This Life, I Will Be the Protagonist

On the day Rita was set to depart with Special Affairs Bureau for Lania Kaia's undersea volcano, she received the tenth reward from Eleanor—a set of three steaming crab roe soup dumplings. Once again, there was no message, and Rita silently accepted them without responding.

She often wondered if her "awkwardness" was inherited from Eleanor. After all, she could guess what the older woman was probably thinking. Eleanor might feel guilty about not having cared for her before, and now that Rita had become powerful and a regular on the ranking boards, any affection or attention might easily be seen as opportunistic or her trying to "cash in" on Rita's success.

When Rita first met Eleanor after becoming a celebrity, Eleanor had been far from this attitude. Back then, Rita was in a rough patch, and Eleanor had wanted to help, but Rita had distanced herself, feeling like any closeness would be seen as her trying to take advantage of Eleanor. So, at that time, it was Rita who had avoided her.

In hindsight, Rita often thought she was more like both Eleanor and Scarlett than she wanted to admit—emotionally complicated and constantly torn.

Rita and Nivalis sat on the steps in the backyard, enjoying the crab roe dumplings together.

Nivalis, having no use for chopsticks, picked up a whole dumpling with her claws and popped it in her mouth, "Delicious! Way better than that talking eel dish." Read exclusive content at empire

Rita smirked, "Of course, it's good. My grandmother made it."

Then, realizing how proud she sounded, she paused. Why did she feel proud all of a sudden?

After finishing their meal, Rita got ready to leave and meet up with Shadow.Q, with Nivalis, naturally, following along. Lately, unless Rita explicitly asked her to stay home, Nivalis didn't like being alone, even preferring to tag along with Rita and play her games while perched on her shoulder.

The rendezvous point was hidden this time. Following Shadow.Q's instructions, Rita went to Los Angeles's largest amusement park, zigzagging through various paths until she arrived at a small balloon shop. Inside, she found a freezer in a corner. Upon opening it, a staircase leading down revealed itself.

As she searched for the freezer, Rita couldn't help but complain.

**Rita:** "Do we have a traitor in Special Affairs Bureau?"

**Shadow.Q:** "No, why?"

**Rita:** "Then why all the secrecy? Wouldn't it be easier to meet at a police station or something?"

**Shadow.Q:** "It's all about the theatrics. The player who's going to help us reach the undersea volcano loves this kind of thing."

As Rita reached the last step of the staircase, she entered a small, dimly lit room where a man was sitting in the center.

The moment Rita saw his face, she froze for two seconds—it was none other than the infamous *9cm Gunslinger*.

The man, the Gunslinger, frowned and reached for his gun. "You have one more chance to save your life, miss. And you too, magnificent, adorable, dazzling, and awe-inspiring ice dragon."

Nivalis put down her phone, paying close attention to the Gunslinger's words. She seriously nodded her little dragon head in acknowledgment.

Rita, exasperated, responded, "I'm here for the *Blue Zephyr's 7 Days, 6 Nights Cruise*."

The Gunslinger grinned. "Oceanview or inside cabin?"

Nivalis quickly answered, "Volcano view."

The Gunslinger relaxed his grip on his weapon and burst into hearty laughter. "Well, why didn't you say so? Welcome aboard, Rita! And of course, welcome to the esteemed Nivalis!"

Rita: "…"

Ah, yes. That familiar dumb feeling again.

After five minutes of walking with the Gunslinger, Rita, Nivalis, and Shadow.Q arrived at a 200-square-meter underground space filled with around a hundred people.

Shadow.Q came over to Rita and started briefing her on the mission details. With about ten minutes left before departure, the atmosphere was relaxed. Groups of players chatted casually, and nobody felt the need for awkward icebreakers.

Rita noticed the Gunslinger out of the corner of her eye and asked Shadow.Q quietly, "Is that guy with Special Affairs Bureau too?"

**Shadow.Q:** "Not exactly. He approached us. Said that after the game invaded reality, people started hunting him down. He asked us to help hide his whereabouts—at least from mystical means—while offering to complete three missions for us every month. So, it's more of a collaboration than him being one of us."

That wasn't exactly a secret. Most of the Bureau knew about the Gunslinger's situation, and even the people chasing him were aware of the deal.

Rita: "…Oh no, did I cause this?"

Curiosity piqued, she pressed further, "Does he know who's after him?"

**Shadow.Q:** "We've asked. He said he has no idea. He's crossed more people than he's even met, so it's hard to narrow it down. Plus, he's already accepted that he's destined to be a dangerous, yet charming, rogue. His words, not mine."

Rita: "…I can understand why they want him dead." She almost wanted to place the hit herself.

**Shadow.Q:** "Agreed."

Rita then activated **Insight**, scanning the players around her. Unlike the hundred-player squad they had for the dragon, this group was primarily B-level with only about a third of them being A-level. Most of the B-level players had specialized skills. As she scanned more players, she realized their skills would likely be essential for establishing the undersea base in Lania Kaia.

She couldn't help but scan the Gunslinger once more. His real name? Silas. Rita wondered if he might be related to *MightySocks*.

But seeing his **Divine Gift** explained why the Bureau was willing to cooperate with him, despite his… less-than-law-abiding nature.

### **Divine Gift: Rogue (B-Level)**

**Skill 1**: *Young Rogue*: Only rogues nearing retirement look back. A young rogue goes wherever they please. By touching any photo and focusing on a point within the image, the user can instantly teleport to the selected location. The total weight of any living beings transported cannot exceed the sum of their primary attribute values. Cooldown: 6 hours.

**Skill 2**: *Old Rogue*: A rogue turning back is worth their weight in gold. When using this skill to retreat, no skill or item can block your path. During this time, your health bar is locked. This is the determination of a rogue! Duration: 1 minute. Cooldown: 5 minutes.

The first skill, *Young Rogue*, was a godsend. The fact that it allowed the user to transport living beings made it nearly as rare and valuable as Rita's **Another Happy Day**.