LIGHTNOVELONLINE Chapter 32: The Major
The cafeteria was a loud, buzzing pit of activity. Hundreds of people, mostly high schoolers, had fallen into their familiar cliques, a small comfort amidst the chaos of the last few days.
Major Adams sat in the middle of it all, arms crossed, surveying the scene. At this point, the school was the only safe zone for the ongoing crisis. Every other public building or evacuation site was overrun with monsters.
Adams took another bite of the pork sandwich he had been eating. He had needed to organize for lunch to be served, as no one else had considered doing anything about the situation. Unfortunately, there wasn't enough food in the school, so Sgt. Thorn had gone hunting with a few others and brought back a dozen boars—boars in Surrey. It was ridiculous. The meat was pretty good, though, and he ended up eating three servings.
He had already tried to contact … anyone else he felt could help with the situation—the military, the government, even emergency services. Unfortunately, everyone was dealing with the same problems he was—monsters, the system, and these beta testers. It made him want to take up smoking again.
The one silver lining was this 'settlement.' He had read about the field effects when they had entered the area. Monster repellent and the reinforced structure made this school the single safest building in Surrey. But then there was the issue of the beta testers who claimed ownership of the settlement.
Adams had read the system notification when entering the school, declaring the place as belonging to these kids. Legally, that didn’t mean a damn thing, but he doubted they would give it up without a fight. And given the damage they’d unleashed when the undead attacked, he wasn’t about to force go down that road without real need to. Honestly, between the magical healing and the information on the system they offered him, he was inclined just to let them have the school so long as they behaved.
His musings were cut short when Tom, along with his witch companion and his little sister, entered the cafeteria. Adams’ eyes went straight to Tom's arm, which had been charred to the bone maybe three hours ago. Now, it looked perfectly healed—through paler and pinker than before. Yeah, that kind of healing was definitely worth giving these kids a school to play in.
"Are you ready, Thorn?" Adams asked as the lizard man and the squirrel man joined Tom as they made their way to his table.
"Yes, sir." Sgt.Thorn answer.
The plan was simple: Adams would play good cop while the Sgt. would play bad cop. It wasn't an original plan. But he wanted to know where the line in the sand was before things got out of hand.
"So, you're the leader?" Thorn asked, her face screwed up into a scowl.
Tom cleared his voice. He was trying hard to avoid it, but the Major could see that Tom was nervous.
“As I was trying to say before, I was so rudely interrupted.” Tom began, “I am Thomas Bruner. I am the guild leader of Awoken Myths and the new landlord of Hopkins. How may I help you?”
"How did you heal your arm?" Major Adams asked, deciding to go with a safe question first. "Those were third-degree burns. How can your arm be healed?"
"Magic," Tom said as he inhaled his pulled pork sandwich.
In hindsight, that might have been a stupid question.
"Wow, this is terrible. I don't think you guys even added salt." Tom muttered around a mouthful of food.
"Well, we didn't have enough spices for five hundred people, your royal nibbs." Abaddon bemoaned.
"500? Already?" Tom asked.
"More keep showing up all the time," Alex said.
"We're going to have to start organizing things," Tom muttered.
"We would have started already, but someone got blown up." Alex shot back.
"Well, now we have to set up a bureaucracy. Yeah." Tom said sarcastically
'They are very at ease with each other,' the Major thought.
"Excuse me." Thorn cut in.
"What is it, officer?" Tom asked as he ate another sandwich.
"It's Sergeant Thorn. I would like to know how you think you own this school," the Sgt said.
"Well, we cleared out the demons that had been inhabiting this place, claimed the settlement and then spent the settlement points to bring this place up to snuff, and we defended it from two assholes who tried to claim it. Finally, if that isn't enough, anyone who enters the property will receive a system notification notifying you of the name of the place and organization that owns it. It is Ours." Tom said, his hands twitching.
"That hardly means anything. You're just a punk kid. Just because a window pops up in your head doesn't mean you own anything. We can remove you if need be." Sgt. Thorn stated as she placed her hand on her gun.
Abaddon let out a low crocodilian growl. Skippy gripped both of his swords as he stood in his chair, and Alex's hands glowed. Tom smirked at them, that nervousness he had seen earlier evaporating as he wiped his mouth with a napkin.
"You are welcome to try," Tom said darkly.
Adams gave Thorn the signal to back off. He had been hoping they could just bully Tom and his friends into falling in line. That hope just went out the window with just how eager they appeared to get into a fight.
"Thorn, I think that's enough.” Adam’s cut in.
Officer Thorn took her hand off his pistol, and the rest of Tom's friends relaxed.
“What my friend here is trying to say is that we would like your help with the current situation,” Adams said, trying desperately to change the subject. "We could use some technical support for this crisis, among other things."
"Have my friends here explained the whole Legend of Noralon thing?" Tom asked.
Major Adams nodded. "This was all a video game originally? One that you all have experience with?"
Tom smiled as he nodded, almost like a little kid excited to tell his friends a secret. Then Adams remembered that Tom was a kid, barely eighteen.
"Yes. However, we are having some trouble with that," Sergeant Thorn stated. We can't find any evidence of this Legend of Noralon game."
"What?" Tom asked, his mask breaking.
"The game is gone. So, is anything even related to it." Skippy explained. "There's no wiki, no Reddit guides, nothing. Any information on the net about Noralon has been wiped. We're stuck with working off of our memories."
"Do we still have the books?" Tom asked.
"Those seem intact," Skippy said.
"While technical information on the system is helpful, that's not what we need right now," Adams cut in. He had already had this conversation with Skippy before and wasn't interested in a repeat.
From what I gather, the two biggest issues we have right now are what you call a dungeon to the east and all of these Lairs. Those are infested with monsters."
"According to the note Starkiller gave you to give me, the dungeon is closed right now, so we can't help with that until it opens up. We can help clear out lairs and turn them into settlements, but that begs the question, what's in it for us?" Tom asked.
"You're really going to be selfish in a crisis?" Thorn asked.
Personally, Adams was just happy they were at the bargaining stage already. Compared to some of the people he needed to negotiate within the middle east, the kids were practically surrendering to them.
"Really, are we going to get all the settlement cores after we're done? How are you going to pay us for risking our lives? Why would we help create new settlements if they're just going to be in competition with us?" Tom shot back as he inhaled another sandwich.
"Pretty sure you're the one being selfish here," he mumbled around a mouthful of meat.
"Yeah, Selfish," Chloe, the little sister, chimed in as she fed her dog a sandwich.
"I'm sure we can come to an arrangement," Adams said as he tried not to smile. "For the time being, Mr.Bruner, we're hoping to use Hopkins as a base of operations for the police and firefighters to hub out of and a place to bring the wounded. The nearest hospital is home to something called a Shoggoth.
Adams noticed the slight way Tom shuddered, indicating he knew exactly what he was talking about.
"We would also like to start funneling refugees to this location until we can get more settlements under our control. We would need your expert help in clearing out lair locations; if I understand this correctly, we would need the core. Finally, we would like to consult you regarding information about the system. What would we need to do in exchange for this?"
"Why not use your own stations? Or the police precincts?" Tom asked.
"More than a few of them are now lairs, as you call them. We need to clear them in the first place. Worse, the ones that haven't been infected with monsters don't seem to repel them like Hopkins does."
"Who's in charge of the police and the firefighters then?" Tom asked.
"Major Adams is currently in charge." Thorn cut in this time.
"Major?" Tom asked, turning to a firefighter.
"We served in the military, and old habits die hard," Adams said with a shrug as if Thorn hadn't been expressly told to drop that information. "On that note, I would like to make a deal."
Tom smiled as he opened up his new [Contract] skill.
"For starters, I would like to recruit some of your RCMP into the Awoken Myths. I want to fill out our ranks with individuals capable of both guarding the school and keeping the peace. However, if they do, they will operate under our rules, not yours.
Second, we need food, beds, and other utilities. I understand that you might not be able to acquire all of these things, so we would also like to scavenge from stores and abandoned residents. I know there are laws against looting, so I would like my guild to be able to acquire supplies without getting shot at.
Third, we have the right of refusal for any lair, monsters, or anything that could potentially get us killed. We don't work for you, and we aren't your suicide squad."
Fourth, if you get the core, then we get all of the loot from any settlement we clear.
Finally, I will share all basic information regarding the system. That means a basic understanding of the monster's classes and skills. All other information, such as builds, information on events and bloodlines, will be traded on a case-by-case basis." Tom said.
The next moment, a contract similar to the one Starkiller had created appeared in front of him, stating the terms. Adams wasn't sure if he liked it. It seemed reasonable; hell, the kid all but allowed law enforcement to take over. so much so that there had to be a catch. Either the kid didn't realize what he was offering them, or he knew something Adams didn't.
"We can only allow scavenging with law enforcement members' onsight," Major Adams said. As he did, the [Contract] altered itself to reflect his words.
"Fine, but then I'm adding that either one of us can end the [Contract] at any time," Tom stated.
"I can agree to those terms," Adams said, agreeing to the [Contract].
"Great. In that case, I would like to trade the following in exchange for a ham radio and police scanner." Tom began. "The [Firefighter] class offers elemental resistances and numerous close-range skills. On the other hand, the [Law enforcement] classes offer physical resistance, long-range identification, and investigation skills. These two classes would not only complement each other, but they would help keep your people alive."
Adams didn't find that information useful, considering he might have learned it on his own, but he was willing to give the kid a radio regardless.
"Thanks for the information," Adams said. I'll arrange to have those items delivered to you. In the meantime, we have a list of settlements we want you to capture."
"If you can, Give me a list including the location as well as a description of the monsters guarding it. The more information you provide, the better. We can start hitting them tomorrow. Today, I need to deal with the people who joined the guild, including you. If the people who joined the guild are unwilling to follow orders, they will be kicked out of the guild, and then I need to arrange for all of them to receive basic training." Tom said excitedly.
"Can I remain part of the guild while I perform my duties?" Adams asked.
This was a bit of a rub. He was loyal to his country. Not Tom. In fact, the only reason he considered remaining in the 'guild' was the benefits.
"Before you ask, those benefits are things I provide, not something inherent to a guild. As for your question, the guild doesn't micromanage, though, during events and raids, you will be expected to follow orders," Tom stated.
He could work with that for now. He may need to leave the guild later. But in the meantime.
"Ok then, can I have the rest of my people join the guild?" he asked.
"Sure. Have them come and find me after lunch," Tom said as he kept eating.
That was when another boy walked in on their conversation and cut in.
“Can you actually bring back the dead?” the boy asked. "You have a skill called [Hand of Mercy]. My skill says it brings back the dead."
"Of course, he can. My brother is amazing. He brought back Skippy and Ms. Lewis," Chloe said proudly as she hung off his arm.
Adams felt like he might not have heard that right.
"Hi Luke, nice to see you again. Why don't you speak louder? I don't think everyone has heard you yet,"
Adams opened his mouth to say something, but Tom cut him off.
"Before you ask, I need the body,"
Luke, Adams, and Thorn all had the same look spread across their faces, though in Thorn's case, she looked a lot more suspicious.
"This is the part where you all leave to bring me the corpses of your dead friends. In the meantime, I need to talk to my sister about the importance of secrets." Tom said, around a mouthful of food.
Adams walked back to the fire truck as Thorn walked beside him. Even though they weren't in the same chain of command, it was all too easy for them to slip back into their roles, especially given the current circumstances.
"Sir, I take it we aren't going to push for more control over this situation," Thorn asked.
"Sergeant, at this point, we are operating completely blind. Right now, I'm concerned that any decision I make could be the wrong one. While these kids aren't soldiers, they understand how all this 'system' stuff works. More importantly, they are willing to help us, and given what they're asking for, they're doing it for cheap. Hell, they're asking us to put our own people in and around the school. That tells me they're either ignorant of the position that puts them in, or they're more concerned about the monsters on the outside," Adams said.
"And because of that, we're going to let them play king of the castle, Sir?" Thorn asked.
"Yeah, if they can help us fight things like the shoggoth, they can have the school. That's a small price to pay," Adams said. "Besides that, if what Tom said was true, we might even be able to get some of our people back. I want you to round up every corpse we find and start bringing them to the parking lot. Let's see if Mr.Bruner can raise the dead."
He paused and looked around, losing his smile. “I’ll be honest, Thorn. I don’t think any of these kids have thought beyond the next twenty-four hours. They’re keyed up, excited, and a little stressed, but they’re still thinking of it as a game. If they're thinking about the future at all, they’re thinking in a day or two, they’ll all be back at home. Or residence. Whatever. I don't think that's what's going to happen. From what I've managed to get out of Chester, I should expect this is our new normal, and we just have to get used to it."
Thorn opened her mouth to argue when the PA system came on, and Thomas's voice came over the PA.
"Hello, everybody. This is Tom. I am the leader of the Awoken Myths; some of you may know me, some might not. Some of you were allowed to join Awoken Myths during a crisis. If you wish to remain in the guild and retain the bonus, or if you want to join the guild properly, please complete the following quest."
"Quest?" Thorn asked.
DING!!!
You have received the Quest: Meta-Gaming Ⅰ.
The Awoken Myths Guild expects its members to truly use and abuse the system, reaping the greatest rewards and achieving the greatest results. Go to the gymnasium and follow the guild leader's instructions to meta-game the system or be kicked from the guild.
Objectives:
Go to the main gymnasium to attend a lecture by Guild Leader Thomas Bruner on proper leveling, skill activation, and stat distribution. 0/1
Speak to Guild Leader Thomas Bruner 1 on 1 to get some advice 0/1
Bonus Objectives
Learn the Skill [Storage] from Tom 0/1
Learn at least one spell from Alex 0/1
Failure Conditions:
Fail to get to the gym before the 2-hour mark
Leave the gymnasium before speaking 1 on 1 with the Guild Leader
Rewards: 1000 XP
Penalty: removal from the Awoken Myths Guild
Time Limit: 2 Hours: 59 Minutes: 59 Seconds to reach the gym
Tips: Go to the gym and follow the guild leader's instructions
"That's interesting," Adams muttered out loud.
He was curious about just how Thomas had managed to do this. He had a lot to learn about the new dynamic the system had brought to their world.
"Thorn, make sure to get them a ham radio and a police scanner. We need to pay those kids back for the information they gave us." Adams said.
"Is it really that valuable, sir?"
"No, but it's a great opportunity to set up a communications line here," Adams said.
"Yes, sir. Is there anything else?" she asked.
"Yeah, anyone who isn't doing something should go to the gym," Adams ordered.
"Do you really want all of us to join this … guild?" Thorn asked.
"Thorn, Thomas isn't willing to let anyone who doesn't go through this horse and pony show in his guild. That should tell you how important this is. Even if our people decided not to join, this could be helpful," Adams said as he turned and marched towards the gym.
Maybe he would finally assign all those stat points.
You may skip to the next chapter.
Name: Baily Adams
Race: Human
Type: Humanoid
LVL: 9
SubRace: British
Age: 36
Health: 1,425
Stamina: 2,340
Mana: 300
Health Regen: 14.4 per min
Stamina Regen: 24.9 per min
Mana Regen: 6.9 per min
Titles: Awoken Myths
Immune
None
Resistances
Physical 0.5%, Elemental 3%, Vitality 0.5%
Weakness
None
Bane
Manslayer
Classes: Firefighter 5, Police Officer 3, Paramedic 1
Total
STR: 0
AGIL: 0
DEX: 0
CON: 27
END: 18
PER: 0
INT: 0
WILL: 0
SPIRIT: 18
EGO: 9
CHA: 0
LCK: 0
Base
STR: 0
AGIL: 0
DEX: 0
CON: 27
END: 18
PER: 0
INT: 0
WILL: 0
SPIRIT: 18
EGO: 9
CHA: 0 +10%
LCK: 0
Personal: 126 Unassigned
Racial: +3 CON, +2 END, +2 SPIRIT, +1 EGO
Skill Slots: 09/60: Skill Points: 0
Personal Skills
- [Pursuite Hunter] - Level 10 >> Level 16
- [Storyteller] - Level N/A
Fireman 02/11
- [Toolkit] - Level 5 >> Level 10
- [Turnout Gear] - Level 6 >> Level 8
- [Thermal Vision] - Level 1 >> Level 7
Police Officer 02/11
- [Toughness] - Level 6 >> Level 8
- [Danger Sense] - Level 11 >> Level 13
- [Fancy Feet] - Level 1 >> Level 4
Paramedic 01/11
- [Lifeguard] - Leve 2