Logging out, I stretched, yawned, and got out of my pod feeling happy. I could not believe the number of rewards I got from that quest. That armor was perfect for my play style: ambushing people as they stepped into my traps. At this point, I could only imagine all the different PvP styles the first competition would bring. Gabin Corporation still had not announced more than the fact that there would be a pro league, which everyone had already guessed.
The first thing I did was check the time, as I had set the game back to a one-to-one time frame. I did not want to give up too much time. I would start a new grind after this, but I looked at the time, and it was the middle of the afternoon, leaving me with an entire night to relax. Tomorrow, I will start to work on those guns, practice manufacturing and modifying weapons, and various other skills that I will need. I would get Emma to start working out and put her on a high-calorie diet to buff her up, but other than probably spending some time with Nyava, I had no other plans till after we left the planet.
For now, I have decided that I do not need to go anything and that I can just relax. I quickly walked over to the shower and stripped before walking under the water under the relentless assault of hot boiling water. It felt amazing, just like that last shower with Ura. My mind was a little focused on Ura and the conversation we had just before I logged off. The sincerity of that conversation was startling, but I felt that Ura did not lie about her feelings on it. I kind of made up a bunch of it on the spot, but I could not think of a better way to advance quickly.
Ura already had contacts in the underworld, and we were in a morally grey area. The bounty hunting in this game openly allowed slavery and taking on the criminals as your own personal slaves. I had not seen anything against that in the game, and it was just like Gabin Corporation to make something like this. Completely breaking the rules and turning adults only into a reality. They were going for a completely second reality, which it felt like with Galaxy Online.
I could only shake my head and stretch while thinking about the plan I had set forth with Ura. It would be hampered severely by my need to give half my credits away. Was there a way I could dodge giving them more federation credits without breaking the contract? There had to be like claiming my bounties under someone else or…
My mind blanked, and I chuckled, “What if I just got a slave to register as a bounty hunter and have them turn in the quests and bounties?” The question hung in the air, and I could see some downsides like that armor. It would not have been possible for me if I had given it to Emma to turn in. I would also not get credit for the bounties in my name if I did so. That meant there were a bunch of limiters to what I could and can't do.
The heat permeated my body, roasting me when I heard my phone go off. I stepped out without bothering to wash myself at all. I grabbed a towel, noticed the pile of dirty towels, and sighed. I would have to do laundry soon, but not now, as I reached out to my phone. I picked it up, wondering who was calling since I was worried it would hang up before I could hit the answer icon.
“Honey! I hear that you are playing Galaxy Online~!: I heard a woman's voice. “It has been too long, and I have an opportunity for you~!” She exclaimed, and I knew who it was not based on her pushy attitude.
“CuteasKitten, you can make the offer over the phone,” I replied tartly. “I have been grinding in the game, and I don't have a lot of time to relax. I am not going out just to hear an offer.”
“Direct as always and no fun, SleepyWonder,” Briana or CuteasKitten responded, “Red Bull is recruiting past pros in the same type of games, and they want to make the Red Bull Corporation in the game. Major investment! They are putting serious money into the game because of the sensation it is causing!”
“Wow, that sounds completely TYPICAL of them, Briana. They have over a dozen fucking teams they have to upkeep. What makes this one special?” I asked without the ability to be more blunt.
Briana chuckled, “They are putting a lot of money in Honey. Seriously, I am bound by an NDA, not to say, but the amount is a lot more than typical.”
“And I am still not impressed,” I replied.
“What has a stick up your cunt?” Briana snapped back, “You have not been in the pro scene for years, and your agent contacted my old team to look for leads. Now here I am offering one, and you start acting like a bitch and turning your nose up at a decent contract,” Briana chirped back.
I chuckled, liking the back and forth, “Because I think I can hold out for more, Briana. I am doing good in the Tutorial, and if I fuck it up and die and have to restart, I will start to contemplate a contract then.”
“You're serious,” Briana replied, sounding surprised. “I hate that I had to call you like a dozen times to finally contact you only to be rejected.”
“Huh? You called a dozen times?” I asked in surprise and put my phone on speaker before looking up my notifications. I quickly noticed that I had nineteen missed calls in total. Not only from CuteasKitten, but Amber also called and left a text. I grinned and said finally, “Huh, you did call. Look at that.” I commented with a smile, “Please tell me the offer before we continue.”
“You are not fun,” There was a pause. “Okay,” Briana said after that pause, and I could hear the embarrassment in her voice. That was a lie. You are a lot of fun. But you are boring now!” She pouted, “But the offer is an eighty thousand dollars a year salary.”
I paused, waiting for more, and I sighed when she did not continue, “Please tell me you have a better contract than what you just offered me. You have been great at multitasking and have always been an asset on a team.”
“Hehehe, I like hearing you compliment me, Honey,” Briana chuckled, “I got a hundred grand a year but with a clause that I can leave whenever the fuck I want for any reason. I had to give up on advertisement money for a year for that clause.”
“So you can play in the pod while being paid and can leave whenever?” I asked incredulously.
“And Merch made while part of the organization.”
“How much?” I asked.
“I only get thirty percent.”
“Fucking robbing you, but what about when you are no longer part of it?”
“Same thing, but I don't want to be stuck with my selling power,” Briana chuckled, and I chuckled with her.
You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.
Briana was cute as a damn kitten begging for attention with a ball of damn string. She was a cute blonde girl who looked like she was ten years younger. At five foot two with D-cup breasts and a face that would make many soften up just looking at it, her personality in the game was a contradiction. She was a multitasking fiend who was able to captain a team while dealing with micro control drones. She made a massive splash in the Call of Duty scene when she won a national tournament with gadgets that were implemented that season. They were taken out in the next season, but the damage had been done, and the little spitfire was in the hearts of fans quickly. She was good at the game, too, and sold merchandise well. The problem for her, though, was that the best position for her on a team was the leading position. That way, she could put you where you needed to be. That made it hard for her to change teams since she was a natural captain and kind of sucked at taking orders. It was hard to describe her play style, but I knew with the freedom of Galaxy Online, she would be a great pickup.
“Briana, how are your savings?” I asked curiously.
“I have been spending too much,” she replied, sounding embarrassed. “Still, some of my old merchandise is still selling, so royalties are still coming in. I really do need to stop my cosplay addiction.”
I chuckled, “I have a clothes problem, too, although I have a grip on it. But I was thinking, Briana, how well are you doing in the tutorial?”
“Hehehe, you know me,” Briana said with a mischievous air.
“You found a loophole in the contract?” I asked.
“YUP, I am one of the lucky ones! I am not saying more than that,” Briana finished.
“I am in the same boat,” I said with a grin, “but I have another question for you. Have you left the planet yet?” I asked slowly.
“Planet? No, It is like fifty thousand credits to get off this third-tier planet. Everyone I have talked to said the same thing.”
My smile was huge. “So, you are saying it's hard to make that much?” I asked curiously.
“I am not telling you more without you telling me something in return.”
I could hear the pout in her voice, and I grinned, “Briana, can I trust you to keep your mouth shut?”
“What level of shut?”
“Company secret type.” I turned on the phone voice recording before continuing, “ I want you to acknowledge that you will not spread this information, and if it is discovered, you will be liable for, let's say, forty grand. If you acknowledge this and understand that I am recording it in case we go to court, you will owe me that money for leaking this secret.”
“You're being a bitch, but fine. It must be very spicy. If you are pulling my leg, I will kick your ass.” Briana replied before taking a deep breath. “I, Briana Figsworth, do swear that I will keep this secret, and if I am discovered to have leaked it, I will pay forty thousand dollars in compensatory damages.”
“Good,” I said with a grin, “The secret is that I am off planet with a spaceship of my own and a crew, Briana.”
‘W~WHAT!”
“I have a spaceship and a crew.”
“NO FUCKING WWAY IF I-wait,” Briana was quick on the uptake, and I could hear her thinking, “No, you are crazy, Honey. You want to start your own corporation?”
“I do, and I think you would be a great addition if everything goes well. I would insist on a stronger contract, but I would compensate as best as I can. But I will not ask you to move anything until I have completed the Tutorial. Everything falls apart if I fail.”
The phone went quiet, and I could hear her thinking, “Sleepy, Honey. Are you going to go all macho chick if I join you? You scared me that one time.”
“Okay, I was in a dominant mood at that time, and I warned you. You wanted action, and I told you that I was in a very dominant mood. I know I am partially to blame for scaring you, but you picked a stressful time when I was getting kicked off my team.”
“You did not answer.”
“I do not do shit that is against consent, Briana. If you don't like it, just say no. It's not like we have to have sex. Honestly, I probably will discourage it.” I sighed loudly, “It fucked with too many people on that team. It was amazing how we made it to the semi-finals in the internationals while everything was going on drama-wise on the team.”
“Okay, I understand, um, Honey. Can I think about it?”
“Briana, Keep it in the back of your mind. But if you promise me, I will tell you something I think is a secret about the game that might change your play style. Actually, you have to sign with me first.” I chuckled when I heard the gasp of outrage.
“You're holding out on me!”
“And you are, too. But nice to hear from you, Briana.”
“And you're a bitch for dropping an offer like that on me. You are trying to scout the damn scouter.”
I chuckled in response, “No, I am scouting someone I know that would bring in a fuck ton of money if they joined. You are cuter than a fucking kitten, and you know it.”
“Your Right~! But mean, not my skills?”
“Actually, I think your skills are more important. But the other stuff helps.”
“I will think about it. Honestly, though, I am intrigued.”
“Good, because honestly, I have not been thinking about recruiting anyone yet. But if I am to pick up someone for a pro team, then I need a captain, and I think you were the best. Although my play style, I think, will blow your mind.”
“Great, I need to go, the damn team leader asked me to call a couple of my contacts. Now, with your offer, I want to do even less. Fuck, I guess I should go relax a bit before taking more calls,” Briana complained, and I chuckled.
“Briana, if you plan on joining me, keep from calling the ones you would most want on your team.”
“Excellent idea. I have got to go, honey. Talk to you soon!”
With that, we hung up, and I sighed, thinking about the conversation. I had not planned on starting a team or anything yet, but I would have to eventually, and I wanted to be in the first PvP events. That means planning for it sooner. If what Briana said was right and that she was in a light contract, then I wanted her on my team. I think that she could keep track of the traps that I set up and would be able to lead a team with me to victory. She had the multidimensional and multitasking ability that I did not have, which would be perfect as a team captain. Then there were her contacts in the esports.
I had a lot of contacts in the esports scene as well but many were not on as friendly terms as they were with Briana. I was just not as liked as Briana in the circle because of my forward nature. I was too abrasive and if I was going to have a team and a corporation then I would have to find people like her to lead.
Sighing at my lack of leading abilities, I pulled up Amber’s text and read it.
Amber: Hey, I took your advice and got myself a pod to Play Galaxy Online. HOLY SHIT, this game is hardcore! I love it! Thanks for bringing this to my attention. I was also wondering if you are available tonight for some dinner and maybe some play. I need an answer, though, by about five in the evening because I plan on coming out of my pod by then, and I want to go out and enjoy myself.
I smiled and thought about it, and I could bottom again. I was not as much in the mood to be a bottom, but I wasn't that deep into the mood. I leaned back and smiled, “No, I can go for that,” I smirked, talking to myself. I had not eaten yet, so I quickly composed a text saying that I would love to join her for dinner and maybe some play afterward.
Then I went to my computer. It was time to start road mapping what I was about to learn and pull up the resources.