Grandpa Kalvin, deciding to take care of his unfilial sons later, left the living room and then quickly headed to his study where he called one of his n.
“Rodrick, do you have a terminal near you?.” He said,
“Yes sir.” The man replied.
“I… Do you know about Theodore White?” He asked.
“Sir, Is this line secure?” Rodrick asked.
“Yes,” Kalvin replied.
“He is one of the targets for our surveillance… He is very dangerous…” Rodrick replied.
“I already know that. He is on the blue list…. I want to know a few things, like his wife and children's nas.” Kalvin said.
“Oh…one mont……” Rodrick said, then quickly proceeded to search for the relevant info.
Kalvin heard the sound of a keyboard typing from the other side.
“Yes… The information is scarce, No official wives list. But the unofficial list of partners contains 3154 entries… As for his children…. Let’s see… Nick, Nicky, Max, Roxy, Roxan, Rex, Pan, Mary, Cara, …. About 317 registered under his na. He might have unregistered ones.”
“Search for Victor, Alice, Mike, and Lara,” Kalvin asked impatiently.
“Oh…One second … There is no Lara, but the others exist… That’s strange... So of his children were registered in the system when they reached 17 or 18…” Rodrick said.
“So hidden powers seem to have rules like that… Now, tell about the nas I asked you about.”
“Ah yes…. First, Alice White. Blue list. Mother is Elena. Father is Theodore…. Very successful entrepreneur in BlackFountain City… She has so dark activities, but nothing too brazen, just so underground arena. She enjoys extre sports and likes powerful n…. Many young masters around the city might have been castrated by her…. And she rarely appears in public. That’s about it” He said, swallowing his saliva… Apparently looking at her photo.
“Second, Mike White, mother: Elena, on the green list. He runs a casino and a few strip clubs in new Lure city… A pervert who likes to collect whores…, He also sponsors many orphanages.” He drank so water….
“Lastly, Victor White, mother: Elena… On the red List. He appeared last month in Vein city. He is attending the academy where so people reported him for indecent behavior…. And he has many properties around town…. ”
“Wait… Red list?” Kalvin opened his mouth wide…. He knew well what this ant…The lists were created to categorize the people that belonged to the hidden powers…
White ant no power. Blue for economic power, green for those who do minor illegal activities. Yellow for the dia power…… Red for maniacs and terrorists.
“What did he do?” Kalvin asked.
“Well…His car blew up first… then A few weeks ago he blew the sports car of his half-brother, Nick, killing him…. And a week after that, he threw a grenade on the highway… There were even reports of so weapons transfers to his mansion… and his dia company had so bombs purchased for the special effects but they went missing….” Rodrick explained.
“..Did the governnt do anything?” Kalvin asked.
“No… Apparently, his family took care of it… All charges were dropped…” Rodrick said.
“What about their mother Elena?” He asked.
“No info… We only have the na… Not even a surna, Do you have any idea?”
“No…. That’s all for now…. Take care…” Kalvin said as he hung up with complex eyes….
Thirty years ago, when he worked in the special forces… They were following a very nefarious international human trafficking organization, they fought with them many tis almost annihilating them completely. Then… they were ordered to back down. No explanations. No questions allowed.
They didn’t want to, but as soldiers, they could only comply… But he and his team had questions… So they began to do so little investigation… Every ti they found a clue the plot got thicker… They couldn’t even imagine that sothing like this was hidden in plain sight!.
After going all over the data they had for the third ti, they were forced to believe the terrifying truth. The governnt that ruled the Principality was a puppet, controlled by so force from the shadows... Not only their governnt, all the governnts around the world it seed. They couldn’t believe it at first, but the more they searched the more they confird their guesses. Who was this force, and how did they do it?
It took them three years to know that. The force was a conglorate of families and hidden powers that slipped inside the system controlling everything from behind using agents that they put in place using various ans… Even the many resolutions and assassinations around the world were their work!
The president, the leaders, the army, and police commanders all worked for them. And the criminal organization they were following, belonged to one of those as well… They controlled most of the major criminal organizations around the world.
His team was shocked, but after seeing the atrocity that gang did….They decided to do sothing about this. But how? The governnt refused to act. They were even demoted after asking!
So, they ford a secret organization with the goal of collecting information about those guys and then eliminating them. They used the army’s and the governnt's capabilities for this… Secretly of course.
They have discovered that those forces had lists of nas that the governnt could not interfere with… as if they belonged to a different class. They policed themselves…. And from those lists, his team started their search!
All went well until they were discovered… No, those guys were aware of them from the start, but they ignored them, as a lion ignores a fly.
Kalvin doesn’t know what exactly happened, but his best friend found sothing, sothing that caused those powers to kill him with most of the team… Their bodies were cut into pieces and then thrown into the sea.
He only survived because his friend was smart enough to split his organization into two parts when he created it. One active and one passive. Kalvin was one of the leaders of the Passive section which remained hidden… Or were they ignored on purpose? He didn’t dare to think about that possibility.
His friend only left one sentence before he died, IT IS A GA… PLAYERS!
What does that an? He didn't know, but it caused his friend's death!.
He decided to keep a lowkey and only collect information that is available in the public records. And social dia lately… nothing that would make them think of him as a threat.
It has been 20 years. His organization has grown a lot, and they recruited many others who also discovered the sa truth and wanted to fight it… but still, they didn’t dare to make a move. They saw others try and die miserably.
Now, his daughter turned out to have married one of those hateful guys…. Damn it! He should not have been this stubborn… He shouldn’t have let her go back then.
Kalvin sighed as he left the study... Waking in the corridor, He noticed sothing. Victor was dragging that grandson-in-law, Archie sowhere, They headed upstairs… Kalvin, despite his age, followed them soundlessly as they entered an abandoned room and closed the door.
He eavesdropped on them.
“.... but what does the young master want to ask about?” Archie asked just as Klavin placed his ear on the wooden door… A man his age shouldn’t be doing this, but he couldn't resist.
“You seed scared when my sister Alice’s na was ntioned… Have you t her before?” Victor said arrogantly.
“.... I had the honor a few years ago…I might have offended her….. It didn’t go well.” Archi didn’t elaborate.
“She is the decisive type, but she has a good heart, or you would have been dead by now,” Victor said, making Archie cough... He didn’t agree.
Kalvin wanted to see Archie's face at that mont, but he didn’t dare to move…
“Now… Since you belong to the prince’s family’s direct line… Why are you still not awakened?” Victor asked. Making Kalvin almost gasp… He didn’t know that his grandson-in-law was this important. What did he an by awakened?
“Awakened?” Archie asked. It seed like he didn’t know either.
“Doesn’t your family have a secret ritual? Why didn’t you do it?” Victor asked, making Kalvin listen more attentively as Archie seed to be thinking of an answer…
“I…. I made a mistake when I was younger…. I was forbidden from attending the ritual. And…. I was demoted in the family… I can’t even attend their etings.” Archie said with clear hatred in his voice.
“It was Troy who baited you? Didn’t he” Victor asked, making Kelvin's eyes narrow… Troy Wiren. He is on the black list which was reserved for the worst of the worst.
“Does the young master know anything?” Archie asked.
“No… Just the way your face distorted when I told you his na earlier… Seems like I was right.” Victor said.
“Yes…. He tricked into giving away one of the family's heirlooms to a girl I liked… A b*tch “ Kalvin didn't elaborate. Kalvin didn’t need more info either… It was the classic trick. The pitiful girl asking for help.
“You are an idiot,” Victor said. Kalvin outside nodded.
“I know… You don’t have to rub it….” Archie replied.
“No… I an seriously… My cousin Marlie is probably working for soone too... I am not sure yet though…” Victor added.
“Impossible!” Archie said, making Kalvin nod again. Marlie might be a slut, but she is a good girl…
“How did you et her? She wanted help?... No, you won’t fall for the sa trap twice…. Oh… You must have been in trouble, and she saved your life… “Victor said.
Archie didn’t reply…. Victor was telling the truth.
“Don’t worry, now that she knows your status she would never sell you off… Not cheaply anyway.” Victor said,
Archie didn’t reply.
“I am not telling you to abandon her, she might have so feelings for you after all… She is still young... Kids nowadays don't know what's good for them.” Victor said, making his grandfather want to slap him… How old are you to say that Marlie is young? She is older than you!
“What then?” Archie asked… He seed to be beginning to believe Victor.
“She is my cousin, after all, and I don't want her to be hurt... So, You just need to be more vigilant around her and only feed her select information… You know what I an...I don’t hire idiots…. You see, I am planning to let you work for , are you interested?” Victor asked.
“You want to use to get at Troy? What do I get in return?” Archie asked…
“Yes… Now… A few of Troy’s n attacked my mansion yesterday. He needs punishnt… And I decided that he is no longer fit to be a hair to the prince's seat…. Do you want his place?” Victor asked casually as if he was replacing a chair in a dining room.
“Yes,” Archie replied imdiately, with clear anticipation in his voice.
“But in return, I will need your full obedience… You would be my dog. The Wiren family would by my b*tch!” Victor said plainly.
“I am willing.” Archie didn’t hesitate, making both Kalvin and Victor a little surprised…
“Troy did sothing else other than taking your position in the family didn’t he?” Victor asked calmly.
“He killed my sister… He doesn’t know that I know…” Archie didn’t say any more.
“Oh... Well, that’s your business…. Anyway, I have to say this…. If you have any thoughts of betrayal you better back down now, or your end would be miserable… This is your last chance to back down… Once I speak my next word there will be no way back.” Victor warned again,
“I am willing!” Archie said with firm words as Kalvin pressed his ear harder on the wooden door.
“Fine then….First, we need to make you a Player.” Victor said, sending a shiver in Kalvin’s back. A PLAYER!
“A Player?” Archie asked.
“Yes… Your cousin should be a semi-player, your grandfather and father the sa… You will be better than them. But you will have to keep everything a secret though… If anything I will tell you now gets leaked, not only you, your entire bloodline might get executed.” Victor said… Kalvin had the illusion that Victor was talking to him.
“Yes… What is a player?” Archie asked.
“I will only tell you the outline, but… Simply, we live in a world that has ga like rules… and people who can use those rules are called players. Like Video gas.” Victor said.
“Ahh…” Archie didn’t say anything. Then he yelled… “You are flying!” Kalvin thought that they were scamming him for a minute there… He really wanted to open the door and have a look… He better not do that.
“Yes, so of us can fly, shoot fire, and teleport… Like superheroes. Or Villians, Mostly supernatural skills, and almost every awakened have superhuman strength….Your family are only semi-players, they are slightly more powerful than normal humans and they can only use about three or two skills per person. If you beco a full player you would be far stronger than any of them… You would be able to level up, they can’t do that…. That’s all I can tell you for now.” Victor said.
“How can I beco a player?” Archie asked with anticipation… Kalvin who was in a little disbelief listened…. When he fought with that gang in the past, all of them were inhumanly strong… and one of the n breathed fire… He rembers that. But he thought it was so kind of an exotic weapon back then… What if it weren't… Impossible… At this mont he rembered many things…
“Becoming a player is very hard… Your family has been trying for centuries…. But I happen to have a thod but it depends…. Can you fight?” Victor asked.
“Yes, I can use a spear… Family training…” Archie said.
“Then you would be fine…. There is a risk of death…. But this is the fastest way….” Victor said, “Or you can wait for a year or two, I might find you a better thod..”
“No… Grandfather might abdicate this winter… And Troy is the only candidate!.” Archie refused.
“Oh… Then first….. Take this.” Victor said.
“A contract? How did you get it from thin air… A Skill?” Archie asked.
“Yes… This is our agreent. You will be my slave and not tell anyone about my secrets, and in return, I would help you get rid of your cousin Troy and then help you take his seat.” Victor said.
“How do I sign it? There is no place…” Archie asked not caring about being a slave.
“You can’t sign it, only players can. After becoming a player, drop so of your blood on it…. Rember… AFTER becoming a player.” Victor said, “If you leave that place without signing it, I will make sure you die like a dog.” He added.
“I understand,” Archie said, as a paper folding sound could be heard.
“Then Go there. This is called dungeon awakening,” Victor said… Apparently giving a paper to Archie. “They will give you what you need and tell you what to do.” He said.
There was silence after that.
“What are you waiting for? The ritual can only be done once and it would start by sunrise. You need at least 6 hours to get there….” Victor scolded again, making Archie run out of the room and then leave the house without even saying goodbye to his beloved.
Kalvin was not in the corridor, he had successfully returned to his study just in ti. He was breathing rapidly.
“Grandpa… You also better keep this a secret.” Kalvin who sighed in relief as he closed the door, heard a voice from behind him, scaring the sh*t out of him. It was Victor. When did he get there? His instinct as a soldier told him one thing. His grandson was dangerous… Too dangerous... He rembered RED LIST.
“Is it true?” He asked. Found a seat… He was too old for running.
“Every bit of it.” Victor said, “Didn’t you see the Mantises in the news…. That guy who fought them was a player…. “Victor added, making his grandfather opened his eyes wide…. Wasn’t it an army experience? So people even said that it was aliens….
“If that guy is a Player… What is the mantis?” Kalvin asked.
“A monster from another world,” Victor said briefly.
“Anyway, the reason I let you hear my conversation with Archie is for your benefit. You belong to SunRizeright?” Victor asked, making his grandfather sweat, but he did not answer.
“Anyway, the things you heard will be leaked to the public very soon. And the situation in the world is about to change, so the hidden powers would probably start to search for the leaker…. So you better stick your head in the sand and keep your little organization hidden for now and focus on information gathering. That's all I can tell you… You might be able to be more active later…“ Victor said as he headed to the study’s door, making Kalvin sweat more… Not knowing what to think… He better calls his partners and ask, as he was just one of 7 leaders of the organization… But if those guys decided to eliminate them, they wouldn’t be able to resist.
“Oh…” Victor stopped leaving the room as if he rembered sothing. Then he threw a bottle of so liquid to his grandfather, who caught it in mid-air.
“Drink this now,” Victor ordered.
Kalvin hesitated.
“If I wanted to kill you, you would have already been dead,” Victor said Kalvin didn't move… He just eyed the bottle.
“I have to do it myself, it seems,” Victor said as he disappeared. In the next mont, Kalvin felt like the bottle in his hand was forcibly moved and pushed into his mouth. He didn’t dare to swallow but a light press on his throat forced him to.
“You need to be more trusting, you know. I am your grandson.” Victor said as he materialized in front of his grandfather...
Kalvin opened his eyes in shock and then felt as if his body was getting rejuvenated. Every old injury in his body was healing. His back no longer ached, and his joints were more flexible. Even his ***** was working again for the first ti in 10 years. What is this drink?
“This is my eting gift to you. A healing elixir.” Victor said as he headed to the door. “Keep it a secret, people with loose mouths tend to lose their heads a lot around here,” he added with an innocent smile that sent shivers in his grandfather’s back.
“What is a player?” Kalvin managed to ask just as Victor reached the door.
“Oh… I already explained it to Archie…. Victor said, then stuck his head with his hand “Ah…. Sotis I forget how old so people are… Sorry….. Well….. I noticed you have a new BoxStation 7 in the living room.” Victor said.
“Oh That thing… Your uncles bought it to let their children be less noisy when they visit here…. They are still noisy…. Why are you asking?” Kalvin asked with annoyance. Did this bastard just call him old?
“Try playing a ga called World of Truth, I am sure it is already installed…. You will know what a player ans… It was made to teach potential players about the rules…” Victor said with a smile as he stepped out of the room, leaving his confused grandfather.
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