【The PVP in Area 15 will start in 3 seconds!】

Bang!

Ssst—! Skk!

[Yuriii123: especially lower ranking ones. tho, even if they see it, those who does not read 【Weapon Attributes】 on the menu won't figure it out fast]

[getreadywithme45: that's why you don't see er80+ players around]

[Uyuuuu___1: lucky if you meet on lower level events, and major screenings they usually by themselves or teams up with their own]

As everyone was busy chatting their hearts out, Hesychia dodged the bullet that almost one shot one hit’ed her character. Getting used to upgraded account with their visions heightened, leveled-up personalized weapons, especially snipers, was no big thing but right now, as an ER21 player... Pers indeed somehow resembled a serial killer. What more if the Arena 15 has hiding spots?

[Pers: reveal your weapon swallowtail]

[Pers: Silas** mb]

[Pers: I'll just shorten the other one to swallow]

Hesychia thought that as long as she's able to narrow down their distance, everything would end faster but she was wrong. When she was close enough to Pers, the bloody sniper was somehow smacked towards her character’s head, of course, lowering her health bar. Before even the hit happened, Pers’ character emoted a smirk. Hesychia was able to luckily dance along with the rain of bullets for a while but that hit made Silas collapse momentarily on the ground.

This game was so hyper realistic that Silas’ screen turned blurry, crimson trickling down his face. The muzzle of the sniper was pointed between Silas’ eyebrows after, making Hesychia silent. Silas, her character, looked up and saw Pers staring down.

[Pers: admit defeat]

Sssst—!

Pers just blinked but next time she knew her character was down. She cannot move, at all!

Black light passed through her vision like wind whistling, immediately disappearing before it reached Silas. Pers did not have the time to even process what type of weapon it was when she was kicked out of the arena straight to the recovery block.

【Area 15’s winner is Player Silas! Congratulations!】

[User839392: ? ah shit we're too busy talking]

[Uyuuuu___1: ????]　

[Yurio_plisetsky: i didn't even see the weapon]

[F@#$-@CK!!: what the f@##$#-]

[Uyuuuu___1: what even happened?]

[Taytay: Isn't that...]

[getreadywithme45: ... Fryswyde’s weapon attribute? Yk the @Frys__wyde?]

[Uyuuuu: legit, THE Strepitum Contemnere?]

[Yurio_plisetsky: don't joke around bro how could er21 player have the same attribute and look of a famous er98 player their distance won't even make sense to snipe ive only ever seen that weapon once on a leak channel]

[qwerty#23v: i saw it, the familiar obsidian colored marksman before it disappeared into black light. pers won't even notice she had been shot long ago]

【Player Silas has logged out!】

The chatty Area 15 was closed after the PVP battle. Most of the audience of today's fight immediately pressed Silas’ profile and its battle history. The result only made their jaws drop.

How could there be one history before, and it's the tutorial?!

And... this Silas account has been offline for 100 days in total and only logged back in today. It's quite apparent that it's only a second or spare account. Besides the PVP history, ER, and UID, even the bio, avatar display, world history, and friend request button are all in private. You can’t even add him unless he adds you first!

How can they know the weapon now?

In this game, there are tons of game attributes. It is your choice whether you'll read it all or pick randomly. But take this note, once a player chooses a weapon attribute, the attribute will only be available again after a thousand players have logged in after that account.

「It is impossible to have the same weapon attribute as another person consecutively when the account is dated and created near each other.」

【January 1, 3031. 6:49 PM.】

[Pers: GG! I was taken aback!]

[Swallowtail: Has your character recovered?]

[Pers: my broski will be bedridden for 8hrs until the petrification internally subsides, i won't be playing for a while :(( does your skill not shut down when you order it to? your weapon petrifies enemies?]

[Pers: Swallow :D?]

[Swallowtail: No]

【January 2, 3031. 5:37 PM.】

[Pers: Hey :D!]

[Swallowtail: (7:07 PM) Why? I was playing.]

[Pers: how did you do that?]

[Pers: im not interested in swallowtail's weapon anymore, show me Silas’]

[Swallowtail: hahaha]

[Pers: I want a rematch!!]

[Pers: not right now tho]

[Pers: im feeling a little like...]

【January 3, 3031. 9:48 AM.】

[Swallowtail: You feel like?]

Hesychia took a long glance at the screen. Yesterday, she forgot to reply due to being busy. About to shut down her screen and continue her document, a reply popped up:

[Pers: Like]

[Pers sent a puking emoji!]

[Swallowtail: Are you okay? You feel sick?]

[Pers: I might be having food poisoning so I'mma play while i’m still alive!]

[Swallowtail: Ridiculous, I'll join later.]

[Swallowtail: You're always offline when I start playing though.]

[Pers: Haha]

Right, Hesychia mostly plays during the night starting from 9:00 PM-12:00 MN. During daytime, afternoon, and evenings her whole day was packed, she usually stays at the university to read and browse some reading material regarding her major.

Meanwhile, Pers usually opens too early. There was a rare time where Hesychia opened the game at 6:00 AM and saw Pers online. Although she wanted to greet the latter, the young woman didn't have the energy to do so. Hesychia noticed that Pers' online hours are usually mornings or early at night, probably 5:00-7:00 PM.

This might be a person who has their life together. A morning person who loves life.

[Swallowtail: let's finish District One.]

[Pers: lesgo!]

【January 4, 3031. 10:15 AM.】

Looking at her device, Pers decided to chat whilst making herself a sandwich. The knife she used to cut the boiled eggs can be labeled as unusual. Instead of a kitchen knife, it has the same look as a black-purplish butterfly knife. At its handle carved a faint, almost invisible two words; 【Stigma Hypothesis】

[Pers: Dude]

[Pers: It's exam week so I'll probs play less]

The reply she received from the other was a few minutes late:

[Swallowtail: (10:27 AM) I finished my exams last year, good luck.]

【January 6, 3031. 6:07 PM.】

[Pers: Ya there] 

[Pers: Join later, 8:30?]

[Swallowtail: Oh, that time. I think, I won't make it.]

Hesychia looked at the pile of work on her maroon study table, she took one holographic note and wrote short reminders for her schedule using an electrical pen.

[Pers: just join if ever you get free time later]

[Swallowtail: Okay.]

Hesychia had problems sleeping, she usually tires herself up to the point that she couldn't move so that her body won't have a choice but to shut down. She's active during the days, meeting and communicating with people. Living a university student life, encountering mundane problems from time to time. She didn't want to take sleeping pills everyday considering that she's already under a different medication. There are times she would sleep for at least eleven hours, not attending her classes accidentally or she would fall asleep out of nowhere or won't get a few days of sleep.

[Pers: (8:39 PM) really busy huh?]

Just like today, a few minutes had just passed since her last chat, she already fell unconscious.

[Pers: I want to spar :DD]

【January 7, 3031. 2:43 PM.】

[Swallowtail: I didn't see your message, I fell asleep. I won't be doing co-op for now. Class is draining me.]

[Pers: Ight i understand take ur rest]

[Swallowtail: Thanks, let's play when everyone's schedule is clear.]

【January 13, 3031. 9:50 AM】

[You have received a missed call. 6:07 AM.]

Hesychia placed her laptop down, going inside the library to review complex transactions. A book regarding advanced financial statements and taxation was placed on her hands.

She then saw a message from her ring communicator. Swiping up a hologram, she sent a message;

[Swallowtail: (9:05 AM) Did you click the wrong button?]

This was a message she sent minutes ago but still did not receive a reply.

[Swallowtail: (9:50 AM) I'm still asleep at that time.]

“Hesychia,” A silvery voice called. The young woman looked up and saw Artie. “Do you have a test?”

Hesychia shook her head, “No, just reviewing for some tasks. This topic is a little tricky, I get many things wrong.” she supported her chin with one arm, wondering: “You already graduated, how were you able to enter the university?”

Artie sat down with a small smile, “Baby faced. Old Id lace. They don't check it one by one.”

Artie has been friends with Hesychia since their childhood, this person was also the one who taught her many things. From doing some crazy things to life hacks, Artie gave her a hand.

Artie's name is not actually “Artie” but formally known as Dr. Artemis Schwii, a licensed veterinarian that could be found a few blocks away. This woman has a small clinic nearby, it's already opened at this hour, supposedly. So... why is she here?

Is it because it's still morning? No patients? Then, who's guarding the clinic?

“Hesychia, I know you have a habit of staring into people's souls or zoning out in general, though are you sure you at least took a five hour sleep?” Artemis swiped away her floating tab, clicking a button from her ring communicator after connecting to the wifi, “You're supposed to know that this won't do good. You should go check your Father soon too—”

The sliding door of the library opened harshly, revealing Elara who's panic stricken. The librarian was vexed, almost throwing the index card at her hand. Fortunately, the young woman bowed and apologized before running to them.

“One of the former governor's houses has been burnt, it almost caused a wildfire because their mansion is in a remote area!”

Artemis slapped the newcomer's mouth shut with a tissue, “Lower down your voice...”

Elara took off the tissues, “Every family member's body has been found burnt, none can even recognize them! It's almost all bones! Can a simple fire do much, especially to Southern Panacean people?! Even the maids weren't able to escape.”

Hesychia wasn't that active in politics and can't even remember their faces. All she sometimes remembers was their names, still, it's dependent whether the politician's name would roll smoothly on her tongue or she would forget about it a day after.

“When did this happen? It wasn't broadcasted last night so it probably happened a few hours ago.” Hesychia closed her book, “Did the police start investigating already?”

“Of course they—!” This time Hesychia placed the used tissue back into Elara's mouth. “Pweh! The police estimated this happened near dawn, around 5-6 AM.”

“They are quite famous around our city. The surname Armani has been going around for almost a decade because of their good and reliable work.” Artemis narrated, “They even once gave my clinic some financial help when it was collapsing. Mrs Armani’s first term was successful years ago yet they were accused of being corrupt.”

「Placing good words for the people who have helped her. Reasonable.」

Hesychia studied Artemis’ expression, nodding with intrigue. “Go on.”

Elara recovered from the tissues inside her mouth and butted in, “Before the rumors of corruption started—two days ago, a survey form went around. Mrs. Armani was able to reach the top 3 as the most reasonable candidate to sit once again for her second term.”

Hesychia noted. Two days ago was January 11.

Elara, “A day later the election started. Mrs Armani stayed at eleventh place not even entering the top 5 with 500k something votes. The final counting has been done today, she lost. Afterwards a group of people said that they were corrupted,” Elara looked at them seriously. “Many posted their thoughts about the past ‘good-intention’ and found it fishy. Most of them are teenagers younger than us so it didn't really matter. However, a few hours ago their house was buried into ashes...!”

Hesychia, “Any findings about this corruption and the accident of killing the whole Armani family?”

Elara frowned, “This is the suspicious part. There was no proof of corruption, instead, they found two million worth of funds handed rightfully to education facilities last year. Meanwhile, the police checked the family members and...”

Artemis and Hesychia chorused, “And?”

“The youngest Armani is missing.” Elara whispered, “There is a chance that she's alive and was able to run away from the scene. Some leads said that the youngest was out of the house for a few moments, or luckily escaped.”

“This happened early at dawn, what will she do outside at that hour?” Hesychia's thoughts went in and out, commenting leisurely. “She might be the murderer.”