BXBX NOVEL Chapter 105: Can we go Inside?
Taking my silence as a yes, the adventurer continued to follow me while I finished the documentation with the new defender. Finding his presence annoying, I then asked.
"Bryant, why the hell are you following me?"
The man smiled sheepishly as he replied. "Ain't nobody bothered, ya? My {Fate} is just telling me to stay close."
"Your {Fate}?"
"Yeah nigga, my {fate} is like a dog's nose. I smell, or rather sense, things that are about to happen. It is telling me to wait here."
What the hell? Is his {fate} like a system or something? Whatever. I have to get back, the night is about to end,' I thought to myself.
As I was about to ask Aira to send me home, two skybeams suddenly crashed near my position. When the light faded, the ones coming out were people I had met earlier in the evening.
"Holy shit! Is that the Nightmare! Nigga, That's the Nightmare!" Warren exclaimed, obviously elated.
"Phillip? And Zach? Why are you both here?"
The dispatch clerk spoke first, pulling out a handkerchief as he polished his glasses.
"Mr. Smith, I somehow doubt your ability to think rationally. I have been waiting all night to speak with you. Yet even after seven hours you have not returned to headquarters."
"Well, I wanted to get some kills under my belt," I replied truthfully.
"That's not the problem, you bastard! Who the hell takes siren after siren without a break? Your antics are insane, I was called in by the Warp Gate staff because they thought it was a bug!" Zach scolded angrily.
The Specter's lecture continued as his hoarse voice filled the air.
"And as if that were not enough, you sent not one, but two reports for the same group! Are you trying to start a war with the Saviors?"
At the mention of the group I was targeting, I gritted my teeth in anger.
"Zach, have you even read the reports?I had them co-signed by the relevant parties. I was about to file a third for the same group."
"HAAA? What the hell is the third one about? If you keep this up, the Saviors will call for a Seeker War, you know?" Zach retorted.
The angrier he got, the more his movements and hand gestures became exactly like a gangster's. Granted, this bastard wore shades in Hellsgate, so that was to be expected.
"The third was about Priority 1 Mercenary Machiavelli. He abused his authority to rape and pillage a zone of resources and then tried to bribe me with them.
"This was to get me to retract the reports I sent you. When that didn't work, they tried to kill me."
[My Lord, that statement is false, despite your attempts to force Reaper Dominic Maegester to attack first, he did not. The one who started the confrontation was you.]
[Shut it, Aira, I know that, but they don't], I replied with {Connect}.
"I made the Mercenary AIs, you prick. I can hear yours too." Zach interrupted.
"Oh? Hehehe," I said red-faced, trying to laugh off my mistake.
Zach's face fell in irritation. After a few moments of silence he asked in a threatening tone.
"What you just said, do you have a witness or any kind of proof?"
I looked at the interloper who had been listening to our conversation. Was this why his {Fate} told him to be here? If so, it was an incredible coincidence.
The Nightmare who saw my gaze asked in annoyance.
"What? Does this nigger have the answer or something?"
Before I could answer, Warren gave a quick salute and volunteered the information. His demeanor was like a fan seeing his favorite movie star. Emotional and almost frenzied.
"YES SIR! Priority 5 Adventurer Nightmare, sir! I was hired by a Wraith to find the bodies of her allies. The defender of the zone she was in was raped and then murdered. The body of the Phantom and two others are currently missing!"
"Hmm. Then why are you here, adventurer? Shouldn't you be busy looking for the bodies?"
"SIR! According to my investigation, the bodies were eaten by the {Vassals} of Machiavelli. Their {Fate}, which they tried to hide, was discovered by my employer.
"Their {Fates} name is {Libra}. I came here to verify it when Kid and Gramps used {Libra}," Warren explained.
As Warren's information came to light, I wrung my hands so hard they began to bleed. No wonder they only used it when they had no choice. If they needed reaper flesh in addition to souls, they would need a steady supply of bodies.
"Okay, I will handle the investigation. You two get ready to go home. Wraiths only last 8 hours in Hellsgate. Smith, follow Phillip and get your things in order. And you, what was your name again?"
"Warren Bryant, sir!" The adventurer replied.
"Right, Bryant. Take me to the zone where the crime occurred." Zach grabbed Warren and they both stepped into a ray of light that suddenly manifested close to us.
But before it could disappear, Zach turned and warned me.
"Smith, until this mess is cleaned up, I am revoking your right to use the Mercenary Warp Gates. I will see you in the sun."
"In the sun? What does that mean?" I asked, confused.
Before I could get an answer, Zach and Warren's bodies disintegrated into tiny lights and went up the skybeam.
Such a cool way of entering and exiting was, of course, reminiscent of science fiction.
Phillip, who had been silent the whole time, replied,
"Mr. Smith, in the sun means he will see you on Earth. Since there is no sun in Hellsgate, seeing one in the sun means on Earth."
"Oh. Okay, I guess I can work with that."
For an organization like the Reapers, I didn't even have to wonder if they had my information stored somewhere. But what if he comes and finds me sleeping? Wait! Do I even need to sleep?
As my questions began to circulate, Phillip cleared his throat to get my attention.
"My lord, shall we go back? You left before I could finish the orientation."
"Ah, right, the orientation. Sorry about that, Phillip."
A skybeam fell around us with Phillip in the center. He was smiling as he fiddled with his Reaper phone.
"That's okay, Mr. Smith. I have been following your exploits throughout the night and would like for you to perform the other actions required of you."
I didn't know anything else was needed from me. The download said that the most important part was to acknowledge the new defender. What could I have forgotten?
The moment we teleported back to the headquarters, I could hear several people shouting.
"Come on! We are going to be late! The betting closes in 15 minutes!"
"WOOHOOO I AM FUCKING RICH!!!!!"
"LIMITLESS BABY! Whoever you are, I hope you sleep in a bed full of big titted bitches!"
"DAMN! If only I had more souls!"
"Hello? Yes! Samson! Give me back the souls I lent you! NOW!"
"Excuse me, can you spare me 10 souls?"
"I FUCKING LOVE YOU LIMITLESS!"
"Holy crap! What in the world? Is this real?"
"Deadfall cannot be hacked, you idiot!"
"!!!"Terrified, I couldn't even speak. What the hell was going on? Phillip, who was walking next to me, had a huge grin on his face as he enjoyed my reaction.
Men and women were running feverishly toward a building next to the dispatch office. There were those who reverently praised my Graveyard ID. Their eyes were red with greed and their smiles were malicious.
"For reference, I also bet my life savings of three hundred souls on you, Mr. Smith."
"What? Wait! Phillip, can we go in first? I'm afraid I might get mobbed or something," I begged urgently.
Phillip laughed as we made our way into the dispatch office. When we entered, for some reason, it was completely empty of Reapers.
The only occupants were maids and butlers who seemed to be discussing something.
"Tsk." I heard Phillip scoff when he saw them.
The gorgeous, idol-like servants were so engrossed in their discussions that no one noticed us. Phillip tried to hide me from them as we made our way into one of the private rooms.
Then I heard a female scream. "AHHH! There he is! After him."
Suddenly, as I was entering the room, Phillip abruptly kicked me in the ass and then quickly slammed the door. His action nearly sent me crashing to the floor.
Before I had a chance to inquire, I heard an angry mob outside.
"Scrivener! He's yours, isn't he?! We all checked and none of us have a Reaper with the Graveyard ID of Limitless!" a woman suspected.
"I have no idea what you are talking about, Audrey. As you know, client confidentiality is a..."
"Shut up old man, since when do you care about that? You even begged us before to send some reapers your way!"
"I never did anything so dishonorable, Timothy," Phillip replied.
"Wait! Why are you even here in the meeting rooms? You don't even have an active Reaper! He's here isn't he?" exclaimed another.
"He's here? Time to bring out the big guns."
"Oy you slut, stop stripping! Cover your breasts! Be professional, damn it!"
"Phillip, did you know that Limitless would clear seven sirens?! The odds for the night in Deadfall are a staggering 500:1!"
"What?! Are you serious?! Bernice! Give me souls!"
"Hehe. I placed 200 souls about 4 hours ago. I don't have any left."
"Lee baby, can you loan me some souls?"
"Shut up Matilda, I'm broke. I supported my reapers."
The more I heard, the more it sounded like I was some kind of horse jockey. What the hell were these people doing in Hellsgate anyway?
Then I heard Phillip call out in a loud voice.
"Alright everyone, please excuse me, I am trying to orient a new reaper under my wing."
After that, Phillip came in quickly and bolted the door shut. He started fiddling with complex computer panels. A few seconds later, I felt a wave of energy cover the room. A large looking bolt then sealed the room.
Only then did Phillip turn and smile at me.
"Well, I know you have some questions, I will answer them first, please take a seat."
Phillip and I sat down on some expensive looking furniture. The clerk then took out a PC tablet and started fiddling with it.
"First of all, why is everyone acting like this? From what I could gather, it sounded like I was in some kind of horse race." I asked.
Phillip then handed me the tablet as he spoke.
"Your assumptions are correct. The best kind, I might add."
As I read the information, I began to see the reason why everyone was going crazy.