Diving into the heart of the negotiations, the tension is palpable.
As for me, I seem to be enjoying the situation, at the same time I am not usually the type to speak in such a distinguished manner.
Me, who most of the time is in awe in front of my screen seeing all the magnificent and perfect characters, after all that the desire to meet new people for real doesn't seem as exciting to me.
But for once, right now and immediately an unknown organization asking me for something so strange is not as unreal as the game I am ultimately playing.
What if this opportunity was the only one that could make me want to live again? Not possible now that I think about it, it's nothing more than a virtual reality experience, why do we manage to create such pleasant unreal things as a living being?
The more I think about it, the more this kind of question comes to my head, making me such a lousy human being, anyone who is supposed to enjoy life, even with an extreme minimum.
In any case, during this short moment when I remain frozen like a plant, I allow myself, for once in a long time, to observe the green garden with its flowers of divine beauty.
My life is so boring, repetitive, uninteresting, has my luck finally changed?
Valima: "Sorry about that, please excuse us."
If anyone should apologize in truth it would be me, apologize for being a candidate, you guys really got one of the worst possible candidates but it is obvious that the choice of candidates is done sparingly.
Do people like me really exist? Experienced gacha or fantasy game players, maybe rich deadbeats with busy parents who barely pay attention to their teenage children, if that's the case there aren't many of us.
It seems to me that GOTC is a very specific organization of the private and local kind, we are in China, brands or companies trying to stand out are not so rare, I do not know where exactly the premises of this company are located but...
If the GOTC is part of the city, then on the few square kilometers that the city covers or I would even say countryside since to tell the truth we are largely less than 80,000 inhabitants here, a dozen thousand inhabitants I would say.
Considering the low population density, the small area occupied by the village of Geonbyuk, and therefore the minimal possibility of having many very experienced players here knowing that the average age exceeds 40 years hum...
I believe I know, experienced players are whales, therefore players who spend a lot, consistent with the fact that they are young rich people, according to the size of the organization exceeding 200 members I would say and that for my part 4 of them including 1 intern I would say that in all there are about fifty candidates at most.
Doing this reasoning in just ten seconds is child's play for a seasoned player like me, when the game we are playing has such complex mechanics and a range of attributes larger than the library of Babel it is not surprising to restore and make a good synthesis.
Nao: "I'm sorry, it's nothing, but you didn't answer my question, but it doesn't matter..."
So worried after what I had just said that Mikaell immediately retorted.
Mikaell: "If it is then in exchange ask us for something, I don't want to lose this job, I may have already said too much but it doesn't matter you have my word!"
It sounds like a cry for help, as if the failure of this mission could jeopardize not only his job but also his life, maybe I'm lucky that my life is boring, but maybe this grain of fear wouldn't be so bad.
In the meantime, what should I ask for in order to get the most benefit? I think I have an idea finally...
Nao: "Let's play a game, I called it "The Indecent Observation Game", each in turn we will have to tell a truth about the other, you know more about me than I know about you, you can try to guess anything about me and you have the right to play 3 against 1 at the risk that I have more information about you 3. Small additional details, it is forbidden to use any computer tool or useful tool to search for information."
Without much surprise at the announcement of the rules of the game without even wanting to refuse they were already discussing their strategy, they do not know it but I already know a lot about them, the game that I have just invented is deceitful, the rules are neither explicit nor verifiable so I will have to play it fair at the beginning to avoid cheating on their part.
After a few moments of reflection their faces finally came back to me after the 3 turned towards me, more than hearing the fruit of their intense reflection.
If I had to bet I would say they would play 3 without any real reason other than that.
Milo, burning with the desire to humiliate me, obviously stepped forward to tell me the result.
Milo: "Are you stupid? Of course we'll play 3, we don't even know each other but we know you a little bit, you just want to get beat up, admit it."
I start walking towards the water corner under the tree to sit on the bench, so they follow me and decide to stay standing, as a sign of logic I decide to start.
Nao: "So I'll allow myself to start and begin the hostilities by approving something daring but quite clear. You are all part of the GOTC, from simple lousy employees."
For the thousandth time since the beginning Milo got angry once again at the simplicity of the fact stated about them, even if he personally didn't like the way I said it.
It was then their turn and for their observation, Valima spoke.
Valima: "You're right, it's a shame that the game is that easy, so from now on it's going to get harder for you and I think you might lose but we're playing the game. For my personal observation I declare that you are 19 years old, born on March 1st."
I look at the small light gray stones surrounding the natural water source, the few green leaves were soothing, the small decoration representing a boat also, unfortunately even in such a calm place terror can overwhelm.
Hearing Valima's observation I was a little surprised. He already knew my date of birth? Either his visual memory is very good or they gathered as much information as possible before the beginning.
I just nod and say that it was okay, now it's my turn.
Nao: "Here is my second observation, Milo is 18 years old, born at the end of the year, so between October and December."
Milo was speechless, showing that I was right, if someone asked me why, well I have a good intuition to guess the age but more than that, in terms of vulgar vocabulary, mixed presence, his status as an intern, I guess only interns are real fans of video games like me.
There is also something else, he was taking care of the package, this does not only show the aspect of hard work given to the intern but also the knowledge to the connoisseur in the sense that this jewelry is understandable enough to pay maximum attention, if this were not the case then he would have had the same tact that he had for me with this big box.
But to tell the truth, it's mostly intuition, isn't it?
Nao: "So? I'm right, right?"
Valima and Milo bit their lower lip in frustration as Mikaell remained calm, still in a rather military posture, he then spoke.
Mikaell: "I guess you're right, yes, my turn then. My statement is this: You are an only child, quite simply."
I smiled slightly to show how stupid it was to say that but just as correct as the other observations actually.
Should I already escalate the game by making a real indecent observation? No, definitely not, let's build up the tension first.
I had already noticed it when they arrived but from the state of Mikaell's hands I had an idea, a hypothesis, a way to force him to be a little more reactive.
Nao: "Now right away if you have never been a lumberjack raise your hand!"
The faster I expressed myself the better, shouting this I raise my hand as quickly as possible, observing the movement of my 3 opponents, first of all Milo the youngest raised his hand obediently without understanding too much.
Second we have Mikaell surprisingly or maybe not in reality, his arm hesitated for a moment but once decided his hand rose even faster than mine showing the doubtful serenity of the individual.
And finally Valima raised her hand normally, neither too quickly nor too slowly 2 or 3 seconds after hearing me, a reflection not so abnormal for a normal person, proving in some way her non-guilt.
So now the real question is is Valima really a lumberjack or am I completely stupid?
Nao: "It's my turn, right? So my observation is that in reality Mikaell has already been a lumberjack in his life haha!"
Milo and Valima turned around at the same time to look at Mikaell in the center with his head down, his gaze dark, appearing empty, muttering incomprehensible things, a real horror film.
Not only me but also his own comrades seemed to experience growing impatience as the seconds passed, I am a Man after all I also make mistakes although minimal considering my hobbies.
The heart rate of everyone in the garden is going at least twice as fast as the ticking of an antique clock, but there is a difference, they are stressed about the response, I am excited about it.
Mikaell: "It's the truth."
He said in a short and disgruntled manner.
The birds on the roof of the house were in a line, all the same color, a light brown that was pleasant to look at, they barely stood out from the color of the roof, a darker brown made of wood, perhaps the same one cut by Mikaell in the past.
The sky was now clearly more blue and clear, the clouds were rare but still present, creating a necessary contrast, the temperature was excellent for me, a light breeze delicately moved the trees on the property as well.
All this calm to be brought back to reality, a man seeming to be devastated in front of me, from an external point of view I can be assimilated to a monster having destroyed his life but in all this I am only a video game player fantasizing about the waifus of the game right?
I can't be a monster, I'm pathetic deep down, I wish I wasn't so dramatic deep down but I can't help it, maybe this virtual reality game will do me some good and I'll finally be a normal person without being what I am here.
This game is incredibly sadistic if you go too far, I'm even sure that it's thinking about having to listen to one of my requests when I win even though it was never stated.
Milo: "How did you know?! We said no fucking cheating!"
Nao: "You're kidding yourself, you know yourself that I didn't cheat. But to tell the truth the way that allowed me to discover it doesn't matter."
Milo: "You're looking for trouble, is that it?! Let me teach you some respect, you fucking spoiled brat!"
For the first time my face was completely hungry for rage, my body contained it enough not to lose control, I was waiting for the end.