NOVEL WEB Chapter 203: hot fix
Raul is sitting in his office, looking over the company files. They are in an excellent position and have even attracted some real serious sponsors. The investment portfolio is about to balloon. Each of them has over a billion credits. They plan to invest at 800,000,000 into the Planitia. This is a drop in the ocean as they plan on becoming the owners of their Planitia. Above personal wealth, John-Baptist wants to create a utopia similar to the Mercurian Cities. Sihle and Rowena of all people all agree. Athena is the only one to have straight-up refused. Her money is for her own use. John isn't mad as Asa only contributed a small 200,000,000 credits.
This money is important as they plan to fund the guild with it. The fundamental problem is that Baron International is running interference, however, the multiply layers of the business mean that their true investments, which are in holding companies not anyway associated with them personally, are safe. By the time Baron International notices Global Leaf Alliance, it will be too late. Being locals and having people sign NDAs before even presenting the deal. Is allowing them to undercut their position in key lands held by the villagers. Still, for now, he has everything under control. Writing daily reports like all the leaders in the guild.
At the Cantos headquarters, the Director has been analysing the changes Overwatch instituted to limit the influence of the alpha Sync and the Beta Unity. One of her lasts action was to create three new divisions. Each one division is dedicated to implementing code fixes and eliminating replication. Since each iteration of the game from alpha, to the beta and finally Gamma unity into a complete system. This has led to changes in titles as lore from all three iterations of the game are finally unified. The inconsistencies in the basic classes have finally been settled and a greater unity across the entire five realms of the game instead of just regional fix.
These global changes also mean that there is an increase in the diversity of rank 6 classes and up have increased as most of these have existed in every iteration of Odyssey. The players' hud will change dramatically, implementing more Unity systems and classification, which was probably the system they missed the most. The patch will also fix the problem with items distribution in Liguria. Cantos now its full privileges as the neutral God of Loot. This means the rookie tournament can forward with properly unified rewards.
The Military is also happy as this is a realization in programming, they have been working towards for many years. While it limits a lot of the exponential changes in the experiments, the end goal is going to produce real tangible, repeatable subjects. The framework is finally in place, all the various combat systems is now one. Protocol Ten now extends to level 20 and is universal. state everyone is happy with. The only problem he can see is how some real-world events have been mixed back into the game and form histories. This was one of the major divergences between the alpha and the rest of the iterations.
The hot fix is out, while Sihle is reading some over the leaders' daily reports. Sihle sends a few messages and with a great sigh of relief check the new medical biobedgel. It should arrive at the hospital in the next three days. This should help his sister shorten her full recovery for one year. Just before her sixteenth birthday. The medical biobedgel costs ten thousand credits an ounce, so has paid 33814000 credits to fill her medical tank. By the time she comes out, it will be time for them to handle Baron International.
The patch note nearly makes Sihle fall out of his chair. This has never happened in any of our lives. This patch is something that is supposed to happen in parts over many years. In the worst versions of his lives, these changes never happen at all. He can almost remember something dreadful in the future. He can't force it, but he still tries. The pain becomes unbearable, so he stops. His smile, like those of the founding Families is wide as they all read the same about Overwatchs' influence, in the game has been limited. Sihle is at least happy that the only Glory in Liguria operates out of the Eastern half of the continent where the large concentration of martian players can be found.
Sihle also notices that the displaced players are mostly the middle-skilled and low skilled players. Their exit is allowing professional guilds to secure positions with little interference. The Crumbling Iceberg seems to have an affiliate guild in every province of Asrugo. They have to be ready for the rookie tournament and shock the world by beating every participant. The rookie tournament is unique because it is the only one where people won't think it is odd for a small guild to win since people are still learning the game.
"Hey, are you ready?" Asa is wearing a bright one-piece dress. She has a date planned for herself and Sihle. Even if Maria also likes him, she can't ignore her own feelings. Sihle is wearing a tight-fitting blue t-shirt and black jeans. Asa admires his body. A side effect of playing the game is that the implant stimulates the body. It's like exercising while you sleep.
"Yeah, I'm ready! Where did you say we going again?" Sihle swivels out of his chair. With the block on his memory, he doesn't feel old, more like he has been 18 hundreds of times. This life is least like his others and he likes the personal moments are something he cherishes. For most of his lives, around this time, his sister is taking a turn for the worst, not waiting to receive the highest medical care around in the solar system.
"Where else can we go besides the cafe? Maybe you should open a few businesses around town to attract more people and stuff? Asa grabs his arm as they walk out to the car. Sihle car is a spacious salon. Sihle runs to open the door for her like in the classic movies he used to watch with his folks. Asa thanks him, her heart pounding. Her first date with Sihle is about to begin.
Asa made the leap to ask Sihle out, and he said yes. She even surprises herself with how quickly she planned their date. As they drive off, John and Athena are finally about to have the big talk. They are using one of the soundproof conference rooms. They set the windows to privacy mode so that they can hash out their feelings.
"Would you like a coffee?" Athena pouring herself a mug. The mug in her hand is one John got for her. It is three times the size of a normal mug. John sits back in the chair with a serious expression.
"No I just want the truth, or at least open up a little to me and just tell what is going with you." His slow methodical tone is him trying to control his emotions. He has been with her since he was thirteen. She is his first love, his first everything, and she is real.
For a long time, almost Sihle and Raul would tease him about dating over the net. They thought she might be one of those girlfriends looking for a visa. Mars might not be the best place in the solar system, but it is better than many outer worlds.
She eyes over her cup taking a sip. "I can't I really can't. Isn't knowing that I love you enough for you." There is no way he can understand what she has done to get to where she is today. Most would break but not her.
"How can it be enough? Look at us, our lives are changing and I feel like I'm losing you. I don't even understand how it is happening." his face crumples as his nervous body produces an unpleasant taste in his mouth.
"If you trust me, then everything will work out. I promise." She is holding that cup for dear life. She isn't lying, but her vows come first and she will not betray them, not even for him.
"If it was just us, I would do that in a heartbeat, Athena. I trust you, I really do. This is bigger than the two of us. Our friends and family are all depending on me. I can't risk them if I don't understand want you are after." She has moved almost her entire fortune and he doesn't know where, he doesn't know why she has one thousand captains or where one thousand blood elves came from even. They are supposed to be a rare species.
"I can't really, my love. Please believe in me and trust what I am doing is for the best." There is no pretence between them they are both speaking from the heart. Two people with the weight of real lives on the line.
"The best for who? Athena, you are not part of our goals outside the game. If you weren't my girlfriend, would you even still be in the guild? The way I see it, you are using us. I don't mind you using me, leaning on me. It is why I'm here. But the others are not your playthings." He has to stand for them. If she is a spy like Raul thinks for some major, corporation then he has to be careful she doesn't get them bought out before they grow big enough to protect themselves.
"I told you I'm not a corporate spy. I doing what I have to. I hope one day you will understand. So what happens now?" Her heart in her throat, the money they made has advanced her position and made her popular with the commander. Which is why she has a legion under her command.
"We continue as is, you have not done anything wrong. Keeping a secret is not wrong. I just hope you consider me...consider us in whatever scheme you are involved in. Athena, these people are my family. I will not let the person I love most in the world hurt them...
- First mentioned in chapter 8, first appearance 34, goes by THe Director.
- I just mean in game and real world.