Path of the Shaman

2

Together with me, several more former “colleagues in the shop” came out of rehabilitation. My shamanic sense suddenly worked in real life, offering me to arrange a small masquerade at the exit. As it turned out, some comrades were also not enthusiastic about the prospect of being recognized and helped me to persuade the others. As a result, we all packed the "civilian" in the bags provided, while we ourselves remained in overalls. No, there were no prison uniforms here, and indeed there could not be - everyone present had already been released, and the uniforms belonged to the rehabilitation center. However, a dozen and a half beefy men in the same clothes with the same haircuts looked like the wooden army of Oorfene Deuce, and it was enough challenging task, even more difficult for a young lady who had seen me in real life twice before - the first time in the semi-darkness of a party and with a martinka gurgling pleasantly in her stomach, and the second time - very pale in the courtroom. In general, I calmly passed, just without touching Marina, who was staring at me in the detachment of "rehabilitated" Marina, without even causing a glance in my direction. And rightly so, where is the carefully grown admin beer belly, I ask you! Where the hell is the sweater and beard?! where is the carefully grown admin's beer belly, I ask you! Where the hell is the sweater and beard?! where is the carefully grown admin's beer belly, I ask you! Where the hell is the sweater and beard?!

I had to go home almost through the whole city, but there were two "buts". The first was that our town is not very big, five kilometers from one end to the other, and the anticipation of such an insignificant physical activity did not frighten me, but rather created a good mood for me. The second was that I had not seen all this for a whole year, and now, when I seemed to have returned from a business trip to another planet, nostalgia for my native land swept over me completely. I took out a backpack from the bag, with which I was “packed” at the time, put the rest of my belongings into it, threw it over my shoulders and ran to the house at a lazy trot.

On the way, I made two stops - I needed to activate the city communications in my apartment, that is, electricity, plumbing, sewerage and garbage collection, and I needed to stock up on food at least for the first time. Having done this and that at a pace at the grocery store closest to the house, I stumbled into my apartment with a rather swollen and heavier backpack. After I pressed my thumb against the door lock and began to enter the access code, there was a barely audible whistle, with which the automation depressurized and blew the room. A few more seconds - and the door helpfully swung open, finally returning me to my "past life". Strange, however, feeling. Everything is so foreign and so its own ...

There was a computer on the table, but I only stroked the thin case of the monitor, postponing the inclusion of my working tool until tomorrow. I had dinner, then I went to the nearest garden and there I did push-ups and leaned forward until the stars finally reigned in the sky. Then I fell on the grass facing them and waited for my chance. Most orbital debris, including archaic communications satellites, has long been cleaned up and disposed of, so if I see a shooting star in the sky, it will really be a shooting star, and not another unsuccessful attempt by mankind to break through to the stars. I had to wait a long time, I was already all cold and began to tap tooth on tooth when she did appear. Reaching out to her with just a thought, I asked:

“Give me the opportunity to live again in peace with myself!”

It seemed to me that the asterisk blinked in response to me.

* * *

"Dear Dmitry!

Barliona Corporation is interested in continuing fruitful cooperation with you. Taking into account possible difficulties of a financial nature on your part with access to Barliona, we are ready to provide you with a premium class capsule and a penthouse in the city of C near the headquarters of the Corporation, provided that for at least a year you using your account No. 00041415926535897932 Mahan will spend at least 56 hours a week in the virtual world of Barliona. The capsule will be provided to you free of charge, and the apartment - for use with the right to purchase at any time at cost. Details in your obligations and obligations of the Corporation - in the attached contract, already signed by the president of the Corporation.

Also, for this period, the Corporation offers you a full-time lawyer for free, whose services will be available to you at any time and not only in the game. You can also discuss the details of the contract with him.

Looking forward to your consent

Marketing and Development Department of Barliona Corporation.

It looks like I woke up something in this quiet pool, if the Corporation actually offers me to work for them, providing a personal capsule and a service apartment. And of course, the contract is on such terms that, willy-nilly, I will have to earn money myself. And what to do? Refuse - and finally "screw up" a few quests, since I will be loading coal on a normal capsule for a couple more years? Or agree and doom yourself to the impossibility, for example, to make a reroll? However, I'm pretending to be in front of me, and everything is clear to me. Although this is a game, Renox needs to be saved, and I have already become attached to Elune.

“Dmitry, hello!

My superiors suddenly discovered that over the past year, revenue growth was higher than expected. After careful analysis, it turned out that the main factor that led to this discrepancy was your presence in Barliona. Thus, the Corporation is very interested in bringing you back into the game, and precisely as Shaman Mahan. For organizational issues, please feel free to disturb me at any time of the day.

Sincerely,

Igor.

I wonder if I should bargain with the Corporation, if they persuade me so? The growth of profits, even if the percentage is higher - how much is it in monetary terms? The next letter made me think for a long time.

" Dmitry, welcome! I'm the one you used to call Clutzer... "

Oh, you are my friends, faithful friends!

Oh, you are my friends, glorious friends!

I opened the descriptions of the characters, available to everyone, and began to look at my bosom friends. Robber, manager and craftsman. I wonder why the Clutzer needs my presence in Barliona so much?

“Igor, hello!

I am ready to accept the generous offer of your superiors, but with two conditions.

Sincerely,

Dmitry"

Now, I wonder if they will accept my conditions without even knowing about them?

"Dear Dmitry!

Barliona Corporation will gladly agree to your terms. Please review the contract sent to you earlier, and you will find that your conditions are already taken into account in it.

Looking forward to your consent

Marketing and Development Department of Barliona Corporation»

I glanced over the contract and just chuckled. Am I that predictable? I signed and dated and sent the contract home. Almost immediately I received two letters:

"Hello Dmitry!

I have heard a rumor that you are going to use an experimental capsule model capable of providing constant medical supervision and first aid. In this regard, I give you my permission to enter virtual reality, but only if you authorize me to monitor the medical equipment of your capsule. When making your decision, remember that I took the Hippocratic Oath and that Big Brother is watching you.

Sincerely,

Rostislavsky Aristarkh Vitoldovich, Professor, Doctor of Medical Sciences»

"Hello Dmitry!

My name is Pavel Leonidovich Rastorguev, please contact me either Pavel or my in-game name Pavel. The corporation assigned me to you as a staff analyst and security consultant. In the game, my class is Priest, current level is 278. You will have full access to my stats when you enter the game. Also, I would recommend that you reveal your stats and inventory to me so that I know what to plan based on.

In addition, I understand that you have an urgent problem, and I am ready to help you solve it this very hour, if you will allow me to call your personal number.

Sincerely,

Paul"

Half an hour of communication with Pavel brought me the understanding that, firstly, the Phoenix Clutzer would in no way be able to d******d the video revealing the details of the legendary quest, without personal permission from the head of the clan. I mean, the Phoenixes need me at the Tomb and right now. Secondly, we both agreed that the Clutch, most likely with the help of Leyte, is digging under the Phoenix, clearly not wanting to leave me the only Loch of Barliona.

"Dear Dmitry!

I have been given the mission of the utmost importance by the Barliona Corporation to assist you on your journey to City C, set you up on site, and familiarize yourself with your new game pod. At any time convenient for you, the Corporation will provide you with a choice of a shuttle, an airplane, a monorail projectile or a high-speed yacht to ensure the most comfortable transportation in a luxury cabin to your destination. In the attached catalogue, you can choose the furnishing of your new apartment as a whole or individually. Don't worry about making the right choice right away. If later you wish to change part of the situation or completely, I, on behalf of the Corporation, will be happy to help you.

I would be happy to hear from you as soon as possible.

Sincerely,

Georgette"

Ah, Georgette! Well, this city C! .. For some reason I wanted to go to Paris!

* * *

Of course, I chose the shuttle. I have never used this mode of transport, and I also wanted to visit space. The only downside was that the only difference between luxury class and third class was the number of passengers floating in the cushioning fluid. If I had chosen, for example, an airplane, I could well have enjoyed three hours of bliss alone in the company of celestial nymphs in the uniform of stewardesses. Although, if desired, priestesses could also be invited - as far as I understood, the Corporation was ready to encourage such pranks on my part in the most generous way.

I arrived at the concentrator, where I was nevertheless taken into circulation by nymphs dressed as flight attendants. To begin with, they put me in a cart and on the go gave me a couple of liters of a transparent liquid to drink, which was so indistinguishable from water that I didn’t even immediately believe that it was the same shock absorber. Then I was seated in a spacious, almost completely transparent capsule and had a short briefing. The idea basically boiled down to the fact that when the capsule starts to fill, I need to literally inhale the cushioning fluid, which includes a gag suppressor just in case. Longer to tell, in general. Three minutes after I passed through the doors of the concentrator, the smiling beauty was already closing the hatch from the outside, and the capsule was rapidly filling with a transparent substance. I read somewhere that the viscosity of the shock absorber can be adjusted by a magnetic field, and the onboard Iskin of the capsule was just involved in controlling the coils encircling the device from all sides. Theoretically, the capsule could simply fall from space like a stone, make a terrible hole in the earth's surface, and the person inside should have survived. It is clear that no one has performed such experiments on living people.