Chapter 25: Vres

Special Note:  Thank you to Daoistofearth, ShadowOrigin and IyNx for your support. Thanks to your encouragement, I have resumed writing. Please comment with a character name and their respective races, and I will incorporate them into future chapters. Oh I rewrite the previous chapter so read again... 

Inside the room, an air of tense silence enveloped Cris and his companions, Rex and Ruvella. They understood the gravity of the situation and the need for absolute stillness. Even the slightest sound could spell disaster. So, they moved cautiously, ensuring their every movement was as noiseless as possible.

After a prolonged silence, Cris finally broke it, his voice low and filled with urgency. "How many points do both of you have?" He fixed his gaze on Rex and Ruvella, his eyes reflecting the seriousness of their predicament.

Rex hesitated for a moment before responding, his voice tinged with apprehension. "I've got 874 points," he admitted, somewhat disappointed by his modest total.

Ruvella, on the other hand, wore a defiant expression as she confessed her point total. "I have 93 points," she said with a hint of annoyance.

Rex's eyes widened in surprise, and he couldn't help but blurt out his disbelief. "How in the world do you have such a low amount of points?"

Ruvella's irritation flared as she shot back a pointed retort. "I'm a girl, Rex! You know the system favors you guys. It's harder for us to earn points."

Cris watched their exchange with a sigh, fully aware of the severity of their situation. He reached for his own system panel and checked his point balance, finding it significantly higher than his companions'. With 2067 points to his name, Cris knew he had the responsibility to make a crucial decision.

"We've got a problem," Cris began, his tone weighted with concern. "I can't handle this situation alone. We need to summon an advisor, someone with tactical expertise. This matter is beyond our capabilities."

Rex and Ruvella exchanged glances, realizing that Cris was right. Their limited points and inexperience in such dire circumstances left them with no other choice.

Cris continued, "To summon an advisor, we'll need a substantial amount of points. Rex, Ruvella, I know it's asking a lot, but we have no other option. I need both of your points to initiate the summoning."

The gravity of the situation hung heavily in the room as Rex and Ruvella weighed their options. They knew that Cris was their best chance of survival, and they had to trust his judgment.

Rex finally nodded in agreement, his expression determined. "Alright, Cris, take my points." He transferred his 874 points to Cris's account, knowing that their survival depended on it.

Ruvella, though initially resistant, eventually relented, realizing the urgency of their situation. She grudgingly shared her 93 points, adding them to Cris's total.

With the combined points now at his disposal, Cris activated his system panel, initiating the process of summoning an advisor. The room seemed to hum with energy as the system carried out its intricate calculations.

Moments later, a holographic figure materialized before them, taking the form of a wise and seasoned advisor. The advisor's presence filled the room with an air of knowledge and authority.

Cris couldn't believe his eyes when he recognized the holographic advisor before him. It was none other than Vres, the Lord of the Shadow Race. His appearance was both unexpected and bewildering. The moment Vres saw Ruvella among them, his holographic face lit up with a knowing grin.

"Well, well, Ruvella, my daughter," Vres said in a playful tone. "You never told me you had gotten yourself a boyfriend." Ruvella, feeling both embarrassed and surprised, instinctively hid behind Rex, who was standing nearby. Her actions seemed to amuse Vres even more.

"Wow, Ruvella," he continued, "my daughter has a boyfriend now. That's certainly an interesting development."

Rex and Cris exchanged perplexed glances. An orc and a shadow race having a father-daughter relationship was puzzling enough, but the holographic form of Vres added another layer of complexity to the situation.

Rex couldn't help but ponder silently. He remembered a dull, skinny orc who often slept at his home. Was that the same orc who was Ruvella's father? The mysteries of the world and the connections between its inhabitants seemed to deepen with every passing moment.

Vres, seemingly unperturbed by the awkward atmosphere he had created, shifted his holographic face to Rex. "Ah, you've already met my orc body, I see," he remarked with a wry smile. "So, you two are really dating? Well, well, old man, please don't read my mind. I've always hated you shadow race people, always prying into others' privacy."

Before the situation could escalate further, Cris decided to intervene. "Sir," he addressed Vres, "you know me, right? We met at the auction hall before. We find ourselves in a dire situation now, and we desperately need your advice. We pooled all our points to get you here."

Vres, still amused by the turn of events, turned his attention back to Cris. "Ah, Cris, of course, I remember you. You always did have a knack for getting into unusual situations," he said with a chuckle. "Well, it's good that I took this job. Now, what seems to be the problem? Btw why did you issued a advising mission less than 3k. Wait, dont tell me Ruvella didnt have much points?"

Then, he turned his gaze back to Ruvella. "Hey, kid, I gave you 5,000 points just last month. Did you spend it all on those goblin scammers again?" The accusation hung in the air, causing Rex and Cris to exchange another bewildered look.

Inside the room, the tension was palpable. Cris, Ruvella, and Rex were surrounded by a sense of impending danger. Vres, the holographic advisor, sensed the sinister aura in the air and quickly analyzed the situation.

"Hmm," Vres mused, "I smell sulfur and zinc, along with a confusing killing aura. This is undoubtedly a trap. You're surrounded on all sides, and there's something peculiar about the ceiling. Someone is watching you from the floor above, cleverly concealed. Outside, soldiers have you encircled. The door appears to be rigged with human explosives, the kind you can buy for a cheap price in Civarat. The situation is dire."

Vres reached into his pocket and produced a small marble. With a deft motion, he transferred 200 points to Cris and sent a package along with it. The package, however, would cost Cris an additional 200 points to open. Cris understood the gravity of the situation and gave Vres a formal salute.

Vres began to explain, "Inside the marble, you'll find three pills. When you take them, you'll become invisible for one hour. This is the extent of my assistance. Given that you have a physical body, they were likely expecting you to attempt an escape. I suspect that Nira's actions during their previous encounter made them hostile. It's a tricky situation."

With a final glance at Rex, Vres vanished into thin air, leaving the trio to contemplate their next move.

Outside the room, Colonel Darrik and his men had been experiencing electrical disruptions for half an hour. They attempted to eavesdrop on the conversation inside but could only hear odd and perplexing exchanges. The soldiers stationed on the rooftop and upper floors reported that everything appeared fine, though the trio inside was conversing strangely, as if they had a fourth person with them.

Concerned by the unusual turn of events, Colonel Darrik decided to contact the General. However, the moment he picked up his phone, he was met with a cacophony of screams from the other end. He quickly terminated the call, his face turning pale.

"Alright, we have new orders," Colonel Darrik announced to his men. "The General wants them relocated to Area 4."

One of the soldiers hesitated and asked, "Sir, isn't that the Human Experimentation Center?"

Colonel Darrik nodded gravely, his expression reflecting the grim reality of their predicament.

Inside the room, some time had passed since Vres left. System holographs bypassed all technology and couldn't be seen by the naked eye. Cris opened his system panel and sent a message in the team chat.

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Team Chat

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Cris: Hmmm

Rex: Cris, before you talk, let me chat... Hey Ruvella, fix the misunderstanding... I'm not your fking boyfriend.

Ruvella: Oh... ¯_(ツ)_/¯

......... After 100 more chats.........

Cris: Stop, you two... Now, back to business...

Rex: Cris, I want to bomb this place... A super blast.

Cris: Nope, no way. We may have civilians here

. Ruvella: Oh, is it like fireworks?

Rex: Yes, yes.

Cris: Nope... don't brainwash her.

Ruvella: Hey, stop treating me like that. I want to wreck this place now.

Rex: It's settled, then.

Cris: Don't involve me... Anyway, Ruvella, you know, prepare the shield for us. I think very soon they will come to take us to a place for interrogation.

Ruvella: Hey, why not we do something like Senior Nira...

Rex: Not a bad idea.

Cris: Hmm...

....................................

Colonel, why are you wearing a protection suit? It's not like we're going into a radioactive war... Colone Darrik hmmped, Soldier....Don't question me. They stayed in Civarat, and I don't even know if they are humans or not. Even though Cris seems fine, I don't know about the other two... And that girl with the big body that Cris was talking about, he said she's from another race... So it's best to stay cautious.