"Search the place. They must be around here somewhere," a thug said, looking around the room to see if any of the intruders were hiding there. The gun in his hand was ready to shoot any uninvited face on sight.
The room looked like an old office — not well-maintained, but still used. It had a large desk with files, folders, and other stationery items. A chair for a boss on one side of it, with two slightly lower-quality chairs in front of it. Papers and stationery were scattered on the table. A single overhead fan turned sluggishly, its blades creaking with every rotation.
A half-empty bookshelf leaned crookedly against one wall, filled with worn ledgers, rusted trophies, and a few ceramic showpieces. Near the far corner stood a dented filing cabinet with drawers left open, and beside it, a utility locker hung slightly ajar. Lastly, an old couch draped in a grimy gray sheet sat under the window.
The safe built into the wall beside the desk stood open and empty.
Two other thugs hovered near the door. One gripped a gun, the other a machete. At the order, they nodded and slipped out to alert the others.
The remaining thug gave the room one last glance. His eyes swept over the mess of the desk, paused on the couch, then flicked toward the locker.
Under the desk, I finally let out a slow, quiet breath.
My knees were curled tightly to my chest, my spine pressed against the cold metal. The front panel shielded me from view, and a faded leather jacket dangling inside the desk helped mask my silhouette from the other side.
As I heard the soft thud of his boots receding, I wondered how I got myself into this mess.
—
Was I angry with what happened to Marko? Absolutely, I was. I wanted to tear those gangbangers apart.
But like I told Felicia, the idiot had to stand up for himself first. Until then? I'd wait.
It wouldn't be long. If Marko didn't learn soon, I'd teach him myself.
Speaking of Felicia, I felt that I was even closer to her. Things were progressing well.
As for whether she joined Marko for their 'study session', yep, they did.
The poor bastard couldn't believe it. Said he thought she was joking, that she'd ghost him. He still showed up an hour early, showered like he was prepping for a date with his destiny mate, and wore his Sunday best—his words, not mine.
Felicia, naturally, arrived on time. Like she'd miss a chance to mess with me.
She even sent me little snapshots. Innocent on the surface, but with just enough implied closeness to poke the bear. Flirty little jabs. Teasing smirks.
That teasing minx thought she could make me jealous with her actions. Did she still think I would be jealous of her flirting and playing with a toy?
Amateur.
Marko, the sweet idiot filled with blissful ignorance, was filled with happiness, thinking that his crush had graced him with her presence. Fucker, couldn't stop a second about it after he called me when their study session was over.
Yeah, their study session was merely two hours. None of them had the willpower to go beyond that. Even if some subtle flirting occurred during that time, most of it was still spent studying.
She also called me, saying how much fun she had with Marko while studying, trying hard to push my buttons.
I smirked. Told Felicia I was already looking forward to the sequel to her and Marko's study date.
She hung up immediately. Frustrated.
And then, a few minutes later, she called again—this time with another number, with a slightly changed voice, as Black Cat.
She told me the time and location I had to come to for today's heist. However, she didn't tell me more details about the heist. She tried to sound normal, but I could still hear a slight edge in her voice.
Watching her juggle Felicia and Black Cat was entertaining. She really thought she was nailing the dual identity thing.
Amateur.
I wonder how she would react when she found out I knew both were the same person.
I sat in the back of the taxi, en route to the location Felicia—sorry, Black Cat—had given me.
Killing time, I pulled up my status screen.
Name: Kevin Kolt
Tier: F1
Attributes:
Strength: F1
Agility: F1
Constitution: F1
Endurance: F1
Vitality: F3
Intelligence: F2
Wisdom: F2
Perception: F2
Willpower: F3
Charisma: F2
Skills:
Gamer's Mind (Max)
Gamer's Body (Max)
Observe (Max)
Driving (Expert)
Martial Arts (Novice)
First Aid (Apprentice)
Missions:
Taxi Driver (100/100) (Complete)
Vigilante (5/100)
Paramedic (33/100)
Delivery (10/100)
Burglary (5/100)
Art of Persuasion (4/100)
Two of my attributes increased. First was the Vitality, which increased from F1 to F3.
In RPGs, an increase in vitality typically means an increase in HP or even HP Regen. Since I didn't have an HP bar, I couldn't confirm that. But I could still feel the changes. I had more energy for the day. Not only that, but my body became more resilient. I remember slipping on the wet pavement today. The fall was painful, but the pain faded faster than it should have.
Next was the Charisma. An increase from F1 to F2 was not much. I didn't become extremely persuasive overnight, sweet-talking clothes off with a line and a smirk like a poorly written hentai protagonist.
But the change was still there. I received more tips today than I did yesterday. It could be a coincidence. Or it could be me.
Next were my skills. Not much changed. Only my [First Aid] skill leveled up to the Apprentice stage after running around and helping the victims of the spider vs vulture brawl.
Finally, my missions. The same brawl also helped me increase the [Paramedic] mission count to 33, which allowed me to complete the first objective.
Next was the new mission [Art of Persuasion], which I gained after my encounter with Jessica. Persuading my taxi customers with my charisma upgrade certainly helped with both the tips and this mission. Of course, my expert stage [Driving] skill did have a part in that.
Slow progress? Sure.
But I wasn't here to speedrun. I was here to win.
I finally arrived at the designated location. It was a house on the outskirts. The single-story house with the small garage looked run-down. The time was nearing midnight, so the house looked even more gloomy in the faint moonlight.
It looked perfect for a gang's safe house… or the kind of place Ghostface might vacation in.
I dialed her number. "I'm here."
"Wait a minute," came Black Cat's voice.
I waited as told, and a car pulled out of the garage. Black Cat was driving it. It was a cheap, black sedan — the kind you see everywhere.
"Put yours in the garage," she said without missing a beat.
Well, hello to you, too, princess.
I smirked, parked the car, stepped out, and slid the garage door shut behind me. By the time I returned, she was already lounging in the passenger seat.
Of course, I was driving. Why did I even pretend to expect otherwise?
I slid into the driver's seat. "So," I said, grinning, "are you finally going to tell me which poor bastard we're robbing tonight?"
She had kept the information secret till now and only said she would tell me the details when we met for the job.
Felicia didn't answer; instead, she looked at me with an intense gaze without blinking.
I waited for a full minute. No answer.
"What happened? Did a black cat cross your path?" I joked.
Still no answer.
Ooook. Now that was getting creepy.
"Have you eaten?" The great cat goddess finally graced me with her divine words.
I blinked. What did Felicia ask? Eat?
But suddenly, it clicked.
Oh. Did Felicia want to pry from my mouth whether I went to dinner at May's or not?
"Who are you? My mom?" I asked, laughing. Are we having foreplay before the heist?
Her face reddened as she heard that.
"I was being polite," she muttered, looking away. "Clearly a waste of effort."
"Don't worry, kitty. I came with a belly full, so you don't have to worry about me passing out mid-heist," I teased while rubbing my stomach, showing a contented face as if I had a great dinner.
Felicia looked like she would claw my face any second. It was dangerous, but it was fun.
Wait a minute.
Was I becoming an adrenaline junkie like her?
Or maybe I was just a plain sadist.
"Was the food that good that you are making such a face?" she asked, her voice both envious and bitter.
"Good. It was heavenly," I said with a contented face. I waited for a beat and said, "The noodles at the noodle shop near me are the best in the city."
She showed an increasingly envious expression as I said the first part. But her expression halted when I said the second.
For a moment, she stared blankly.
Kitty.exe Crashed!
Then, her brain finally comprehended what I said.
"Are you making fun of me?" she snapped.
"Why?" I said innocently. "Did you want noodles, too? You should've told me—I'd have brought you some."
She took deep breaths. Girl was trying real hard not to snap. She couldn't outright ask what she wanted without dropping the act, and my smart-ass answers weren't helping.
Inwardly, I was cackling like a maniac. Shit, I was enjoying it too much.
"No need," she bit out through gritted teeth.
"Anyway," she huffed, "let's talk about the heist."
But I had a feeling this was not the end of the topic, which meant more fun.
"Finally," I said dramatically, "back to business."
She exhaled once more, slipping back into mission mode.
"The job this time is to pick up some files from a gang," she said.
I suddenly had a bad feeling regarding this. Felicia looked at me and understood what I was thinking. She caught it and grinned like she'd just scored a point.
"How dangerous?" I asked, already bracing myself.
"Nothing big. Maybe a couple guards — probably asleep. We sneak in, grab the files, sneak out. Easy."
That grin of hers told me she was lying through her teeth and loving every second of it.
Why did I feel she purposefully didn't tell me the job details previously, just to see what face I would make hearing about it?
"Really?" I asked doubtfully with raised eyebrows.
"Absolutely," she answered cheerfully.
Absolutely, my ass. It had trap written all over it. From her reaction, I was sure we were going on our most difficult heist to date.
I didn't say anything and just started the car.
"Where to?" I asked with a resigned voice.
"Drive straight ahead," she replied, smug as a cat in a canary shop.
This kitty was begging for a spanking.
—
After driving for some time, we reached our destination. We left the car in the woods and proceeded on foot. After hiking for a few hundred meters through the brush, we crouched in the shadows, eyes locked on the target.
The warehouse looked rundown, with various cars parked outside and inside. A few mechanics with a gangster appearance could be seen working on some of the vehicles.
It resembled a warehouse that had been converted into an auto shop.
If it was just that, there was not much of a problem, even if there was a possibility of fighting with angry mechanics if we got discovered.
No, the problem was a few other gangsters patrolling the perimeter with weapons. I already saw two, one with a wrench and the other with a mutherfucking gun.
I turned to Felicia immediately. The expression of blame and betrayal on my face was clear as day.
Felicia smiled wider, seeing that.
"Oh, come on. Don't be a baby. It was high time we stepped up our game," Felicia said, like she was offering me a protein shake instead of a trip to bullet town.
I gave her a look that said, 'You're getting spanked later.'
She gave one back, 'Try me.'
I sighed.
She was not wrong to step up our game. I guessed, for an adrenaline junkie like her, house invasions were already getting boring.
"What's the job? Be detailed this time," I asked.
"That's the auto shop of Steel Vultures, some small-time gang, which is actually a front for a chop shop," Felicia started the introductions.
Steel Vultures? Never heard of them. I kind of expected it. After all, the real world was different from comics or movies. Not every character would be mentioned in them.
"We are after some files kept in the safe in the office. It contains details regarding trade routes, business deals, client information, and other relevant information. Someone paid a good price for that info," she added to the job details.
Then, with a smile, she continued, "And of course, anything else shiny we find is ours."
After hearing about that, I looked at the warehouse deep in thought. Jobs like that, even if risky, had a much better payday than robbing some unlucky guy in the neighborhood.
I understood my job here. My main job was once again to serve as the getaway driver in case we were caught and to act as her bodyguard.
"How are we doing this?" I asked.
"I already found a way inside," she said, puffing up proudly.
"Cool. Lead the way, then," I said, looking towards her.
Then she hesitated and showed an embarrassed smile. I had a bad feeling again.
"It's just that you need good agility and parkour skills to use that way. So, I don't think you will be able to use that way," she laughed as she stuck her tongue out playfully.
Calm down. Don't strangle the cat.
"Then what about me?" I asked, clinging to some scrap of hope.
"You'll have to find your own way in," she said, chipper as hell, like she'd just handed me a map to Mordor.
Deep breath, Kevin. Deep breath.
I opened my mouth to give her a piece of my mind, but she was already turning away.
"See you inside," she called with a playful wave. "Try not to get caught, rookie."
Then she vanished into the shadows like a smug ghost in a skintight suit.
I stared at the empty space where she'd been.
I cursed her past nine generations.
Then turned back to the warehouse with the patrolling gangsters.
Great. Now, how the hell was I getting inside?
Waltzing through the front door would be suicide.
I circled the building and found an entrance at the back. However, it was not easy to enter with the two patrolling gangsters. Guess which one I wasn't planning to test my luck against?
I observed their patrolling pattern and concluded that their routes were independent, as they moved around the building while occasionally engaging in other activities. Sometimes, they'd stop and stare off into space, chilling while playing the NPC's idle animation.
I waited for the gangster with the gun to pass. I didn't want to take any chances against someone packing heat. One misstep, and I would be Swiss cheese.
Eventually, he turned a corner and walked off.
I waited for a few more moments to make sure he wouldn't turn back.
Seeing the coast clear, I decided to run to the door but halted mid-step.
The wrench guy appeared from the side like a damn ghost.
'Why is the fucker so fast?'
I dove back into the woods, heart pounding. Held my breath like a damn deer in hunting season.
I once again waited with bated breath for the mutherfucker to leave.
But Murphy's law decided to fuck me in the ass that day.
I wanted him to leave quickly, but instead, that gutterspawn decided to stop and stand close to the entrance.
Fuck my life. Fuck that rusty-tool-carrying shit nugget.
He yawned and casually scanned the tree line. Because of him, I had to hide deeper in the woods behind a proper cover. I was sure that if he saw me, he wouldn't hesitate to crack my skull open with that wrench.
Come on. Come on. Leave. Shoo. Walk off motherfucker.
Then, as if Murphy's law thought it didn't fuck my ass deep enough, it came back to fuck my ass again.
The pig turd turned, walked a few steps…
…and unzipped his pants to pee.
Right. Next. To. The. Door.
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!
At this rate, Felicia would be in, out, and halfway through spending her loot before I even set foot inside.
No. Screw this.
If this clown wouldn't move?
It was time to get a little personal.
I crept up behind him, slow and silent, while he stood whistling and watering the wall like it was his life's calling.
I maintained some distance but waited for the guy to do his part. After all, who was I to interrupt Mother Nature's call?
Who was I kidding? I just didn't want the splashes of his deed on me.
When the waterworks stopped and the gangbanger was zipping his pants, I moved.
With quick steps, I shortened the distance between us and kicked the back of his knee.
He immediately lost his balance as his leg folded. The wrench clattered to the ground.
"Ah—" His scream was cut off as I slammed my hand over his mouth.
Didn't matter that we were behind the building. One loud cry, and this heist would turn into a shootout.
My other arm looped around his neck in a tight sleeper hold.
He thrashed, arms flailing weakly. He tapped my arm, panicked. But between the knee pain and the blood flow cut off, he didn't last long.
"Easy. Sleep. It's okay. Just sleep," I whispered to him in his ear like a lullaby.
Soon, his struggle diminished as he finally stopped struggling.
I hefted the unconscious body up with both arms. My spine screamed in protest.
Dragging would've been easier, sure. But drag marks? That's how dumbasses get caught.
I carried him thirty, maybe forty meters into the woods and dumped him behind a tree thick enough to hide a body. He could not be seen unless someone came deep here to look for him.
Out of the woods, I peeked around — clear.
I ran, low and fast, and slipped in through the rear door.
Showtime.
*********************
Hey everyone,
I'm thrilled that so many of you have been asking for more chapters — it means a lot to know you're hooked on the story!
I still can't consistently increase the release frequency, but I've thought of a fun way to make it happen.
For the next four weeks, I'm giving you a mission — complete it, and I'll deliver extra chapters.
Mission: Motivate the Author
Description: Gather Power Stones to fuel the Author's energy reserves and push him into overdrive. Succeed, and he will deploy one extra chapter during the corresponding week.
Objective 1: 200 Power Stones in Week 1
Reward: One bonus chapter for the week
Objective 2: 220 Power Stones in Week 2
Reward: One bonus chapter for the week
Objective 3: 250 Power Stones in Week 3
Reward: One bonus chapter for the week
Objective 4: 300 Power Stones in Week 4
Reward: One bonus chapter for the week