"Wake up, Lennok!"
The harsh voice echoed in his ears, but he tried to ignore it, rubbing his eyes and tossing and turning in bed.
The voice doesn't repeat itself, but instead, a sharp slap jolts him awake.
With a start, he tumbles out of bed, feeling like his jaw has been dislodged, and finally opens his eyes.
A towering, hairy figure with bloodshot eyes loomed over him, growling menacingly.
The giant stepped on his face with a heavy boot and barked,
"Time to work! Get to the parts room now. Got it?"
"…Y…es," he stammered, intimidated by the guttural voice.
The giant grunted in response and stomped out of the room, leaving him to rub his stinging cheeks and survey his surroundings.
The small room was filled with basic beds and soiled linens, and around ten individuals were gazing at him with pitiful expressions.
"What a fool," one of them sneered.
"He doesn't even realize the supervisor is here, sleeping like a baby." The other one shrugged.
"Leave him be. He doesn't have much time left, you know."
The supervisor didn't bother to kick him, but instead walked away with the others, leaving him alone.
He lay there, listening to their voices fade into the distance.
When they were gone, he finally stirred, feeling his ribs and thin arms, much different from the healthy body he once had.
He stumbled to his feet and stood in front of a small, dusty mirror hanging in the corner of the room.
The reflection staring back at him was of a young man, holding his swollen cheek, looking much like a character he had created on a computer game.
"It's Lennok," he whispered to himself.
This insignificant character, created for nothing but entertainment, was now all he had in this new world.
Lennok was thrown into this new reality without even a chance to protest.
⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩ ⏩
"Step on it!"
The supervisor was bustling about the sprawling parts room, shouting out orders.
Metal components clumsily clattered over the unending conveyor belt.
"The union members will be here to collect the products soon. How long will you keep them waiting?"
The giant, with his fur and bloodshot eyes, bellowed at the workers, causing their hands to move a bit quicker.
However, this was not enough for the giant, who swung a small riding crop in his hand, striking two or three workers who were nearby, before finally turning his back and appearing satisfied.
"If you can't meet the deadline, be prepared for the consequences! I don't want any dead weight sleeping on the job who can't even keep up with the quota!"
From a distance, Lennok watched the scene and returned his attention to the metal piece in his hand.
It had been three days since he awoke in the factory, an unnamed facility referred to simply as "the factory."
Though he still knew nothing, Lennok had surprisingly adapted to the monotonous routine of the factory.
He would rise before dawn and work until he collapsed from exhaustion, and before bed, he would receive a bowl of gruel that was barely edible.
His entire day was spent assembling metal parts and placing them on the conveyor belt.
Lennok had no choice but to accept this tedious and unremitting labor, which didn't even require comprehension
Despite his attempts to communicate, the workers around him remained aloof and unwilling to engage with him.
The day before, Lennok realized that the way they looked at him was as if he were already dead.
In the poorly ventilated parts room, the sweat and body odor of the workers mixed and formed a hazy steam that hovered near the ceiling.
Just by not being able to breathe in the fresh air, Lennok's body quickly became breathless and the heat spread.
He doesn't know anything else, but the difference from this body, which was so different from what he used to be, was bothering Lennok terribly.
The hell-like work that makes him feel like he was going to die right away continues for more than 10 hours without a break.
Fortunately, even if Lennok stopped assembling intermediate parts, others did not scold him.
The supervisor only clicked his tongue when he saw Lenok's pale face, and he did not seem to have any intention of wasting labor by touching his dying body.
Lennok managed to hold out until the end of his working hours by playing tricks little by little from the moment he noticed it.
After the eternal working hours, Lennok, who received a bowl of dry porridge as scheduled, quickly finishes it and goes to bed.
He closed his eyes looking at the dark ceiling, but his consciousness was still clear.
It was insomnia.
"Fu*k…"
He's been unable to sleep properly for three days now and knows the source of the problem – one of the many penalties he chose for his character was insomnia.
The insomnia was taking its toll on him, and the situation was made even worse by the other diseases and symptoms that were gradually weakening his body.
He knew he couldn't last long in these harsh working conditions with a body at its limit.
After three days of contemplation, his conclusion remained unchanged.
He had to escape.
Death by exhaustion in the factory or being caught and killed while running away both meant the same end for Lennok.
He refused to let the stench-filled parts room be his final resting place.
Fortunately, Lennok had some advantages.
Perhaps because he was considered dead by others, he was less monitored than the other workers, and the other workers did not pay much attention to him.
If he can take advantage of this and understand the structure of the factory, he can plan his escape route.
More importantly, this body was not just weak and helpless.
If Lennok's body in this world had several penalties, such as insomnia, his abilities would be just as impressive.
His talent, which was filled to the limit with various negative buffs, sleeps within Lennok.
If he can use this talent in some way, escaping from the factory is no longer an impossible dream.
Lennok realized this too. Despite the toll of hard work and insomnia on his mind and body, he has become a different person who can calmly analyze and plan his situation.
He is not the same person he used to be, who could remain rational under such circumstances.
This change was probably due to the mental skills he added when creating his character, such as calmness, focus, and bravery.
At the time, he only invested in the mental abilities required for a wizard, but as a result, they are now serving as a driving force that keeps Lennok, who has been awake for three days and nights, level-headed.
Lennok does not believe that human mental abilities are based on the soul.
Rational thinking, a cold mind, and logical reasoning are all physical talents of the brain.
The current state of mind that allows him to remain calm is also part of the talent that this weak body possesses.
Recognizing this talent as his own, not the person who created his character, will be the first step to overcoming his current situation.
He won't let his guard down until he is out of this hellish factory.
With this thought in mind, Lennok forced himself to close his eyes and tried to sleep.
