Routine training, competition tasks, and now, special tasks.
So, Luke's been cruising through the usual training and competition stuff, but today? Today, something new popped up—special tasks.
What the heck just happened? Did he trigger a special task? Luke racked his brain but came up empty. He didn't do squat! But hey, there's a simpler way to figure it out: check out the special task and get it done.
"Special Task: Hidden Future Superstar.
Task Description: During rookie training camp, meet future football superstars and boost your own visibility. Take the first step to becoming a superstar, loved by all.
Task Requirements: Snap pics with thirty potential superstars and post 'em on Instagram (0/30).
Task Rewards: Physical Fitness +1, Mental Fitness +2, Tactical Awareness +2, Unknown Quarterback Training Skill Pack +1, Unknown Special Skill Pack +1.
Failure Penalty: Routine training time doubles, and direct eye contact makes you blush for three seconds."
Luke was floored. He blinked a few times, thinking he was seeing things. Nope, those words were beamed straight into his brain by the system. No way he read it wrong.
"Seven, is this some kind of joke?" That was Luke's first thought.
"No. This is a special task from the system," Seven's calm voice replied.
Luke was speechless. "Seven, seriously, are you messing with me?" But Seven stayed silent, as usual. Luke was both amused and annoyed. "What kind of special task is this? 'Loved by all'? Taking pics with future superstars? And what's Instagram? I don't even have an account! How am I supposed to post?"
After going over the task again and again, Luke still couldn't wrap his head around it. The whole thing seemed like a prank. "And the failure penalty? Doubling training time, okay, I get that. But blushing from eye contact? Does that mean I'll blush like a shy schoolgirl? Jesus, Seven, I'm a journalist! Making eye contact and chatting people up is my thing. This isn't a penalty; it's a humiliation! And you're calling this a special task?"
"Seven, be real with me, this is a prank, right?" That was Luke's only logical explanation.
The previous tasks were all straightforward, step-by-step. Why did this special task suddenly go off the rails? What's the deal? The gap was so huge that Luke started to think the system had glitched.
"Please pay attention to the task rewards," Seven said, all businesslike. "The system does not prank or joke. This is a serious task. The trigger conditions for special tasks are very stringent and random. The system suggests the host not treat it as a game and miss the opportunity."
"Luke, call me Luke. Every time you say 'host,' I feel like a robot," Luke grumbled.
After checking out the task rewards again, Luke had to admit, they were pretty sweet.
Unlike the basic points from routine and competition tasks, these rewards were specific: physical fitness, mental fitness, and tactical awareness, totaling five points. Plus, there were two unknown skill packs, which could be awesome. Since they were from the system, they had to be good, right? Luke was curious.
But why?
"Seven, did I tick you off before, and now you're getting back at me? Seriously, is that it?" That was Luke's current theory. The failure penalty was blushing? The shy kind? If this happened during rookie camp, and he blushed at every big guy, he'd be a laughingstock.
To dodge the penalty, he had to complete the task. But Luke pictured himself as a crazed fan, chasing people for photos, then posting them on social media, begging for likes. Just thinking about it made him cringe. After a lot of thought, Luke figured it had to be revenge from Seven.
"Seven, I swear, I'll never mess with you again, I promise!" Luke almost wanted to cry, but Seven stayed silent, leaving Luke to his awkward dry sobs. He just stood there, looking miserable.
After mulling it over, Luke decided to switch gears. "Seven, can I just ditch this task?"
"Giving up equals failure. Special tasks are unique, irreplaceable, non-abandonable, and non-repeatable." This time, Seven didn't stay silent but explained in detail. Still, Luke couldn't shake the feeling that Seven's calm tone had a hint of smugness.
But what could he do? He couldn't bail, and he definitely couldn't fail, so there was only one way forward. Luke wiped his eyes; why did this special task feel like a setup?
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Luke read the task description and rewards again, noticing some details. "Seven, you mean this task is to boost my visibility?"
"Yes, loved by all." Seven's cool voice saying such a ridiculous phrase made it even funnier. The absurdity of it all made Luke facepalm and chuckle.
"What's up, man? You good?" A teasing voice came from nearby, light and friendly.
Snapping out of his thoughts, Luke lowered his hand from his temples and looked toward the voice. Standing there was a tall, well-built young Black guy with a warm smile and raised eyebrows, making a funny face that was hard to resist.
"Nah, I'm good." The usually smooth-talking Luke found himself at a loss for words. Thinking about the special task again, he chuckled, "I was just thinking about making some new friends here; but now it seems like a dumb idea."
"Why?" The guy seemed a bit restless, constantly shifting his feet and moving his shoulders and arms. "Is it 'cause we'll be fierce competitors on the field? Can't we be friends? What happened to 'enemies on the field, friends off the field'? Julio Jones, wide receiver."
As he spoke, Julio extended his right hand, shook Luke's, then pulled him in for a shoulder bump, showing his friendliness.
"Luke Howard, quarterback." Luke introduced himself with a smile.
"Wow, man, this year's gonna be tough." Julio said meaningfully. Another quarterback, and an Asian face at that, in a year everyone considered strong for quarterbacks, the competition was fierce, leaving little room for Luke.
Luke shrugged, "Believe me, it's tough for me everywhere, in any year." He gestured up and down at himself, an Asian American professional football player, struggling in any year, any position.
This self-deprecating attitude earned Julio's admiration. He raised his fist and held it out in front of him; Luke hesitated, then raised his fist too, and they bumped fists. Julio said, "Football needs this kind of spirit. I have high hopes for you! Maybe one day, I'll catch a pass from you."
Such kindness was rare, especially in Indianapolis, especially after the little bar conflict earlier, especially in the rookie training camp. Just a few simple words, and Luke judged that this was a friend worth making.
In sports, there are two kinds of people: those on the same team and those on the opposing team. It's that simple. But sometimes, there's a third kind: even enemies can become friends; because they are opponents, they become kindred spirits. The third kind is the rarest and most precious.
Looking at Julio in front of him, Luke smiled graciously, "First, I need to get on the draft list." This self-deprecating remark made Julio laugh and shake his head. Then Luke smoothly said, "Can we take a photo together? I'll post it on Instagram to boost my presence. Who knows, maybe I'll need a bit of visibility in the upcoming training camp."
"Of course, no problem!" Julio eagerly jumped next to Luke, striking a classic peace sign pose. The problem was, Luke hadn't even taken out his phone yet. Julio's enthusiastic stance made Luke laugh, and Julio urged, "Man, you're too slow. If you take this long to pass, the defenders will be all over you."
Effortlessly making a football joke, Luke laughed heartily.
Taking out his phone and holding it high, Luke was about to take a selfie, but the next second he noticed that their photo seemed to have more people in it. Like meerkats in a wildlife documentary, several people popped up behind them, each making funny faces, one more exaggerated than the next, and making strange noises. What was supposed to be a photo of two people quickly turned into a group photo; and it wasn't over yet, more and more people were joining in, and the situation seemed to be getting out of hand.
Luke was a bit puzzled.