Doug picked up a chain mail shirt, some basic clothing, a pair of boots as well as some provisions at another nearby shop, which drained the last of his credits. As he walked past the shops lining the streets, he noticed that some of them were already closed, while others remained open despite the late hour. Most of the storefront windows displayed signs advertising discounts on certain goods, while others simply bore ominous symbols warning customers against entering.

One building caught Doug's attention more than most – a large structure set apart from the others thanks to its massive stone walls. The sign hanging above the entrance read "Fortified Hall Tavern", and there were multiple smaller structures scattered throughout the compound.

I wonder if they have any quests to offer?

He entered the structure through the main doors and approached the bartender, who sat behind the bar.

"Welcome to Fortified Hall. What will it be today?" the man asked pleasantly.

"A mug of ale please." he responded.

"Coming right up!" the bartender answered cheerfully, turning away and starting to pour a glass of amber liquid.

When the bartender returned, he asked him the main reason why he had entered the tavern.

"Are there any quests here?" he asked.

"There sure are!" the bartender exclaimed excitedly, "Why don't you tell me about yourself, and we'll go from there?"

A prompt appeared.

Do you wish to share your Player Stats with this NPC?

Yes | No

Doug selected “Yes”.

His stats weren't exactly impressive, especially compared to how much stronger everyone else in the room looked, but Doug felt confident that he wouldn't need to rely solely on his physical attributes. After all, he was an experienced gamer. If anyone understood the importance of strategy, tactics, and teamwork, it was him.

The bartender winked at him, “A noob, eh? I think I’ve got just the right quest for you.”

Quest Alert: The Unforgiven Knight

You've heard tales of a knight named Sir Rufus who fought bravely against a group of marauders and saved many lives before falling in battle himself. Now, rumors claim that the body of this valiant hero has been recovered from the battlefield and brought to a nearby village. Will you travel to the village and seek justice for the fallen knight?

─ Reward: 150 XP

─ Requirements: Level 2; Must be equipped with a shield.

It sounded intriguing enough, so Doug accepted the quest knowing he would need to level up to qualify.

Before he departed however, he decided to take stock of the weapons and armor he currently owned.

─ Weapon: Short Sword (Sword), Wooden Spear

─ Armor: Chainmail Shirt & Leather Boots

─ Shields: Bronze Shield w/ Stone Guard

─ Items:

─ Food: 3 Spare Meals + 5 Canned Stews

─ Water: 1 Gallon Can

Doug checked out the status screen for Conquest and saw that he was only 20 XP shy of leveling up to qualify for the quest.

He drained the last of his ale and was about to leave the tavern when he saw Jenn enter the tavern.

Did she follow me here?

There wasn't a hint of makeup on her pretty face, she had taken out the two buns so that her red hair fell across her shoulders in waves. She carried a bag full of books under her arm, and she blushed at Doug as soon as she spotted him.

You might be reading a stolen copy. Visit Royal Road for the authentic version.

"Hi!" she said brightly before sitting down at another table.

Doug smiled and waved casually over at her, trying not to let on how nervous he actually was. Jenn glanced briefly back at him, clearly curious about what he might say, and then resumed reading her book.

It doesn't matter anyway; I doubt she cares enough to listen.

With renewed determination, Doug ordered a second drink and tried to ignore Jenn until she finished her current chapter. When she finally put it aside, however, she stood up from the table and motioned toward him with a friendly smile.

"Hey there! Mind if I join ya?" she asked.

She slid into the seat opposite him without waiting for permission, setting down her backpack and opening her novel once more.

Doug watched her intently. Her eyes never left the page, yet every line of text seemed to draw out an expression of deep concentration and focus.

Is she really reading this? Or is she merely pretending to read it because she thinks I want her to?

For the moment, he decided not to pursue the issue too deeply. Instead, he raised his glass and gave her a polite nod. He quickly took note that her gamer tag was @CrimsonSongbird.

I wonder what the significance of her gamer name is?

They drank quietly for a minute or two, each lost in their thoughts. Eventually, though, Jenn broke the silence.

"So… uhm…"

Geez. Now she wants to talk.

"…how are your quests going?" she asked hesitantly.

Doug paused for a second, wondering if he should pretend to care. Then he shrugged mentally.

"Actually," he started slowly, "I haven't done very well recently. I've run into quite a few obstacles since my last login."

"Oh yeah?" Jenn perked up instantly. "You wanna know something funny? That happened to me recently too. Something’s wrong with my HUD. It reset all of my stats.”

“It’s a universal problem. Everyone has it." Doug explained, "Apparently, there's nothing we can do about it except wait for an update to fix it."

"Well, that sucks," Jenn mumbled dejectedly.

Doug shook his head. "No, it's okay. I think it's cool. Actually, it makes things interesting."

The pair shared a laugh at this point.

"Yeah... it does kinda suck, huh?"

Doug chuckled. "Yup! Totally sucks!"

Jenn laughed again. "Okay then, I guess that means I win this round."

Doug grinned broadly as he lifted his mug and clinked it against hers.

The two companions sipped their drinks silently for a minute or so, enjoying the comfortable silence between them. They spoke occasionally, mostly sharing stories of the games they liked to play when they were kids. He also learned that before the Rapture she used to be a singer and used the stage name “Phoenix”.

Aha! I knew there had to be a significance to her gamer name.

He learned that she was a creative type. Even in her dire dystopian circumstances, she still loves doing paper crafts. She also used to love being outdoors - although that had become more challenging lately. So to curb her appetite and maintain a sense of security, she spends most of her time inside Conquest now and loves meeting new people in the game, but is also a bit shy. He also learned that she loves watching movies and reading books.

I never would have guessed.

He smirked at his sarcastic thought as he glanced at her pile of books.

He took a mental note when he learned that she was a chocoholic and also loves sushi and steak.

I’ll just tuck that away. Might come in handy later…

She was really chatty, despite her claim of being shy. He asked about her singing career, which led to the topic of of her favorite musicians. He took another mental note that her favorites have been Adele, Cher, Chicago, Harry Connick, Jr, and Air Supply. One story led to another, and eventually, the topic shifted to romance.

"How did you meet your girlfriend?" Jenn hinted.

Doug hesitated slightly before answering.

"I don’t have one. Not anymore." he admitted softly.

"Oh?” she smirked, “Why not?"

Doug sighed heavily and lowered his voice. "My wife and I got divorced about five years ago, and she got full custody of both my daughters."

Jenn gave him an awkward glance.

"Oh! Sorry! I didn't mean to bring up bad memories..."

Yep. There goes my shot. Nobody wants to date a divorcee.

Doug shook his head gently. "Don't worry about it. You probably shouldn't ask questions like that unless you want to hear the whole story."

"Sorry," she apologized sincerely. "I didn't realize."

Doug nodded reassuringly. "No worries. Truth is, I don't usually talk about it. At least not to strangers."

"Fair enough." Jenn agreed, taking a sip from her mug and looking down at her hands nervously.

Doug studied her profile carefully. She was attractive, with a natural beauty.

I wonder how closely she resembles her avatar in RL?

There was definitely potential there, which meant that he would need to tread lightly. Still, there was something special about her – something he hadn't seen in many women since his divorce. Maybe, just maybe, this woman might end up being worth the effort.

After a couple minutes of uncomfortable silence, Doug cleared his throat and leaned forward.

"So... uhm..." he stammered awkwardly, "…do you mind telling me why you were at the shop earlier? I totally thought you were an NPC"

Jenn giggled at this. "Nah. Just a regular player. I took a side quest to help the NPC shopkeeper while he was away. How about you?"

"Oh, I’m just passing through town.” he shrugged, “Just seeking out a few quests to bide some time until they fix this glitch.”

"Sounds good to me," she replied eagerly, "Mind if I tag along? We're both stuck here until the bug gets fixed, right?"

Doug considered her offer seriously for a moment before nodding reluctantly. "Sure thing," he relented. "We'll figure it out somehow."

Together, they headed off to seek the next quest giver. As they walked, Jenn chattered about her latest challenges in RL, and Doug listened attentively as he pondered the meaning behind her words.

He understood now. Conquest wasn't just a game anymore. His experiences in the game were becoming more relevant than ever. Each quest and challenge he overcame became a lesson learned in the real world, helping him grow stronger physically, emotionally, and intellectually. And if Jenn's recent actions were any indication of the type of person she truly was, then perhaps their friendship could turn into something much greater.

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