Chapter 2: The Game Begins
The cold mountain air was as sharp as the blade Faisal hid under his cloak as he crouched behind the boulder, surveying the village below. His calculating gaze took in every detail: the armed men, the peasants, the thin wisps of smoke curling from their mud-brick homes. Pathetic. This was a village ripe for the taking, its people controlled by fear. Perfect for his needs.
His system flickered to life in the back of his mind.
[Mission: Establish a foothold in the local power structure. Time Limit: 48 hours.]
[Reward: Basic Workshop Blueprint + 100 System Points]
Faisal's lips curved into a small, predatory smile. He was already ahead of the game. The system had given him a timeframe, but he intended to gain control well before the 48 hours were up. The reward—a basic workshop blueprint—would be crucial. He could build weapons, machines, and tools from the future, all without arousing too much suspicion.
The soldiers down below barked orders at the villagers, collecting grain and supplies, forcing the peasants to comply. Brutes. Simple-minded, easily manipulated men. They'd fall in line soon enough, and when the time was right, Faisal would crush anyone who opposed him.
But first, he needed to act like he was one of them. Submit. Play the part. He would gain their trust, bide his time, and when the moment came, strike.
Faisal stood up from behind the boulder and began his descent toward the village. The game had begun.
Entering the Lion's Den
As Faisal walked through the outskirts of the village, he kept his expression neutral, hands relaxed by his sides. His foreign appearance, the odd mix of modern clothes and the old flintlock pistol at his belt, would make him stand out. But that was part of the plan. He needed them to underestimate him.
Faisal had learned long ago that power wasn't always about brute strength. It was about timing, about using the right tools in the right way. In the 21st century, he had been a military engineer, designing weapons and systems for modern warfare. His life had been ruled by calculations, strategy, and efficiency. Here, in 18th-century Afghanistan, the same rules applied—just with cruder tools.
He observed the soldiers in the center of the village, a small group harassing a family for extra grain. One of the soldiers slapped the man, sending him sprawling. The woman screamed, rushing to her husband's side. Faisal's expression didn't change. This was an opportunity.
The soldiers were thugs. They ruled through fear, not respect. They would follow someone who gave them a better option—someone like Faisal.
He stepped forward, his voice calm but carrying authority. "Is this how you treat the people who serve you?"
The soldiers froze, turning to look at the newcomer. Their eyes narrowed as they took in his foreign appearance, the modern cut of his clothes. They didn't know what to make of him—yet.
One of the soldiers, the leader by the look of him, stepped forward. "Who are you?" he barked in Pashto.
Faisal's Pashto wasn't perfect—he had grown up abroad, far from Afghanistan's mountains—but it was good enough. "I'm someone who can help you," he said smoothly. "I can make weapons. Better than what you have now."
The leader sneered, clearly unimpressed. "What makes you think we need your help?"
Faisal smiled thinly. This man was a brute, simple-minded. He wouldn't be swayed by words alone. He needed proof. "Give me one day," Faisal said. "I'll show you what I can do."
[New Mission: Prove your worth by improving local weaponry. Time Limit: 24 hours.]
[Reward: Advanced Firearm Blueprint + 50 System Points]
The system's voice echoed in Faisal's mind, confirming his path forward. Good. The reward was exactly what he needed. The "Advanced Firearm Blueprint" would allow him to create a musket far more advanced than anything these soldiers had ever seen. It would be the key to gaining their trust and climbing the ladder of power.
The leader of the soldiers, still skeptical, gestured to the others. "Bring him to the lieutenant. Let him decide."
A Dangerous Bargain
Faisal was led deeper into the village, past rows of mud-brick houses and villagers who stared at him with a mixture of curiosity and fear. He ignored them. They didn't matter. His goal was clear: establish himself with the warlord's men, gain their trust, and eventually take control of everything they had.
The soldiers brought him to a small house near the center of the village, where a man dressed in finer clothes stood waiting. This must be the lieutenant, one of the warlord's top men. He had a look of calculation in his eyes—a man who understood power.
The lieutenant looked Faisal up and down, his face hard and unreadable. "You claim you can make better weapons," he said flatly. "Prove it."
Faisal nodded, his mind already calculating his next move. "Give me the materials I need, and I'll show you what I can do."
The lieutenant gestured to a pile of scrap metal, wood, and crude gunpowder in the corner of the room. "You have 24 hours. If you fail, you die."
Faisal bowed his head, hiding the smirk that played at the corners of his mouth. "Understood."
Engineering the Future
As soon as the lieutenant and the soldiers left him alone, Faisal got to work. Every movement was calculated, precise. His military engineering background had taught him how to innovate under pressure, how to create something from nothing. He accessed the system in his mind, pulling up the Advanced Firearm Blueprint.
The musket he planned to build would be revolutionary in this time period. It would fire faster, be more accurate, and have a longer range than anything these people had ever seen. But more importantly, it was just the first step. Faisal didn't intend to stop at muskets. He would introduce artillery, cannons, steam-powered machines—whatever it took to gain power.
[System Update: Workshop Blueprint unlocked. Use System Points to construct a permanent facility for advanced crafting.]
A workshop. Perfect. Faisal could build the workshop once he had the resources, and it would give him a permanent place to construct more advanced technology. But for now, he needed to focus on the musket.
Hours passed as Faisal worked tirelessly, shaping the metal, assembling the parts, mixing the gunpowder with precision. His mind was already thinking ahead—once the musket impressed the lieutenant, he would leverage his position to gain more resources, more influence. He would make himself indispensable.
Submit to survive, then strike to conquer.
By the time the sun had set, Faisal had finished. The musket lay on the table before him, sleek and efficient. A weapon that would tip the balance of power in this village—and eventually, in the entire region.
The door creaked open, and the lieutenant entered, followed by several soldiers. Faisal stepped back, allowing them to inspect his work.
The lieutenant picked up the musket, weighing it in his hands. "And what makes this better than the ones we already have?" he asked, his tone skeptical.
Faisal kept his voice calm, controlled. "Try it for yourself."
The lieutenant nodded to one of his men, who took the musket and aimed it at a distant target—a wooden post at the far edge of the village. He fired, and the shot rang out, faster and more accurate than anything the soldiers were used to.
The lieutenant's eyes widened in surprise, and he turned to Faisal. "How…?"
Faisal smiled slightly. "I told you. I can help you. And this is just the beginning."
[Mission Complete: Prove your worth by improving local weaponry.]
[Reward: Advanced Firearm Blueprint + 50 System Points]
The system confirmed his success, and Faisal's mind buzzed with new possibilities. He had completed his first mission, but it was only a small step toward his ultimate goal.
The lieutenant studied him for a long moment, then finally nodded. "You've proven yourself. We'll take you to the warlord. He will decide your fate."
Faisal bowed his head in mock submission, hiding the cold, calculating thoughts swirling beneath the surface. He would meet this warlord, gain his favor, and then…
He would take everything.
To be continued…
End of Chapter 2