Author note:
Extra Chapter for reaching the 3rd goal of 200 Power Stones!
I never thought we would go this far and I’m starting to regret going this challenge.
You like to torture that much? Ok. Get 300 Power Stones or 70 Golden Tickers and I will release a 4th extra Chapter!
=============================================
Lara ca out of the bathroom and Mark went in to take a quick shower, or so it looked to everyone else. Once the door closed behind him, he pulled his pants down, sat on the toilet opened his inventory, and looked at the listed item. After a mont of hesitation, he selected two items and took them out, one in each hand.
’.... How...?’
In his right hand, Mark held his phone. The device survived the disaster Malarak and his spawn had caused, but that left it in a terrible state. In his left hand, he was holding the sa device. An exact copy down to the tiniest of cracks on the screen protector.
He pressed the power button on both devices and the screens lit up. Both had the sa default lock-screen wallpaper. The only difference between the two was that the original was empty while the copy had a single notification.
[Friend: Hide it]
The ssage arrived seconds after the device dropped inside the earbud box and Mark made the split-second decision to store it in his inventory. Even though he had no idea what the purpose behind it was, just knowing that there was one made him adamant about learning what it was.
[
Would you like to store this item?
>YES NO
]
He returned the original to his Inventory and stared at the notification on the copy. Swiping on the screen unlocked it right away. There was no password or pattern lock, which was a little surprising, but not as much as the complete lack of applications on the ho screen.
’A ssenger app?’
The icon was blue in color with a small white envelope at the center. That pointed to it being a ssaging app, but it wasn’t one he was familiar with. Mark checked the notification and saw that it ca from that app, which should’ve been obvious since it was the only one on the phone.
After coming this far there was no point in waiting so he tapped the icon and opened the app. As expected, there was only one contact, with the only ssage sent and received being the one from the notification telling him to hide it.
The na of the contact was "Friend".
’Yeah, as if anyone would believe that...’
Mark didn’t even contemplate sending a reply when a bubble with three dots appeared on the left side of the screen, alerting him that whoever sent the ssage was typing a new one.
[
Friend: That was quick.
I didn’t expect you to take it out so soon.
]
Mark stared at the words for a long two seconds before typing a reply.
[Mark: What do you want?]
For a mont there he wondered if the whole thing was just an elaborate prank played by his new squadmates. Careful consideration made him reconsider, however. There was no need for them to go to such length just for a prank when they could’ve gone for sothing simpler with twice the impact.
[Friend: Let’s not worry about that for now.
What matters right now is what YOU want.]
Mark’s brow twitched and the corners of his mouth curled up.
[Mark: What?
Are you going to offer three wishes or sothing?
Friend: (Laughing face emoji)
Since you’re wearing their uniform, I’m guessing you joined the PKs?
Mark: Soone has eyes.
And a brain as well.
]
Mark wasn’t exceptionally good at math but he could count to three at the very least. This was the third ti in a single week that he learned about soone spying on him, which was far less disturbing than the first one. It beca sothing he expected at this point. Even now he wasn’t too sure if he was being monitored or not.
’I feel sorry for whoever is watching now...’
He was starting to lean toward the possibility that whoever sent him the phone was one of the invaders Ramsay ntioned before. The image of a woman in a red cloak flashed in his mind and his smile turned into a frown.
[Friend: Do you want out?]
Even though he was waiting for it, Mark was still taken aback when the ssage arrived.
[Mark: What makes you think that?]
There was a short pause before a reply was sent.
[Friend: Because you and I both know you wouldn’t have joined them if given the choice.
Let’s set so things straight before you give your answer.
I can help you escape from the PKs.
But that’s not what I’m offering. Not right now, at last.
]
The last ssage raised an eyebrow.
[Mark: Are you sure about that?
Friend: You being with the PKs works for both of us.
We can have them guard you.
It’s a lot less stressful.
]
Mark was a little confused so he put that in a ssage and pressed send.
[Mark: Then what are you offering?]
He waited patiently for the ssage to arrive, and this ti it didn’t take long.
[Friend: I’m offering you what the PKs aren’t telling you.]
Before he could ask, "Friend" sent another ssage.
[Friend: ■■■■■]
Mark’s eyes narrowed.
[Friend: You can’t read it, can you?]
A layer of mosaic appeared above one of the ssages, completely masking it from view. Mark stared at the screen for so ti then closed it and rubbed his eyes. After a few seconds, he took a deep breath and opened the app again. The mosaic was still there, hiding whatever word the other person had sent.
[Friend: The ssage is a perfectly readable word.
If you’re unable to see it
That would an you don’t et the system’s requirents.
]
Mark recalled the first System screen he ever saw, and after staring at the censored ssage for a while the sa one appeared in front of him.
[You do not et the requirents to access this information.]
The ssage should have been on his mind ever since it first appeared, but for so inexplicable reason, he had forgotten all about it until now. He even asked the PK leader if she knew what Lara was yet it never even occurred to him to ntion it in the sa conversation.
[Friend: So this isn’t your first ti going through this...]
Snapping back to his senses, Mark stared at the cracked screen of the phone. His thumbs moved a second later.
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