I kept myself busy thinking about that as wTe headed down the tunnel with the printers. At each new door, I had a few bodies tossed on top of me, and I had to pull myself to the top of the stack so I could maintain a solid view. One body ahvays remained to make sure I had a shield between me and the dragonoid. Just in case.
Finally, the last door was opened, the last Mark Derwin heaved roughly onto the cart. Judging by the crunching below me, the bodies at the bottom of the pile were having a rough go of it, though nobody paid any attention. The dragonoid lifted the cart all the way up to the ceiling and flew7 back off towTard wThere it had come from. After pressing something and finding a perch on a platform, it jerked and headed off.
That’s why the tunnel on the left looked less worn. It was a passage for flying, not walking.
We passed the fork. The dragonoid didn’t point the cart toward Ragnaros, instead moving along the left-hand side. Admittedly, that was the weak link in my plan. I'd have had to destroy the poor worker if it had been there to bring the fire food. Wait a second! That was an interesting thought — after all, they grew cocoons for the general. Wdiat if the owner’s son prefers meat? And the shape of the meat... Apparently, it had developed a taste for me. We’ll figure that out later.
We didn’t have far to go. A wall in front of us appeared, though the dragonoid just kept flying right toward it. Up until the last possible moment, I expected a panel to slip upward and let us through, though the whole thing turned out to be much more interesting than that. The whole wall is a projection! The cart passed through it like so much smoke, and we found ourselves in an enormous space littered with a variety of machinery and buildings. I would never have thought anyone wrould build a center like that underground. Or that it was even possible without collapsing wiiatever supports it was built on.
But we w^ere in no hurry to keep going. The dragonoid froze, clearly expecting someone. And that someone didn’t take their time showing up.
“What?” asked a deep, fairly pleasant voice. It was velvety, enveloping, enchanting. A few7 blinks later, I’d shaking the feeling and could look over at the second dragonoid that had appeared not far from the cart. It was wearing better armor, and it was even armed. My
perception told me it was Guard 82, level 200.
“Bodies for the master.” The worker hauling me around turned out to have an equally charming voice. They should be singing in a choir, 7iot pulling carts around...
“Is this your first time? Where’s 42?”
“It happened to be right by the master when we got the news about Mark, so it’s off waiting for the next release. They asked me to take its place.”
“That’s bad luck. Okay, move over so I can get the scan over with.”
“Who cares?” the worker asked in surprise. “I just brought them from the farm, and there isn’t anything down there besides the personified fire.”
“Do you want to follow your predecessor? Remember — rules are rules!” the guard boomed. “Move away!”
The squabble was odd, but it gave me enough time to shatter my phone. It was just a shame I couldn’t do the same with the cores. I hope they can't tr'ack them.
The cart rocked again when the worker got off it. A scanner’s green beam quickly shone on me and the rest of the bodies.
“Two are defective!” the guard said, annoyance creeping into its voice. “The master won't be happy if it gets a body with guts. We had that once, and the first twenty workers were all turned to ash. Sometimes, a device goes haywire and prints off an actual person, not just the meat without the innards.”
“What, so I have to check all of them?” the worker asked quickly.
“Of course! Better spend ten minutes now than spend an eternity waiting for the next release. Make a small cut to see where the guts are. Oh, and next time, do that on the spot so we see which machine is giving us problems. We’ll be able to replace it then. Okay, go ahead! Unload the bodies over by that wall, and I’ll let the servants know they need to be checked.”
The cart rocked again as the dragonoid settled back down onto it. All I could do was grunt and look up at the body I was hiding under. So, it’s just a shell? Without the internal organs and all that? It sure sounded like the dragon really was carnivorous, though I wasn’t sure what I had to do with it.
A little while later, we got to our spot, and the cart flipped over. Everything dumped out to pile up in front of some wTall or other. Happily, I’d been expecting that, and so I was able to grip the edge and make sure I was among the last of the clone army to fall out. The dragonoid was nearby, disappointment written all over its face. Apparently, the idea of cutting into every Mark in front of it wasn’t one it was a fan of. It decided to take the cart off instead, and that gave me the chance to crawl into the shadows, hide behind the bodies, and print off everything I needed — first, my phone, followed by my named equipment. The minute the worker was gone was plenty for me to get dressed, turn on my invisibility, fly up into the air, and look around.
It was an enormous cave. A glimmering field marked the ceiling, apparently keeping it from collapsing. Raptor told me it was fifty meters high. The entire area was packed with all kinds of buildings, and it was only at the other end, next to another field, that there was open space. But as I was already aware of how the aliens liked to create illusions, I didn't particularly trust my eyes. Empty space underground was impractical, which meant it definitely wasn’t actually empty.
The worker came back to start slitting open the pile of Marks. It was an unpleasant sight. While I obviously knew it wasn't happening to me, and just to a lifeless doll, there was still a tight feeling in my crotch ever}7 time the creature made a gash in another of them.
“Did you find the devices? You know which ones are acting up?” a threatening voice asked. Apparently, it was all dragonoids there. Another pair of the creatures had shown up, though they looked dramatically different than the worker and guard. Both were somewhat richly dressed in colorful outfits, their feet were decorated with chains and rings, and they themselves were wearing some kind of paint. They looked anything like super-modern aliens. In fact, I would have compared them to Indian Bedouins. The latter also looked like living rainbows.
“Not yet, servants,” the dragonoid replied, and I could tell by its
tone that the pair ranked much higher. The worker’s voice was infused with respect.
“The master wants results. It needs the first bodies — which have you checked?”
Oh, this is just the first batch? Interesting.
“These.” The worker pointed at a small pile of about ten Marks.
“You finish up, and we’ll take those in to the master. Pick them up!”
Almost out of nowhere, an entire crowd of dragonoids rushed over and collected the pile. The procession moved out, and I followed it, flying from one roof to another. We made our way eventually to the inner dome. Without blinking an eye, the servants went right through it and disappeared — I’d been right about it being an illusion. The same as what they have by the noa concentration plants. Making sure I didn’t have any game items on me besides the cores, I flew in after them.
The field whisked me up before letting me go. I found myself in a second cave that looked even larger than the first, and it took a couple seconds before the unsettling realization that it didn’t match the dimensions on the outside faded away.
And I’d been wrong. There was plenty of open space to be found.
A small camp had been built under the dome, and it was made out of houses built around a central square. The latter was a lawn with a few scattered trees. Between them was the master itself: Li-Ho-Dun.
It really was a dragon. Unlike the dragonoids, which looked like they’d been pulled straight out of Europe, the owner’s son was Chinatown through and through. The long, supple body was covered in glittering red scales, it had a pair of small wings, its arms were long, and it was incredibly thick. In fact, I could have stood inside the thing
and held my arms up without a problem. From its position hovering in midair, the dragon was listening attentively to a player. My perception told me it was one I’d already come across — Osier Der, level 849. Judging by the constant bows, the player was asking or apologizing for something, though it clearly didn’t like what it wTas presumably being forced to do.
“The fourth level is yours,” the area around me boomed, the voice one I’d already heard. Osier bowled yet again. Ah-hci, so it was asking for' access! The player wras about to leave, though it suddenly paused, having seen the servants finally carrying their hideous load over to the master.
I crept closer, as wrell. A second later, I was at the very edge of the green field, not risking taking off into the air.
When it noticed the player’s surprise, the dragon laughed. And while nothing dropped from the ceiling, it w^as still unpleasant. The buildings all vibrated.
“What do you think of my dinner?”
“Is that Mark?” Osier asked in surprise.
“Copies of how he looked when the game started. See how puny and weak he was? It’s hard to believe someone like that could cause so many problems. My father is letting me run some experiments on how to grow meat, and I decided to pick the local delicacy. Find me the original, and you’ll be rewarded. I’ll make you a commander in the next release!”
“I will, master!” the player replied fervently.
“Get to work. I’m hungry — you wouldn’t want to be dinner, too, would you?”
The player leaped away from the dragon, eliciting another round of laughter. Bowing, it ran off past the spot where I was hiding. I guess the master doesn’t let anyone fly. A door nearby opened to let a servant out. Most importantly, it left it open, and my scanner told me there wasn’t anyone else inside. I made the decision immediately.
Finally, it was Shulma’s time to shine. The universal expansion producer printed out twTo syringes, one a regeneration and muscle activity blocker, and the other a sedative. After waiting until Osier was past, I quickly buried the needles in its shoulders and pressed down on the plungers. The player’s body stiffened, and I hauled it off through the open door. The whole thing happened so quickly that nobody noticed a thing. My invisibility didn’t even drop!
It was almost empty inside the building. There were a couple chairs, a table, and a bunch of odd-looking fixtures attached to the walls. It was tiny, too — barely more than three meters by three meters. And there were no other doors, not to mention windows. This is perfect. The room was drab, grim, and depressing.
I carried Osier over to a wall, made sure it was blocked, and headed back out. There was one more thing I wanted to do — the dragon was about to go to work on the bodies. Is it going to just eat them? Or maybe, prepare them somehow?
But it turned out to be much more interesting than that. The dragon snorted them.
The servants set up a device that looked like a clothes tree, which they hung the bodies on like worms on hooks. As they didn’t take much care in the way they went about it, a lake of blood gathered on the ground. And when the branches were all occupied, the dragonoids carried the whole construction over to the master and quickly dispersed. Their short limbs pattered as they ran off. A couple moments later, I knew why they’d been in such a hurry. The owner’s son cut loose a stream of fire.
There was a solid distance between us, but I could still feel the wave of heat. Even Ragnaros had had nothing on the kind of flames a real dragon could generate. The clothes tree, not to mention the bodies hung on it, quickly disappeared, reduced to a pile of ash. But that was wThen the worst happened. The dragon opened its nostrils, sucked in the pile of scalding-hot ash, and let its eyes roll back.
“Ye-e-es,” it wheezed happily, a wave of pleasure rippling through its body. I shivered in time with the creature — that was how contagious its movements were. “I need more Marks! Get them in here!”
“Yes, master!” The muttering servants dashed off after the worker busy cutting open the bodies, and the dragon settled onto the ground. Its eyes continued to roll. Placing its head on the ground, it fell silent, falling into nirvana. Damn junkie! Why didn’t it just eat them?
I didn't like how quickly the servants were moving, so I ducked back into the house. That was where my real interest was. Osier was stiff on the ground, and I needed access. Surprisingly, it wasn't hard to get it.
You’re trying to hack the defenses of player Osier Der.
Sum total of your skill levels: 760.
Sum total of Osier Der’s protection: 520.
Probability of successful hack: 31.6%.
Attempt 1... Successful.
Buddy, you really thought you could come at me with levels that low? Are you out of your mind?!
My suspicion that Osier wasn’t actually a very experienced fighter was confirmed once again. Back during our first meeting, I'd noticed that its named equipment was only at level 14. Right then, I’d found that its protection skills were at level 130... Villian probably would have just laughed in its face if it had applied to join the Tsarter group.
I decided against digging through the player’s phone right then, dumping it instead into my virtual storage and going to work destroying the creature’s named items. They weren’t anything I could sell, and I wasn’t about to let it have them at its next respawn.
Wait a second! What respawn?
With unfeigned delight, I hit the button for my sacrificial offering, sending an entreaty7 up to the creator. The player was in the top hundred, it had good potential, and it had presumably done work in other worlds given how high up it was. The creator was hopefully going to appreciate the move enough to wipe the player from the game’s memory.
Hopefiilly... But not for sure.
Just as I pressed the button, the door opened, and a dragonoid appeared in the opening. The servant stopped suddenly, not expecting to see an uninvited guest. But that was when my ability7 activated.
You sacrificed one of the owner’s son’s servants and player Osier Der (level 849) using the absorber’s sacrificial
offering quality.
The game creator appreciated your sacrifice.
All data regarding the sacrificed creatures was removed
from the game.
Information was not sent regarding the killing of nonexistent creatures.
***
New mission: Clear the area. Description: Destroy or sacrifice all of Li-Ho-Dun’s servants. Remaining: lg. If you decline, you will be unable to rejoin the game even as noa. If you complete the mission, your forced death will be pushed back 24 hours.
***
Hunter or hunted: 0/33.
Unable to hold in my emotions, I screamed into the void, what are you doing, you animal?!
Happily, Ulbaron kept me out of trouble by turning off my microphone. It was a stalemate. The damn creator was laughing at me, throwing mission after mission my wray in order to rack up the fines the owner was going to have to pay. Using someone else to do your dirty work? Why, it was almost human of it.
Feeling a needle, I spun around, though there wasn’t anyone there.
My emotions died down. The logs told me Shulma had kicked in to protect me, having noted a critical spike in some substances with mind-blowing names and injecting me with a soothing cocktail. I really felt better. Once again, I could think.
Before doing anything else, I hauled the remains of the dragonoid into the room and shut the door. The enormous creature had shriveled up to the size of a hedgehog, even its scales deflating. Although, I never would have thought they were capable of that. Just in case, I didn’t sell anything, instead dumping the loot I got from it in my virtual storage. If the owner had access to the store, I didn’t wTant it to be surprised when it saw7 equipment belonging to its son’s servant. That would have raised some questions if I were in its shoes. And I didn't want anyone asking questions.
Turning back to what was left of Osier, I continued looting. But suddenly, my blood turned cold.
It had Shulma, too, wrhich meant the blocker I’d injected into it had been neutralized. If it hadn't been for the sedative, Osier would have been alive and well. I would have had to sacrifice it in front of everyone. And that would have been the end of my invisibility.
To add insult to injury, I heard Li-Ho-Dun’s voice boom out.
“All players get full access to the storage, all the w7ay through level five. Find Mark Derwin — he’s somew7here there.’’
It then continued in a quieter voice.
“All servants, get over here! You’re being hunted.”
I knew it! I’d known the owner kept an eye on all the missions handed out in the game. Apparently, Li-Ho-Dun’s creatures frequented the fifth level — it must have been possible to come across them there and pick up the same mission I’d gotten. The dragon didn’t believe anyone could get all the way into its lair.
A silence fell, lasting a few moments. But a new roar told me how7 angry Li-Ho-Dun could really get.
“Where’s the last one? Why isn’t there any information about it? What’s going on?!”
It dawned on me that if I didn’t make a move right then, I wasn’t going to have another chance. Ulbaron confirmed that by telling me the air wras beginning to get much hotter.
The dragon wasn’t happy.
Chapter 12
ALL I COULD SAY was that I got lucky. How? The dragon was facing the opposite direction. The stone buildings were built to keep the servants safe from the dragon’s violent temper. I was already in the middle of dashing out as fast as I could. Immediately, I saw why there were no windows, not to mention why the only door opened on the side of the building opposite the beast's field. The servants were definitely worried about their safety.
World of the changed 3 Noa in the flesh Page 14
