"They even raised your price! It's absurd!" Eric protested as he saw the numbers on the poster change to £50,000.
Meanwhile, Ian still wasn't satisfied with the displayed price, but after he saw a new notifications showing Eric and Erica's faces, he chuckled with satisfaction. Oh, don't even ask how annoyed Eric was when he saw that new notifications.
"Erica Naomi $35,000"
"Eric Numata $5,000"
"This is an insult!" Eric protested angrily, kicking his console so hard that it shattered against the wall.
"Mate... You've got some serious anger issues," Ian teased, chuckling happily.
"Well, I didn't expect them to figure out so quickly that the Ian abduction was our doing, Eric! Just shut up and make sure the NPCs above are doing their tasks!" Erica commanded firmly.
Eric fell silent and complied. He then retrieved a new console from the drawer. I noticed he had many spare console remotes there; Eric truly had an anger issue. He reconnected the remote to the screen, which displayed the situation above from the perspective of a moving object. From behind the window, he could see the orphanage children still actively playing outside.
"Wait... The people above aren't real?"
"Pretty impressive, right? I know you were fooled as well... Ohoho, I remember your sad face when you saw those kids earlier. We designed them like that to evoke sympathy. Quite successful, isn't it?"
"Wow... Incredible, I had no idea today's technology could create that."
"We imitate what AI in the System does," Erica answered. "Okay, enough chitchat. Now we need to think about how to escape this pursuit. Are you ready to play tonight, Ian?"
"Of course, but... How can we get in?"
"Hmm... You want to know how? Hey bro, tell him how!" Erica instructed Eric, who laughed along.
"We hack," Eric answered proudly.
"Huh? I don't understand."
Eric then explained that they were also recruited as players by Bartwin, but due to their high fees, Bartwin didn't like it and decided not to use them as players anymore.
Bartwin was unaware that Eric and Erica could replicate the transitioning machines used to enter the system. Unfortunately, because their machines were unregistered, the AI considered them as viruses and almost exterminated them. Since then, to stay safe, they played the roles of NPCs, sometimes bounty quests, plants, or animals, depending on the ecosystem they entered. They quietly "mined" player points, which could later be exchanged for money. This is how they amassed their wealth.
"Why did you save me?" Ian asked.
"Because we were bored," Eric answered.
"..." Ian fell silent, waiting for them to clarify their statement, but even Erica didn't correct Eric's response.
"Huh? Seriously? Why?! Especially when you two are already living so comfortably!" Ian yelled, unable to accept that there were people who didn't value their own lives like these two did.
"Do you know how long we've been doing this?"
"How long?"
"One year! It's been truly numbing our abilities. Comfortable indeed... But we lost our purpose. We need action, and you are our source," Erica patted Ian on the back.
"You're crazy. If I were in your shoes, I'd live a carefree life and travel the world as I pleased."
After Ian said this, both Eric and Erica exchanged glances. "You don't know that none of it matters if our world falls apart, right?" Erica asked.
"Fall apart how?"
"The natural phenomena happening on the other side of the world because of your actions, Ian! Strange creatures appearing, even those that were just theories!"
"Are you also believing those bizarre news?"
"Oh my goodness, Erica, did you hear that?! He's saying it's a hoax!" Eric punched his bean bag in frustration, looking at his twin sister with an expression of disbelief at what he heard from Ian's mouth, as if Ian's denial wounded his pride.
"Just give it a shot tonight and prove whether we're just bragging or not. And try to create a chimera this time. Unlike the animals you've chosen before."
Erica's suggestion was almost similar to Chester's, which was actually Ian's original intention even without them asking, given the chance to play again.
"So, how do I play if you guys only have transitionings for NPCs?"
Eric's face immediately brightened, he rubbed his hands eagerly, awaiting Erica's permission.
"Show him your new toy," Erica ordered with a smile, "I handle the software, he works on the hardware. Don't worry, he's an expert." Erica explained.
Eric led me to the back, he adjusted the position of a slightly tilted table, then a basement door opened, revealing a descending hole. The room was darker compared to upstairs, and there Ian saw a prototype machine similar to Bartwin's. Cables dangled, and there was blue fluid in syringes.
"Woah, this is legit. How many times have you tried it?"
"Err... About that..." Eric looked hesitant, and Ian didn't anticipate Eric's answer!