by Arthur Stone
The ice bursts in a hundred places, crumbling into myriads of tiny shards, which instantly melt into droplets, and then evaporate as warmth floods Cheater’s chest. His lips involuntarily stretch into a wide smile.
You just scared me, that’s all.
Don’t tell me you thought I stole your bag. I mean, I know you’re not exactly a genius, but...
No, I trust you. I don’t trust anyone here, except you. I was just scared when I didn’t see you. Cheater’s smiled stretches even wider. Why didn’t you answer sooner?
So you think I’m just sitting here awake, not eating, not watching the world, just watching the chat.
Yeah. That’s what I would expect.
Expect!? I’ve got problems of my own, you know. A bunch of assholes are after me again. This bag of yours makes it harder to run away, by the way.
Kitty, join the party. So I can find you.
One second... OK. Check the map, I’m a little busy.
I see you. Just twenty miles away. Lucky.
Lucky, eh. Remember, Cheater: the only luck you’ve ever had was meeting me. That’s it. I paid an arm and a leg for this.
Huh?
Yeah. While I was in the party, I could triangulate roughly where you’d end up. The System doesn’t usually throw you to the other side of the region, after all. If you know where someone dies, there’s an ability that can help you find their respawn point. So I found the most probable respawn. Since then, I’ve been coming your way. Almost there. So tell me again how lucky you are.
As impossible as it seems, Cheater’s smile grows even wider.
I get it. You’re my luck. My only luck. I’m coming.
Cheater... come fast. This backpack is really heavy. And the worst people on the Continent are right behind me. This is not a good situation.
You’re right, it’s a bad situation... For those losers who dare to chase you. I feel sorry for them.
So, no intelligence boost, but a charisma boost for sure.
I’m so glad to hear from you, Kitty.
And I’m so glad you can come and take this cursed backpack away from me.
We’re together again.
Not yet, we’re not. Oh, and don’t think I didn’t notice your whole party dying and you and some mystery girl who changes her name hanging out for hours after that. In the same place, in some swamp. Quite the setup. So eager to get to me that you let nothing distract you, eh?
Hah, that wasn’t like that at all! Cheater laughs aloud.
Oh, I believe you, yeah. She was just, I don’t know, some mighty Battle Sister, accompanying you on your way.
I’ll introduce you two soon, Cheater promises. You know, your jealousy is kind of cute. Keep it up. I like it.
God. Damn. It. Learn to take a joke, Cheater. Uhoh, here they come again. No time to continue this unintelligent conversation. Bye!
I’m coming, I’m coming.
The door creaks open, and a rough male voice booms, “Lounging around on the job again, eh? Those rivets aren’t going to fasten themselves. Get going before I have you fired!”
Cheater opens his eyes, stretches with the same lazy smile, and heads for the door. As he passes the loud fat man wearing the white helmet, he shoves several large bills into the man’s breast pocket.
The angry digi stammers in surprise. “What’s this for?”
“Money. Go buy yourself something to eat. Or buy a hooker, I don’t care. Or you know what? Throw a family party. Whatever you want, but make sure you do it before evening. Party like there’s no tomorrow.”
Cheater emerges from the shack and squints against the sunlight. He looks both ways. It is, indeed, a huge construction site. Lots of vehicles and equipment and dozens of workers, bustling about. No one is lounging.
He opens his map and smiles again, at Kitty’s marker. She is close. But not quite within walking distance. And she is in trouble.
He has to hurry, and catch her before the trouble does.
Still smiling stupidly, Cheater walks confidently towards the gate.
He is back in the game, and he has somewhere to be.
Many thanks to my readers!
If you enjoyed this book, I would be very grateful if you could leave a review:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08B5NJQ9Q
I would like to heartily recommend the books Play to Live by D. Rus, my good friend and one of the founders of the LitRPG genre. The Play to Live series is one of the finest works in the genre, and a must-read for any fan.
I want to recommend my friend G. Akella's Realm of Arkon series. For the past few years it's been one of the top series in both LitRPG and epic fantasy genres, and deservedly so.
