As the various different players and raid monsters were carrying boxes around, clearing out rooms and placing basic decorations like torches around, JohnWillStab decided that he need to know more about RuRet.
He saw RuRet ordering the players around since they were recognised as minions by the game he was able to treat them like war-beasts or mercenary NPCs.
A war-beast is generally used to knock-down walls to transport players, though can also fight, like a group of wolves.
Though rare after the NPCs became sentient, certain NPCs allowed for the purchase of mercenary-NPCs on a permanent or non-permanent contract, they allowed guilds with only a couple dozen players to compete against large guilds, if they had the money that is.
JohnWillStab set it so RuRet was able to command any controlled player or NPC, though the NPC would always take JohnWillStab's command over RuRet's.
"Something about this man really gives me a bad feeling..." though JohnWillStab as he followed RuRet discretely.
RuRet: Alright, we'll need to get the floor-plan confirmed with the JohnWillStab, but for now we'll assign the middle floor to storage for easy access, block off the entrance with a gate, we'll sort out the gate-permission-levels later. he commanded as he ticked another box off on his notepad.
"He seems like a diligent worker..."
RuRet: This place does seem quite nice... but... WHY IS THERE ONLY A TOWER ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE BUILDING AND NOT THE LEFT?!
JohnWillStab had to recoil upon hearing this.
RuRet held his floor plan, it contained a sketch of every floor, for the most part, they were massive square rooms with a staircase up or down.
There were three "bottom floors" which were 120-meters wide and long, with 4-meters tall ceilings.
And three "upper floors" which were 100-meters wide and 100-meters long.
That aside, on the middle upper-floor you can enter a long corridor into a tower with 5 floors, this is where JohnWillStab was planning to build the higher-ups quarters.
RuRet: A reminder of the non-symmetrical nature of this fortress!
"..."
RuRet turned to a random player and unmuted him, RuRet: We need a second tower, right?!
The player was already logged out.
He let out a sigh before making his way towards the staircase down to the fourth floor.
RuRet: Alright, people, we should all be prepared for when JohnWillStab the evil master-mind returns!
"Evil master-mind!?"
RuRet arranged all the players into a neat row.
RuRet: Now then, first you will practice your speed stat! with that he set them to "patrol" the base in a circle, essentially he made them run laps.
"I see... not a bad idea!" johnWillStab turned to the General himself and saw that he was in the middle of stretching.
"Stretching? Is that even necessary."
As RuRet started running a loud crack was heard everywhere before his character fell to the ground.
A few of the NPC ordered to automatically heal the wounded guild-members approached him.
RuRet: Don't worry about him, I just popped a disc... I regret making my character 50...
A case of literary theft: this tale is not rightfully on Amazon; if you see it, report the violation.
"HE DOES NOT LOOK FIFTY!"
Once he was healed the players returned to their run, RuRet made his way towards them with one hand on his back.
"Are you OK!?" John really wanted to ask him, but that would blow his cover, so he remained silent.
RuRet: I can feel the adrenaline running through me! he announced shuffling slowly with a hand on his back.
After the other players complete ten or so laps RuRet completed his first one.
RuRet: Alright, the warm-up is over. he said as he cracked his knuckles and assumed the normal walking position.
"Is he alright, now?"
RuRet burst into a sprint, nothing special, in fact, he might be slightly below-average speed-wise but compared to the shuffle he did before it was amazing.
"He's actually pulling it off!"
JohnWillStab looked closer to his character and saw that his face was contorted into a constant expression of pain.
"HE'S NOT FINE, HE'S JUST TRYING TO LOOK TOUGH!" he noticed RuRet's health dropping steadily.
The healing NPC couldn't get a chance to heal him since he kept moving so they just left him alone at some point.
After running somehow completing ten laps he noticed JohnWillStab who was too astonished at the sight before him to realise his cover was blown.
RuRet: Oh, John, you're back already?" he asked running up to him.
JohnWillStab: Yeah, I just came to let you know not to over-work yourself, y'know.
RuRet: No worries, I'm doing just fine - you should get some sleep. he announced as his character choked out a spurt of blood which sprayed onto JohnWillStab's feet.
They both looked down at the blood on the ground and back at each other, both keeping a straight face.
JohnWillStab: Are you alright, man?
RuRet: Just some muscle pains, it's to be expected during exercise!
"WHAT FUCKING MUSCLE MAKES YOU PUKE BLOOD?!" JohnWillStab called out in real life much to the horror of his neighbours.
JohnWillStab: Yeah, no - I getcha...
RuRet: ...
JohnWillStab: ...
The two stood in silence and the group of players ran past them.
JohnWillStab: I think I'll go log out and rest up a bit.
RuRet: Great idea!
JohnWillStab logged out and headed to his bed.
He rolled around in bed for a while before realising he wasn't going to get any sleep.
Unable to sleep he returned to the game once more, seeing the location of RuRet on the mini-map he went over to inspect his location once more.
This time RuRet was located in the tower, JohnWillStab went up-stairs and to the hallway which would lead him to the fourth level of the tower.
He peered inside and saw RuRet digging in the ground, at first JohnWillStab was suspicious before he looked at the floor-plans he held in his hand.
"Mission 5: Make the tower have 6 floors to match the 6 floors of the main fortress."
"This man is actually obsessed with symmetry..."
RuRet: Finally! Symmetry! he climbed out of a hole in the ground, shovel in hand, some players rushed over to pick the dirt and rocks up before carrying them out.
RuRet: If only we had a mason to put tiles in that room...
"He's less of a general and more of an OCD house-designer..."
RuRet: Now, we ABSOLUTELY need to complete the task I talked about before JohnWillStab logs back in.
"Hold up, what task?!"
A group of players got to work, they stay started placing down wooden walls, they were as thin a fences but almost as tall as the room.
"What could he be planning? Wait, he's making a trap!" JohnWillStab realised, he saw the hole, he imagined it being filled with spikes.
RuRet: Alright, I just got word the items were purchased! he exclaimed as a few players marched in carrying massive boxes and items wrapped in cloth.
"IS THIS WHERE OUR BUDGET IS GOING!?"
RuRet: Place the cupboards along the wall, the table by the door and the stove against the other wall. he commanded as he observed a rough sketch of something on his notepad.
"HE'S ACTUALLY DESIGNING A FUCKING KITCHEN!"
RuRet: We can hang up the drying rack here. he pointed to an empty piece of wall.
"GET A FRIDGE WHY DON'T YOU!?"
RuRet: The milk-churner, cheese-maker, alcohol-fermentor and ice-maker can go here.
"..."
He turned to a player as if he just received a private message, RuRet: GREAT IDEA! We'll install the jacuzzi in the centre of the room!
He turned to another one.
RuRet: What do you mean "health and safety"? We live in a dungeon! We have to stay intimidating!
"He does have a point... I'm still not over the jacuzzi though..."
RuRet: So what colour should we paint the walls? I'd like a cool colour for the kitchen, but if you say blue I will get upset.
"WHAT HAPPENED TO THE INTIMIDATION!?"
He turned to a nearby player and exclaimed, RuRet: That is a great idea! We'll move the jacuzzi to the bottom floor.
As RuRet walked down the stairs to the bottom floor the player who suggested the idea turned to JohnWillStab and shot him a /thumbs-up which JohnWillStab replied to with a /salute.
"Thank you for your service, you work-safety informed bastard!"
In spite of their relationships which was that of master and mind-controlled-slave, they were united by a common goal, that being the goal to not have a jacuzzi in the centre of their kitchen, a bond stronger than several layers of hex-tape, the trade-mark-free tape that even works underwater.
Moments later the player was moved by a command from RuRet.
RuRet: Now, it's time to create the surprise... RuRet laughed as he moved into the kitchen.
"T-The surprise?"
RuRet approached the kitchen and started sturring a mixture in his cauldron, a fine-white powder, a cup of grainy white crystals, a drop of a clear brown liquid from a vial, an opaque white liquid, two eggs and baking powder before pouring the mixture into a cake-tin and sticking it in the oven for thirty minutes.
"HE'S MAKING FUCKING CAKE! CAKE!"
RuRet: I wonder if he'll find the secret ingredient. he announced followed by a wide grin both in-game and in real life.
This caught his attention, a small pouch of yellow-brown powder sat at the nearby counter, RuRet went downstairs to check on the jacuzzi-progress giving JohnWillStab the opportunity to see what was in the pouch, he snuck up to it and looked at the packaging "Almond flour"
JohnWillStab disconnected on the spot and went to bed, for real this time.
RuRet: How paranoid... he laughed to himself as he looked at the open guild-rosters which displayed when JohnWillStab was last logged in.
[https://i.imgur.com/peVjK6g.png]