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OUT OF RANK Part 2 : chapter 1
For my birthday, my parents gave me Infinitum 8. Not a very expensive model of immersion capsule, but one of the best in its class. The most desirable gift for the fourteenth anniversary, because it is from this age that they begin to play the coolest and most popular game in the world – "Disgardium".As soon as the birthday celebration ended, and the guests dispersed, Dad smiled:- Can't wait to try?I nodded. Of course I can't wait! The immersion capsule is not some kind of antediluvian VR helmet with gloved manipulators!"Go ahead, Alex," Mom said and laughed as she hugged Dad.- Don't dive in for the first time! He shouted at me. -Alex?- Yes, Dad!I answered, already rushing to my room, where a capsule was waiting, tuned to me and completely ready for work.I hurriedly undressed, went inside, grabbed the metal handrails and froze. A few seconds passed, but nothing happened. Doesn't it work? I was about to run to contact the supplier when a stern voice rang out in the capsule:- A
OUT OF RANK 1.2
So I wandered into the gun shop to appreciate and quickly walked out, mentally swearing and cursing the greedy merchant. The most wretched knife with a "2-3" damage was worth six silver coins.Hoping to quickly earn some weapons, I walked back to the city council building. There was a bulletin board with current "dailys," that is, paid community service that was repeated day after day:Cleaning of city streetsFull-time.Requirements: None.Reward: 1 copper coin, 1 experience point.Delivery of postal correspondenceFull-time.Requirements: dexterity 5+.Reward: 2 copper coins, 2 experience points.WeedingFull-time.Requirements: the craft of herbology.Reward: 2 copper coins, 2 experience points.Protection of the border with MrakolesyeFull-time.Requirements: level 10+.Reward: participation in the division of loot, 10 silver coins, 30 experience points.In total, I counted a couple of dozen tasks, but on each there was a stamp: "Not available. Come tomorrow!" well, logically. The
OUT OF RANK 1.3
A new task is available: "Hunting for Rats".Tristad's archivist Jean-Louis Thoran wants you to destroy the 10 rats that have taken root in the basement of the city's archives.Rewards: 1 silver coin, 20 experience points.I gladly accepted the quest, but deep down I shuddered. After yesterday's rabbits, rats could be real monsters...- Be careful, Scythian! Thoran told me and shook his head sadly. - Recently, an Ursai wild cat was brought in to get rid of rats...- So what?"They tore the cat apart," the archivist sobbed.Carefully going down to the basement, I froze in front of the door, the premonition was very bad. He gathered a full chest of air and, growling, broke inside, ready to tear and kill...And after a dozen deaths, without killing anyone, he abandoned the task. Nimble Level 1 Basement Rats laid me down with a few bites. I had to do a bunch of punches, constantly missing to shoot at least a unit of life. With a screech, the wounded rodent hid behind the backs of comrades
OUT OF RANK 1.4
- Understood. I just thought... What if you want to...- I want what? - It is better to break off immediately, before the impulse has led to unjustified hopes.- Maybe... Maybe we'll see it together? She blurted out in one breath. - Well... materials of the expedition...- Sorry, not today. Parents are engaged in a new project, I do not want them to be distracted because of us.I tactfully said "us", although I meant only her. Father and mother finally received some simple order, but the client is capricious, and it is better to reduce all risks to a minimum. We've been very tight with money lately.Dad suspects that Mom has shashni on the side, which is why he is increasingly attached to the bottle, and after drinking, he becomes paranoidly suspicious and aggressive. Mom, of course, is not satisfied with this: she silently leaves the house and returns in the morning. She definitely has someone.Their constant showdowns spoil the mood so much that you do not even want to do homework.
OUT OF RANK 1.5
- Definitely clever. Yeah, guys?"All he can do is crack his tongue, Crawler," Bomb Truck replied. "Do you want me to slap it without any moral remorse?" I can also..."Leave it," Tisza interrupted. - We're wasting time!She turned around to leave, but Rodriguez still got her way. No matter what I said, their words hurt me, and I wanted to answer."Hey Ed," I called out to him. - You know what?- What? He reacted, trembling.At the end of the day, it's just a game. Nothing more! No matter how much you guys here make of yourself cool, who is worth what, real life will show ...They listened intently, everyone, even Tisza, but remained silent, and I continued:And you know that no matter how hard you try, you live in the real world. And then, if you're lucky enough to take a citizenship test. Otherwise... Virtual mines? Work on plantations? Street cleaning? Is that life?Not a single muscle trembled on the faces of the "dementors". Only a slight shadow ran down Tisza's cheeks: she lost
OUT OF RANK 1.6
Return to the gameThere was no mood to watch the materials of the Martian expedition, given that my way there is closed, and maybe even forever. After all, I will not receive a scholarship, for this you need to be an outstanding student within the framework of at least your city, and we have enough guys and smarter ones. Ed Rodriguez may think I'm a "smart guy," but I've never been so passionate about studying as to go beyond the mandatory program.I don't know how much I failed, staring aimlessly at the ceiling. I did not pay attention to the parental scandal in the living room, which broke out with renewed vigor, nor to the signals of the communicator.The familiar world was crumbling, and I was frantically thinking about how to put it back together, refusing to accept the new reality and hoping that everything could be fixed. I even tried to talk to my mom and dad again, but I got under the hot hand, and things got even worse. They seemed to hate each other so much that they didn
OUT OF RANK 1.7
- And before that time was wasted?- It wasn't interesting. I shrugged, not knowing what else to say about my inaction in Dis.- It happens. But it's sad. And you know why? Because we don't lend! For some reason, smiling, the girl announced. - Hear, Ned! Retreat! The client is cashless! It's empty!- What? He yelled, throwing back some shoulder pads in his hearts and raising his head. "Why are you fooling me and wasting my time, slacker?"Underweight finished with the selection of equipment and was not going to continue. He stood up from behind the makeshift counter and looked angrily, swelling his nostrils. A head shorter than the girl, although a man, not a dwarf, which looked funny.- And it wasn't in my mind, dear Nedoves. I immediately said that I was pricing, not going to buy. So can you tell me what you wanted to sell me?He looked incredulously, figured something out and blurted out in a smile:- I apologize for this... Flash. It's because of a misunderstanding. Our small but
OUT OF RANK 1.8
- The Abyss!He slammed his brass glove against the wall and wrinkled his forehead, thinking he would squeeze me out of me."Dragging myself to the judge, Gail?" One of the guards asked disgruntledly. - Maybe, well, his...- Into the Abyss! Gail said the verdict. "Come on, guys. And you, Scythian, stay away from Tristad. You're not officially welcome here!Your reputation with the city of Tristad is downgraded: −5.Current reputation: distrust.The guards left, instantly forgetting about me. In their minds, they were already drinking with friends and playing cards at the tavern table.I looked at the reputation progress bar with the city: not hostility yet, but it's near. I can't bring it to this in any case, otherwise I will not get into the city.Okay, that's okay. Due to social quests, you can restore and increase the level of turnips at least to friendliness. This will increase trading discounts, I will be given more interesting tasks, and in general will make life in Tristad more