Angie's Mini Cannon Soldiers charged past the bewildered Dark Knight, she revealed her alternative strategy. With a wicked grin, she declared, "There's more than one way to win this game, Alex."

Angie's Mini Cannon Soldiers, now free of immediate threats, began their relentless assault on Alex's Castle. Their fiery projectiles rained down on the castle, causing explosions and destruction with each hit.

Frustration gnawed at Alex. He watched his Castle come under siege. Without any minions left, he was forced to command his Dark Knight to defend the castle. The once-powerful character now had the daunting task of protecting the very structure that marked his potential victory.

The battlefield was chaotic, with Angie's Mini Cannon Soldiers causing havoc in the vicinity of Alex's Castle.

The Dark Knight, after a moment of extreme confusion, suddenly regained its focus. With confidence returned, it launched a relentless assault on Angie's Mini Cannon Soldiers. One by one, they fell before the Dark Knight's onslaught, their fiery explosions lighting up the battlefield.

Alex, with a triumphant tone, declared, "I win!"

However, before he could bask in his victory, someone nearby interrupted, "Not so fast, Alex. It didn’t say ‘You win’ on the screen yet."

Alex shifted from triumph to shock. Angie grinned mischievously, "You thought you had it in the bag, didn't you?"

Alex growled. “Why? You're out of minions, Angie. My Dark Knight took care of them… but wait… why doesn’t it say I win? Obviously your Main cannon girl was among them, right?"

Angie chuckled slyly and replied, "When did I ever say the Main Cannon Girl was on the front lines? All I mentioned was that they switched places with one of them."

The Main Cannon Girl emerged from her base, armed with a weapon designed for long-distance attacks. She took aim at Alex's castle.

Alex's realization hit him like a ton of bricks, "Oh, you’ve got to be shitting me…”

Angie snapped her fingers, "Guess who takes the cake?"

With a resounding blast, the Main Cannon Girl fired a shot that struck Alex's castle with pinpoint accuracy. The castle crumbled and disintegrated, leaving Alex with no defense. The destruction of Alex’s castle was replayed in slow motion on the game screen.

Defeated, Alex knew he had been outwitted, and he sighed in acceptance of his loss. "You win, Angie."

The crowd erupted into a cacophony of cheers, applause, and excited chatter. Angie's cunning and strategic brilliance had left them in awe.

Some shouted Angie's name in celebration, while others marveled at her calculated moves and tactical precision. The excitement in the room was palpable, and people exchanged enthusiastic comments about the unexpected turn of events.

"Angie's a gaming genius!"

"Did you see that move with the Main Cannon Girl? Brilliant!"

"Alex had no idea what hit him!"

With a resigned sigh, Alex acknowledged Angie's victory. "Well played, Angie. If anyone was going to give me a real challenge, it had to be you."

His admission of defeat, though gracious, couldn't entirely mask the sting of his pride having taken a blow.

Angie maintained her confident grin. "About those favors...." she began, causing Alex to growl in frustration.

However, before Roselle and Michigo could make their inquiries, Angie interjected. "Hold on a moment, it's not just Alex who owes me a favor. You two as well," she said, turning to Roselle and Michigo, "are also on the hook. Those were the terms."

The realization that they, too, were obligated to fulfill favors for Angie seemed to hang in the air like a mysterious shadow.

Roselle and Michigo exchanged stunned glances.

Angie's confident grin remained in place. "If you thought I was just going to jump in to save your asses, you've got it all wrong," she declared with an evil smile. “I said if I won, you two would owe me favors as well. We are going to do things my way."

Angie checked her watch, noting the time constraints. With only 10 minutes left before the announcement, she gestured for Alex, Roselle, and Michigo to follow her to a more private setting, away from the bustling crowd and the remnants of their intense gaming battle.

In an empty classroom, Angie leaned against a desk with an air of casual authority. She still held a grin while looking at Roselle and Michigo. Roselle's face was one full of worry.

"Come on, Roselle," Angie said. "Don’t give me that look. I’m giving you a chance to get whatever you came here for out of the way before I start collecting my favors. Alex has agreed to stay here and answer any questions you have with the truth as part of the favor he owes me. Let’s get this over with."

Roselle took a deep breath. Her gaze shifted between Angie and Alex. "Alright…"

Angie checked her watch and then said, “We’ve got ten minutes. So, let’s get moving."

Roselle sighed, her eyes narrowing as she focused on Alex. “Alex, I need to ask you about Tina. What do you know about her?”

Alex's demeanor shifted instantly and became guarded. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Love what you're reading? Discover and support the author on the platform they originally published on.

Roselle’s eyes narrowed in suspicion. “Earlier, when you found out I knew about Tina, you seemed surprised. It looked like you were hiding something. Are you lying?”

Angie’s grin faded slightly. She casted an intense, piercing glare that conveyed both irritation and a promise of consequences. “Answer her, Alex,” Angie said, with a dangerous edge appearing in her tone. “You’re already on thin ice. Lying to us now won’t do you any favors.”

Alex hesitated for a moment, then sighed. "Alright, I've seen her around, but I don't know her personally. She's not a part of my circle."

Roselle could sense that Alex might be holding something back, but for now, she had to accept his response.

Angie leaned forward and reminded Alex of his promise. "You said you'd answer any question with the truth, remember?"

Alex raised an eyebrow at Angie's persistence, then turned his attention to Michigo and Roselle. "Well, I have to be cautious about what I say. The truth can be a lot to handle, especially when it comes to certain matters."

Michigo, ever the fiery one, took offense to his comment. She shot back, "You think we can't handle it? Try us. We've come a long way for answers!"

Angie, always practical, chimed in, "We're not here to play games. These 'babies,' as you call them, deserve to know the truth. So, spill it."

Alex, realizing that Angie was not going to let him off the hook, sighed once more. "Alright, if you really want to know, I've heard some rumors about Tina. There's talk of her getting involved in some... questionable activities. But that's all I know, and I can't vouch for the accuracy of those rumors."

Roselle's eyes widened with concern upon hearing this. "Questionable activities? What kind of activities are we talking about here?"

Alex, looking rather serious, cautioned, "Look, I've said what I can. But honestly, you might be better off not digging too deep into this. Sometimes the truth can be more dangerous than you think. I suggest you stop your search for Tina if you know what’s good for you.”

Alex handed Roselle the small envelope, he gave her a look of concern and said, "If you can look at what's in there and still want to pursue this, then fine. But I'm telling you, sometimes ignorance is bliss."

With that, Alex turned and walked away, leaving Angie and the others behind. Angie tried to stop him, but he had already disappeared into the hallway.

Roselle clutched the envelope in her hand.

Roselle hesitated, a heavy feeling of foreboding settled in the room. She knew that opening that envelope might expose her to something she wasn't prepared for, something dark and unsettling. The seconds seemed to stretch with her trying to prepare herself for this moment.

Michigo, standing beside her, placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder and whispered, "Roselle, you don't have to do this if you're not ready.”

Roselle interrupted Michigo and declared, "No, Michigo. We can't afford to waste any more time. This is the only lead we have. I have to do it, no matter what's inside this envelope. If it can help us find out where Tina is, then I have to see it."

She carefully opened the small envelope, unfolding the contents to reveal what secrets it held.

As Roselle opened the envelope and glimpsed the contents, her heart sank. The images were unmistakably Tina, her distinctive pink hair tied in the photos. But the nature of the pictures was something she couldn't bear to see. They were dark, dirty, and clearly inappropriate.

Tears welled up in Roselle's eyes. She closed the envelope with her hands trembling. Michigo clenched her fists in anger. She hissed through gritted teeth, "They will pay for this, Roselle."

Angie, unable to bear the heavy atmosphere, quietly left the room.

Roselle dashed out of the room and into the hallway. Ignoring the "no running" sign, she frantically looked around, searching for any sign of Alex.

But despite her efforts, Alex was nowhere to be found in the echoing halls. It seemed he had disappeared. She then remembered ‘Big announcement’. With that in mind, she rushed to the Gamer's club. Angie was already in front of the door. She caught the distress in Roselle.

Angie approached her and said, "Hey, you can’t walk in there like that!”

Roselle skidded to a halt. "I need to find Alex! He has to explain these photos!"

Angie shook her head, pulling out a gamer-themed cloth from her bag. She unfolded it and held it up with a sigh. “I can’t believe I’m doing this…Here, use this to clean yourself up. You’re going to cause a scene if you walk in there like that.”

Roselle blinked in surprise as Angie handed her the cloth. “Wait, why are you helping me?”

“Because I don’t want you to make things worse. Calm down before you go in there. You don’t need to turn this into a big spectacle.”

Roselle took the cloth and wiped her face, trying to steady her nerves. She could feel Angie's eyes on her, but she knew Angie was right. If she stormed in there without a plan, she might end up making things worse.

After a few moments of deep breathing and using the cloth to clean herself up, Roselle nodded.

Angie looked at her with a critical eye. “You good now?”

Roselle took a deep breath and answered, “Yes, I think so.”

Angie’s face softened slightly. “Alright, the big announcement about ‘Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows Online’ is about to happen. It’s a huge deal for the gamers, so you might want to see what’s going on.”

She gestured towards the main area of the Gamer's Club, where the excitement was. “You can join them inside now that you’re calm. But remember, if you see Alex, don’t lash out. We don’t need to cause a scene, especially not with everything going on.”

Roselle took one last steadying breath and nodded. “Understood. I’ll try to keep it together.”

----------------------------------------

“Ladies and gentlemen, gamers, and adventurers from across the virtual realm, welcome to the announcement of the highly-anticipated online MMO based on the iconic game, "Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows"!

The room darkened as an epic orchestral music begins to play, setting the stage for the unveiling.

"Prepare yourselves for a journey into a world like no other, a world where heroes and villains, legends and mysteries, clash in the ultimate battle for supremacy!"

The screen behind the stage lights up, revealing stunning visuals of the game's immersive world, from lush forests to towering cities to dungeons with different types of monsters.

"Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows Online is not just a game; it's an adventure. Craft your own story, forge your destiny, and make your mark on this ever-expanding universe."

The screen transitions to show epic battles, heroic characters, and treacherous dungeons, all rendered with breathtaking detail.

"Engage in intense player vs. environment encounters or test your skills against players from around the globe in thrilling player vs. player battles. The choices are yours to make, and the stakes are higher than ever! With a multitude of classes, races, and abilities to choose from, you can create a character that truly reflects your unique playstyle. Form alliances, join guilds, and embark on epic quests with friends or go solo in your quest for glory."

The visuals transition to illustrate cooperative play, as groups of players tackle powerful bosses.

"Cooperative play is at the heart of our game. Team up with friends and allies to challenge formidable foes and uncover legendary treasures. The bonds you form on this in-game journey will be just as important as the battles you win!"

The screen now presented a countdown to the game's release.

"Thank you for joining us in this momentous occasion. We can't wait to see you all in the world of Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows Online!"

The screen displays the game's logo, and the event comes to a close amidst cheers and excitement from the audience.

The applause resounded through the room. Everyone was excited for the upcoming MMO based on their beloved game, "Epic Quest: Realm of Shadows." Roselle made some claps while making her way through the crowd to blend in, but her eyes were locked on the front row, where she spotted Alex.

Angie’s words echoed in her mind, a reminder to stay calm. Roselle took deep, measured breaths, focusing on the rhythmic rise and fall of her chest to keep her emotions in check. But each breath from Roselle grew shorter and more frantic. Her attempts to control her anger were in vain. The images from the envelope and Alex's dismissive attitude fueled a burning fury within her.

“Alex!” Roselle's shouted.

Before he could react, she tackled him to the ground. The audience fell silent, and all eyes turned toward the unexpected spectacle.

To be continued...