by Arthur Stone
“He asked me to tell you that he and his people were intercepted by a band from the Cross. Who this ‘Cross’ is, I don’t
know.”
“What are you, a medium?” Sevens sniffed.
Cheater didn’t understand the question. Was she doubting his information because Pear was dead?
“When I found them, Pear was still alive,” he clarified. “He was dying, but delaying it with some kind of ability. Before
he passed, he managed to tell me what to say.”
“Well, then,” Sevens replied, leaning in. “Tell me.”
“What more is there to say?”
“Where’d you see him? What else did you see? Tell me everything you know.”
“I could point to the place on a map. If you gave me a local map, things would be much easier.”
“Oh, please. Where’d you see the ‘Free Maps’ sign?”
“I didn’t bring it up. I could try to draw it out, I suppose—if you insist. So, the truck burnt to a crisp.” As Cheater
began, he watched Sevens’ face intently. “It was destroyed by a heavy machine gun and a grenade launcher. It was a by-the-book ambush, the entire party disabled in seconds. Any who survived were tortured. Some were pretty torn up, and Pear couldn’t even see me— I’ll leave you to guess why. As he faded, we spoke a little, and he gave me a quest to talk to you. Oh, and they scalped all the dead there, too. None escaped.”
A stone-faced Sevens nodded soberly. “That’s the Cross, all right.”
“Why the scalps?” Cheater asked. “They’re immune NPCs! They’ll crumble to dust like players do! Maybe not immediately, but with time.”
“The scalps won’t disappear if they’re taken quickly enough,” Sevens corrected. “NPCs are different from players. Even if you blow them to pieces, the pieces will stay. They’ll never disintegrate, except by decomposition.”
“Really? I didn’t know—”
“—Did you get a good look at the place?” Sevens interrupted.
“I think so,” Cheater affirmed.
“Could you guess how many people the Cross sent?”
“One vehicle with at least a machine gun. There were seven other people inside.”
“Just seven?”
“Based on the layout and the cartridges I found, yes. I don’t know what they were there for, but they’d been waiting a
long time. The grass was trampled.”
“Okay,” Sevens conceded. “The System will now complete your quest. Hey, Grades! Give this guy a map! Hole
Tactical #4. Show him how generous we can be.”
Cheater nodded in gratitude and relief. “Thank you! I—”
“Not so fast,” Sevens stopped him short. “Mark the spot on the map and send it to me. What will you do now?”
“Uh, rest up a bit? Swing by the merchants?”
“Tread lightly. The locals don’t like players much.”
“Yeah, I noticed. You’re the first player I’ve seen... and you’re the boss!”
“Yeah,” Sevens sighed in weary satisfaction. “All by myself, with not a lick of help. Oh, by the way... if you’re here to
snoop around for the moles? Just beat it. You won’t like it here. If someone thinks poorly of you, they won’t just drag you off to a mental facility. One player—here just last week!—had a weird look about him. The people here are conservative, you know? They like the old ways. If something seems wrong, they do something about it—no questions, no trial. So they hung him! By the testicles. He talked a lot then, talked our ears off...”
“I’d say anyone hung by the balls might want to start talking,” Cheater mused.
“Singing, even!” Sevens nodded. “It’s a good method. Effective. I doubt any man could lie in a position like that. Hanging upside down, the truth just drips out of you. I trust you understand. Don’t snoop around. Even when you rest, I’d advise you to keep an eye out. Be polite, always. If you get into conflict, they’ll hold you at fault, not the local—every single time.”
“Quite the unique style of hospitality you have here,” remarked Cheater.
Sevens smirked. “Can’t say we have guests clamoring to join us.”
“Where can I stay without offending anyone?” Cheater ventured anxiously. “Which merchants should I go to—if you don’t mind all the questions?”
“Stay at the Lame Queen. It’s on this street, a little further down and across. Red-haired young lady with crutches on
the sign. You can spend the night there, eat and drink, all without paying triple price. Keeper there will take nearly anyone, as long as they pay. The merchants here are the same. They might be racist, but they don’t let it mess with their business practices. I’d recommend against Halibut, though. He’s got a beautiful shop, but he’s a swindler through and through. Every day I hear complaints come in on his account... and any complaints on your account will end badly, player. Here, you’re a marked man.”
“Why is it that they accept you, then?” Cheater prodded cautiously.
“If you really know how to settle in, you can do it anywhere,” Sevens shared, in a winking half-whisper. “It’s a good place. Quiet. Just takes some getting used to. Okay, okay—we’re done here. Go get your map.”
Chapter 18
Life Nine. Business, Racism, and Bad Luck
Bedbug? The hotel owner’s nickname was the poorest possible advertisement, but Cheater wasn’t about to say so. Instead, he limited his conversation to polite inquiries about a good room, a hot bath and a delicious dinner. After listening to the Cheater’s wishlist, the NPC impassively offered direction. “Go straight that way and up the stairs. Second floor, third room. There’s a bathtub in that room, with hot water all day. Eight spores a day. Bedding is free and changed following the schedule on the door. Over there on the left is the entrance to the restaurant. Decent place. No one’s complained about the food so far. Every week, someone tries to hire the chef out from under me. I recommend the wine. We have the best selection you can find. Two or three spores is enough for a good meal and drink. Five to seven, if you indulge.”
As Cheater moved to head upstairs, Bedbug continued with further advice. “On the right over there you can find the best girls in all of Fifth Mine—cultured, clean and polite. Three spores for head, five for classic; back door is by agreement and not available from everyone. If you want more details, ask Jeanne. She’s always there. If everything sounds good, feel free to head up the stairs...or to the right, if you’re the more ‘eager’ type.” With that lascivious innuendo, Bedbug winked.
“I’ll head up,” Cheater replied. “Can anyone in this stable send long-distance communications?”
The innkeeper shook his head. “Sorry, I’m afraid I can’t help you there. That’s a rare service, and there’s no demand for it here. We live in our own world and keep to ourselves. There’s no need to communicate with other regions.”
Cheater was disheartened by this, but his surprisingly comfortable hotel room boosted his spirits somewhat. Cheater had paid far more at other establishments to receive much less. Lunch was satisfying, too. After three or four meals, his Pleasure meter would reach its max, adding a slight boost to his character’s numbers across the board. This was the coveted “high” every player revered.
After filling his stomach, he had a proper wash in a bubbling, boiling bathtub. He could hardly stand the heat, but it was worth it to finally rid himself of the rotten smell and corrosive slime of the Unnamed One’s innards. He next visited the nearest little shop to buy fresh clothes and other essentials. No longer looking, smelling or feeling like a tramp, Cheater finally felt he could get down to business.
***
“I’d like a handgun... or a revolver.”
“What kind?” responded the merchant flatly.
“Something small and light—but not miniature,” Cheater described. “Light, yet lethal at short distances. I’d like
something of a higher quality, but I’ll consider
anything you have!”
“I don’t have many of those,” the merchant admitted. “Demand for weapons like that is low. Have a look at these
models—I recommend the five shot.”
“How much are gold stars?” Cheater asked, scrutinizing the suggested weapon.
The merchant pulled an incredulous face. Cheater’s clean clothes and fresh outlook might have elevated him from
pauperdom, but he still hardly looked the type to deal in expensive goods.
The merchant still answered politely: “740 spores.”
“Expensive. I’ve seen in cheaper in other places.”
“Delivery out here isn’t cheap,” the merchant replied, tone clipped. “If you saw it cheaper somewhere else, you should
have bought it there. No one here will bring their price down.”
“What about a bulk deal—you know, with other items?”
“Doesn’t happen. There are just too few goods available in this category. In order to collect enough for a bulk deal, you’d have to clean out every store in the village.”
“What about mods?”
“What kind of modifications interest you?”
Cheater unfolded a piece of paper. “Lesser mods with these properties, average ones with these... and greater ones with these, here. How much would that cost?”
Unimpressed, the merchant shook his head. “I don’t have these greater modifications. I’m not sure you can find one in the whole village. More random modifications can be found, yes—but with those, you might not receive the effects you’re looking for.”
“I understand. What about the average and lesser mods?”
“Lessers range from 900 to 1500. Average? Well, it depends on the properties. I can find some of these, though not all. Somewhere between 2500 and 9000. Would you like to see some options, or are you just investigating my prices?”
“Evaluating... your prices,” Cheater responded. “How many gold stars do you have?”
“Six at the moment.”
“That’s all?”
“As I said, deliveries are difficult to arrange, and demand is not high enough to keep a large stock.”
“I understand,” Cheater confirmed, before making his final demand: “I want them all.”
“... All six?” the startled merchant repeated.
“Yes—plus all the gold peas you have, and some knotted amber. I’d like to talk about pearls as well, but I have one condition: I’ll pay in modifications. They’ll be the ones I’ve listed, with the best sets of properties. My mods are the best you can find. If you’re interested, let’s keep talking.”
Several seconds passed as the merchant fell into a stupor. He gradually nodded at Cheater, hesitation in his eyes. “If you really have these modifications,” he allowed, “then yes, I am very interested.”
Cheater ceremoniously withdrew several crystals from his inventory and placed them on the counter, taking great pleasure in the merchant’s astonishment.
“I see,” the merchant murmured, nodding vigorously. “I agree to your terms in general, but we’ll need to discuss prices. The prices I gave you are selling prices, not buying prices, as I’m sure you know. The spread between them is quite large.”
***
In every high-end shop, it was the same. Cheater killed a lot of time bargaining, but he considered it worth it. He was already taking quite a risk flaunting his wealth, but if he agreed to the local shopkeepers’ conditions without even attempting to negotiate, he’d be losing a lot of money. Selling everything he had to a single merchant would be equivalent to hanging a “ROB ME” sign around his neck. Therefore, he happily whittled away minutes and hours negotiating with the lot of them. None of them sold pearls; they might have been happy to part with them, but they simply didn’t have any. There was no point asking whether the merchants possessed any items the Unnamed One dropped. Even in the richest stables, such items couldn’t be found on the best of days. As long as he watched his intervals between taking them, Cheater could grow his character gradually from safety, without needing to hunt or fight. He did not purchase too many, though, as there was no place to safely hide them. All of this good stuff could only be stored in his primary personal inventory. Of his valuable loot, only the modification crystals could be stored in his secondary inventory, which was how he brought his selection into the stable’s village.
Cheater also asked about bows—the best of the best bows, elite models only. He wanted weapons similar to Choppa in class and number of modification slots. The NPCs only shrugged and promised to “ask around”, hinting that there was no chance of success. Cheater decided to work on his strategy further, spending some modifications developing his character and others to buy the best available weapons. He wanted a full set at minimum: a large-caliber rifle for serious targets, a powerful bow for quiet hunting, and a decent pistol for the moments too fast-paced for his bow. He could use a weight modification to greatly reduce the weight of the pistol, allowing him to stash it in his secondary personal inventory.
Beyond that, he would pick up something decent for March—and maybe for Kitty, eventually. So far, Cheater was only fully satisfied with one item: his sword. He doubted he would ever find a better one. Asking around with the merchants, he found that none of them had ever heard even rumors of a superior blade. The other items were offered in large quantities by the NPC merchants, but with insufficient quality ratings. He simply needed the best, with the maximum possible number of modifiers. He would have to look elsewhere.
***
“What do you need?” The moment Cheater stepped in, the short, bearded man snapped at him. “I’m looking for a
healer.”
“You found one.” The man barked, no hint of courtesy in his tone. “What else?”
“My level 30 ability is locked. I need to activate it.”
“Level 30? Of course!” The bearded man snorted. “Why didn’t you deal with it before? Too busy with the whiskey and whores?”
“My attention was occupied,” Cheater responded hurriedly. “Can you help me out?”
“Help you out? Who do you think I am, the Salvation Army? I only work for pay. 40 spores, and I’ll do what you ask.”
“Forty? Did you all conspire to rob me ahead of time? What did players ever do to you?”
“We don’t like your kind here,” the healer admitted. “We’ve had some trouble from players. Every week, at least,
someone comes to our island and kills one of ours. Then they beat it—and there’s no catching them. They sit in the Cauldron celebrating, and there’s nothing we can do about it. And why not? Our people simply cannot go there. So this cluster ends up like a sort of... what do they call it... a safari for you players. We’re hunted like elephants and tigers.”
“But look at my humanity!” Cheater responded defensively. “It’s not just green—it’s bright green! Heroes don’t prey on NPCs.” He crossed his arms defiantly.
The healer nodded, crossing his arms in turn. “For clever talkers, I charge 50 spores. And a hero, at that? I believe the going price is a hundred. If you don’t like it, then, you can go to Bedbug’s and get a dozen fat boys for the same price.”
The description of the Humanity stat explicitly stated that the higher your Humanity was, the better NPCs treated you. Heroism made them adore you. Apparently this village was a radical exception to this rule.
“Fine, fine... forty it is,” Cheater relented. “Racists.”
“Hey! We’re not racists here. We dislike all races equally when it comes to players. Come on, I’ll activate the ability for you.”
The procedure was familiar to Cheater by now, with no significant differences. He recalled that his previous healer, though a player, had been just as impolite.
When he was finished, however, the bearded man responded in a new way. “Looks like you’re out of luck.”
“What?”
“Go have a look at what the System gave you.” Cheater opened his abiliti
es window.
Note: New ability activated.
Ability Name: Helping Hand.
This ability is activated when you clearly think or speak the code phrase “Helping Hand.” Whether you think or speak the phrase, you must firmly will that the ability be activated. You can always change the working name of your ability. This will also change the activation phrase.
Note: Your command will not work if your ability is not included in your list of active abilities! You can view your active abilities in the Abilities tab.
Ability description: positive effects, of any type and from any source, active on the character and his companions (party) last 150% longer. However, the extra time cannot exceed 24 hours. Note: This does not apply to full Pleasure meter bonuses or similar effects.
Ability duration: 1000 seconds. Ability cooldown: 30 hours. Ability range: 15 meters. Party characters must be within a circle of this radius around you in order to benefit from the effect. Note: These are the base stats of this ability. Real-world results may vary.
Cost: 125 Spirit of Styx. Each level of Willpower adds 10 seconds to the duration of this ability. Every 10 levels of Willpower add 50% to the additional duration of the effects affected by this skill (calculated from their base duration, but not
exceeding 24 hours). Every 30 levels of Willpower add 4 meters to the radius of this ability. Every 10 levels of Ward of Styx reduce this ability’s Spirit of Styx cost by 5 units. Every 10 levels of Talent Rank reduce this ability’s cooldown by 30 minutes.
Additional properties:
1. When activated, the character flashes with an unbearably bright light, which can blind those nearby. The property has been disabled (Talent Rank 30 bonus).
Resulting stats (93 Willpower) Ability Duration: 1930 seconds, (93 Willpower) +450% duration to positive effects of any type and any source, but not exceeding 24 hours, Ability Range: 27 meters, Spirit of Styx Cost: 95, Cooldown: 28 hours, 30 minutes.