About two years ago, a hitman using the codename "Peerless" appeared within the Federation's assassin circles.
In just two short years, he had accepted over fifty contracts.
From Texas smugglers to Texas junkies, and all the way to Texas mob bosses.
Fifty missions, zero failures.
Even...
Up until now, no one had ever seen the true face of this "Peerless" assassin. But one thing was certain: no matter how heavily guarded the targets were, they ultimately could not escape death.
Locke...
Was Peerless.
He had no choice.
In this life, he was an orphan. Don't go thinking that just because children in the Federation have so many minor protection laws, they live in some kind of paradise.
That was pure bullshit.
The so-called children's paradise was built entirely on the foundations of middle-class families and above.
An orphan?
Their treatment didn't even match that of lower-class children. At the very least, lower-class kids had families. They didn't have to worry about meeting disgusting men who only wanted to use orphans to scam subsidies, or men who had ulterior motives toward children—even boys.
Locke chose to be self-sufficient.
Given his young age and lack of academic credentials, if he wanted to get rich quick, there was no doubt that being a hitman was an excellent choice.
Locke felt zero psychological pressure.
Moralities?
Good and evil?
He had freaking transmigrated in Marvel. Locke had long since stopped believing in that stuff. Even if he had to face judgment.
Furthermore...
Being an assassin was also a great way to quickly accumulate Achievement and Potential Points.
And he could make money on top of that?
A win-win.
Why wouldn't he do it?
Besides.
The targets Locke accepted were never the "good person" type.
Although Locke sometimes viewed this world as a game, it was a real world; it was just that he felt out of place in it.
But regardless, Locke adhered to his own moral bottom line.
He didn't kill good people.
Besides, if the target of a contract was a good person, the system wouldn't turn the assassination into a quest.
Puff!
Thud!
『Quest Completed!』
『Assassination Series Quest: "Alan Wood"』
『Quest Reward: 300 Achievement Points, 300 Potential Points』
Wearing system-issued sunglasses, Locke supported his current target, propping him up against a corner wall. Then, he took a small card from his pocket detailing the man's crimes and tucked it into the target's chest. Afterward, he turned and disappeared into the dim alleyway.
A moment later.
Accompanied by a scream, a streetwalker who had intended to settle things with a client in the alley spotted the target's corpse and let out a piercing shriek.
Star Tower.
Locke took his phone, connected it to the computer, and uploaded the evidence of the target's death into the Continental Hotel's system.
A short while later.
The computer screen changed.
A line of text appeared.
"Received. Once verification is complete, the 100,000 bounty will be automatically paid. Thank you for your service and support, Peerless!"
"You're welcome."
The corners of Locke's mouth curved up slightly as he spoke softly. He closed the laptop and downed the bourbon in his glass.
As expected of the Big Apple.
It truly was the ideal holy land for farming quests.
Back in Texas, whether it was daily quests or assassination quests, they were pitifully few. New York was different; on the very first day, a daily quest popped up, and the assassination quests were massive.
If he hadn't considered the fact that he was a newcomer, Locke felt he could have accepted all hundreds of contracts listed by the Continental Hotel.
The next day.
After Locke woke up, the 100,000 bounty from the Continental Hotel was paid as promised. However, by the time the money was laundered and transferred through legal channels into Locke's already shriveled bank account, only 80,000 remained.
After all...
Bounties didn't include money laundering fees.
Midtown High School.
In the student hallway.
Locke greeted Gwen, who had arrived before him. "Good morning, Gwen."
He had investigated Peter Parker last night.
The person existed.
But...
Peter Parker was enrolled in a public high school in Queens, not Midtown High.
This was quite strange.
Locke briefly thought he had found the wrong person, but the data told him that this was correct, no doubt about it.
Could Peter Parker also be a transfer student?
Gwen also greeted Locke, then closed her locker and walked toward the stairs.
Locke smiled and didn't pay it much mind.
He had only one goal in coming to New York.
Farm quests.
Farm them as hard as possible.
Strive to exchange for the Sun God and Superman bloodlines three years ahead of schedule. Then, he would just lie down and be an immortal, eternal salted fish.
Right now?
Women would only affect his quest-farming speed. (T/N:- Sure, Mr.Edgy.)
When Locke arrived at the English classroom, a "ding" sounded as the teacher walked in. The mock exam quest from yesterday was marked as complete.
『Quest Completed!』
『Daily Quest: Mock Exam』
『Quest Reward: "Grade A+" Triple Reward Dispatched. 1500 Achievement Points, 1500 Potential Points』
"Nice!"
『Name: Locke Broughton (Sole Player)』
『Achievement Points: 3800 (Can be used to purchase items in the Achievement Mall)』
『Potential Points: 2800 (Can be used to upgrade owned skills)』
『Skills: Driving (Beginner), English (Grade 9), History (Grade 9), Math (Grade 9), Shooting (Intermediate), Sniping (Advanced)...』
『Current Quests: None (The system does not issue any mandatory quests. All quests are discovered by the player during daily life and generated accordingly)』
『Note: "Play life, enjoy the game. Wishing the player a happy game!"』
Locke raised an eyebrow as he looked at the paper in his hand marked with an A+.
Sitting next to Locke, Gwen—who was resting her chin on one hand—glanced at Locke's paper and was slightly surprised.
Locke sensed the gaze and turned his head.
It just so happened...
That his eyes met Gwen's.
Gwen looked at Locke, who was thirty percent handsome, thirty percent dashing, thirty percent extraordinary, and ten percent mature. A hint of panic flashed through her eyes, followed by a smile. "You did well on the test."
Locke chuckled. "My luck has always been pretty good."
Gwen: "..."
He knew the gap between himself and Gwen.
Gwen got an A+ on her own.
Locke got an A+ based on his cheats.
Without the cheats, Locke felt that getting a C would have been impressive enough.
After class.
Locke called out to Gwen, asking curiously, "Gwen, which AP courses did you choose?"
Gwen: "..."