just wait a few more days till your free premium expires. Then you will have to spend the nights on the outside, like the rest of us mortal beings." The woman from yesterday interrupted Herman’s internal musings, her voice full with hostility.

  "Now now Beth, we are all working people here. We all went through the same thing. There is no need to blame our new friend for not knowing how things work here.” Jimbo said.

  "I guess..." The woman reluctantly replied.

  Herman frowned a bit at the raw emotions the woman was radiating, but remained silent.

  "Don’t worry Herman, we will show you everything. Soon you will truly be one of us." Jimbo said reassuringly.

  The old man just nodded, then spoke. "What did you mean by premium? I thought everything here was free?"

  "Phahahah!" Everyone in the work gang laughed as if Herman had said the funniest thing in the universe.

  "Everything here requires credits. The food, the rooms, the furniture, the drinks…" Jimbo said as the group finally stopped snickering.

  "Credits? But what is the point? Everything here is digital." Herman replied in bafflement. "The Generica AI can just snap its tentacles and convert all the sand in the neutral zone into food and water if it wanted to." He added.

  "Fuck if we know." A worker sporting a long dark beard said, him rubbing his trembling hands over the diminishing fire. "T-that is just how things work around here. N-no one c-cares what happens to us honest people stuck in the queue." He stammered between chattering teeth.

  "Yes we know!" Beth scoffed. "It's those rich bastards at the top of the food chain! They want to keep us busy with surviving, rather than having too much free time to think of rising up against them!"

  "Aye… Yeah…" The group collectively grumbled with equal parts agreement and resentment at their current predicament.

  "Perhaps… however at the moment, all we can do is do our best to adapt."

  "And adapt we shall!" Jimbo said, raising one colossal fist in the air.

  A statement followed by loud cheers from the worker gang.

  ___

  "So dis is stone quarry." Jimbo waved a hand to reveal a small rocky depression hidden between the dunes at the far back of the queue. "It is one way of earning credits. You mine stone, fill carts, then dispenser sends credits to your paper slip."

  Herman looked at the small quarry where dozens of people wearing threadbare dirty clothes rhythmically swung their pickaxes. The resounding clinks and clanks of the metal and stone resonating in the air.

  "You guys go ahead, I will skip my morning shift to show our new comrade around." Jimbo said as his gang descended down the dune towards the quarry. The worker leader nodded to the passing line of people, occasionally patting them on the backs and giving a reassuring word or two.

  As the line of people descended, the old man was taken aback to see the worker woman from before glare daggers at him. As she passed him by, she hissed at him as if he had personally stolen and sacrificed her firstborn to the lords of hell.

  Herman raised his eyebrows in shock, but before he could do anything else the moment had already passed.

  As the workers made their downwards trek, Herman just stared at their backs with incomprehension. "She doesn't like me very much, does she?"

  "Who? Ah, Beth… Don’t take it too personally, she will warm up to you eventually. She is just… a woman of strong convictions."

  "Plus…" Jimbo lowered himself down to Herman’s level and dropped his voice. "She was forced to leave her son and husband behind in the real world. She still misses them very much."

  "Oh, I see…" Herman said with understanding.

  "She is trying to save up enough for VR visitations. But we barely have enough credits for food, let alone anything else…" The giant man said, shaking his head in sympathy.

  ___

  Afterward, both men continued on their way towards the queue. As they walked, Herman put the hostile attitude of Beth aside. Everyone had their own problems, and he didn’t blame the woman for feeling frustrated at her situation.

  Instead his mind went back towards the quarry and the horrible work conditions the people there had to endure. After a while he couldn’t restrain himself any longer.

  "This is insane, it is so unnecessary. We haven't worked and paid taxes all our lives in order to die and become slave miners." The man exclaimed.

  "This is worse." Jimbo chuckled darkly. "At least slaves are given free food and shelter for their trouble. While here, all day mining gives you only a pittance. We generally have to make a choice between shelter or food."

  "Hmm…" Herman thought. "But, we can’t actually die here. So, can’t we just ignore hunger and shelter, then die when our hp bar runs out, then we would just re-spawn with full health and stomachs?"

  "Sure we can. I wouldn't recommend it though." The giant replied.

  "Health goes to half, and you will still be as, or even more hungry to when you died. And Hunger can be a torture on itself. I know a few people that try your idea on time to time, but it never ends well. Trust me."

  "The people above." He gestured to the sky with one finger. "Have thought of all the straight forward exploits."

  ___

  Afterwards Jimbo showed Herman a few more work places like:

  - Digging trenches at the borders of the neutral zone.

  - Sifting the sand for salvageable resources.

  This tale has been unlawfully obtained from Royal Road. If you discover it on Amazon, kindly report it.

  - Or even running in the hamster treadmills to generate mana for some of the buildings embedded in the wall.

  There were some cushier jobs as well. Though they were basically all taken by people in the front of the queue.

  For example:

  - Mopping and cleaning inside one of the wall embedded establishments.

  - Or even taking care after the critters in the newly build Gecko farm.

  Of which the last one apparently was the most profitable, however it seemed to be monopolized by one specific gang who had formed sort of a cartel. Selling the tail meat to everyone in the line for exorbitant prices. And harassing everyone who tried to compete with them.

  "Oh and I forgot to mention another option. The Mayor from the city beyond the wall is stimulating people to fight the internet raiders. So the more raiders you defeat, the richer you get and the faster you get inside the walls."

  "Well that doesn't seem so bad. We are immortal after all." Herman said.

  "Pha, it’s a scam is what that is! People on the queue are in limbo. So none of us have the System unlocked. We are all just base vanilla humans here. Those bastards from the internet have their own pirated version of the System, it is bare bones and a bad ripoff of Generica, but they more than compensate with their sci-fi gear and weapons.

  So far they have dealt with every idiot willing to face them. Even a single raider is stronger than dozens of ordinary humans."

  "We are no match for them. Better to stick with real honest work and grind, rather than to suffer needlessly. Did I mention that the pain sensors are set to 100%. So you feel each and every injury here. The fuckers know this very well, and do their best to maim and torture anyone dumb enough that tries to fight them."

  "I see…" Herman said, his face tightening into a deep frown. After a short pause of him thinking, he spoke once again. "What about that woman I saw the other day?"

  "The chicken lady? She is a mercenary hired by the Mayor to fight the raiders. She always makes sure to bring freshly fried chicken before each fight.

  Eh, if you ask me she is just a rich noble girl who has more money than sense. No doubt a spoiled brat who’s parents never said no to. I bet they gave her all the money and opportunities in her life on a silver platter. And now, she flails her riches among us mortal folk so she could feel superior and sleep better at night.”

  “They are all the same." Jimbo scoffed. Making his opinion on the matter crystal clear.

  ___

  Next, the giant man introduced more of the wall’s infrastructure. A particular highlight being the food stalls, and their trash can’s locations.

  The giant explained the best ways to scavenge for food scraps without the cartel guards finding out. The big man had memorized all the patrol routes and individual quirks of each guard. He then recited the information in intricate details akin to a science professor in a top tier university.

  After the lecture concluded, the two humans traversed along the length of the wall, Jimbo introducing Herman to various other gangs and potential work places. Herman absorbed the information like a sponge, and tried to be cordial and respectful towards the various groups, despite the clearly shady nature of most of said groups.

  Still, the reality of this place made him shake his head with disappointment. For so many years he dreamt of getting here. This was supposed to be a new beginning, a new life filled with opportunities and exciting challenges. Maybe even a friendly calm community he could be part of.

  He had imagined a small wooden hut near a river shore. A quiet place where he could practice fishing and explore the secrets of the System on his own terms.

  But the reality was oh so different than his dreams. The neutral zone reminded him more of the corrupt and morally degrading society of the real world.

  Yes things had improved after the Antarctic Union was established and the city of Escaldia build. The first human city in more than a century. And yet it had its problems. Corruption, racism, monopolies and indenture being just the tips of the iceberg. And It seemed those same problems had wormed its way even here in the digital afterlife.

  This place was a far cry from the retirement paradise he had hoped for.

  …

  As the cubical sun rose high above the desert land, Herman and Jimbo made their way towards the back of the line.

  During their trek Herman had gone eerily quiet. Sensing his internal turmoil, Jimbo let the old man think. He had seen this thing happen with a few newcomers in the past. None expected to be stuck in this place for a decade or more. It wasn’t an easy thing to accept, especially considering most people were already traumatized by their own deaths. Then the subsequent shock of finding out that paradise was not on the menu, could be enough to break some people.

  Jimbo had done the best he could for his new comrade, it was now up to Herman to find out a purpose in this imperfect afterlife of theirs.

  …

  As the two men walked back in silence, Herman’s mind steadily analyzed the situation he found himself in. A plan of action was needed, and thanks to Jimbo, he felt like he had a much better understanding of how the neutral zone worked. Yes things weren’t ideal, but it wasn't the end of the world. He was practically immortal now, so theoretically he had all the time in the world.

  He could follow the rules and wait in line for 10 years. After all what was a mere decade compared to the rest of eternity?

  Yeaah… and while he was at it, he could also become a magical ballerina sporting a pink tutu and pixie butterfly wings… No, there was no way he was waiting that long. He was getting past that impenetrable firewall and damn the consequences!

  He was sure there were plenty of exploits and hidden achievements to cross the walls, beside the official way. It was just a matter of exploring and finding them. And even if there weren’t any, he intended to make one himself.

  Yes, the more he thought about it, the better Herman felt. A tutorial of sorts before he finally settled down and devoted himself to fishing. It will be a proper mini challenge and make the eventual price even sweeter.

  “Ough!”

  Herman was abruptly brought out of his thoughts by a sudden collision with a table that had just materialized in front of him.

  “Chicken?” He managed to say with confusion, before getting silenced by the people near him.

  "Food, free food!" The masses of people around him shouted with a feral intensity only starvation can cause.

  In an instant, the table and the startled old man were swarmed by a tide of hungry humans. They grabbed, shoved, and cursed their way toward the buckets of chicken like wild animals. Fighting each other for every morsel of food.

  Suddenly, Herman found himself lifted high above the chaos. Jimbo’s strong arm held him firmly, moving him above the torrent of frenzied bodies below. The giant trudged through them like he was traversing a furious river.

  He Remained steadfast against the tide, though was occasionally forced to kick and shove some of the more violent creatures of the depths.

  Eventually the colossus deposited Herman on the ground, a good distance away from the mayhem.

  "That was close one. Being trampled to death is no good way to die, nyet."

  "Come on, let's sit over there and watch the show." The big man said, then pointed a colossal finger towards a raised up sand dune against the wall.

  "Ahhh…" The giant sighed with satisfaction, sitting down and leaning his back against the wall, then placing a big bucket with fried chicken between them.

  "Come come, eat up. Only 1 wing for each though. We share rest with work gang, da?"

  Herman nodded in agreement, sitting down and taking a wing from the bucket.

  "Chicken lady!"

  "Chicken lady!"

  "Chicken lady!"

  The masses of people chanted. Allot of them had already settled down in high places to observe the upcoming battle. And surely enough, the familiar armored figure of the woman Herman remembered from the other day emerged.

  Her purple cloak, combined with the bizarre raven skull hat, gave her a mysteriously threatening look, while four plump hens clung to her outstretched arms, carrying her through the air. As she passed the gates, her sidekicks released their grips, letting their mistress fall down.

  For a moment, Herman grew concerned. The fall was quite a distance away, and he still remembered the fumbled entrance from the other day. However his worries proved unfounded as the woman fell down in a heroic stance, one fist to the ground while crouching low. Then she slowly rose, her head high up, looking at the distant raider horde with defiant green eyes full with determination. Her face severe and unyielding, combined with a small mysterious smirk.

  Then the whole super hero persona collapsed as the poor girl flinched and ducked low to the ground. Startled by the sudden applause, cat calls and other shouts and whistles coming from the queue onlookers.

  She quickly recovered though, a sheepish smile plastered on her face as she shyly waved to her audience. However as soon as the rusty metal vehicles approached, the wannabe superhero immediately assumed her serious expression once again.

  "Chick_Slayer_69. We meet again."

  The woman spoke with a steadfast voice. As if she had watched old style super hero cartoons and practiced this exact phrase in front of the mirror till she mastered it completely.

  "Hi bitch, I was hoping you would be here today. Did you bring my sandwich?" The raider leader responded.

  The woman ignored his jab and simply stared the man down. Causing Herman to chuckle as he saw a tiny trickle of sweat forming on the raider leaders forehead, making him look away from the Chicken Lady’s intense stare.

  "Gargh! Ataaaack! Shoot her down! Kill the bitch!" Chick_Slayer_69 squealed angrily to his men.

  The small army of vehicles roared back to life, engines howling in unison. Seconds later, the raiders’ brutish techno weapons discharged with violent fury, tearing through everything in their path. The concentrated barrage of energy caused a miniature plasma storm, fusing the desert sand into patches of molten glass.

  As the storm finally subsided and the smoke cleared, people all along the wall cheered with giddy excitement. In the middle of the molten sand stood the Chicken Lady. The woman stood tall and mysterious, her eyes closed and her body completely unharmed.

  In a heartbeat her eyes flew open, flaring with blazing green fire.

  Then, she moved!