Through the concrete jungles and grimy streets of the Dragon district, the two players walked. The number of wandering Jinxes was dozens upon dozens, but Guy knew his way around these streets. Every corner of the city had a secret passage that Guy could navigate with ease, whether it was fenced or up on the rooftop and back alleys he journeyed with Cee following close behind. On the occasion they did encounter opponents that couldn’t be avoided, Guy would use his unique set of skills to dodge or avoid.

[ Distraction Lv. 1 ]

[ Flash Bang Lv. 1 ]

[ Smokescreen Lv. 1 ]

Along with several other unique abilities that allow them to escape and evade without ever having a fight. It wasn’t an actual fight but Guy managed to get Cee out of more than one fight that could have been the end for both of them with the odds against them 10 to 1. Their last encounter was a particularly nasty challenge of a group of 20 Jinxes who were taken aback by a plume of smoke from his sign. When they were safe enough away, Guy took one look back to be sure they weren’t being followed.

“Okay, I think we’re safe. The shop should be right around the corner.”

“How do you keep doing that?” Cee asked.

“Do what?”

“You know, you’ve managed to escape perfectly even when the odds are against us? You’re either lucky or...”

“You think I’m cheating somehow?” He laughed heartily. “It’s not cheating if the system allows it. Yet, since I’m feeling generous, here's another freebie since you’re new to the game.” He pulled out his sign and showed off the dragon picture once more, that seemed a bit faded since the last time she saw it. “I know what you’re thinking but it’s not the lights, that dragon is actually fading because it’s been used so many times. Believe it or not this twirling sign is actually a charm with a built in sleight of hand skill?”

“Sleight of hand?”

“What, is there an echo in here?” He laughed even harder than before. “Long story short, sleight is a subcategory of dealing skill set that involves switching a card with another card in exchange for KP or G$. So yeah, it’s like cheating but it’s allowed by the system provided it’s in the moment between real time and speed of thought?”

“Wait, what?”

“You are pretty green, but you’ve seen the deck of fate haven’t ya?”

“You mean that shuffling mess that pulls out cards at random?”

“Correct, that’s your mind slowing down to the speed of thought. At the moment you can either go along or you can choose to change fate by using a charm and that will take effect after the deck disappears.”

“You can do that?”

“It takes some practice, but anyone can do it if you try.”

For a moment, Cee realized she was talking to an experienced player as opposed to the flashy con-man she had thought he was. Behind that relaxed persona was deep thinking and calculators she had never noticed. Suddenly Guy stopped, planting his sign like a flag in front of a shop in the streets. It looked like an ordinary looking pawn shop just a few blocks from the border of the Beetle District, with a neon green dragon image that curled like a snake that matched his sign. This light did little to glamorize the old shop, but it made it seem like an emerald in the sea of amber lit streets.

“Well, here we all are.” Guy said with a smile on his face. “The owner’s inside, he may look kind of scary but don’t let his appearance fool ya, because he’s actually pretty nice when you get to know him, and who knows he might like you.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

“Just remember I said, might.” He said, placing his large hand on her scrawny shoulders. “He may be nice but he can be fickle. I don’t know how but I think he’s got a sixth sense about people. Just try not to get on his bad side.” With that he casually started walking away, before turning around with a thumbs up and smile. “Relax, I’m sure you’ll get along fine.”

So, he left back onto the streets twirling his sign with a hop in his step and a whistle in his voice vanishing into the dark shadows around. It was hard to say who or what lies behind the clouded windows of the store, but knowing this was where she needed to be, Cee cautious opened the door into the shop. She was bathed in light as the door opened wide to reveal the interior of the shop.

Contrary to the grimy streets outside, the inside of this pawn shop seemed rather homely. Aside from a mass collection of items on several shelves and counters, it reminded her of old rare book stores or antique stores you could find in some rural country. Trinkets and knick knacks were attended by a single patron sitting behind the counter reading a book as she sat on a stool quietly reading.

The man had many wrinkles in his face but with a body as strong as a professional bodybuilder. He paid little mind to Cee, only adjusting his grandfather's glasses to look at his book which she found amusing since VR shouldn’t have required reading glasses to begin with. He wore old time garments with suspenders and a formal shirt that had rolled up sleeves showing off his tattoos that looked like lizard scales. Cee realizes what Guy meant by tells since he must have been some relation to the dragon spirit. He could have been some gangster or someone’s grandfather, neither would have surprised her but she had business with this proprietor so intimidating demeanors would not deter her from her appointed task at hand.

“You can do this.” She whispered to herself as she took a deep breath and walked up toward the counter. “Um, excuse me, sir.”

He turned his snake-like eyes toward Cee as he placed his book on the counter.

“Is there something I can help you with?” He said with a rough and raspy voice, his voice alone was enough for Cee to quickly change the subject.

“Um, what’s the book you’re reading?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.” He said picking it back up again. “I’m still reading it, but it looks like the hero dies in the end.”

“Did you read the ending already?”

“Honestly I haven’t but someone always dies, either by fate or natural causes.”

“Not every story ends the same way, you know. Besides, it’s not the end that’s important, but the journey that gets you there.”

“What did you read that in a horoscope?”

“Actually, it’s just something my dad always told me.”

“Is that so?” He said closing and putting his book away to give her his full attention. “Now, assuming you haven’t come to talk philosophy with an old man like me. May I ask, what you’re really here for Miss-?”

“Cee.”

“Missy?”

“No, just Cee as in C-Note, it's a bad joke.”

“I’d like to hear it someday, but for now what can I do for you Missy?”

“I know this may sound strange, but I’m here about an inheritance.”

“Inheritance you say?”

“Yes, it’s kind of a story but I’ll just give you the long and short. My aunt recently passed away, and she left me an old VR set with this game install and instructions to find this shop and find the contents of storage locker number 101.”

“Ah, yes, I’m quite familiar with that number.” He pushed himself off the stool and walked casually to the back of the store. “Please, follow me.”

As instructed Cee was led by the old shopkeeper to the back of his store, a storage room where large and oblong objects were kept to large intrigue for display. At the very back of the store was a large metal door etched with a picture of a giant dragon sketch on the front. It looked heavy enough to require 10 men to open, but the shopkeeper needed to tap it and the door swung open. Inside that room was a green emerald statue glistening from the stars above.

The statue was in the shape of a dragon, but carved out of a solid jade like material. Like the sign that she had seen before the statue was a dragon that mixed the other 8 spirits. The teeth of a cat, the legs of a horse, the snout of a pig, the belly of a rabbit, the whiskers of fish, the tusks of an elephant, and the smooth scales like a cluster of beetles. A pool of water surrounded that statue standing tranquil at the center like a sleeping giant. As the store owner, looking around the walls he began to count the number of boxes lining the walls like a row of despot safes in a bank. He counted and slowly made his way toward the box marked “101” on a small plaque above a handle.

“Ah-ha, here we are.” He moves aside for Cee to show her the box. “The box is a two part response code, I know the seconds part, but did your instructions tell the first part?”

Cee stepped in front of the box and put her hand upon the handle reciting the words.

“Fortuna Favet Fortibus.” She said.

“Fortuna Favors the Brave.” He smiled in response.

CLICK! They both heard the sound of the door unlocking from inside the box. She gently pulled on the handle and opened the metal drawer inside. What she found left her speechless as she looked at the contents inside.

“No way.” She said in disbelief.