by Arthur Stone
During the day, Cheater snacked and dozed, periodically trying his hand at modifying items. This was an exhausting regimen, as Cheater never slept well during the day, but it was more than worth it. Those two nights alone netted him +22000 Perception points, skyrocketing his stat to level 77. It had now surpassed his favored Luck stat, which had only reached 73 even with modification boosts. He did more than eat, sleep and experiment during the day, however—he had quite the To-Do list before him. At first, he simply toyed with the mods, with no calculations or strategy to speak of. Soon after, he developed an organized method of sorting the mods into properties, grouping them to optimize his ability to select between options. He kept other limitations in mind. For example, if an item already had, say, a Speed or Dexterity bonus, it would not receive that bonus again from a mod. Achieving a certain effect could limit the effects of subsequent mods, dramatically increasing the likelihood of one acquiring what they needed.
On the first day, Cheater figured out how to reduce the list of effects that might drop to a minimum. On the second day, he used his large pile of mods to achieve his desired effects and coax out their maximum strength. His overabundance of superior mod crystals made this much easier. The tomb had given him enough items to experiment with—the sword, axe, necklace and bracelet—but he also carried a rifle, bow and bot pistol, uncommon weapons that could be modded. The hours-long process he spent modding these items was stressful. He began by setting up a chain of mods one by one. Sometimes, the final mod would yield an uninteresting property, forcing him to waste a decent mod just to clear the item and start all over again. If an item’s description claimed that three mods were guaranteed and two more had a certain probability, Cheater could safely go for six in total. When there was no guarantee, superior mods were used to keep valuables intact. No matter how hard he tried, Cheater hadn’t yet achieved the chain he wanted. The last “extra” mod seemed to work out once every five times; if he were buying the crystals, he would have bankrupted himself long ago. Straightforward at first blush, the process was far more complex and nerve-wracking than he’d bargained for. However, the results were worth it.
Bighead, Necklace of a Shgrazqu Hunter Wizard. Found in a tomb in the black lands. Enhancements: none. Magical item of the Former. Guaranteed to accept 4 modifications, with an 85% chance of accepting a 5th and a 70% chance of accepting a 6th. Active modifications: 7. Modification list: Center of Strength, Center of Dexterity, Center of Speed, Center of Willpower, Center of Stealth, Center of Luck, Item Power Duplication.
Modification Properties:
Strength +19
Dexterity +20
Speed +18
Willpower +19
Stealth +20
Luck +19
This item’s core properties are doubled, if possible. This duplication does not apply to modifications.
Visible properties: Willpower +12 (enhanced by duplication), Spirit of Styx Regeneration +16 per hour (enhanced by duplication). Hidden properties: has a very high chance of allowing its owner to escape detection by means of Continental abilities. Has no effect at 8 meters or less (enhanced from 17 by duplication). The greater the distance of the seeker, the better the chances of escaping detection.
This item is bound. Current owner: Cheater. This item’s owner has named it: Bighead.
The necklace from the tomb had now become an amulet of immense value. He succeeded with the bracelet, too:
Manhandler, Protective Bracelet of a Valiant Shgrazqu Archer. Found in a tomb in the black lands. Enhancements: none. Unique item of the Former. Guaranteed to accept 3 modifications, with a 75% chance of a 4th. Active modifications: 5. Modification list: Center of Strength, Center of Dexterity, Center of Willpower, Center of Luck, Center of Spiritual Enrichment.
Modification Properties:
Strength +19
Dexterity +19
Willpower +20
Luck +18
Spirit of Styx Regeneration +0.27 per minute.
Visible properties: +5 Accuracy. Hidden properties: if a damage-dealing projectile is released in the direction of this bracelet’s owner (whether from a weapon or manually thrown), the owner experiences an extremely disturbing sensation for the duration of the projectile’s journey.
This item is bound. Current owner: Cheater. This item’s owner has named it: Manhandler.
Cheater vowed he would carry these items perpetually. Together, they gave him a powerful stat boost, a mana regeneration boost in particular; in a world where danger could strike at any time, they were invaluable.
His total bonus from these items:
Strength +38
Dexterity +38
Speed +38
Willpower +31
Stealth +20
Accuracy +5
Luck +37
Spirit of Styx Regeneration +32.2 per hour
A very high chance of allowing the owner to escape detection by means of Continental abilities. Has no effect at 8 meters or less (enhanced from 17 by duplication). The greater the distance of the seeker, the better the chances of escaping detection.
Hidden properties: if a damage-dealing projectile is released in the direction of this bracelet’s owner (whether from a weapon or manually thrown), the owner experiences an extremely disturbing sensation for the duration of the projectile’s journey.
He was thrilled specifically by his mana regeneration. Prior to this, he regained 45 mana per hour—hardly enough to maintain Chameleon for days, even at maximum Pleasure. It covered three-quarters of the sustain cost, if you ignored the activation cost. Before these upgrades, it would take a whole day for his meter to refill. Now, it would take nine hours. Cheater planned to increase the size of that meter, but things were looking up. He could now use several abilities together without dropping his mana to zero.
Cheater also modded his weapons to the fullest, naturally. The sword received nine mod crystals, which appeared to be the maximum permitted by the Continent. He had, however, heard rumors of a class of items that accommodated more. The bracelet and necklace granted him a total of +207 base and bonus stat points. These were not the same as “real points,” technically, as they didn’t affect his main level; they were more like his hidden +30 Accuracy. Still, it’d be a sin to complain about bonuses. Not only had he survived Tat’s treacherous attack, he had grown several degrees stronger in a matter of days. Without the equipment bonuses, he was an entirely different character, but with them…he was superhuman! Still, the weapons’ bonuses were not in effect if carried in his inventory or backpack, on his belt or over his shoulder—he had to wield them. This meant the bonuses weren’t permanent, as he couldn’t be expected to hold them 24/7. This was frustrating, as the sword practically made Cheater a demigod.
Choppa, Sword of the Great Master Sqhmazazuo Tkree, of the Shgrazqu Race. Found in a tomb in the black lands. Enhancements: none. Unique weapon of the Former. Guaranteed to accept 6 modifications, with a 95% chance of a 7th and an 80% chance of an 8th. Active modifications: 9. Modification list: Center of Strength, Center of Dexterity, Center of Speed, Center of Reaction, Center of Luck, Item Power Duplication, Superior Stone of Liberty, Piercing Penetration, Supernatural Crushing Blow.
Modification Properties:
Strength +19
Dexterity +20
Speed +20
Reaction +19
Luck +19
This item’s core properties are doubled, if possible. This duplication does not apply to modifications.
This item’s virtual weight is reduced by 86%. This weight reduction only affects carry weight and cache limit calculations. The attack power of the weapon is not reduced.
This blade’s edge and tip partially ignore immaterial armor and ignore up to 12 millimeters of material armor.
At its owner’s command, this weapon can inflict a Crushing Blow, releasing energy accumulated in the blade. This blow ignores every opposition, except special properties of objects or creatures that specifically resist th
is property. Crushing Blow can only be used once every 10 hours.
Visible properties: when equipped, this weapon boosts stats and has increased penetration. Its edge is the sharpest and strongest available. Rapidly self-sharpening when faced with minor damage to its edge. Causing significant damage to its edge is extremely difficult, but results in slower self-sharpening.
+0.4 Physical Strength +30 (enhanced by duplication)
+0.6 Dexterity +20 (enhanced by duplication)
+0.4 Speed +20 (enhanced by duplication)
+0.4 Stamina +20 (enhanced by duplication)
+0.5 Reaction +30 (enhanced by duplication)
+0.2 Luck +10 (enhanced by duplication)
Hidden properties: upon request, this blade can be recalled to its owner’s hand after having been lost in battle. Maximum return distance: 80-140 meters (enhanced by duplication). Note: This recall property can only be triggered if the blade is bound to you, or if it has been lost no longer than 3 minutes ago. Upon recall, your character regains all of the item’s bonuses.
This item is bound. Current owner: Cheater. This item’s owner has named it: Choppa.
In total, the sword added +227 stat points, plus six solid modifier boosts—far more dramatic than his necklace and bracelet bonuses combined! His Willpower wasn’t boosted, but his other properties’ transformations made up for that. At a mere eight pounds, the weapon could now obey his will in battle as well; while the blade was still quite weighty, at least it was no longer sixty pounds. Cheater was also strong enough to wield it, his bonuses bumping his Strength to 108 with a 1.86x multiplier. This was damn high: he could wrestle a raffler, even a trampler, with a number like that. Even with the massive Strength boost the System gave them, infecteds would meet their match in Cheater. He guessed that turning boosted their Strength multipliers behind the scenes, but shuddered to think of the people or machines responsible for tweaking the monsters’ stats.
Clutching his sword in his left hand, Cheater experimentally tossed a 70-pound rock thirty feet in the air. While the sword was lighter, the target clearly felt the full sixty pounds of its real weight. Cheater couldn’t fathom the physics, but the Continent had its own laws—and many ways to break them. For example, even with its mass cut down by a weight reduction, his rifle should deliver a near-fatal amount of recoil. That might probably never happen, but Cheater didn’t want to test it out now. His ammo was running low and he’d alert the whole region to himself…but he could theorize. The bow was worth some experimenting with, however; reducing its negligible weight made no sense, and its recoil was also near nil.
`A week had passed since Cheater and March defeated the Unnamed One. Now fully recovered from Pussy’s drawing and quartering, he’d become immensely stronger for it. What’s more, his weighty bag of loot had grown—though the drawback was its immense weight, and he was reluctant to discard any of it. There was no way he could cart everything out of here. Backpacks were not bottomless, and their straps couldn’t withstand 300 pounds. He had a thousand greater and lesser modifiers, no light stash at all. His Strength allowed him to carry many brimming bagfuls, yet he realized he’d have to leave much behind. He could create a cache…but how? They were tough to arrange on the Continent, and he hadn’t seen any stables nearby.
The yellowish grey-black desert of clusters stretched on, the borders between them hard to discern. It was risky to wander blindly, cross-referencing the cluster’s details; he also had no luxury like the big black van. The gray flock he’d seen two days ago could catch him with ease, and he was nearly out of bullets. His sword would not protect him, either. Cheater hadn’t spent much time training, but he had taken some minutes here and there. Even with the upgrades, he quickly discovered that he was no master. He was strong and agile, but had no technique. His new artifact had yet to adapt his body to the art of fencing. He couldn’t unravel an explanation for this on his own.
Countless untouched modifications lay atop the treasure trove, at least ten percent of the original stash. Only the densest areas had been subject to Cheater’s pillaging, as there he could work the fastest; it would take him one more night to clear the mound. Unfortunately, he was out of lifejuice, so he’d have risk sucking on a spore for the first time. His food was out, as well, leaving him only lizards and snakes from here on out. They could last him for a good while, but he would expend valuable moisture hunting them.
March’s death couldn’t have taken him that far—how come he hadn’t arrived yet? No matter the obstacles placed in his way, he had enough time to travel the distance three times over. The prospect of waiting for him seemed worse by the second, and the remaining mods weren’t worth that much anyway. Cheater’s battery had lost all of its juice. If he used his flashlight, it would have to burn for the whole night. He couldn’t risk leaving this place in daylight, even with Chameleon active; moreover, the sun would evaporate what little water he had. His flashlight batteries were likely on their last legs. The couple hundred mod discoveries were truly not worth it. Cheater decided to leave as soon as the sun set. If he were to take risks, he’d best do them at peak physical form, before his mounting Hunger and Thirst ravaged him.
Chapter 14
Life Nine. The Loot
Cheater could generally approximate where to go. He could see the discovered spots on his map, scattered between his current position and that of his scrape with death. Between them ran the pathway of his drunken, star-guided spec run. He could easily trace a path from the last town visited by the trio, right up to the Unnamed One’s carcass. He could use it as orientation if he kept in mind March’s directions to the rich forests. He was confident in his estimation…as long as March had been accurate himself. For the most part, March tended to casually handwave accuracy. If his directions lead Cheater to an oasis instead, he’d only gain a brief reprieve; still, it would be preferable to mummifying in these hot alien ruins.
Walking through the wilderness with his Darkvision was a pleasure. The terrain was flat, the soil was dense, and the rocks and cacti were visible from afar. With no obstacles in his path, he moved along like an off-road truck, albeit quieter. There was no sandy ground to be found, so his tracks would disappear more quickly. Infecteds could smell him and track him, of course, but the past week taught him that the barren wasteland struck down a variety of creatures. Lizards and snakes survived, but infecteds and grays ran the same risk as humans. His bearings gained, Cheater walked with purpose for ninety minutes straight, two packs of modifications at his sides. Despite their modifications, his rifle and sword still weighed him down. His axe’s weight hadn’t been reduced at all, however, as it wasn’t that cumbersome. Picking different aspects to upgrade, he had placed four modifications on it—not very impressive compared to his other items, but beyond the wildest dreams of most players.
As his Stamina plummeted to zero, further progress became impossible. Slowing his speed hardly helped it recover, and his staggering pace was laughable. After falling three times, he realized he had landed in a stable cluster. It was a tiny triangle, perhaps, but that was all he needed. This was no ordinary stable…it was a sign from destiny. Once he found a suitable rock, he set up a cache under it, stashing a small fortune of modifiers beneath it. Lighter on his feet, he moved on, skirting around a cluster of rocks to emerge into a new stable. While his Stamina situation had improved, Cheater decided to set up a second cache of loot. He could not allow himself to travel in a weakened state, with trouble no doubt in store. A full Stamina scale might save his life—as well as March’s rightful share of the loot. The relief nearly inspired Cheater to sprint in glee. He regretted the greed that had so encumbered him; he’d wasted so much time in that unfriendly place in the name of avarice.
An hour later, Cheater chose to let his feet rest. He was by no means tuckered, but a five minute break was important. If he met with opposition, he would be glad for the extra energy. This desert seemed lifeless, but he knew it concealed many threats. Even his combination of Chameleo
n bonus, camouflage boosts and inflated Luck couldn’t truly ensure his safety. Descending into a shallow hollow in the ground, Cheater sat on a backpack to take a sip from his last bottle. After rinsing his mouth thoroughly, he swallowed the liquid and regretfully replaced the cork. There was no telling when he might find water, so he had to ration his supply. If March was right, he had to walk twenty-five miles.
Suddenly, something suspicious flickered in the corner of his eye. He jolted around—only to find a shooting star, sweeping its path through the black sky. Not the rarest of sights, but it did put him on high alert. What could be wrong? The surroundings seemed tranquil, yet Cheater was on pins and needles. Unable to resist, he moved towards the edge of the hollow and looked out. Just as expected: the stars twinkled. The cacti stood vigil among the stones. There was nothing else to report. Just in case, he activated Omniscience, choosing to highlight everything that stood out. Beneath the earth glowed lizards and scorpions, scrabbling though their nighttime hunting rounds. Once again…typical. However, Cheater’s anxiety held him tighter in its vice grip. What could he do about his unshakable feelings of foreboding? There was nowhere to hide, no shelter nearby. He could try squeezing under the squat, rocky ledge before him—perhaps that would calm his jangled nerves.
Dragging over his priceless backpacks, Cheater backed up against the stone. His vantage point was now a little higher, revealing hundreds of yards of desert. Darkvision didn’t function properly at long ranges, but he could make out some sense of the surroundings and would certainly notice anything large and moving. He stared back at the path he’d traveled to make sure he wasn’t being followed. With Chameleon active and his necklace keeping him safe from sensors, he knew he’d remain undetected—at least, until the enemy was truly breathing down his neck.
