Chapter 12

Vincent sighed as he looked up at the hot sun threatening to fry his skin, the oily secretion of sweat wasn't making it any difficult.

Three weeks ago, he answered the Serlant Military Recruitment call, and three weeks later he was being tested on the many things he learned during his short training. Perhaps it was because they were in a game but learning was a lot easier, however, the training aspect was hellish. He couldn't remember how many they were at the start but he was sure that there were less than five people he boarded the bus with.

He looked around at his comrades. He was still under Dan's lead but the other members of the team had changed over time. Team 14 was no longer a pure players' ground but consisted of some Originals too, like Cass and Darius. Two new friends he made during their training. The second week of training was mainly basic combat training, they had received their standard weapons, a foldable hidden knife, a standard semi-automatic rifle, and a handgun. But none of the weapons were loaded, they were simply taught how to fight in hand-to-hand combat and how to handle each weapon. The third week was when they fired their weapons for the first time and Vincent learned that he was a natural.

While the physical training aspect never died down, he eventually got used to it so much that the punishment of thirty pushups for any mistake no longer seemed like a lot. Obstacle course was simply fun and weapons handling was second to nature for him, hand to hand combat though, this was where he was having trouble and so he privately recruited Cass to train him.

Cass was an Original, she was like any other human he knew. There was no sign of a lack of emotional intelligence or wit. She was the best in hand-to-hand combat in his class, but her movements were not as methodical as one would expect from an AI. Instead, she flowed, yes with different fighting styles, she flowed like she was dancing.

As for Darius, he was a bit special. His score was lacking in every aspect save one. With a rifle, he was an absolute beast, but with everything else, he was among the worst in class.

It was only two days ago when Vincent learned that they were going to get an assignment. The news shocked and shook him to his core, he couldn't understand why they would be deployed when they hadn't finished Military School but it wasn't his place to ask questions a lesson he had learned after three weeks under the "care" of sufficiently evil trainers.

Standing in line for his last test which was weapon dismantling and reassembling, he counted the time with his teeth. Fortunately, it was finally his turn.

A stern-looking soldier stood in front of him across the table with a pen and paper in hand. Her gaze stayed on her book even as he approached her and she asked without looking up.

"Name and Rank?"

"Vincent Orez, Private E-1 Ma'am" he replied, his voice curt.

"You have forty seconds, your time starts...now" She clicked set the pen on the paper, and clicked on a stopwatch. Her gaze finally moved as she watched Vincent who immediately got to work.

On the table were a semi-automatic rifle and a handgun. Vincent had done this with his weapons so many times on his bunk bed that it didn't phase him at all.

"Done Ma'am," he said twenty-seven seconds later, his voice gentle and cool.

"Good job soldier. Twenty-seven seconds, keep that up and you just might finally make your girlfriend satisfied"

Vincent remained unshaken, he was already used to the teasing words of their trainers. It was Baldy's words that got through to him sometimes and even then he did not react.

After being dismissed, he had an hour to pack up his things and join his Team. Vincent had a theory about why the military training system was this way. While incredibly realistic, Life Online was still a game and there was no fun to be had within these barracks. If the training system was any more realistic, too many people would quit and he wasn't sure that he wouldn't be one of them.

With his bags packed, he made his way through the buildings to the mess hall where Dan would be with other members of the team.

'Finally, my game starts' he muttered to himself as he walked with confident purposeful steps.

The team was led by Dan and four members, Vincent, Cass, and Darius. Vincent was the last one to join them in the corner of the large mess hall.

Dan looked up at him and nodded as he joined the group.

"Everyone gets ten minutes to talk with family and I'll brief you about our assignment" Dan handed a phone to Cass first.

***

Soon it was Vincent's turn to make a call and he called Leslie, the first player he interacted with when he got into the game.

"Special Agent Leslie" a collected voice answered the phone. Vincent could sense the mischievousness hidden behind her professional tone.

"Hey Leslie, it's Vincent"

"Vincent?" She asked sounding confused.

"Yeah, we met at the-"

"You're boring, of course I remember you. What's up? How's boot camp treating you? I heard from other players that it's a little too serious for a game"

Vincent shrugged but then realizing that she couldn't see him, he replied, "It's alright. I mean, aside from not knowing what's going on in the outside world, it's really comfortable in here"

"So that's why you called me, you want to know what's going on?" Leslie clicked her tongue, her tone expressing some dissatisfaction.

"You said we'd help each other right? Listen, I only have ten minutes, eight now"

"Alright, alright. Let's see. So the wealth ranking came out, of course, it only records liquid funds but guess who's on the top of the list? Oh and also, you need to see players getting their asses kicked everywhere. I almost pity them, most things require expertise and most players are not interested in learning since it's just a game and that's stalling the game's progress, many people already quit. But there's something weird going on"

'Oh Lord' Vincent grimaced at Leslie's chaotic report.

"Leslie, just the most important things" he tried to guide her to focus.

"Sorry, sorry. Umm, all prisoners, aged and infirm in the real world have been relocated to the CHAOS ARK. They are being set up to be thrown into the game, the government is also conscripting people to play. Basically, their bodies in the real world will be kept alive on life support but Life Online will become their real world, there is no log-out option for them. The date hasn't been set yet for the conscripted and mandates to join the game but if all goes according to expectations, sixty percent of the population will spend their whole lives here" Her tone turned somber at the end.

'Sixty percent?' Vincent exclaimed silently.

"It's not that bad though, I mean you've been forcefully living here for a long time. Umm, important things. . . Oh, the black market opened and umm, there might or might not be a bounty on your head, we're investigating currently but some top figures in the game world are listed for assassination.

"Oh, there's something weird going on. The Originals, they seem to know too much about our world and Vincent? Can the CHAOS Company actually design AI to be so sentient? I don't know, the whole thing creeps me out"

Vincent listened to Leslie go on and on about what she considered important for the full ten minutes without saying anything. He already realized there was something off about the Originals and their intelligence compared to humans but he wasn't going to think too much about it. He also wasn't one to talk too much and his training so far in Military School only served to turn him more quiet and reserved.

"Thanks, Leslie, I have to go" he ended the call as soon as ten minutes was up. Lingering for a while, he let his mind roam around for a bit before returning to the group and handing the phone over to Dan.

Before long everyone had taken their chance with the phone and it was time for Dan to address them.

"I can tell you are all confused about our positions right now. I'll answer your thoughts to the best of my ability." Dan started. He observed that while the Originals were calm, the Players were all confused. Not all of them wanted to be in the Army, they joined Military School with big dreams.

"First of all, we are not yet graduates. And we are not exactly Army, this is part of our training, sort of a dividing line between fresh recruits and Specialists. Those who return from this mission will be sent to specialized Schools and those who don't, well if you are still interested you can restart your training after resurrection"

Hearing that last sentence, Vincent's eyes widened and he realized something he had ignored previously. This was still a game! What would happen to his wealth and possessions if he died on a mission?

Fortunately, Dan allowed him to ask.

"If you have any questions, ask now before we get started"

Vincent immediately responded.

"Sir"

Dan was not one of many words, his soft deep whisper-like voice was like a priced gem to him.

"What happens if we die on a mission?"

"I just hinted at it, Soldier. If you die on a mission you lose your ranking in the army and everything on your person."

The soldiers all shifted a little including the Originals, they took left drops like players after all.

"Congratulations though, you are the only ones who won't lose your wealth and possessions when you die regardless if you are on an active mission or not. If you were driving a car when you died, the authorities will help you recover it if it was stolen, if not you can just go pick it up where you left it. But if you had weapons on you or physical cash used in special places, those can't be recovered unless it's really important the police won't bother"

Vincent felt like he understood a little. Normally, when a Player died, their properties became unowned and went back to the government. They could of course repurchase it after resurrection but they'd also lose their money in the bank and would have to start again with the starter package. However, with each resurrection, the gifts in the starter package got worse so one couldn't take advantage of it like a raffle draw.

For soldiers though, their properties and money saved in the bank remained theirs. Vincent wouldn't have to worry about losing his companies to the government.

As for losing the things on his person, well...that was of little consequence.

"Alright, liven up soldiers, the mission is clear cut. Since the opening of the currency exchange system, Players have gone wilder than anticipated, the black market is thriving putting the government at risk and local authorities are slowly losing control of the situation.

"While tension at the borders is rising, Originals are taking full advantage of the chaos to expand their coffers, Gliding City is the main transportation route for these smugglers, we are to build a checkpoint and maintain it until Army Command relieves us. I'll brief you on the details on the way"