Chapter 4: Honourable Viewers

Flashback at Chapter Three

Elannie's eyes widened in surprise and she let out the first laughter in her second life. Then she started sprinting, not forgetting to take out her stone ax in case of danger.

With a torch and a stone ax in hand, she headed to what she believes is the perimeter of a forest.

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"Now, to announce the first task: Find the Base Territory stone to build your territory." Sila said.

"Players be aware that there are only 45000 Base Territory stones in Planet Nyutte. Meaning 3,890 participants will not receive the rights to a territory and will need to surrender to a Leader of a territory to survive." Sila giggled. "Players, the First Round Begins!" Sila rejoiced. "I wish everyone a pleasant time playing the game!"

"Dear viewers, please pay attention to the beginning of our competition." Sila, wearing her host outfit, pointed to the camera and smiled at the audience.

"As everyone can see, we have all the player's POV in Server # 4667. Please select your chosen ones as the auction starts now and will end once a player establishes their territory. Remember, you can select up to a maximum of 3 players as your chosen ones. If the chosen players are included on the TOP 10000 after the first round, you will receive double the amount you bidded and can join the following rounds of the competition."

"Pay attention to the amount of players chosen. If you choose the maximum which is 3 players, the total amount bidded for each three players will be awarded double if they reached within TOP 10000 and will be rewarded 5 times if within TOP 3. This is the same when selecting only 2 players. However, if you choose one player only and the player reached within the TOP 10000, the award to be received will be 5 times. If that player is within the TOP 3, the amount will be changed to 10 times.

If the player reaches TOP 1, the amount awarded to the Bidder will be 15 times and will also be rewarded with VIP Identity along with its priviledges regardless if you bidded for only one or more players."

"Don't forget to select carefully, as you will be out once your chosen players get eliminated or surrender their Leadership rights to another player. The amount bidded will not be refunded back and you cannot join on the following rounds of the game. The minimum amount to bet is 1,000,000 Net."

"For more details, please refer to the Royal Associations source code. Good luck everyone."

As Sila ended the announcement, she was dragged to another station.

"How come the connection was slow? Is everything running well?" Sila asks.

"I'm not sure what happened but a glitch occurred before the beginning of the game." Ian answered as he looked at the holographic images in front of him. "Whatever it was, it forced our system to use a subsystem on Planet Nyutte and did not give the participants all the details on the game which delayed the information regarding the inventory and other miscellaneous info which should have been announced on the gathering zone during the 10 minute."

"Well, never mind the details. When they signed the contract, they should have read the information written there. It's up to them to remember it." Sila said. "My only concern is the lagging happening between my broadcast and to the viewers. This is not good advertisement for the company and I don't want them to blame it on me."

"I'll keep looking into this. If ever the glitch happens again in the game let me know right away." Ian answered.

"What do you mean again?! Fix it otherwise I won't get paid and my subsystem voice sucks. It's too monotonous. Is there a way to change it and add my personality in it?" Sila complained.

"It is what it is and the Sub word is there for a reason. Anyway, just let me know if a delay happens again. You should hurry up and select your players on other servers. Otherwise, they'll be taken by everyone else." Ian continued, "Too bad you can't select anyone on your server. Is there anyone who catches your attention?"

"Oh my god! Don't tell me the other hosts already selected someone?! I gotta go!" Sila ran away without answering Ian's last question.

"Hey! At least tell me if someone's good on your Server!" Ian yelled, "Damn, I could have pointed to my brother who to select on Server # 4667." Ian complained.

As the players continued traversing Planet Nyutte, all the viewers went and started choosing their chosen ones. Afterall, if their chosen ones move to the next round, it will bring glory and rewards to their life.

Draven was one of the viewers of Server # 4667. He just turned 120 years old and became an adult. Thus, this is his first time in the game to choose his Chosen player.

Draven lived on Planet 456. There were too many planets and his planet was located far from the main planet. Thus it is what most people who lived in Interstellar call a backward planet.

Draven gritted his teeth as he is not sure when the first territory will be built. Once the Base Territory stone is placed, it means the end of the bidding and no more chance for him to get on board the competition.

This new game established by the Royal Association is the first upgrade of the War games they promoted before. Thus, bringing hype to its popularity.

The only thing that made Draven decide to join is the fact that it was in time for him when he reached adulthood, and the amount of money he currently has.

He has 3,922,203 Net which is only enough for a year and half costs of living. He needs more money until he gets a job. Looking for a steady income is getting more difficult as there are less jobs to do that need to be handled by a person. Most jobs now are focused on the Entertainment and Military Division. He does not have the courage to join the military nor has the charm that Entertainment companies are looking for.

(Net is the currency word for this story).

Draven decided to visit the views of players with less popularity. As he quickly glances at the players during the 10 minutes, he notices a woman with closed eyes.

"She's pretty." Draven muttered. But she is not the one he's looking for.

Draven was hoping to select a man to be his chosen player. He made his choice based on the past games established by the Royal Association where all winners were men and there was no woman who won the championship ever.

This is not him looking down on females but from the playbacks he watched before, the woman's body would not be strong in the beginning of the game. There were rarely women in the last rounds but they were still not the Final Winner. Some women in the early stage were defenseless as they were either used to a peaceful environment or they were betrayed to be used as bargaining chips or baits to the beast. Thus, leaving them at the men's mercy or the beast stomachs.

Before the Territory Survival Game, A war game named WarLord made by the Royal Associations was the most popular show. There were some women who have strong physiques and managed to be part of the Top 100 contender but soon lost because of their love for another contender making the war game contain some love story which other viewers love/hate. Or worse the woman surrendered, thus ending their participation in leadership on the game. Which spells out GAME OVER to whoever betted on that contender for the viewers.

Draven sweated over at the thought of losing money but it is part of the game. He needs to be ready for the worst if his chosen ones fail him.

As he moved on to the guy wearing a suit, he didn't notice the subtle movement surrounding the woman on the screen.

Draven grinded his teeth as he checked on all males. However, each male player he's viewing has a bid of more than 2,000,000 Net. His budget to bid is a max of 3,000,000 Net. Anything more than that will put him in danger of losing his rental home and nutrition food money.

That 3,000,000 Net is allocated for a total of 2 players, each with a bid of 1,000,000 Net. However, his hope is destined to be doomed. As all male's participants bids range from 2,550,000 and above. Which is only enough for 1 bid for him if it doesn't increase more.

When looking at the women's bidding amount and the men's. A great disparity is shown. Women's bidding ranges from 1,000,000 to 2,030,000 at most.

Draven ruefully sighed. He closed his eyes to rest and waited for the game to bring the players to the copy of Planet Nyutte where the first round will be staged. If this new upgrade turns out better than the War games they brought out before, many viewers will be hooked again and be richer.

Draven frowns when he notices the view of the man's player using a subsystem when inquiring on the system. "Did the company decide to downgrade their system?" he mused.

However, a few minutes later. Sila's voice changed.

"Wow, was that a lag on their system?" Draven laughed sarcastically and paid no more time to it.

As the players begin their adventure on Planet Nyutte, Draven watches more and gets more heartbroken. The number on the right corner of the screen shows 19473/27600 women and 21290/21290 men, indicating that all men have a bid already. Unless Draven decides to use up his money, can he then outbid and secure until a territory is built.

"But it's unknown how long it will take to find a Territory base stone." Draven said. "The bid will be more than my budget."

"Damn it! Why are there more bidders on Server # 4667?" Draven angrily smashed down his nutrition solution.

As he sighs in defeat, Draven decides to start looking at the women's point of view.

The current player he's watching was a teenage girl who was currently crying in the middle of the desert.

"$%@1#! Why are you crying?! You're in a desert and you're crying?! You'll die in no time with thirst!" Draven cursed. "If you sign the company's contract, shouldn't you be at least mentally prepared?"

"Really, the technology to instantly heal all injuries and all-known illnesses is a miracle made by the Royal Association even in this era. Although it is expensive to use, it does guarantee everyone a new life, even to a crybaby."

"But for the players who currently are in a backward era, the payment they ask for is to join the game and win." Draven mused, " Although it is giving new life to near dead people, it does give them a second chance at life with memories intact. But if they fail to win, they'll die which is how they were going to end up anyway."

"And if a champion wins, the Royal Association must abide by the Federal Laws to bring that Champion to Interstellar Era and will be considered living a third life by the public. This was the only reason why the Federal Government allowed the game to exist."

"For a new champion to be born, is a great joy to the Federation." Draven whispered. "But if the Champion was chosen by me, it would be a great joy to myself. Haha!

Draven delved into his fantasies of becoming rich and being a boss with VIP privileges. However, the scream that suddenly sounded, startled him out of his fantasies.

"!!" Draven jumped as the teenage girl he was currently viewing suddenly became headless.

A scorpion quietly showed up from behind the girl. Unaware of danger, the girl was beheaded.

The screen turns black, announcing the elimination of the teenage girl.

Draven swallowed and prayed for the girl's soul. "This is why I don't want to bid on a woman. Ladies gotta be cherished, not slaughtered." Draven hates seeing women die, especially if it is his chosen players. Afterall, once he chooses he will be accompanying the players for everything that will come until they either win in the TOP 10000 or are considered eliminated by the system.

As Draven looks for another player, he encounters the pretty woman's point of view. "It's her." Draven said.

He watched as the woman named Elaisha trekked the desert. However, as he watches her move forward nonstop, he felt stressed when he looked at the count for women's bidding.

27547/27600 women left available to bid and it is still increasing. He has no choice, he needs to start bidding. As he tried for a male player who looks smart and physically fit, Draven selected 2,500,000 Net as his starting bid to outbid another viewer who put 2,400,000 Net. This was the lowest bid available for the male population. Draven decided to only bid on one player since he has no choice.

However, it didn't last long as seconds went by and he was outbid by another viewer who input 3,500,000 Net on the male player.

Draven groaned with frustration. He has no choice but to choose women. He will select 3 women to participate in the game.

Draven looks into which women have the lowest bid when he notices that all women already have bids on them. Draven saw the lowest bid also increasing. The lowest is 2,700,000 Net.

Draven sighed in resignation as he can only bid for one player. It seems that the advertisement on the new game the Royal Association promoted is popular on many planets.

Draven went back to the pretty woman he saw in the Gathering Zone, afterall, she is really good looking. Draven mused.

As Elaisha's point of view showed up, Draven bid 3,000,000 Net. Before he could even press submit, he noticed that Elaisha chance upon a hidden scorpion.

"The Base stone!" Draven shouted in surprise." She found one right away but a scorpion is guarding it!"

Draven watched and did not submit the 3,000,000 Net bid yet. Afterall, he doesn't want to lose 3,000,000 Net right away if Elaisha dies.

As Draven watched Elaisha defeat the scorpion in a calm manner, he started feeling joyous. He looked and saw her grab the Territory Base Stone.

Thinking that she will establish a Territory right away, which would end the bidding war. Draven with no hesitation submitted his bid of 3,000,000 Net only to be disappointed.

Elaisha did not place the Base stone to build her territory right away, sadly, Draven could not withdraw his bid of 3,000,000 Net.

"Oh my god! If I had known, I would not place all my bets on her!" Draven screamed and tugged at his hair. Hating his hand speed for being too fast. "What if she dies now? I could've look into other beautiful women in the game to bid."

"Why didn't you place the stone?!!" Draven muttered. "Where are you going?"

Draven watched as Elaisha continued walking to nowhere. "Aren't you afraid that you might be walking in circles in the desert?"

Draven complained more and more and could only watch helplessly. Until Elaisha reached the boundary of the forest.

"Yes!" Draven screamed, seeing as Elaisha got closer to the forest without dying in the way.

"Forest means food and water. So she was looking for that. No wonder she didn't set up her territory yet. Smart woman." Draven complimented.

However before Elaisha could reach the forest, Draven's screen suddenly exploded with a congratulating banner and then Sila showed up.

"Hello, Honorable viewers! This is Sila, your host for Server # 4667. The first player in Server # 4667 has placed down a Base Territory Stone thus ending the auction bidding war." Sila announced.

"If you have not placed any bids yet on any players or lost a bid against another bidder, we unfortunately cannot include you in this game competition."

" As for the winner of the bidding war, Congratulations! You have secured a place in the game. If your chosen player scores within the TOP 10000, you will move onto the next round. The amount of Net will be awarded to you based on the players ranking. The higher the rank, the richer the award. At the end of the game, your bid amount on the player will either be double, 5x or 10x. TOP 1 will receive 15 times the amount invested and will receive the VIP Identity privileges at the end of the game"

"Remember, you can also change the amount invested on your chosen player before the next round begins after the current round finishes." Sila continued, "Also, you will get access to the participants profile. It will only be available for you to view as perks of being the investor. Take note: The rewards only apply to players with Leadership Rights. Good luck everyone!

The screen changes and a player's profile appears. Elaisha's profile was displayed on the top right corner of the screen but Draven did not focus on that. His attention went back to the view as he nervously watched Elaisha entering the forest.

"Please be safe and thrive powerfully." Draven prayed in his heart and gritted his teeth when he realized he only had 922,203 Net left on his account.