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Chapter 307: Fate Dancers
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Matt drank the glass of water in one gulp.
“Can I take a break?”
Matt didn’t wait for a reply as he ran back to his own house. After a few minutes, he came back in a light T-shirt and cool pants.
“Sorry. I am still finding all these… bigger than my plate’s maximum capacity.”
“…”
All this time, [Rex] didn’t say any other word as he only waited for Matt. Him, coming back, is already enough of a testament to what Matt’s answer will be.
He really didn’t make a mistake.
“Matt, I already told you of the circumstances that entrails my request. And although I don’t want to impose this on you, I know that you’ve already patched all the dots together. The World Government is planning to create a utopia where they are the gods by using the Technologies of the game world Terroa to develop their own kind and version of its technologies. Pegasus’s plans go even further than that and want to monopolize all of these and embed it on himself using Mefisto as his own medium.”
“Absorbing?” Matt impulsively asked but then he thought, if it was possible for this [Rex] to split his own mind into two parts, then it was also possible for the creator of the game itself to combine two parts into one as well.
After he confirmed this thought, Matt asked, “You know, I can’t help but feel concerned… we are in the open but the thing we’re talking about here is a very sensitive topic. Aren’t we compromising too much?”
Matt whispered them but Rex eyed something on his vision and smiled, “Don’t worry. The security of this neighborhood is now assured. You can say that for us from The Company, I’ve made sure that we can operate openly in this place.”
“…?”
“This house and the houses that pincers it have spy tools on them that sends data on the people that has my brother. I’ve already disabled them and released their hold in these houses, making these houses and this house, now, under my own name. In short, I own these three houses.”
When [Rex] spoke to here, he became full of confidence with a tinge of sinister will to kill.
It was a feeling that made Matt shiver.
Rex was obviously just a teenage boy in the same generation as him but he was emitting this very foreign feeling from his body as if he was a real monster from the games.
How could he not feel worried and threatened by him? If one thing, he feel that he was really not the Rex that he called a friend. And on another note, Matt also knew that it was just his sense of prejudice and nothing else.
He knew that this [Rex] is just this because he was pushed in a corner by the real evil people. It was them who created this monster and so Matt is sure that it was also them who will receive the hate of the monster they created.
“By now, they’ve already noticed the tampered documents of these houses in the national-level archive. It will take them at least a month’s time before they could get their hands back to their legal data, and another month’s time before they could arrange the new tenants for them.”
“Oh… now that I’ve noticed it, I think I saw them leave earlier… is it also because of you?”
Rex only smiled and, just like how he was talking to AG during the night, his elbows placed on his knees and his hands joined, he looked at Matt and then asked, “Matt, can I trust you with the task?”
“Do I have any other choice? I mean, whether I’m successful or not, things will still end up this way so I’d rather take it and prove to you that I’m your friend… and besides… I’ve long since had the premonition that ever since I met you, I knew that you’re not normal so you at least a few secrets that you have on your own.”
“It’s just that…?”
The two laughed as Rex prompted, “Yeah. It’s just that I didn’t expect your secrets to be this big.”
“Heh. Don’t worry. When I planned to ask for your help, I knew that doing it bare handed is going to be impossible so I have a few gifts for you.”
“Oh?”
“Bring me your Communicator.”
When prompted, Matt raised his left arm to Rex as he saw there a smart watch with a small Real@D display… one of the latest models of the 22nd century Communicator Devices.
“I’m going to upgrade the OS and Security Feats of this device. You can also bring me Anna, Rio, and Elsie’s Communicator Devices. I’m going to upgrade them as well.”
While he was talking, Rex pulled up a pale-green panel window —The Warden Console— and then made an invisible scan (because, hell, it was very embarrassing that a beam of light will emit from your forehead, duh) with it.
After a beep, the upgrade was complete and Rex let go of Matt’s arm.
From start to finish, it happened in 30 seconds.
“That… fast?!” Matt was obviously shocked.
“You can test it yourself.”
Prompted, Matt used his left arm to swipe the air and to his surprise… it was a familiar panel that he was so very used to using.
“NO WAY?!! It’s like a Player Panel…!!”
“Yeah. But of course, a few feats are not useable like Inventory and a few others… although… I still included them on the list, just in case…”
Matt paused with his experiments and then looked at Rex, “What do you mean ‘just in case’?”
“It’s part of the secrets of Project Salvation.” Rex just said in dismissal. “Telling this to you will only bring you panic and horror.”
“Tsk. I can only imagine.” Whether Matt made a ‘stingy’ expressive expression on his face, Rex just chuckle-d Matt’s annoyance off as he let the guy enjoy his new Communicator’s features.
After a few minutes, “Rex, can’t believe that this kind of feature can be placed on devices… don’t you think that the hardware of this device won’t be able to catch up to this radical programming?”
“Don’t worry about it. The reason why some new devices gets slow is because their systems are usually made up of 40% bloatware that doesn’t help in the overall general use of the device. So what I did is replaced the entire system with an overly simplified but practical programming that has the same amount of space used but fluent and uncrackable security protocol. If one thing, you can just use it as you normally use your old device since the memory capacity and use is the same, with the only difference being its interface and its solid security features.”
“So basically, you just replaced the interface and its security features and it’s still the same device I bought before?”
“That’s it.”
Matt narrowed his eyes at him, “Why do I feel like there’s more to it?”
“You will know if the others’ devices have the same OS.”
“I’ll contact them right now.”
“You don’t have to. Just send them this file.”
Rex swiped the air and sent a filed email to Matt and Matt looked at him as if he was cracker.
“You do know that this is going to be marked as a spam, right?”
Rex waved him a hand, “Don’t worry about it. Its encryption will make sure that it will float like an invisible file once it reached the email address of the recipient. This file will automatically run and update their devices in under a minute and they will be in for a surprise when they open their devices next.”
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Matt frowned, “But how do we know that it’s their devices that’s been updated not their personal computers or other devices with their email?”
“That’s why I sent it to you. Call them first and make sure that they will log in their emails on their favourite Communicator Device. The more latest their devices are the better since the file will only work once.”
“Nah, don’t worry about the second part. Those three, especially Anna, that sister of mine and Rio, they’re gadget freaks. Elsie’s dad is an Electronic Company associate so she’s always equipped with the latest gadgets.”
“Alright then, I’ll leave the updating to you.”
“But, come on, tell me, what’s that special feature you’ve included in this thing? And how come you can update my device like that?”
“Have you forgotten? I’m Rex Kingsley.” Rex said with a wide grin. With [Rex] being like this, Matt is more than sure that whether he is mentally millions of years old, he was still indeed the Rex that they’ve been hanging out with.
With him like this, it was really hard to imagine that he was the same guy who was radiating killing will just a few minutes ago.
“Seriously…”
“This is not all, Matt. There’s more.”
“Oh?”
“I’ve also included a few secrets that will be very helpful to you in Terroa in your device. Also, the thing that I wanted you to find, I’ve set a scanner on your device and to the other three’s that will trigger you a prompt if they are ever close to it. It will emit a familiar fluctuation that only you will be able to handle with the help of that device.”
Matt looked at his watch and noticed nothing that was physically unique and new to it, before he shot Rex a curious and doubtful glance.
“Remember; only share this information on people you can trust will do their best to not bring that item physically close to me.”
“How close is physically close?”
“Ten meters.”
“Okay.”
There was a pause as Matt navigated and dialed a call to someone, then Rex spoke, “I will leave the rest to you.”
Matt wasn’t looking at him. There was a flash of light and Matt involuntarily closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he was already outside the gates, facing the direction of his house.
“What just happened?” he looked up and was in utter shock to discover that it was already nearing dusk. “Wha-What… how long was I… oh, Rex!”
When he turned around, he saw the cold gate of Rex’s house. No noises coming from within. He thought of taking a peek but changed his mind as the things they talked about were clearly on his mind with nothing missing.
He was entrusted a request and Rex went inside to do his ‘job’ for those people. Matt understands at least that much.
“One man against the world…” Matt thought and then laughed drily, “…who am I kidding? Just how am I going to search for it, you damn bastard?”
Grumbling to himself, he took one last look at the orange sky, then checked the time on his left arm, the improved wristwatch… his Communicator.
“Let’s see…” he swiped the air and then saw the familiar player panel he had in RPG: Terroa show itself on his vision. If people would see him right now, they’d immediately display envious and also curious glances on the real@D display of his gadget. “Although there are apps that copied how the [Player Panel] looked like, this thing is the real deal, having real-time bodily status data, contacts list, browser functions, entertainment, and even an inventory that is not useable… hm? Even the three Quick Item Pocket settings are also available despite not having real use… this is really just like a real [Player Panel]…”
While he was amazed by the sight of this new and improved interface, he looked back one last time to Rex’s house’s gate.
“I’m still having a hard time believing it but with all the things I’ve seen and heard, if I had to believe in anything, I’d rather choose to believe what he says than to doubt it… since I’ve seen and heard the few same things from Kathleen’s dad…”
Rex didn’t know it, but Volt’s and Thorn’s crew had once made an encounter with Senior Dante back in Loire Magic City.
Although Senior Dante didn’t explicitly stated that he was giving them a warning not to meddle any further to Siva’s affairs, he still did tell them a few things that can give them an image of how big the muddled waters they are trying to swim to.
They have been warned and now, they still chose to dive in so they could only accept their fates.
“Since we’re already marked, might as well grit our teeth and bear the pain… since sooner or later, if [Rex] is right, then whatever it was that the Word Government is planning, I feel that with the scale of disaster they’ve put Rex’s family in, the world’s fate is not too far off with it. So in general, there’s not much difference between me and Rex’s own situation… so why can’t I bear the pain with him?”
Matt was not as young-minded as everyone his age. As a professional adventurer in Terroa, he’d had his own share of double-crossing informants and lying NPCs.
He didn’t gain his fame in Terroa in under a day so he was at least smart enough to deduce this kind of conclusion given the example that was right in front of his own home.
“So I just have to tell mom that we’ve discovered a huge secret in Terroa accidentally.”
As he thought of this, Matt entered the house.
*****
Around the same time…
“Sir, I don’t know what happened but it seems that the security features and other network patches that we’ve installed in the house has been stolen from us, for some reason…” the speaker was the same nerd programmer that Rex had seen in Fort Magsaysay back when they put Baron under DNI Therapy.
As the programmer gave the report, AG was also reading a report that spoke about a mystery that surrounded the properties ‘around’ the house that he had lent to Rex Kingsley.
But instead of an anxious expression, he only bid the nerdy programmer a smile as he dismissed a hand on them.
“Father, is this really how you want to play this game with me?” AG was wearing his white mask but when he narrowed his eyes, the nerdy programmer could feel the chills on his body as if that faint trace of ill-intent was meant for him. “…I have tolerated your poking on my business but my patience is limited, old man.”
When AG murmured his words with a hiss, he got up his feet and grudgingly lifted his dragon head cane, then started walking. The four body guards followed him, then the nerdy programmer last.
“Has there been movements with Father?”
“None for now.”
“Keep monitoring. I want my investments secure and the premises clean. Make sure that this won’t happen again.”
“Yes sir.”
“And do inform Zealand. My senses are screaming. I feel that there will be unforeseen events that will eventually center around that sword.”
“I will do it right away.”
*****
Goldwyn City
The old man they call “Father”, sits down on his reclining chair; apparatus of all kinds, state of the art technologies to keep him alive were lined out behind him as the tubes and wires connects these devices to his body on his chair.
On normal occasions, he could be seen healthily strolling about in the underground city; on some times, he could be seen drinking wine and also laughing his heart out on interesting things that piqued his eyes.
Right at this moment, he was looking at a report of the properties on a certain subdivision.
“Those two properties suddenly became on sale and the supposed tenants departed as soon as the notification was given. Interesting move, but I wonder if this is really necessary…”
As the old man murmured, a man in black butler attire and yellow opera mask approached from the shadows behind him.
While the old man smilingly read the articles and reports on the holo-panels in front of him, the new arrival who wore a mask stopped a few paces away from the reclining chair.
As his steps halted, the old man’s reclining chair turned around and he came to face him.
“So?”
The yellow masked man bowed like a butler then swiped the air to show the old man a few holo-panels taken from a three story-building.
—or to be precise, in a building just a few meters away from a certain attention-grabbing house.
The old man tapped his chin as he looked at the panels… all of them taken in the same day but all of them showing a single person and his activity.
And yet, of all these pictures, he only showed one single action: sitting.
“He wasn’t doing anything?” The old man eyed the yellow masked butler as the man bowed.
“He is not doing anything and is in fact just seated there for the whole day. During midday, there is a young man named Matthew who planned to enter the house but he stopped in the middle and then directly went inside their garage… later in the afternoon, this Matthew went out wearing the same attire as earlier in the day and tried to meet the subject but stopped midway and turned back to his house for good.”
The old man continued to tap on his chin as he pulled out another report that was made much earlier this day.
In it was a picture of a grey raincoat-wearing guy with a hat —much like an old British detective, and was said to have thrown something on the house.
His agents tried to follow him but lost the guy in the middle of the city.
“And the report says that these changes all took place an hour after this guy appeared… just who is he that he was able to escape our net?”
While the ‘Father’ was thinking while tapping his chin, he eyed the masked butler and then waved a hand at him.
“Spread the net. I don’t want anything to become further hindrance to the plan. We are entering the last phase of Project Salvation and we don’t want anything more to become a clog to the vein.”
The butler bowed, “I shall toil.”
“And do keep an eye out on AG’s activities. I don’t want that child to bore any hatred against me. If I based it only on his personality, then he’d already probably thought of this thing as my doing.”
Of course, with the [Database], there was almost nothing that could escape the old man’s eyes.
The fact that the mysterious man appeared in the place they owned is a testimony that there was a third party who knew about their own secret and it was not a good thing for another variable to be added to the equation of their plans.
“Use all necessary resources. Find out about that mysterious man and monitor AG’s activities. Send a few technicians to the house and try to find out what had happened to our bugs around it.”
The masked butler silently bowed and left.
Albeit the fact that he sounded urgent, the old man is still smiling the same way that it would have entertained AG.
Well, after all, they are father and son if you just ignore the fact that they’re not blood related.
If there was one thing, AG’s personality was like a budding-flower version of this old man’s. All of AG was a younger version of himself.
With his smile, he tapped his chin, lifting an almost forgotten wine glass on the table behind him.
In his view, in the dimmed darkness of the room, is a Real@D rendering of a city… and if AG would be here, he would be very surprised and perhaps even angered to the point of throwing a raging fit for this city was beloved city… the future he said would hold the revolution of mankind.
“Genesis… Salvation…” the old man murmured as he sipped the blood colored wine. “The era of man will end in this generation and the era of the Gods will begin. I wonder… I wonder… if I will still be able to see the light of that day. Hehehe… the so called Planet Salvation of the Terrans will also be the source of salvation of this side’s mankind.”
He burrowed his back as he leaned back to his reclining chair, the small creaking sounds and the beeping of the machines filling the silent room.
.
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Rex dances in the palm of AG, while AG is also dancing at his Father’s hands…
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