Chapter 13: first contact

West of Mirage city in the outer ring.

A huge sale was currently going on in the slums. People from all over the region had come to Mirage city just for this event. Representatives of high ranking houses shuffled around in tailored suits surrounded by maids, mercenaries in their battle gear browsed through the merchandise, and all kinds of people were also mixed in as well; Cyborgs, shady characters, merchants and the like.

Amongst this crowd stood Miho with a hoodie over her head while checking out the 'merchandise'. The 'merchandise' per say was not limited to only goods, but also people. Men dressed in only loincloths, women and children dressed in rags. All of them had a mechanical collar hung on their necks.

Although Miho was used to seeing such scenes, but she couldn't get used to it. This is all thanks to Fae being her moral compass, telling her what's right and what's wrong. She recognized that collar; cause she once wore one. When she was back at the lab the scientists there would have her collared in her early days. Well, that was before they determined she was domesticated enough.

[You can't save all of them Miho]

Miho was brought back by the sound of her savior, friend and the only being she trusts. Fae.

(I know.)

Miho replied emotionlessly.

Fae and resumed communication with her shortly after her break down. Apparently, due to the change in the storyline he was temporarily unable to use the system's chat function. In fact he was unable to do anything that could interfere with the system like he normally did. When he regained control however, he was heartbroken to see Miho in such a state. He vigorously apologizes even though things were beyond his control and promised to warn her in advance if he was to ever go silent again.

(Who's our target this time?)(Miho)

[Two child slaves named Noi and Data. Both of which are thirteen and twelve years old respectively.]

(Noi and Data, huh? What makes them Special?)(Miho)

[Well, according to sources it is stated that Noi was emotionless since birth with a very decisive attitude to everything. Hard to get along with and ruthless. These characteristics makes him a perfect weapon. He was sold into slavery by his parents who needed to earn money. While Data on the other hand, is a genius hacker since she was ten. She hacked into the credit terminals of individuals in order to fend for herself. In fact, she was so successful that she could live a care free live as long as she wasn't caught. Her victims know her as code while she goes by her self-given name, Data.]

(If she was so good how was she caught in the end?)

Miho said mockingly.

[In fact, she was because she was under the influence of the male leads halo that she was caught by the male lead. She tried hacking into the male leads credit terminal before she got caught. She thought he was just another rich second generation as he likes to dress undercover. The male lead thanks to his protagonist halo, spotted her tracks immediately and quickly located her before sending her to prison. Unknowing to him, his actions caused the prison warden to deem that she was an eye sore. So he quickly sold her to the mines where she lived a life far worse than when she was in prison. After getting into a fight at the mines, she was sold to a slave trader who plans to sell her at this very sale.]

(That Bad?!?!)

[It was just her misfortune she got involved with the protagonist and got overwhelmed by his halo, if not, that child had a bright future if she applied her talents to somewhere else.]

» Character Info «

Name:    Noi    Age:    13

Race:    Human   Title:    None

Physique: Normal

______________________________

» Character Stats «

Level:    1    Talent:    None 

Potential: E    Grade:    F

Energy Level: lvl 1

» Basic Attributes «

Strength:    3    Endurance:    5

Agility:    4    Spirit:    5

Intelligence:    8   Dexterity:   4

_____________________________

» Strengthening Attributes «

None

» Innate Skills «

【...】 【...】

» Basic Skills «

【Marksmanship I】 【Disguise I】 【...】

••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••••

» Character Info «

Name:    Data    Age:    12

Race:    Human   Title:    None

Physique: Malnourished

______________________________

» Character Stats «

Level:    1    Talent:    None 

Potential: F    Grade:    F

Energy Level: lvl 1

» Basic Attributes «

Strength:    2    Endurance:    5

Agility:    1    Spirit:    3

Intelligence:    10   Dexterity:   10

_____________________________

» Strengthening Attributes «

...

» Innate Skills «

【Computer genius 】

» Basic Skills «

【Coding II】 【Quantum networking I】 

【Programming II】

As Miho was busy browsing through the status of the two children, she felt a very oppressing gaze settle on her. Her instincts screamed at her to escape or to surrender immediately, or else she would be killed.

Cold sweat rolled down her forehead as her foxy ears began to listen to any unusual sounds around her. Maybe it was because she was under tension she couldn't filter out all the ruckus around her like she normally could, so she stopped listening to everything entirely and decided to use her eyes to track down the source of this oppressing feeling.

Her eyes settle on a man in brown cloak standing directly opposite her in the busy marketplace. His hoodie was lowered and only his mouth could be made out. What he wore underneath was a mystery as underneath the brown cloak were rags. His appearance seemed like that of a beggar, but the pressure he put on Miho stated otherwise.

[Miho…]

(I know, I seem to have been targeted by a powerful existence.)(Miho)

(HOLY SHIT! That's a shit load of rewards!!)(Miho)

Though Miho almost got overwhelmed by the shear number of rewards for fulfilling the objectives she still knew to not be carried away. 

(Did you alter the rewards lists Fae?!)

[No. This is a pop-up mission issued by the system. SURVIVAL MISSIONS are originally issued by the system in order to increase the survival probability of it's hosts. These missions are extremely difficult to accomplish and are only issued when the host is in a life is in danger.]

After getting the rundown of that, Miho turned her focus back to the mystery man in brown cloak.

(And him? What's his deal?)(Miho)

[What do you know, he might just be coming over to answer your question?] Fae replied as the cloak man made his move.

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