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20k Rolin Chapter 1: Near-Death, New Life (0x01NLD)
I don’t know what’s happening. No, scratch that—I don’t know if I’m even alive right now. My chest hurts like hell, and every breath feels like a damn knife twisting in my lungs. Shit, I’m bleeding. I think. Everything’s a blur—red, black, red, and then nothing but pain.Fuck. Fuck! I can’t breathe, can’t think, can’t… Shit, is this it? Is this how I go out? Some stupid accident, some drunk driver swerving at the last second. Was I even paying attention? No, I wasn’t. Too busy thinking about how I’d survive another day in that godforsaken house, with Emma breathing down my neck, reminding me how much of a waste of space I am.But this...this is different. I’m different.There’s a voice. No, not a voice—a whisper. It’s like a thought, but not mine. Soft, insistent. "Initiating Rolin system… Connecting… Establishing parameters…" The hell? Am I losing my mind now too? Figures, my body’s failing, might as well let my brain follow.I blink, or at least I think I do. My vision’s all fucked
20k Rolin Chapter 2: The First Step (0x02TFS)
I'm not dead. I keep reminding myself of that. Every breath I take is like inhaling a fresh dose of reality—a bitter, metallic taste in the back of my throat that tells me I’ve just stepped into some twisted new version of my life. I've watched a million animes, read a thousand mangas and played gazillion VR games, but not even once would I have ever imagined this would be happening to me in real life.The glowing blue screen hovers at the edge of my vision, pulsing softly, like it’s waiting for something. Probably waiting for me to mess up again. Well, joke's on it—I’m already a screw-up, so the pressure’s off.I’m wandering aimlessly through the dark streets, my mind half-dazed, when the screen flickers, catching my attention.*First mission commencing: Neutralize threat. Location: Three blocks north. Objective: 100 Essence.*"Neutralize threat? What the hell does that mean?" I mutter, glancing around as if the screen might answer me. Of course, it doesn’t. This system, Rolin - as i
20k Rolin Chapter 3: Oz the Eccentric (0x03OTE)
I’m not sure how I end up in front of a rundown, half-collapsed building that looks like it’s been abandoned since the Great Depression. My legs just kind of dragged me here, one step after the other, until I’m standing in front of this decrepit piece of shit that could’ve been a crack den in a past life. Hell, maybe it still is.The Rolin system’s been quiet since that street brawl, which is weird because I half-expected it to keep barking orders at me. But no, it’s silent. Maybe it’s waiting for something, or someone. My nose drips again, and I swipe at it with a grimace. Another lovely feature of my fucked-up life—a nose that never quits.I take a deep breath, or at least as deep as my aching ribs will allow, and push open the door. It creaks like it’s about to fall off its hinges, and the smell hits me first—a mix of musty air, something burnt, and a hint of… is that oil paint? Inside, it’s dark, with only streaks of light cutting through the grimy windows. I can barely make out
20k Rolin Chapter 4: A Taste of Power (0x04TOP)
I should be nervous. I should be sweating bullets, thinking about all the ways this can go wrong, but instead, there’s this weird calm washing over me as I make my way toward the warehouse. The Rolin system has been quiet since I accepted the mission, just that soft hum in the back of my mind, like it’s biding its time. And maybe I’m doing the same—waiting for something to click, for that moment when it all makes sense. The warehouse is in the industrial district, one of those places you don’t go unless you’ve got a damn good reason. Tonight, I’ve got one—500 Essence, a number that’s burned itself into my brain since the mission details popped up. That’s a hell of a lot more than I got from those street thugs, which means this job is bigger, more dangerous. But then, isn’t that what I signed up for?I slip around the back of the building, avoiding the main entrance. The place is dark, just a few scattered lights casting shadows across the cracked concrete. I pause at a side door, the
20k Rolin Chapter 5: Emma’s Suspicion (0x05ES)
I’m standing outside the door to our apartment, my hand hovering over the knob, the weight of the metal case heavy in my other hand. The rush from the warehouse job is still buzzing under my skin, but now there’s a knot in my stomach that wasn’t there before. I know what’s waiting for me on the other side of that door, and it sure as hell isn’t a warm welcome.I take a deep breath, trying to shake off the tension, but it’s no use. Emma’s been on edge lately, more than usual, and the fact that I’ve been coming home later and later isn’t helping. She doesn’t know what I’m up to—hell, I don’t even know half the time—but she’s not stupid. She’s suspicious, and suspicion is dangerous.I twist the knob and push the door open, stepping inside with a forced casualness that I don’t feel. The apartment is dark, save for the faint glow of the TV in the living room. The sound of some late-night talk show drones on, but I know Emma’s not really watching it. She’s waiting for me."Jamie?" Her voice
20k Rolin Chapter 6: Into the Underworld (0x06ITU)
The rain’s coming down hard, turning the streets of Seattle into a slick, shining maze of reflections and shadows. It’s the kind of night where decent folks stay inside, locked up tight with their families, away from the dangers that lurk in the dark. But I’m not decent, and tonight, I’m not staying inside.The Rolin system’s been buzzing in the back of my mind since I left the apartment, like an itch I can’t scratch. The mission it’s assigned me this time is different, bigger, and I can feel it in my bones. There’s a heaviness to it, a sense of danger that’s almost palpable.*Mission Objective: Infiltrate the underground auction. Secure the data chip. Target: High-priority. Reward: 800 Essence.*An auction. Black market, no doubt. The kind of place where you can buy anything from stolen tech to human lives, if you know the right people. And tonight, I’m about to walk right into the middle of it.I pull my hood up, shielding my face from the rain as I make my way down an alley that sm
20k Rolin Chapter 7: Oz’s Secret (0x07OS)
The sun’s just starting to rise by the time I make it back to Oz’s studio, the sky a dull gray that matches the gnawing exhaustion in my bones. Lyle’s gone off to lie low, and I’m left with the data chip burning a hole in my pocket and a head full of questions I can’t shake. There’s only one person who might have the answers, and he’s probably the only person I can trust right now—though even that’s debatable.I push open the door to the studio, half-expecting Oz to be passed out in some corner, but instead, I find him standing in front of one of his chaotic canvases, a paintbrush in hand, his wild hair sticking out at all angles like he’s been up all night. He doesn’t look up when I walk in, doesn’t acknowledge me at all, but I know he’s aware of my presence. He always is."You’re back early," he says finally, his voice low and gravelly, like he’s been smoking something stronger than cigarettes."Yeah," I reply, dropping into a chair by the door. "It was a long night."Oz doesn’t say
20k Rolin Chapter 8: The Power Struggle (0x08TPS)
The rain’s been pouring for hours, hammering down on the streets of Seattle like it’s got beef against the city. My hood is pulled low, hiding my face from the worst of it, but there’s no escaping the chill that seeps into my bones. I’ve been on edge since I left Oz’s studio, the weight of the mission pressing down on me like a lead blanket. This one’s different. Bigger. And I can’t shake the feeling that tonight’s going to be a turning point—one way or another.The Rolin system’s been quiet since it gave me the mission, which is almost worse than the constant buzzing. It’s like it’s waiting, watching, seeing how I handle this on my own. But I’m not alone. Not entirely.Lyle’s beside me, his usual cocky grin replaced by a grim determination that tells me he knows how serious this is. He’s been quiet too, only speaking to go over the plan one more time, making sure we’ve got our angles covered. But even the best plans can go to shit in the blink of an eye, and I’ve got a feeling we’re
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- 20k Rolin Chapter 31: Uncharted Territory (0x31UT)
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- 20k Rolin Chapter 29:The High Stakes (0x29THS)
- 20k Rolin Chapter 28:The Weight of Silence (0x28TWOS)
- 20k Rolin Chapter 27: A Dance With Shadows (0x27ADWS)
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- 20k Rolin Chapter 23: The Silent Connection (0x22TSC)