Weekend before Academy Festival
Zero's gaze returned to his status display, and he noticed another anomaly that hadn't caught his eye before.
"Quest in progress: 5"
Zero focused his mind on it, and multiple screens popped out.
======================================
QUEST Updated:
Target: Kill Adrian Asher
Reward: 1,000,000 Zen, System Upgrade, Information about the system
Failure: Death
Time Limit: 2 Years 5 months 22 days
========================================
======================================
QUEST:
Target: West Side, Eir Veil
Reward: 100,000 Zen, +2 all stats, +10 unlocated stats.
Failure: Death
Time Limit: 2 Years 5 months 22 days
========================================
======================================
QUEST:
Target: East Side, Crimson Network
Reward: 50,000 Zen, +1 all stats, +6 unlocated stats.
Failure: Death
Time Limit: 2 Years 5 months 22 days
========================================
======================================
QUEST:
Target: South side
Reward: 10,000 Zen, +2 all stats
Failure: Death
Time Limit: 2 Years 5 months 22 days
========================================
======================================
Mission:
Eliminate criminals related to Ash Corp
Reward: 50 Zen, 0.05 random stats one criminal
Total: 0
========================================
Zero delved deeper into the quest window, his eyes scanning the listed rewards for each mission. The disparity between the rewards provided a clear hierarchy of the challenges that awaited him. Ash Corp sat at the pinnacle, with its reward dwarfing the others, signifying its position as the most formidable opponent. Following Ash Corp were the West Side, East Side, and then South Side. The South Side's reward, a mere 10,000 Zen, might be substantial in other circumstances, but when juxtaposed against the other quests, it seemed almost paltry.
Zero slapped his own cheeks and sighed "Sigh, I have so much work to do." then he continued with a genuine smile "at least this life isn't boring"
Zero appreciates the system for giving him a second chance of life, and also the fact that this current life that he is living isn't as boring as the first life. with that appreciation, Zero washed up and grabbed a cup of coffee then called Tom to pick him up.
'Tom pick me up and don't forget to bring my parents gift'
'sure thing boss, be there in 5 minutes.'
with that Zero left his room.
***
From the penthouse floor of the Ash Corp tower, the city sprawled below, a shimmering mosaic of life and lights. The room, suffused in a muted golden hue, spoke of opulence and power. Rich mahogany lined the walls, and a massive obsidian table dominated the center. Around it, the key figures of Ash Corp gathered, men and women chosen not for their morality, but for their cutthroat ability to get things done.
Adrian Asher, the mastermind behind it all, sat at the head. The tall back of his leather chair only accentuated his imposing presence.
"How is the progress on our new medicine for hair loss?" Adrian inquired, his voice a smooth baritone, belying the steely ruthlessness that had built his empire.
One of the executives, Dr. Helena Carter, spoke up, "There have been... complications. The current formulation has side effects - dizziness being the most common. But in some cases, our tests are showing the early formation of cancer cells."
A murmur of concern swept through the room. Such news threatened not just profits but the very foundations of their operation.
Adrian's eyes narrowed. "What do you need to resolve the problem?"
Dr. Richard Linwood, another executive, responded, "More time, and more suitable test subjects. The ones you provided, the children, are not appropriate for this particular trial."
Adrian's face contorted in mild annoyance. "Was the test subject I sent you not enough?"
"They're children, Adrian," Helena chimed in. "They haven't even experienced the onset of hair loss. We need elderly subjects, preferably those with no familial ties. It'd be more... discrete."
Adrian considered this for a moment, then nodded. "I'll discuss it with the secretary." Rising from his chair, "they will send you around tens of people next week". the shadows seemed to cling to him, echoing the darkness of his intentions."don't call me next week, I have business to attend to."
"hmm? Did we have a meeting scheduled next week?" Helena asked.
"It has nothing to do with the cooperation" With that, he exited, leaving the room in a heavy silence.
As Adrian strode out of the meeting room, his polished shoes echoed crisply against the opulent marble flooring of the hallway. The sprawling corridor, lined with modern art and accented by gold trim, led him straight to the bank of elevators. With a slight sense of urgency, he pressed the button for the fifty-second floor, where his personal office was located.
The ride up was brief, the hum of the elevator the only sound punctuating his thoughts. As the doors slid open, he was immediately greeted by the familiar expanse of his office, high ceilings, a desk made of rich mahogany, and a breathtaking view of the city skyline.
He settled into his plush leather chair, taking a moment to compose himself. He picked up his phone and dialed his secretary's extension.
"Find me three eldercare facilities that are struggling financially," Adrian instructed, his voice cold and businesslike. "Offer them a generous donation in exchange for about thirty of their residents. Helena and Richard need them for... further testing."
A brief pause on the other end followed. "Yes, Mr. Asher. Which of our contacts should we utilize this time for the operation?"
He hesitated for a moment, deliberating. "Begin with the North... No, Nevermind. The south side. And once they're done with the subjects, ensure they're given the necessary drugs."
"As you wish, sir. It will be handled discreetly."
"See that it is," Adrian said, ending the call. He leaned back, staring out at the city below, every decision weighing on his conscience or what little was left of it.
Adrian sat back, lost in thought. The North side, better known as Knifepoint, had always been a reliable ally. Their location was strategically important, bridging different parts of the city, and 'Blade', their leader, was someone Adrian had come to trust.
But three months ago, everything changed. There had been a fire at an old warehouse. He'd received the initial reports with disbelief. A simple wildfire leading to the total disbandment of a gang as formidable as Knifepoint? It didn't add up. The blaze, although intense, had been confined to an old warehouse on the city outskirts. Yet, from the ashes of that incident, neither Blade nor any of his members resurfaced.
The time the flames were out, Blade and his entire crew had disappeared. Some said they ran away, but Adrian knew better.
"They wouldn't just leave. They were too tied to our supplies," he muttered, referring to the addictive "candies" that kept the gang loyal and in check.
His fingers drummed on his desk, echoing his frustration. "Someone must've intervened, taken them out of the equation," he speculated. But there had been no evidence, no leads to pursue. It was as if they had vanished into thin air.
Giving up for the moment, he gathered all the remaining papers related to Knifepoint and started feeding them into the shredder. Just then, his personal phone beeped, signaling an incoming message.