If Xua Yu's liver had a voice, it'd be pleading for death. How many days had it been since he started drinking? He got fired on Wednesday and today was Friday… Oh, right. He’d been fired.
“Milady! Can I have another--” His face slipped off his palm and slammed onto the bar counter. “Another Margarita!”
“I think you’ve had enough.” An elderly lady lifted his head and slipped a white doily underneath before letting go again. “Besides, your show is about to start.”
Shit! Xua Yu tried to remember how his neck muscles worked. The bar was gloomy and empty, but the small TV played Twilight-related programs around the clock.
“Good morning, good afternoon and good evening to our viewers around the world. Welcome to Twilight Zone!”
The news anchor began narrating and Xua Yu spun his chair so that his head faced the screen. He was one of the developers of Kosmos, the independent A.I. that governed the world of Twilight. As Kosmos grew and learned, kingdoms started spawning. New races, areas, creatures and landmarks were being created at a rate no other company could match. The history of an entire world unfolded before his eyes.
“Tonight we bring you another exclusive! Glimmering Shield is about to raid a never before seen boss monster!”
The announcement sobered him up slightly. Xua Yu loved seeing how the players interacted with the world Kosmos had created. Of all the high rankers, Vin was his absolute favourite and all of his raid videos got him giddy with excitement. The camera shifted to a player’s point of view, standing in front of a giant mural. Xua Yu immediately recognized the location. Andur Vita! The guardian set itself free and the broadcast paused.
“What does our panel of experts think?”
“GS got annihilated during last dusk’s battle. They’ve clearly fallen behind both in items and levels. I predict they’ll wipe.”
“Your judgement is lacking. You know players aren’t allowed to record during PvP, so how can you claim to know who is at fault for GS’s defeat? I think they can handle this boss.”
“It seems opinions are divided. Let’s watch!”
Xua Yu held his breath as the guardian rushed Vin’s squad. He tried to calculate the damage in his mind using the formula, but his brain cells were currently drowning in alcohol. He watched as Vin successfully tanked the hit and the guild launched a counter attack.
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“Yeah, go Vin!” Xua Yu climbed onto the counter and swung his invisible sword. “Take that, guardian of the west!”
“Hey! Get down here!” The old barwoman hit him with a broom.
Xua Yu grabbed a chair and parried her attacks. “Haha! Your dps is feeble, guardian of the bar!”
The barwoman massaged her temples. “If you come down I’ll serve you another margarita,” she said, and Xua Yu teleported back to his seat.
The broadcast cut back to the two Twilight experts once the guardian knelt. They spent some time discussing and analyzing the raid and the tactics used. There was no mention of Andur Vita; the guild had been careful enough to not let anything slip.
Xua Yu focused back on his cocktail and let the sounds fade into the background. In truth, Twilight didn't need him anymore. Kosmos managed the game server and all its players. Even when he still had his job he was simply a silent observer of the A.I. he had created. A failsafe. In fact, all the programmers had a clear non involvement protocol they had to adhere to. He knew all that, and yet…
His hands trembled as he brought the glass up to his lips.
"Breaking news!" The anchorman held a finger to his ear and relayed the information. "Asire has challenged Vin, the leader of the Glimmering Shield guild to a duel!"
Xua Yu felt his head getting fuzzy. And this time, it wasn't the alcohol at fault. His phone buzzed in his pocket. He tried to clear his head and sound sober before answering.
"Lana, I--"
"You idiot!" Lana screamed in his ear.
Xua Yu winced and moved the phone some distance away.
"You said they wouldn't find out and it hasn't even been a day."
"I have no idea how it happened." Xua Yu rubbed his eyes. "What should I do?"
"You have three days to find someone who will agree to the job."
"The job? What job?" Xua Yu looked up at the broadcast. Asire and Vin were measuring each other up.
"Slap your brain awake for me, cause I'm only gonna say it once." Xua Yu heard a door closing and Lana lowered her voice. "Find someone who can kill Asire."
Xua Yu's blood froze in his veins. "But, how will he… That's impossible."
"You're the one who made this game. You should be able to handle at least this much."
"Well, technically Kosmos--"
"If you haven't shown me any progress by the end of the month I'll have to involve the bureau. Neither of us wants that, so get to it." Lana hung up in his face.
Xua Yu pondered for a moment. "Milady, can you fix me a coffee?" He thought back to the three day deadline and checked his clock. "Or just give me the coffee beans. I'll chew them on the way."