It would seem that I did not check the updates before I posted it. I'm really sorry. I was alerted by a patron about this mistake and I truly apologize.

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Chapter 026: An Investigation

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Spending a few hours resting, a hearty meal, and a meditation session of Triple Flower Method that he somehow found... warmly appealing, all the pain of his headache vanished and he cleared his mind.

Although he was still not used to the concept of a 'meditation' to get a clear 'picture' of his body, the existence of Cortana proved that what the twins is referring to as "heat" had something to do with the energy circulation of his body.

—the more comfortable you feel, the better is your body's constitution will be.

Pairing this with Cortana's continuous assimilation of the leftover NanoMechs in his body, Rex is now greatly convinced that he is indeed technically one of those so called 'Immortals' in movies and novels.

—and this was in a technical perspective.

"Huuuuuuuuuu... this is reeeeeeally awkward..."

[No wandering suspects according to parameters are detected, sir. You may proceed.]

After determining the safety of his route towards his destination, Rex left the house.

It was time to do something important.

Rex was on a Motor Shop... Iamaha Brand, one of the world-leading brands for designing sport bikes.

Actually, there are others better than Iamaha's all-purpose yet aggressive designs like Ducati or the Harley Davidson —whose names had endured the years and had their own trademark styles blended in the tastes of the current society— but he still chose this one because of an ad he saw when he ordered Cortana to search for good brands to buy a sports bike.

The bike's name was "Kamaitachi" —huge enough reason for Rex to become curious of it.

It was a 1200cc bike. Powerful. Speed-wise, it was pretty fast considering he was aiming to use it for casual strolling on city roads... during normal days.

The torque strength and muscle power wasn't built for city streets but a bike this size and speed this fast had its uses on Rex's repertoire of necessary things for his hugely demanding needs.

"Truly... wow."

Rex loved the aesthetic design on first glance. The bike was, just like the usual Iamaha design for this worldly-renowned Wind Series, only slightly bigger than Matt's 'baby girl', but the engine was a quadri-gear set manual-AT —it can go from 0 to 72kph (or 20m/second) in 2.3 seconds on its normal settings, which is strong considering it was an electric bike.

A bike like this is a monster even when put side by side against the other monster bikes made by the timelessly famous brands.

It also has weight control engineering so even if he forgot to pull the stand, the bike will still stand on its two wheels without problem —or if he goes on a ramp, it will always land on its two wheels at the same time— with the best use of this technology being that no matter how strong the torque power on the hind-wheel is, it will never flip and is always diagonally inclined against gravity upon increase of acceleration demands.

To explain further, the bike was like the crouching beast of some wind-element monster in Terroa. Its body wasn't that bulky, balanced, in fact, with all its edges giving a sense of 'aggressiveness' that Rex liked on the body-to-headlight visual ratios... like it has two eyes staring at you from the darkness, and will become an invisible creature of the wind that will slice your neck —which was the monster that is Kamaitachi is mostly famous for.

"I'll take it." Rex said. "And please, register this one with an international plate as well as customization license imprints."

When he finished the instructions, he swiped the air and paid for the bike in full Credits.

The astounding 'cash' made the female attendant of the shop bulge-eyed and she stared at Rex with mixed emotions layered with admiration and a tinge of seductiveness as she bit her lower lip.

It should be remembered that the laws of the world evolved as its society develop. Buying things like this 'monster' wasn't just a matter of money but it's also a matter of qualifications. Normal Pro Licenses aren't enough to allow one to own a 'vehicle' of this caliber.

But Rex was one, adding that he paid for it in full Credits meant that he wasn't just anyone.

Who he was is a complete mystery to these normal people of the society.

A tall and slightly handsome rich guy with bad boy atmosphere like that was a sure panty-robber, and she had just been robbed off of hers.

Alas, after his arrangements were completed, the registration number was laser imprinted on the bike's body and its records were finalized so Rex had no more reason as to not try to take it for the ride it ought to have.

"Who is he?"

"His profile is [E-Sealed] but the system is online and the World Database can't be hacked so we can only say that he's someone high above the normal profiles."

—meaning Rex's Citizens ID was special.

The "Kamaitachi" was supposed to be just one of their displays to attract customers. Who could have predicted that someone like Rex would come in to actually buy the bike off their shelf?

"Haaaaahhhhh..." a soft long moan was heard in all corners of the shop.

Seeing Rex not wasting any more time in the shop, the female attendant felt that it was a loss... where the rest of her colleagues could only click their tongues and shake their heads for her. She was a pretty face, yes, but for a guy like that who can just casually throw hundreds of thousands of Credits in a fit of "wow" is definitely out of her league.

*****

Contrary to the laid back impression Rex had on the outside, he was actually a little bit jerky within.

He hadn't gone "home" in eight months.

Many things happened to him and many things had come back to ultimately change his life.

Rex knew he can't go back to his old life anymore.

The consequences of remembering everything is ahead of him. His life, from the moment he recalled it all, would only become much more muddled, if it wasn't troublesome... and aggressively dangerous.

In fact, he even had the feeling... that if all of this was somehow planned by someone, then not only him and the people around him, but the world itself will change in some unknown point in time in the near future.

—it was all because Rex knew that his body, he, as both a God of Terroa and an experiment using the UNICORN's [TOP SECRET] Android Program, is the very product of somebody's ambitious goals.

From the accident up to the part where he found out that he had something to do with the history and development of what the world today know as RPG: Terroa... a normal boy suddenly turning into a God in a virtual universe... the mere thought of a life he had lived in that universe and what kinds of changes it caused to his soul —this was something to be scared about yet what Rex could feel wasn't fear but instead indifference.

How frightening it is to realize he was indifferent to all these changes to his life right now?

It was a scary-version of indifference, the kind that gives the feeling of as if he's a [God] looking at the thought of death as mere part of the natural order.

The great [Cycle of Life].

—Rex was truly scared of this feeling.

Because he experienced a life as an [Immortal], to live millions of years and fight battles impossible to be even imagined without the concept of Fantasy, his mentality and perspective in his 'real-world life' was something only an Immortal could feel.

For some reason, there was a part of him that was almost getting close to being indifferent at the very thought of death... as if it was......... exciting. Like a question that many eccentrics out there asks in their reflections in the mirror: what is beyond this life they were living right now?

What is beyond this life's death?

Would they be transported back in time to their ole younger selves as a second chance?

Would they be transmigrated to another world with another identity, and venture forth; to live another life; to experience a voyage of a different world in search for a way back home?

Or would they be reborn into an alternate universe of a parallel universe, to have the arrogant claim of being powerful and rule that universe as a king; to look down on all living beings of that world since he was the lucky one to retain memories of his life when he was still on this earth?

—to think that the purpose of their transmigration is to rule that world?

——No.

Rex could feel that this wasn't the reason for his sense of indifference at the thought of death. No.

It was something else......... like a relief.

Yes.

Rex could feel that if he died right now, it would be a relief... an escape from the cruel and painful sets of [memories] of his two —no— three lives.

He reached his destination after two hours. Just as it were all these years, Manila's infamy as one of the countries with the worst traffic, regardless of the numbers of highways and speedways built on top of existing roads, this problem's still unsolvable by the government.

Rex looked around the buildings in the entrance of their subdivision then gave an order.

'Cortana, scan traffic and camera histories of this entire neighborhood for the time of the accident until today. Look for suspicious movements that're within my set parameters.'

[Scan complete. Removed official documented and compiled reports... scanned reporter files and the public offices inquiries... I've narrowed down nine undocumented suspicious vehicles entering the subdivision and exited after a long time. There are also four suspicious addresses changed within the last eight months and all houses were on the same street as yours. All four addresses are using family house-owned statuses but uses electric and water consumption calculated only for two people. There is also an existing very high-encrypted connection on their Port Connections so I can't determine their connection status unless I tapped into it physically through you, sir.]

The news was enough to make Rex frown. A very high-encrypted connection... this description alone was enough for those houses to be suspicious. So just who were these people?

'What about the entire street around the entrance to our subdivision?'

[Scan complete. There're three that fits description parameters you've set sir. They also have highly encrypted port connections. Displaying location...]

There was a map on his vision and Rex narrowed his eyes as he felt a boiling suspicion on all these addresses.

Adding in the four houses in his streets that can't be hacked even given Cortana's ability, the boiling rage in his chest made his breathing shorten.

'Let's give them all a visit.'

[Preparing countermeasures...]

Rex didn't linger and he went to move.

He parked his bike on a chain restaurant's parking space and picked up his bike's papers and made it so that he looked like some delivery guy as he was crossing the street with a postman's mannerisms.

Rex also made sure that he had visually scanned all other angles, making sure that there is no pair of eyes that served as watchers to warn his target.

The first suspect is on a second floor. When Rex reached the door, he put his hand on it and with Cortana's help, his sense of touch heightened to feel the vibrations beyond the door as his hearing was amplified, isolating other noises while he spied on the people inside.

Not long after, he heard the sound of TV and the empty talks of three people.

{The Cavs won the finals last year...}

{I bet my on the Warriors this year. I hope they win this season.}

{Who wants a pizza? I'm hungry.}

{Me.}

{Me too.}

{As usual, we're splitting it.}

Through the sound of their holo-TV's audio, there was a vague picture that formed on Siva's vision in the interior of the room. As his skin serving like a sonar, he mapped out the interior of the room and saw through the bouncing sounds the setup of a few metal boxes and empty interior that wasn't the least bit appealing for its business permit.

"Jackpot." Rex hissed.

But to be sure, Rex still backed away and looked at the door.

Shuuuu~

Through a mental command, an eye appeared on his forehead. After a moment, the heat signatures of the people on the other side of the door began to show on his vision.

"Four people. One of them is facing the window."

[Just on the way he is positioned, there should be a projector scopes attached in the window.]

This location was 40m away from his subdivision's entrance and the angle of the window and the man in front of it corresponded on the location of the entrance.

Adding in the three, this was their number.

Cortana's scans said that there was only a weekly visit from an unknown guy in this place and every time, he was delivering the same boxes of supplies for these four. The last visit was yesterday. Rex has a lot of time to interrogate the three of them.

He heard one of the guys make a call and after a few minutes, a pizza delivery guy came.

"Good. We're starving." Rex said and intercepted the delivery guy. Swiped the air and paid for the pizza and so the delivery guy didn't detect anything unique on Rex before leaving with a smile.

Rex walked over and knocked on the door then he spoke in a lively tone, "Pizza Delivery!"

{It's here!}

{I'm starving.}

{I'll pick it up.}

Rex heard the footsteps on the other side of the door getting closer.

Based only on the pacing of the steps and weight on each of them, Rex knew that this guy was huge, bulky, and was trained. This is not a businessman.

As soon as the door opened, his hand flashed as a finger stabbed the man's throat, preventing all the sounds he could make as he choked. Copying the man's voice with Cortana's help of the 1.2% of his body's NanoMechs, Rex spoke, "Oooh, delicious."

"Hurry! You'll miss the fun parts."

"Coming." Rex said. "Thanks buddy. No problem."

He slowly brought down the man using only one arm and no thuds were heard. He closed the door and examined the man's corpse.

To his dismay, he didn't carry any firearms but no matter, he was still faster than them, he hoped. He didn't even feel anything as he made his first kill in the real world. For Rex, Virtual Reality or the world of reality... nothing's different. A kill is still a kill and he'd taken billions of lives on his pursuit for power that he already lost count of it.

An excited exclaim came from the room and there was the sound of a commenter's excited shouts as the cheers of people was heard from the holo-TV.

Rex copied the man's pacing and prepared for the brawl as he carried the pizza boxes.

Not one of them realized a thing as they talked of the score that made the crowd in the holo-TV so excited like them.

After he turned into the corner, "Catch." Rex threw the pizza boxes and it made the two on the couch surprised as their visions were taken away as they cursed at his direction while looking up at the pair of pizza boxes.

"Crazy!"

"You freaki—"

None of them realized that Rex had already moved and with only a step he reached them. With their necks still looking up, he crushed their necks and a muffled grunt was heard.

"Hey what's—"

The man on the window turned around and his eyes went wide.

Just at the time that the pizza fell on an unopened box at the side of the couch, Rex was already in front of him... his eyes glaring murderously as the golden eye on his forehead glowed bright.

"This is an investigation."

Rex said. He didn't give time for the man to reply as his fingers moved and punched him in the head.

The man blacked out.

*****

When he woke up, the room was slightly the same as he remembered but what changed is that he is tied on a chair and there was a basin of water with his feet drenched on it.

His eyes wandered around, seeing the rooms that they slept in and brought women to enjoy looted to portray a robbery and kill crime scene.

If it was him, he thought, he would've done the same movements —this guy's a pro!

That thought flashed in his mind in the mere short seconds after he woke up. His training kicked in as he felt that the man who did this all was behind him right now.

He felt for his body. He was wearing four layers of clothes on his arms and legs. There was a metal slab on both his temples ties to his chair to prevent him from tilting his neck sideways. And although he was allowed to turn his neck, his shoulder was also tied —no, taped— to his chair so he can only move his neck and nothing more.

Professional!

This thought solidified on his mind and he began to panic. He saw his two comrades and supposed that the first one was dead by the door.

Horror began to seep through his bones as sweat flowed down his back.

"Wh-Who are you? You're making a big mistake in here, buddy, the people I work for won't let you off easily... and they will make sure that they will make everyone you care for suffer with you."

There was silence.

He felt his hands and feet tied by clothes and then taped to lock. It was taped in a way that no matter how much he struggled, no kind of evidence of his 'struggle' could be seen after he was done.

This kind of meticulous 'move' is cautiously made so that it will mislead all evidence pointing to him struggling in this place.

When he thought about it, he forgot his training and began to feel scared. The silence was scary and the thoughts of the uses of the water on his feet only made his thoughts worse.

"Friend, let's talk about it. There may be some sort of misunderstanding here... we aren't bad people, we're only here to wait for someone unimportant."

"Who?" a gruff male voice sounded from behind.

"A boy... teenager, son of a businessman."

"Lies."

The man panicked, "It's true! We've been waiting in this place for weeks now... we're actually trying to protect him from the true bad people."

What came as a reply were the sound of static and the feel of electricity as it snapped off. The man felt his numb went scalp in fright.

"Tell me," the gruff male voice said "There were a few of few of you with varying excuses. I wonder then, who among you is telling the truth?"

"You killed them?!" The man was surprised then he laughed helplessly with mockery on his tone, "Now you've done it buddy... you're dead and everyone in your family is dead! As soon as my boss realizes that we're gone, I can assure you, you're a goner so I suggest you better start running. Hahaha!"

There was no reply but the man kept on laughing.

After he felt tired, the male gruff voice behind him spoke, "Don't worry. I already know who your boss is and although I can't move against him, I can still tell you that I am not afraid of him. In fact, the very reason I kept you alive is because I only wanted to confirm a few things from you."

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