Chapter 9- The gift pack

Saachi had forgotten the limits of 1st inventory bag. As he did not have cash at hand, he would have to purchase it within the game. With high demand and limited supply, the cost would be undoubtedly high. So his options were to purchase at high cost, wait till cost of basic inventory bag reduced, which might take 1-2 months time, but that meant he had to travel more to dump or sell monster drops multiple times which again was not cost effective.

He might learn how to make such bags too but that may or may not take more time than second option. Or do a quest to get inventory bag. Now, which type of NPCs would have extra bags which can be given as quest rewards? A question worth pondering.

When the pixie saw that there was no sales to be made, she stopped showing the options and went on to next segment of her programming seamlessly. This pixie looked like she had no strength but her skin....her skin was too thick.

Another gift box with fancy coverings appeared before Saachi. This was a thank you gift for choosing the game and believing in it. Yeah, right!

If it was just for believing in the game and choosing it now, how come he could remember opening another bada*s gift box with glee previously? What was said last time- yeah, he remembered it now - Thank you for patronizing us and believing in the game.

Fancy words aside, this gift pack would make or break people. Atleast in previous lifetime it did. It would give few coins to resources useful for newbies to some rich items. One of the fellow dregs of previous life time got unique weapon which he sold to workshop (obviously) for lots of extra money. It was worth more than his 2weeks salary. The best part for the gamers was the lottery ticket. A big fancy ticket with lots of cursive and fancy writings.

A fact that Saachi did not notice in previous life or this one was the tiny words used in the background of the ticket. These words were not random but the final prizes options for that ticket.

Saachi prayed to Gods he still believed (he turned into believer after he was sent back to his early life), he touched the ticket the gift box. Que the surprise opening animation with celebration music. He got ten recipe cards and a ticket. Ten cards!!!! He could learn 10 lifestyle recipes - alchemy, weaponsmith, armoury, enchant, cook ....the game gave too many options for lifestyle players. And he had 10 recipe cards. Even if he didn't use it himself, he could sell them at high, high price in game launch period.

This gave him new understanding of the game working. You invest more, you can get more directly or indirectly. Recipe cards were handed out singly when he played last time. This time he was privileged customer, thus 10x bonus. Then he got a wild idea. Will the lottery also give 5x or 10x bonus? If so, immediate worry for money would be over. He could sell few items, send money to parents.

Please God...Oh God..... please God...

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somewhere else, in heavily forfeited office building

Bunch of GM(game managers) were monitoring game launch along with their teams. These 15 minutes extra time for high end VR gear users was sort of pre-test to gaming company. Time to correct, modify, alter SOPs(standard operating procedure) to make sure players had best experience and did not spend much time inside the game aimlessly or in queue.

Suddenly a exclamatory shout came, all others turned to see one of programmers watching monitor with mouth hanging open. They understood - another person with extraordinary gift. There were few coders in the room too. There were feeling elated and miserable. Elated because someone was playing the game the worked so hard and for so long. Miserable because...of the same reason. Someone is playing the game they had word so hard and long.

"This is boring," coder 1 complained to his friend coder 2," You said there would be anarchy, unfairness, cheat code like feeling. I feel nothing, even if these rich brats and megalomaniacs are hoarding bonuses even before the game."

"How many gift codes were written? Around 2 to 3 billion? And ASTORIA broke them down again increasing the numbers. And how many cheat like codes did we write? "

Coder 1 answered like a good boy, " around 200?"

Coder 2 continued, happy with student participation," So we can estimate around 500 to 600 cheat codes are in ASTORIA. So chances of cheat like gift is around 1 in 10million. Once all players log in, probability of such gift opening will be more. That's why I volunteered to do duty now. Later, who knows when such gift will be opened? We just have to be patient during this month.Look how these support staff are shouting and exclaiming. This sort of situation won't happen in later days."

"These people are lame, happy at small things. How is getting +10 constitution getting hyped about? And that one, he screamed like a girl just because someone got unique sword. Did he even check the level of sword? It was level 2 for f*cksake!"

The support staff with girl like scream "...."

Coder 2 "....."

A mean mouthed lady suddenly said, " Hey f*ck thinking idiot, do you think this one worthy of getting hyped up?" and showed the details of Saachi's gift