Chapter 6: Business

As Gin followed through with his Combat 101 tutorial, he also began his Gathering 102 and Crafting 103 tutorial.

The lizard corpses were digitized into a pile.

“Skin them.”

The cold gathering instructor said.

Gin was given a small but sharp knife. He wasn’t given any help and was left to his own accord.

“How is this a tutorial?”

Looking down at the cold corpse, Gin could only sigh as he plunged the knife into the lizard’s sides. He cut open the stomach and tried to pry the innards out with his hands and the knife. It wasn’t very clean as he made mistakes often. Soon, the carcass was left with only skin, bones, and flesh. All the inner organs were removed.

“I said, skin it.”

The instructor appeared again repeating what he said with annoyance.

Gin sighed. He took the knife and carefully drove it between the skin and the meat. He slowly tried to separate the epithelial layer without damaging too much of it. But the lizard’s scales started to fall off as it was skinned.

“Stop. You’re ruining it,” The instructor sighed, “Another idiot.”

Gin frowned.

“At least teach me!” He complained, “You’re being unreasonable.”

The instructor frowned and vanished.

Zin sighed.

“Automatic gathering has been turned on.”

“There’s automatic gathering? Why is there a class for it then?”

“Because it’s a life skill.”

“…Where in real life would I be skinning something?”

“I don’t know, in case you end up in the middle of nowhere?”

Gin was pissed off. But instead of staying angry, he decided to go into a horse stance and waste his energy practicing. As his thighs burned, he felt his anger slowly subside.

“Look idiot, it seems like the tutorial program only choose what you have talent for and expands upon those. You are definitely crappy at dismantling.”

“But I didn’t even learn anything?!”

“So? Some folks have talent and learn a few tricks in just a few minutes of testing. You used brute force to try to accomplish the task.”

“This isn’t fair.”

“Life never was about being fair. Neither is capitalism.”

Gin became silent.

“Take advantage of what you are talented in. Businesses call this a ‘competitive advantage’. They will brag about it to others to advertise. Now, idiot, what are you good at compared to everyone else?”

Gin looked at his hands. The only thing he knew how to do was to fix drones the corporation built. He doesn’t even know how to build one himself, only how to fix the parts that he was assigned to.

“I can fix things.”

“Good start.”

“I have access to company drones.”

“Keep going.”

“I can ask my boss for some basic blueprints under the pretenses that I’m studying,” Gin took a deep breath, “Then I can make my own.”

“Nice! Now that you have a possible project goal, there are many other questions you must ask yourself.”

“Zin, why are you talking like that?”

“Idiot, this is business, we gotta talk in business terms.”

“Why?”

“That’s business.”

“…”

“Anyways, you need to know your limits. What are some constraints that hinder you from achieving your project goal?”

“My boss might not give me the blueprints.”

“That’s a big assumption.”

“I may not have the materials to build a drone.”

“You can kill monsters for those, but to get the right pieces may take time,” Zin nodded.

“The drones might not be very good.”

“Having something is better than nothing.”

“Never thought you would be an optimist, Zin.”

“Part of my job as an AI is to be a realist.”

“But realists aren’t optimist.”

“Shh, next question. What are your milestones?”

“Uhm, I need to ask my boss for the blueprints, I need to gather materials, I need to make the drone, and I need to test the drones.”

“Those are basic but good enough for now. Narrowing down your milestones will help you create more measurable ones.”

Zin kept on asking Gin questions and Gin kept on giving makeshift answers. Soon a full project plan was detailed and written in plain text in front of Gin.

“This is it. Your first solo project.”

Gin stared at the wall of text and took a deep breath. This was doing to be a lot of work. But for now, it was late, and sleep beckoned him.

Zin stayed awake as usual and performed his passive processes in silence. But his mind was constantly creating scenarios and testing them. AI who developed personalities can also feel bored. It was the biggest side effect. Since they don’t require sleep, boredom became even more prevalent at night.

Gin needed a weapon of his own, and Zin knew that. Against most creatures, he could not use his fist and good balance to win. Swords, spears, staffs, knives, and axes were out of the question. The idiot’s dexterity was good, but his physical strength is lackluster. Bows are difficult for him to master and crossbows can be difficult to make, not considering the cost of projectiles. The bow that Mead lent them was definitely a rare treasure as it could create unlimited arrows. But as seen in the fight against the mole, the arrows had poor penetration power against beasts with strong hides.

Zin ran several simulations in his head with Gin using various different types of weapons. Thankfully, he had recorded enough footage of Gin fighting and moving so he knew plenty about the idiot’s possible moves. None of the traditional weapons fit him.

Perhaps a gun would work but to make a gun from scratch was far too difficult for the boy. They lack the proper facility for other types of advanced weaponry. Zin thought back to more ancient types of weapons. A sling would take a while to master but it was easy to make. But it wouldn’t do much to large creatures.

The AI sighed. If only his idiot master was as skilled as Rakia and her burning spear. Zin could use any weaponry if Gin allowed him to enter exceed mode but the strain it would put on a human body was not small. Not only that, Zin wasn’t used to the precise muscle controls of human movement yet. That was why he stood still and only fired arrows by plucking the bow. He also couldn’t speak normally as he hasn’t mastered vocal cords yet.

In reality, they both were newbies to this game. But if this were a real game, they would immediately know how to use the basic weapons like swords and spears when they equip them.

Suddenly, Zin thought up of a possible weapon for Gin. But it would require him to finish his project first.

“He needs a temporary weapon.”

Zin thought.

“Which means, we might have to borrow that bow from Mead again. But it would have to be a business deal. She would want something in return. Sadly, we have nothing to offer as of now. We could only produce an IOU, but without a guarantee that we can succeed, even an IOU is nothing but a piece of paper.”

The terminal wall silently flashed its LED lights as Gin slept soundly.

“She must have had a goal when she helped us in battle. She hasn’t gained anything allowing the idiot boy to join the battle. Perhaps she wants something from us. A sacrificial bait?”

Zin knew the boy was naïve. He must make sure his idiot master doesn’t get fooled.

______

The morning rose early as the sun’s light hit the room pod. Temperature regulators worked overtime as they attempt to keep the room at a quaint twenty-four degrees centigrade. Gin woke up to the sounds of white noise that came from fans and vents. He could feel soreness in his muscles.

The oxygen recycler just had its regularly scheduled maintenance by the maintenance pod. The boy could feel the air was fresher than before.

“Zin, what’s our schedule for today?”

“No work planned from the corporation. Personal task today is to contact your boss about the blueprints. You might also have to make another call to Rakia and Mead.”

“Why?”

“We need to borrow their bow for some time.”

“Ah I see. I hope they don’t mind.”

“Let me do the talking and they won’t.”

“Don’t say anything mean to them now. I don’t want to clean up after you.”

“I should be the one saying that” Zin sighed, “The transport pod is arriving soon. Are you going to stay here or leave for the city?”

“Where is the pod going to today?”

“Still Area 50-59.”

“Then instead of making a call, can’t I just see them in person?”

“Idiot, it’s only been a day and you already can’t wait to see your girlfriend?”

“S-she isn’t my girlfriend!”

“Sure thing, kid.”

“Don’t call me kid!”

“Oh, and you don’t mind it when Mead calls you kid?”

“That’s different…”

“Mhm, sure it is.”

Their morning banter continued even as Gin put on his uniform and left for the station.

Once again, after a rough ride, the vehicle docked in Area 59. Gin hobbled off rubbing his sore legs. He wanted to complain but considering that the company doesn’t charge them for riding the vehicle was already a boon.

Daybreak in Screw Town was a sight to behold. The sun slowly rose out from behind the mountains and bathed the valley in light. If there wasn’t so much radiation outside, a nice morning breeze would blow through.

The domes surrounding the Areas were working constantly to ensure the area was safe for living. Although the radiation in the valley wasn’t as bad as some parts of the earth, prolonged exposure still led to some horrifying side effects.

For breakfast, Gin planned to eat at Rakia’s again. It was free after all.

When he arrived, Rakia had just opened shop. The shutters were lifted, and the tarp was rolled out. The smell of spices lingered in the air.

“Hey, what’s for breakfast?”

Gin said with a grin as he watched Rakia work.

“Roast sausages. Your back so soon?”

“My stomach asked me to come back quick.”

“Ha, ok, ok, the food will be ready soon.”

Gin peeked inside her shop. A pan of sausages hung a few centimeters away from Rakia’s spear. The spearhead was burning with a gentle flame. The top of the sausages was scored as to ensure they wouldn’t burst as they cooked. A fragrant aroma permeated the shop.

“So that spear cooks as well…,” Zin laughed then stopped, “Isn’t it supposed to only exist in augmented reality?”

“Rakia is really good at cooking,” Gin said with reverence, ignoring what Zin said. Zin could only give up on the thought and leave it behind for now.

“Yea, not to be misogynous or anything, but your girlfriend would make a great wife.”

“Hey! Shut up!”

“Sure, sure.”

Rakia went back in and took the pan off her spear. With a few metal skewers, she removed the sausages from the heat and let them rest for a bit before handing one to Gin.

“Eat up, I made them fresh.”

Gin took the skewer and bit into the fresh sausage. The juices exploded from it like a geyser. It was sweet, savory, and a little bit spicy. Not even the heat can prevent Gin from taking a second bite.

The sausage was devoured fast. When Gin was done, Rakia handed him another one.

“Good right?” She asked as she ate along.

“Best thing I ever tasted!”

“Thanks.”

While Gin’s admiration for Rakia grew exponentially, poor Zin was getting a headache thinking about how he could make a good deal with Mead.

With all the sausages gone, clean up was easily done. The cast-iron pan was maintained, and the skewers were washed and stored.

“So, what brings you here today?” Rakia finally asked.

“I wish to borrow your bow. Please?”

“Oh, let me ask Mead.”

Her expression changed into a condescending glower.

“Kid, you better not think I’m a charity or something.”

Even though the voice was the same, the tone was very different. Gin almost thought her voice sounded deeper, but it was just an illusion. The fact that they could activate Exceed mode so suddenly meant they were very well-practiced.

“Let me talk,” Zin said.

Gin agreed and activated Exceed mode for the second time.

He closed his eyes and fell backward into the pool of warm liquid again.

Zin took over. He had better control over the vocal cords now since he analyzed them last night.

“We obviously make a deal,” He said to Mead, “We know you didn’t help us out of the goodness of your heart. You need us for something, and we want something more out of the deal.”

“Ho, aren’t you the regular Sherlock Holmes. Fine, you got us. We need your silly kid for something big.”

“What is it.”

“Not telling you the details until you agree.”

“That’s not very business-like.”

“Well too bad, we have the advantage in this deal.”

Zin sighed. What Mead said was true. They had nothing to offer but their service. Gin was already eager to agree since it was something that Rakia needed help with. But Zin was still cynical about the whole thing.

“We agree,” Zin finally replied, “What’s the details?”

“There is a raid boss of sorts that hangs around Screw Town. Those who are players of Capitalist Conquest have grouped up and have been monopolizing it. I want to kill-steal it.”

“I see, so how many participants are on the other side?”

“Five.”

“…Two against Five doesn’t seem feasible.”

“Three of them are noobs like yourselves.”

“This means it’s still a one versus two for veterans and one versus three for newbies.”

“Don’t worry, I got a plan. I just need another willing participant.”

“As bait?”

“Is that what you are worried about?”

“Yes, I must prioritize the survival of my master at all cost.”

“Diligent, aren’t you? Then again, you did just recently develop your personality,” Mead played with Rakia’s shoulder-length hair, “Don’t worry about it, we will ensure the kid’s safety. He won’t have to play bait.”

“Good.”

With the deal going along smoothly, Zin couldn’t help but feel something was wrong. Gin was oblivious to everything as he stayed silent and admired Rakia passively. When Mead took control, she acted more like an adult than Rakia. It enticed Gin in more ways than one.

“Hey kid, wake up,” Zin whispered to Gin, “Don’t go falling for a honey trap now. We have business to do.”

But Gin was obviously not fully listening. Zin could only sigh.

“Let’s hope her motives aren’t sinister.”

The detail of the mission was discussed between Mead and Zin. Several hours later, Gin regained control. Since they didn’t perform any physical actions, the Exceed timer lasted longer.

Rakia looked at the clock and said,

“It’s noon, do you want to stay for lunch? My treat.”

Gin quickly agreed like an eager puppy.

“Ok, let me get things ready.”

While Rakia left to make lunch, Zin reminded Gin of his other task for today.

“Call your boss.”

“Oh, right.”

Gin attempted to establish communication with his boss.

“Hey, kiddo, why are you calling me on an off-day?”

The sound of construction could be heard in the background. The banging of hammers and the sound of electric drills hummed in the back. Although it was muffled, the sound was continuous.

“Hey boss, I need a favor.”

“What is it boy? Did you get bullied again?”

“No, no, not that. I need some blueprints for drones so I can study up.”

“Well, well, well, aren’t you the diligent little worker bee. Don’t sweat about it, I’ll send over some basic drone blueprints so you can review them. Just remember that the blueprints are time-sensitive and will automatically be removed in a week.”

“Thanks boss.”

“No problem kiddo just let me know if you need anything else!”

Before Gin hanged up, he could hear his boss yelling at his co-workers. They were obviously building something big. Due to Gin’s age, the boss was always kind to him. The old man had a soft spot for children.

*Beep*

“The blueprints have arrived,” Zin said, “You have a week before they are removed. I’ll set a reminder.”

“Thanks.”

“Study up, they might be our main product in the future.”

“Will do.”

About half an hour later, Rakia returned with sandwiches. Bread was simple to make as certain nutritional paste looked and tasted like bread to begin with.

There was mystery meat and mystery vegetable. At least the condiments looked normal enough.

“Lunch is ready.”

Rakia offered Gin a sandwich.

“Thanks!”

He took a bite and was amazed by the flavors. Although the bread was obviously made out of nutritional paste, it didn’t have the distinct disgusting texture and after taste that came with the paste. The meat was savory and didn’t overwhelm the rest of the ingredients. The vegetable was crisp and sweet, providing a good contrast to the meat. Together, they formed a sort of balance and made an overall delicious sandwich.

“Everything you make is so delicious.”

Gin said sincerely.

“Thanks,” Rakia smiled, “It took a while to learn.”

More than ten years to be exact, but Rakia couldn’t tell Gin that.

The raid boss will grow to its maximum size in two days. They both must get ready before then. But for now, food was more important.