So, what do you do when a criminal finance syndicate tells you that you're their lucky winner, and says to claim your prize at a location they specified?

On a nice day, your chances of a good outcome would already be slim. As for my case, well, I did just get into a deadly fight with them not too long ago.

In other words, this was the most obvious, low-quality bait I had ever come across. Did they really expect for me to show up? For an organization reigning at the top of the player divisions, I really expected more finesse from them.

But no matter. If this was how they wanted to play, I was gonna bite.

No, I wasn't gonna go personally, of course. But for a price, I could commission a courier.

Few guilds existed in Platinum, but one which did was the Quest Guild. Anyone was free to post quests, and anyone was free to take them up. The guild, though staffed by a small team, did a fair job of curating the quests, such that indecent things like hit-jobs, theft, and even vandalism were banned. I was curious whether they'd let me post a retrieval quest involving a disreputable organization like the Liberation's Call Syndicate.

Surprisingly, they did. Thinking about it, the Quest Guild probably wouldn't reject every quest having to do with the LCS. If they did, they'd likely incur the syndicate's ire.

I got myself a courier, and we scheduled a date for the operation. Through the help of the Quest Guild, we managed to communicate without needing to meet in person. I bought a pair of walkie-talkies and delivered one to her. I instructed her to turn it on so I could hear what was happening around her.

Soon came the date we agreed upon. She would get my supposed special prize from the LCS at 3288 Locamore Rd., first floor. Then, she'd drop it off at a location I'd specify within 500 meters of the building. Her quest would be finished there, I'd pay her through the Quest Guild, and I'd pick up the prize according to my own timing.

Now, the ball was in the LCS's court. Would they present the prize? Or fail to, and tarnish their honor further, with the Quest Guild as witness to the outcomes?

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The breeze blew cold on the rooftop where I stood. It was thirty floors high, and a good four blocks away from the designated pickup building. From the darkness here, I had line of sight to the building entrance. I adjusted the focus of my binoculars until the view became clear.

My main objective was not to collect my prize, but rather reconnaissance. Between the walkie-talkie, the binoculars, and my Eye of Odin radar, I'd have a clear reconstruction of who would be inside that building, and what they were up to.

Anyone I could recognize, I could track. Anyone I could track, I could beat. Cirrus learned that the hard way back in Gold.

Down the lamplit pavement, a single pedestrian approached the building. Was she the courier? I couldn't catch a clear glimpse of her face from this distance.

"Location?" I whispered into my walkie-talkie.

The pedestrian surreptitiously reached into her pocket, produced a matching device, and spoke.

"Around 80 meters from the entrance," came a woman's voice. "Should I turn my volume off?"

"Let's do that," I confirmed. "Keep transmission going. I'll let you know where to leave the package."

"Understood."

With that, she concealed the walkie-talkie once more, then approached and entered the building. I lost sight of her.

Only static came through the speakers.

I waited.

Eventually, I heard the sound of muffled speaking.

No good. I can barely decipher anything when the walkie-talkie was in her pocket. Perhaps I could fire Eye of Odin in a bit. I strained my ears, but the wind whipped around, threatening to drown out the few words that made it through. My courier was being told to wait.

The wind grew louder. And stronger.

And then, a deafening crash quaked behind me.

I shuddered, dropping my walkie-talkie. Something massive had just fallen onto the roof. Reflexively, I brandished my gun.

Behind me was the skull knight. He had landed on one knee, cratering the roof with his impact.

I trained the gun on his chest. How did he even find me?

"You're persistent," I spat.

"And you're worth the effort," he replied in his low, booming voice. "Queen of the Bounty Hall. I won't let you get away this time."

So be it. I've had enough of this creep. Today I'd settle matters with him, permanently.