Bronya, debts must be paid

Bronya could feel her blood boiling, rushing through her veins, and her blood pressure was about to burst through her skull, jolting her fully awake. She had staggered back to her room after leaving Ruan's room, collapsing into bed and falling into a sweet slumber. However, it wasn't long before she was rudely awakened by the cold prompt of the Life Simulation Game, urging her to join or let the AI take over.

Having recently suffered the consequences of AI control, Bronya wasn't about to let it happen again. She climbed out of bed, fighting the drowsiness, and began another round of the Life Simulation Game. And then, she found herself questioning what the hell this simulation had to do with her.

At the start of the game, she chose to rest, planning to refresh her character before taking action the next day. But by dawn, she was ambushed by Himeko, tied up tightly. She was about to resist when a mysterious figure hypnotized both her and Himeko, leaving them asleep without any room for maneuver. When the hypnosis ended, she woke up to find that Ruan had been lured away by Natasha.

How did things end up like this?!

Sitting on her bed, Bronya clenched the soft blanket. She tugged at the hotel blanket so hard it tore, spilling the soft filling. Her expression was dark, anger simmering beneath the surface. She pressed her forehead, closing her eyes, trying to calm herself down.

'Calm down, Bronya, calm down! You are the future Great Guardian of Belobog. You've faced many setbacks and overcome them. You can't lose control over this...'

But as she recalled Himeko's ambush, her anger surged anew.

'But... it's so infuriating! I want to shove a gun barrel up Himeko's nose in the name of the Builders!'

Bronya mentally vented her frustration, envisioning a weak but satisfying retaliation against Himeko. It helped her regain some composure.

'No, I can't be hasty... Ruan has just joined Natasha's camp and isn't fully committed yet. I still have plenty of chances...'

Calming down, the anger and hidden panic in her eyes faded, replaced by determination. Ruan had been lured away by Natasha, but so what? This time, she wasn't relying on AI control; she was handling the game herself.

Last simulation was different—Himeko had indeed found a new path, managing to save Belobog with Ruan's help. But Natasha? She was just a doctor from the lower district! Could studying medicine save Belobog?

She refused to believe that Ruan, someone who would give his life to protect Belobog, would betray her for a doctor.

With this resolve, Bronya ignored the still-sleeping Himeko, controlling her game character to leave the Gerti Hotel. She was going to Natasha's clinic to take Ruan back!

Meanwhile—

"Ruan has become your assistant," Natasha read the words on the screen, a satisfied smile playing on her lips. Today's events weren't coincidences but part of her meticulously planned scheme to lure Ruan.

As the leader of Geoflame, who maintained order in the lower district, Natasha understood a fundamental truth—what others could offer wasn't important; fulfilling one's own desires was. To recruit Ruan, she needed to bait him with something he deeply desired, drawing him in like a fish.

In every simulation, Ruan appeared as a hero, always on the right path to save Belobog, dedicating himself to this cause. Clearly, his heart was set on saving Belobog. The concept of "snowstorm immunity" that could eliminate the cold and allow humans to live in the snow naturally caught his interest.

However, merely piquing his interest wasn't enough to achieve Natasha's goal of making Ruan her subordinate. She also needed to temporarily remove Bronya, his current superior, putting her to sleep so she couldn't interfere with Ruan's actions.

Natasha was puzzled when she saw Himeko attacking Bronya while she was deploying the sedative in Bronya's room. She didn't understand why this happened, but seeing the results on the screen, she felt it didn't matter anymore.

She had expected that after luring Ruan with the "cold-repelling medicine," she would have to persuade him extensively to become Geoflame's deputy leader. But Ruan's interest in the [Abundance] Path made him agree to be her assistant almost immediately. 

This wasn't her ultimate goal, but it was close enough. Ruan's expertise wouldn't diminish by being her assistant. If Geoflame encountered any issues, Ruan, as her assistant, wouldn't refuse to help.

This step ensured the future of Geoflame, the lower district, and even all of Belobog with Ruan's presence. If Ruan's medical talent was good enough, he might even help her perfect the "snowstorm immunity" potion, making it a win-win situation.

With this thought, Natasha clicked on the screen, continuing the simulation:

"Ruan seeks to learn the skill 'Introduction to Medicine' from you. Do you want to teach Ruan?"

Ruan was truly interested in medicine. Natasha, contemplating this, clicked "yes" on the screen:

"You teach Ruan the basics of medicine."

"Ruan's skill in medicine has increased."

"Due to Ruan's talent 'Genius,' his skill in medicine has increased significantly."

Huh??

Natasha was stunned, finding it hard to believe.

Ruan... learns this quickly?

She continued the simulation, teaching Ruan more.

...

"You receive free instruction from Natasha, increasing your medical skill."

"You receive..."

"You..."

Ruan watched the experience points flooding the screen, feeling a bit amazed.

Who would've thought that besides fighting monsters for combat experience, he could gain other skills this quickly? Natasha was like his destined mentor. Based on this skill's leveling speed, he estimated he could fully master it within half a month.

Who knew there was such an efficient mentoring system? If it works for other Paths, then learning from people like Clara or Silvaria could potentially unlock the [Erudition] Path after some time.

The Life Simulation Game had many unexplored mechanics. Ruan realized his previous grind-focused strategy was too crude. No wonder he never cleared the simulations—he was still too inexperienced.

As he pondered, new text appeared on the screen:

"As time passes, you spend the entire day at Natasha's clinic."

"Your medical skill has increased—Lv. 13."

"You are eager to learn more from Natasha."

"But Natasha, exhausted, shakes her head, indicating she has no more to teach today."

"She tells you that you've almost mastered the theoretical knowledge and now need practical experience."

"She invites you to return tomorrow to learn how to treat patients and develop new medicines."

"You've completed a day of medical study and gained some Path progress."

"Your current progress on the [Abundance] Path is—(1/10)."

"Continuing as Natasha's assistant will help you advance. Once your progress reaches the maximum, you will automatically step onto the [Abundance] Path."

Ruan felt energized.

Just one day of studying medicine to gain a Path point? Nine more days to fully step onto the [Abundance] Path... 

Given the timeline from the last simulation, he had at least two to three years before facing the Calamity Vanguard, enough time to level up the [Abundance] Path.

The screen dimmed, and new text appeared:

"You thank Natasha for her teaching and prepare to leave."

"Suddenly, someone pushes open the clinic door excitedly, and you see a familiar figure—"

"Your former superior, Bronya Rand, is walking toward you."