Life Reset: Human Resource (New Era Online Book 4)

by Shemer Kuznits

  I’ve got a mission, I reminded myself. I’ll find out what happened to the other players, then … I tightened my grip on my weapons. Then I’ll deal with the consequences. Whatever they might be.

  ***

  “Nothing,” Ryker said in disgust as he finished looting the final corpse. “Only rusty swords and crude spears. Barely even worth picking up.”

  “We lost all the foblins,” one of the other soldiers said. “We can go back to the clan and bring back more.”

  I shook my head. “It will take us time to get back, and the other kobolds may notice their entrance is unguarded, if they haven’t already. We need to move on now, while we still have a chance to slip in unnoticed.”

  “Yes, Dire Totem!” The soldier instantly tapped a fist to his chest and lowered his head.

  We moved on into the tunnel with Tika taking point a little farther away to make sure there were no unpleasant surprises.

  We reached the end of the tunnel a few minutes later, and I stood in awe at the vast cavern before us. Thick stone columns held up the ceiling, and everywhere I looked, I saw crudely built burrows. The place could easily house thousands of kobolds.

  “This has been underneath Goblin’s Gorge the entire time?” I asked in disbelief.

  “What should we do now, Dire Totem?” Ryker said in a hushed tone.

  I contemplated the question. What I really wanted to do was go back to the clan and funnel a few thousand foblins into the kobold’s cave. But I knew better. By the time we got back, the kobolds would notice the missing guards and be on alert. The tunnel could act as an efficient chokehold. A hundred kobolds would be enough to hold it against our entire force. They might even collapse the roof over our heads.

  We had to try to sneak into the enemy settlement. But I couldn’t bring the hobs in with me. Aside from the scouts, the hobs were too noisy and heavy to be stealthy. They would be easily noticeable in a cavern full of creatures half their size. That left only one other way.

  “You six stay here and keep our exit route clear,” I said. “Tika and I will sneak inside on our own.” I might not be as skilled as the experienced huntress, but I could be a sneaky little goblin when I wanted to. “Ryker, you’re in charge until I return.”

  The hob bowed his head. “Yes, Chief.”

  I looked at Tika. “Are you ready?”

  Her gaze hardened. “Let’s go find our daughter.”

  There was that word again. I felt another pang of conflicting emotions.

  But this was not the time to dawdle. “Let’s go.”

  Interlude: Immersion Lab

  “I’m concerned,” Tom said. The biotechnician had gotten a big promotion since his days of babysitting long-term immersion clients. He was now one of a select group of highly skilled technicians in charge of setting up and maintaining the specialized FIVR capsule designed exclusively for Oren.

  Dr. Berg frowned as he studied the brain wave patterns on one of the lab’s many monitors. “I don’t see the problem. A slight reduction in the alpha waves, but that’s normal for a sleep-induced state.”

  Tom checked himself twice before answering, making sure his tone was neutral. The doctor was a psychotherapist – a good one, perhaps, but that hardly made him a neuroTec scientist. “It’s not the increase I’m worried about,” he said patiently. “It’s the scatter pattern.”

  “What about it?”

  Tom tapped one of the keyboards and brought up a similar chart. “That was taken a few minutes ago. See how the peaks are slightly wider at their base? That indicates a heavy decision-making process.”

  “Isn’t it normal for players to be faced with many decisions in-game?”

  “It is, but then we have this.” He pointed at a different console.

  The doctor’s frown deepened. “Forty-six percent CCP. What does that mean?”

  “That’s the number of cerebral connections the mind has formed with the game,” Tom explained. “A mere four percent is enough to ensure a satisfying game experience. Most people average around 15. Very few have over 20.”

  “Mr. Berman’s CCP was at 45 percent when he started,” the physician said.

  “Exactly. He’s becoming more submerged in the game. The higher his CCP is, the deeper his immersion and ability to interact with the game, though it is still a far cry from his earlier experience.”

  “What was my patient’s CCP score during the time he was trapped?”

  Tom looked somberly at the doctor. “He was at 99 percent, the second-highest score ever recorded in NEO. He was capable of accessing the game controls at a near instinctual level.”

  Dr. Berg’s eyes widened. “And his current CCP keeps climbing?”

  Tom nodded. “Coupled with the increased wave spread …”

  “But I thought you people made sure the game wouldn’t be able to affect his mind again!” The doctor banged on a nearby table.

  “We did, but that doesn’t mean he’s not getting any feedback. There has to be some transmission to allow a player to perceive its environment. Without it–”

  “Is there a problem, gentlemen?”

  Dr. Berg looked up. “Ah, Mr. Emery. Tom here was just explaining a certain complication.”

  The lawyer seemed unfazed. “Is the subject in any danger?”

  Tom hesitated. “Well, not at the moment, but if it continues at this rate, there’s a possibility the situation will–”

  “We are obliged to provide an optimum standard of care,” the lawyer said, cutting him off. “Keep monitoring his situation, and if a real complication arises, contact your superior immediately. Until then, you are not to interfere with Mr. Berman’s immersion. Am I clear?”

  “Perfectly,” Tom said with a completely straight face.

  Mr. Emery nodded and turned away.

  “What a putz,” Dr. Berg said.

  The biotechnician fought down a grin. “Be that as it may, he’s the one in charge here. At least until Jim and the others finish going over the logs.”

  “Screw that. Oren’s my patient; I’m not going to risk him in any way. If I see even the slightest indication of an adverse situation, I’m terminating this experiment. If you have even the slightest inclination he might be in danger, I want you to initiate the logout sequence immediately. And don’t worry about that lawyer. I’m going to find and sic Mr. Goldbloom on him right now.”

  Tom smiled. “You got it, Doc.” He turned back to observe the monitors as the doctor made his way out to start a lawyer-on-lawyer dogfight.

  The counter ticked up to 47 percent.

  4 - Here be Kobolds

  I took the lead. Tika brought up the rear with her bow partially drawn, ready to silence any kobold who might spot us.

  It was surprisingly easy to move around undetected. The place was practically empty. I spotted several Kobolds milling around a distant campfire, eating or cooking. But other than that, nothing.

  I stopped as we passed a particularly large burrow. It was just a shallow pit with large rocks piled on top as a sort of crude roof.

  “Eggs,” I whispered in disgust after looking inside. There were dozens of them; green, scaly, and the size of melons. Lizard eggs.

  “This is where they keep their young,” Tika whispered back. “They will probably hatch soon.”

  I suddenly realized something. “Two-week intervals …” I murmured.

  “What?”

  “Two weeks,” I repeated. “Kaedric said the kobolds attack every two weeks. I think what we’re looking at is the next attack force. If we can destroy them before they hatch …”

  “There are still hundreds of soldiers in this cave,” Tika said quietly. “They will notice us breaking their eggs.”

  “You’re right.” I hated leaving possible threats behind, but we had bigger lizards to fry.

  We crept farther ahead, crouching behind the burrows as we made our way to the center of the cave.

  There was a sizable clearing in the middle. Instead of burrows, two gobl
in-sized buildings that looked like they were designed by an actual architect stood at the edge.

  I instantly recognized one of the buildings. It had chiseled stone walls adorned with the skulls of goblins and other monsters. Two kobolds were guarding the entrance, their higher-quality armor and twin daggers marking them as assassins. “That’s the chief’s house,” I hissed softly.

  Tika nodded and pointed her chin at the other building. That one was more like a tent, with leather walls spread over a half-spherical frame. It was also adorned with monster bones, and I spotted the familiar crystals from the spiders’ cave. “That’s the Totem … oracle hut,” she whispered.

  There were more kobolds inside the clearing and near the two buildings than anywhere else in the cave. I narrowed my eyes as I spotted something else. There was a hole in the ground at the center of the clearing. A tripod was mounted on top of it and a rope dangled down from it and into the hole.

  “If what Xelliax told us was true, I think we just found the holding place of our travelers,” I said softly.

  “What about our daughter?”

  I bit my lip. “The kobold we questioned said she’s with the chief. And we’re not getting in there without a fight. Let’s scout the travelers first.”

  Tika seemed unhappy with my answer but nodded regardless.

  We crept to the edge of the clearing and hid behind one of the burrows. The hole was 20 meters away, and there were no places to hide. With the number of kobolds around, we’d be spotted for sure. We needed a distraction.

  “I can circle around and shoot at one,” Tika suggested. “Head for the hole when they chase me.”

  “They’ll kill you,” I objected. Then I paused to consider what I’d just said. Tika was just a game character. What we had in the past wasn’t real. Why was I so concerned about her? At worst, if she died – as long as we completed the mission – I’d be able to bring her back.

  Tika surprised me by reaching with both hands and cupping my cheeks. “It’s alright,” she whispered. “I was afraid before, but not anymore. You are here now. I know you will rescue our daughter. I know you will take care of us.”

  I felt my walls crumbling. I reached out and pulled her close to me. It felt familiar and comforting. There was going to be some deep soul-searching when I logged out of the game. “I’m going to do all I can,” I said hoarsely. “But I can’t let you sacrifice yourself.”

  She smiled and pressed her lips to mine. I let the kiss linger for a moment, savoring the forbidden sensation before my mind took over and reminded me of all that was wrong with that act.

  “What will we do?” Tika asked when we parted.

  I opened my mouth to reply, but a commotion from the direction we’d come from drew our attention.

  The kobolds had discovered the hobs holding one of their tunnels. An alarm sounded, echoing through the vast cavern. Kobolds shouted, and soon, dozens of them were running toward the tunnel with more and more pouring from all over the cave, amassing into a horde of screaming monsters.

  The hobs were sorely outnumbered, but they were significantly higher-level than the enemy, and I trusted Ryker to take advantage of the narrow tunnel to their advantage. The coast was clear, and I felt confident it would stay that way for several minutes – as long as the hobs lasted.

  I grabbed Tika’s hand. “Let’s go!”

  ***

  No one saw us as we reached the tripod mounted over the hole. We threw ourselves at the rope and slid down. The shaft was barely wide enough for a hob or a human, but it was more than enough for goblins. It wasn’t very deep, and we made it to the bottom after several meters.

  We found ourselves inside another cavern, though smaller than the one above, and I had to rub my eyes to make sure I was seeing right.

  Normal-looking houses and workshops were spread around the place. The buildings were better built than the kobolds’. But that wasn’t the biggest surprise.

  Our descent drew the attention of everyone nearby. Nearly 20 people turned around to look at us in surprise. And they were all players.

  “Holy shit, these are goblins!” one of the players I didn’t recognize said. “I never thought I’d be so happy to see one of the little buggers.”

  The players crowded around us. They were all part monsters; half-goblins, half-snakes, Ogre blooded, and so forth. A towering figure stepped forward. He looked me up and down, then a familiar boyish grin spread over his face. “What’s up, Chief?”

  “Malkyr!” I said, relieved to find my large friend in good shape. “How are you? Where is your sis–”

  A short, athletic half-human woman with sharp goblin ears stepped forward as well. “Took you long enough to reach us,” Hoshisu said, crossing her arms.

  “I’m … sorry,” I said. I looked down. “A lot happened after I was forcefully removed from NEO. I … I wasn’t well. I came as soon as I realized you were still …” I felt a lump in my throat. I couldn’t bring myself to look up and meet the twins’ eyes. It was my fault they, and the other players were stuck here. My fault for helping the VI stage their coup, even if unknowingly.

  I felt a heavy hand clasp my shoulder, and I finally looked up. “It was rough at first,” Malkyr said somberly. “We tried our best to hold out against the kobold raids, to keep Goblin’s Gorge and the clan safe … but we failed.”

  I blinked in surprise. Malkyr was feeling bad for letting me down? That was ridiculous. “I left you with hardly any soldiers, and you’re sorry for failing me? I’m the one–”

  “Alright, get it over with, you two, or we’ll be listening to you trying to apologize to one another for hours.” Hoshisu put her hands on her hips, though I noticed her lips curve slightly.

  “What’s happening on the outside?” one of the players asked. She had short platinum hair. “We’ve been down here for months. Are our families alright? How are they holding up with us stuck in here for so long?”

  “And when the hell are they going to get us out of here?” another one demanded.

  “It’s been …” I cleared my thoughts. “Only about two weeks in the real world.” The players gasped and started murmuring. “Everyone is still trying to get a grip,” I hurried to explain. “I’m sure your families have been notified. The company made sure every player still inside the game was being taken care of. Your capsules have all been upgraded for long-immersion, and they seem to be doing their best to find a way to get you all out of here.”

  “They bloody hell should do their best,” another player said. “I’m going to sue the knickers off them once I’m out.”

  “They already face several major lawsuits, but that’s not important,” I said. “They want to make sure everyone inside the game is alright, so they sent me in to check up on you.”

  “You? A goblin?”

  I felt the familiar rage start to swell again, but I kept it in check. This person had every right to be angry. “No one else can log into NEO anymore,” I explained. “I was the first to play as a monster, mainly by a fluke and treachery. The game wasn’t originally designed for that, so different rules apply to my character. The company techs somehow built on that to send me in here.”

  The impudent player nodded reluctantly. “That’s something, at least.”

  “We need to stay composed, friends,” a weird-looking goblin with a wrinkled, kindly face said.

  I looked at the twins. “What’s happened since I left? Kaedric told me the kobolds targeted you in their raids until finally deciding to abduct you.”

  Malkyr’s expression darkened. “Yeah, that was no fun. Since Shiva reset all of us to level 1, we couldn’t put up much of a fight. We tried holding our own, but the pain …” My large friend closed his eyes.

  “It’s really painful to get injured,” his sister said. “Most of us realized what was at stake and tried to fight anyway, but some of the others …” She looked disapprovingly at some of the players. “Decided to surrender.”

  “Hey, that’s not fair,”
a player who I remembered as Sullivan Tucker said. “You have a bow; you don’t have to get close enough to the frontlines.” He shuddered. “Do you know what it feels like to have a dagger through your chest? I’ll take a hard pass anytime.”

  “What happened next?” I asked, trying to get the rest of the story.

  Malkyr shrugged. “We killed a few then they killed us. We respawned, then the cycle repeated. Your soldiers tried to help at first, but it became apparent the kobolds were targeting us specifically, so they retreated into the cave to protect their important members.”

  “The kobolds leveled up quickly by killing us,” Hoshisu said quietly. “The first few waves were all fodder types, but then these kobold assassins started appearing, and they kept raising in levels with each raid.”

  I winced. “For monsters, killing players gives a lot of XP. Trust me, I know. Why did they decide to stop killing you and capture you instead? For that matter, how come you’re not all chained up? I was half expecting to have to rescue you from some horrible torture chamber.”

  “The little buggers wanted us to do research if you can believe it,” Sullivan spat in disgust. “It turns out, most of us are scientists or work in advanced fields. The kobolds threw us down here and demanded we make new discoveries for them. I came to NEO to take a break from my day job. Instead, I’m doing overtime.”

  “Why?” I asked. “What do they get out of it?”

  “They get stronger, apparently,” Hoshisu said. “We overheard their oracle. He can somehow convert our findings into in-game bonuses. Something to do with increasing the volume of egg clusters.”

  That explained the thousands of kobold eggs we’d found outside.

  “They reward success with food, tools, and resources,” Malkyr explained. “All of us joined forces and built ourselves a little colony to make the best of the situation. It’s pretty comfortable, actually. We even have a bath.”

  “I, for one, am sick of doing research all day, every day,” his sister said in a huff. “I want out of here!”