The make-over did not take long, a few professionals in that area were called into the room to provide her with a realistic disguise.
Some may think using magic to modify your appearance was the best way, yet actually, there are ways to detect such methods.
Therefore, using make-up and cosmetics usually is a more effective way in deceiving a person, especially against those with tools which can detect magic fluctuations on a person.
After her disguise was finished she found that her appearance was almost unrecognisable.
If before her appearance could be described to be youthful and innocent she now had a more mature look about her.
Her features are not as delicate as before and have become sharper which resulted in making her look older. Furthermore, her hair and eye colour had also undergone changes, with her previously eye-catching bright, blue hair replaced with dull, black hair.
However, she noticed that there were still some similarities if you paid close attention and were familiar with her, but because the cultists would at most have glanced at her previously it should not pose too much of an issue.
Priest Omar, Marcus and a few others from the meeting came in to inspect the disguise personally, and after they were fully satisfied it was time for her to meet the cultists.
“Before you leave, Talia, this bracelet contains a traceless imprint of my divine power, as long as this bracelet remains on your arm, I will be able to accurately locate you. I also want to give you an important reminder, so listen no matter how friendly or sane these cultists may seem, never drop down your guard as even the most ordinary, harmless and weak-looking members are far more dangerous than they may seem. Remember, to them your a mere sacrificial object which could grant them more favour with their ‘God’, often not some of these cultists are desperate folks at the end of their lives, so I must inform you do not let down your guard for a moment.” Priest Omar warned sternly before he was satisfied that she listened to his advice, he then went on to escort her out of the back entrance of the Church and directed her towards the first area they believe the people working under the cultists are located.
Finding herself back within the slum area of the Town, she was once again greeted by the stares of its denizens. Most were eyeing her up thinking whether or not it would be wise to a pick a fight with her. No one who lived to such an age within the slums was a simple person, which was why in the end the majority of these people decided to not bother her getting back to their own business.
Nonetheless, in the end, even though her appearance had been altered she still appeared attractive to the onlookers, thus she ended up attracting the attention of some desperate vagrants who were enticed by the potential profits from selling her as a slave.
Turning around a corner leading herself into a quieter, more conspicuous area within the slums, she suddenly found herself besieged by four skinny-men wearing rags for clothes.
The leading one grinned at her showing his rotten, yellow teeth and whilst glaring at her waving his shiv threateningly said, “You better come with us girly, we’re starvin’ and don’t have the patience to play around with you.”
‘Do I look that easy to bully?’ Talia inwardly thought, subconsciously smiling at the four thugs who interpreted it as Talia mocking them.
Angered one of the men said, “Finding something funny girl?”
Talia just remained silent not even bothering to talk with the four men, after all the four men may even be weaker than the Lvl 1 version of her never mind now.
She was not threatened by them in the slightest and this could be plainly seen by the four men just by how relaxed she appeared in front of them.
Starting to grow nervous at how fearless Talia the men couldn’t help but look at each other before seemingly to agree to attack together.
A few minutes later Talia walked out of the area without so much of a scratch on her, the four men who attacked her were long left unconscious in a heap on the ground.
Talia sighed thinking about the hopeless, despairing looks the four men gave her but she still hardened her heart not bothering to feel sympathy for them.
Although these type of people seem pitiful being someone who played the game previously she knew exactly how treacherous the members in the slum can be.
One of the reasons why the game was so successful was how immersive and realistic it was, even if it involved the darkest side of society which not many liked to talk about with the slums included in this.
Many players including her felt incredibly compassionate towards the residents of the slums with despite knowing it was just a game the realism made it difficult to not treat them as real people. Yet, the players who were generous to the residents of the slums because of their empathy was not rewarded for their efforts.
Instead, ‘kind’ and ‘charitable’ people were seen being nothing but the perfect targets and they ended up receiving no gratitude at all from the people they aided. Instead, they were betrayed by the very people they helped, and often times were robbed by the gangs hidden within the slums.
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In the end, this lead to players feeling a great deal of resentment towards the slums, as the valuables they lost as a result of dying there was not lost permanently which cost the players greatly and despite their complaints to the game developers was a feature which was never changed.
It was also why she would never show any signs of weakness whilst at the slums and is also at the same time the perfect place for the cultists to carry out their operations here.
In the end, no one would bother or notice anything unusual about people mysteriously disappearing from the slums. After all, that was the norm here so it would not alert anyone to their presence.
Arriving at a fairly large, modest appearing building she found a sizeable line of people waiting outside in order to enter.
Knowing it was the right place she decided to join the line and await her turn. Apart from a few brief glances, few paid any attention to her joining the back off the line. Most of the people within the line appeared like they were too preoccupied in awaiting whatever was in the building to get distracted by anything else.
Something which she noticed though which was especially strange about the situation was how orderly and disciplined the members of the line are. This would be considered normal outside the slums but here it was weird because no one would bother paying attention to any rules since it was common knowledge that it was everyone for themselves and the strongest would take what they wanted.
‘It looks like this should be the place that Priest Omar described’ Talia thought straightaway seeing why Priest Omar flagged this place being the most likely belonging to the cultists.
However, it was not that simple to find the cultists because if it was that easy they would have been flushed outside of the Town long ago. These so-called ‘suppliers’ which provided the cultists with their targets were usually not even apart of the cult in the first place, and usually did not even know their true identifies.
It was useless in targeting these ‘suppliers’ since the direct cause which is the cultists would not be affected at all much in any way. The cultists were incredibly difficult to track down and eliminate because they were slippery and experts at hiding their traces even when discovered.
Therefore, this was exactly why Priest Omar included her in his plans in the first place because from his words a ‘perfect bait’ like her was extraordinarily difficult to turn down even if they knew it was a trap.
Eventually, the line finally whittled down until it was now her turn to enter the building.
Upon finding her way inside she saw in terms of appearance it resembled a food bank in her previous life.
She found numerous people were lining up to receive food whilst chatting joyfully to the men and women handing out the food. It created a harmonious, friendly atmosphere but since she knew the truth hiding behind this facade she viewed it as anything but pleasant.
Standing there for a while she felt startled when a person crept up behind her placing their hand on her shoulder, creeped out that a person managed to get the drop on her she turned around no expecting to find a small, old lady who was staring at her gently.
Her eyes couldn’t help but soften upon seeing the elderly lady, after all, she always enjoyed talking with seniors in her previous life and always treated them respectfully with her finding their heaps of life experience something she enjoyed to listen to.
“Hello Dear, I can see it is your first time here so may I ask what you are in need of? We have spare blankets, plenty of food of all kinds, and you don’t need to be worried about paying coin, everything we provide has no price attached.” The elderly lady said.
“Ugh, I was just spending my time looking around, so I have not decided yet but thank you for offering,” Talia answered politely.
“Oh that is no problem my dear, a young girl like you reminds me of my Granddaughter, it truly worries me indeed about how a girl of your age wanders around by herself in these parts. It’s good you found your way here safely, anyhow may I be a bother and request something of you?” The elderly lady asked.
“Sure, that’s not a problem with me at all.” Said Talia.
“There is orb which Charles, the manager has been asking me to ensure that every new entrant touch, so may I ask you to do the same?” The elderly said her eyes staring expectantly at Talia.
“Alright, I guess that should be fine?” Talia said a bit unsure of the answer herself.
“Oh, that’s marvellous!” The old lady said before retrieving a peculiar looking-orb from her pocket.
Getting Talia to touch it, she felt a strange sensation before a bright glow erupted from the orb surprising the old lady greatly.
“Oh my! We’ve never had such a reaction from the orb before, I better run off and tell Charles. Sorry dear that I have to leave so rudely, I will surely make it up to you personally by baking my special apple pie next time I see you, I was told that it was the best they’ve ever had in the Town from a few customers who even ate in top-class restaurants.” The old lady said happily.
“I would love that,” Talia said before watching the old lady leave.
Finding the old ladies reaction to the orb a bit strange, she found it did not take long for that ‘Charles’ to react to the news as shortly a few strong-looking men walked up to her.
“Are you the girl, Beverly described who touched the orb?” One of the men said.
“Oh you mean, the nice elderly lady from earlier?” Talia replied.
“It seems we have found her.” The other man said turning his head to the other one.
“You know I’m still here right?” Talia said observing the men talking like she was not even there.
“Come with us, the boss wants to see you.” One of the men said appearing like he wasn’t giving her an option to say ‘no’ to this meeting.
“I guess I will go then.” Talia said with one thought echoing in her mind, ‘I guess that means so far it is a success? But, doesn’t this feel a bit too easy?’
She couldn’t help but have a bad feeling from seeing how easy everything was happening despite the cultists being infamously difficult to find.
‘Though I guess now finding myself in this situation, I have little choice but to go along with it, for now anyway.’ Talia said before following the men while they began to wander out of the room, walking towards a room which she presumed the boss was located.
Both men stopped outside a large door before turning to her and saying, “We have arrived, you can enter the room now, the boss is awaiting you inside.”
After that, the men remained silent not bothering to speak to her anymore with them now just standing there motionlessly outside the door.
Ignoring the weirdness of the situation she walked up to the door, thinking, ‘Well here we go then’, before opening and walking inside.