8) Annex

*Damn, guess I have to put my 2 stat points into perception. Hope this quest is worth some pretty pennies, cuz this investment is NOT paying off right now.*

While Perception doesn't directly affect a person's ability to be more aware, as that can't be supplemented through the system. It is only an increase in clarity of vision and makes more details visible to the player by pointing them out and helps when you have to check your abilities against an NPC. 

Realms of Conquest is focuses on the world realism to the point of directly using a person's real life image. Stats only add on to what the player already has. Someone with impared vision can get a perfect 20/20 by investing points into perception, a 2 meter tall man built like a mountain with 3 stats in strength will never overpower someone with 4 in strength, even if they look skinny and weak, as that wouldn't make sense considering how the weaker looking person has more strength, but if stat points are perfectly even, what decides the winner will be the physique of the players.

With such massive level gaps between upgrading stats, it is no surprise how most rankers ate exceptionally physically fit, so when they fight those of equal standing to them, they will have that competitive edge. Sam isn't the most buff person, but what he lacks in strength he makes up for in his awareness and tactics.

With the added point into perception, it effectively doubled his already high awareness and the effects were evident right away. With only the small investment, he managed to quietly track the informant to the supposed house of the woman with a snake tattoo.

*Basically a messenger lacky. Might be strong, but if I catch him off guard, then killing him won't be much of a difficulty, but I can't let him get a headstart. With my abysmal agility and no skill points to learn an unconventional art, this is the best solution.*

After a few seconds of calculating, a plan formed within Sam's mind and he sent a voice message to Gama, who was wandering around, following the directions of some people on where to find the woman's house.

[Gama, I have followed a messenger to the location of her house. I don't know where you are right now, but get here as fast as possible. I need you to smoke him out for me, but act natural. I don't know if anyone is watching you, so quickly go to a cartographer and buy a simple cartography book and ask him where these coordinates are compared to your own. Act a bit overdramatic, like you have been given some ancient tressure and bow or something. The house should be at X********* Y*********. Good luck agent Gama. Agent Shanks out.]

Gama listened to Sam's message fast and instantly got to work. He had already bought a simple cartography book when he was adventuring without his teammates, so he decided to implement Sam's plan and ran up to a stranger, who didn't know the exact location, but Gama acted as if he did and bowed in gratitude.

Afterwards he quickly ran away in embarrassment. *Dang it Shanks, why did you make me do that. It was soo embarrassing!* Even though he complained a bit in his heart, he still followed through with the plan, finding the exsct location and was at the house within 5 minutes.

Sam saw how efficient Gama was and couldn't help but nod his head in pride, reaffirming his plans regarding Gama. As soon as Gama began knocking on the door and it opened a couple seconds after, Sam saw a human figure jump out from underground near the snake tattoo woman's house.

*Shit, he might get away, but is it worth it to chase him? Gama would be taken by them if I suddenly attacked one of their own, but Gama isn't good at information gathering. I don't know the organisation that well and revealing myself might not be smart as well. I also don't know if he is an enemy or ally, as negotiations haven't started yet, much less broken down. I'll let him go and keep this bit of information as a trump card if I need to escape. Hope Gama has it in him to do this!*

[Gama, turn on voice messages and make sure to record everything you see and say and send them to me in clips. I can't hear the woman, but I'll be able to at least understand what is going on. Can you do that?]

Gam stood inside the house and was hugging the wall with his back and head down. "I-I-I, ummm, d-d-d-" Gama could barely even talk as he looked with wide eyes at who was in front of him.

The beautiful woman with a snake tattoo on her neck stood there wearing a night gown, which barely did anything to cover her up. Her curvy body and thick thighs on full display in front of Gama, who could barely look away.

Even with the consent filter blocking her private parts and nipples, just the outline of her voluptuous body was enough to stun Gama and completely fry his mind.

Sam couldn't see what was happening inside and only got a voice clip of Gama stuttering and acting frightened. *Did they catch onto my scheme? Damn, guess 31 meters wasn't fsr enough.*

[Gama, how's the situation. How many of them are there? I can back you up at any moment and I think I have an escape route.]

"I-I" The woman giggled a bit and said "I wanted to thank you once again for agreeing to help me get that mushroomsay. I really need them. My name Annette, but you can call me Anne. Please, come sit with me."

Anne bent over slightly, causing her assets to bounce a bit and motioned towards the table, which was surprisingly empty and seemed to have been moved.

Gama soon realised he had been staring at her barely covered body this entire time and looked down in shame. *She, she she is really a criminal? How could such a gentle and beautiful woman be associated with anything criminal? Was Shanks wrong about this whole thing?*

While Gama was looking down in Shame, the woman's eye twitched a tiny bit out of frustration. *What is up with this freak. Can't even talk straight or look me in the eyes. All he did was stare at my tits from the moment he came in and only now has found his decency? I hate virgins like him.*

Gama couldn't even utter a word as his completely red face looked down on the ground. A few minutes passed and Gama could only steal glances at the beautiful woman standing in front of him and once again forgot what he was there for.

Anne tried to keep a friendly smile on the outside, but inside she was full of anger and frustration *What is wrong with this guy? I even had to convince that horny idiot to pull out early and leave for this!* Finally having enough she opened her mouth and tried to lead Gama on "I was wondering if you could do me another small favour. I really need a good man to help me."

Gama almost jumped je was so startled by her sudden request. He tried to answer, but all that came out was "H-h-hee-eww c-c-n I-"

Suddenly the front door swung open with great might and smashed directly into Gama. Pinning him between a wall and the door itself.

Sam held his hand onto his sword's hilt, ready to attack at the drop of a hat, and quickly scanned the environment, but the moment he saw Anne, it all clicked for him and he had the urge to facepalm at both Gama for falling for this and himself for not considering this possibility.

Before he could speak, he heard a moan of pain come from the door and looked at Anne. He was about to start asking questions, about where Gama was, but the resistance behind the door told him all he needed to know. He slowly let go of the door and Gama fell on the floor with what looked like a broken nose.

Sam raised an eyebrow and said "What were you doing there agent Gama?" Gama soon came back to his senses and jumped up to scream at Sam, but he suddenly realised he didn't mean 'what were you doing behind the door' and meant 'why the hell weren't you doing your mission' and felt too embarrassed to talk back.

Anne was about to get violent with the intruder, but instantly recoiled at the mention of the word 'agent' and said with a shaky voice "A-are you two from Central?"

Sam's eyes narrowed a bit at the keyword Central *A mysterious organisation I have never heard of. Either this is too relevant to this exact quest and city, or it is an extremely big organization. Either way, this little girl's organisation is a lot stronger than I initially thought. What exactly are they smuggling?*

These thoughts went through Sam's head within a second and he looked at her and said "*Better play it safe.* No, agent is just what I call him because he is an idiot. Reverse psychology at this point."

Anne looked at Gama and nodded her head "If Central hired guys like him, they'd probably get disbanded within hours."

As Gama heard the words of the person he thought was the love of his life, his shoulders slowly slumped down and he fell onto the ground once again.

Sam ignored his comrade and said "Alright, I am here to negotiate with you, so would you mind getting dressed. I mean you and your organisation no harm."

Anne eyed him suspiciously and nodded her head. She went upstairs to get her change of clothes and Sam followed behind her. Gama noticed the trend of going upstairs and also followed them up, but on the way up, he couldn't help but stare at Anne's rear view.

Sam elbowed him in the stomach and said "Dude, we have literal VR porn, you can stare at a more realistic and detailed cunt when we are done here." Gama looked at sam and asked "What do you mean? I-I can only see clouds near there."

Sam raised his eyebrow at that and said "Same here, but she never consented to me seeing her naked, so it is normal. I am pretty sure she did for you tho. Is your consent filter set to 'completely private'?"

Gama's eyes widened at hearing he had a consent filter in his settings menu and began clicking the air at supersonic speed, turning his consent filter to 'absolute consent', just in time to see... Anne completely dressed in a female rogue outfit.

All colour drained from Gama's face, as he fell over and punched the ground, muttering something about injustice.

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A.N. Gimmy power stones! I want em!