NOVEL NEXT 081. Crime Footage
- Crime Footage
The bounty hunters in front of the GTB building were in an uproar.
"Damn—this is the first time I've heard of a bounty worth 25 million Derbis."
"Who is this person? Did he kill the president's daughter?"
"You'll know when you take the job."
Most bounty hunters were eager to move; 25 million Derbis was enough to make someone rich overnight. More importantly, that 90-year lease property in the capital meant their descendants could choose any academy they wanted.
It meant their children could compete with the offspring of the elite, avoiding a life of bloodshed and constant danger.
It wasn't long before these people rushed into the GTB's bounty department, taking the job and then handing over the money they just earned to the procurement department, thanking them all the while.
Xue Nian and Luo Le were also quite interested, but their focus was on the task itself.
"We've been working in Frost-Plated for two months, and this is the first time we've encountered a global GTB bounty."
Luo Le marveled:
"Anyone with a bit of brains would know that someone who can take down Beta-level elites can't be below that level himself. And being a notoriously ruthless scavenger—these sub-20 level weaklings are just giving him free kills."
"You think they're stupid, but they know they only have one life. If they succeed, they strike it rich; if they die, so be it."
Xue Nian disagreed, glancing at Lu Run, who had already entered the building with his GTB work ID.
Luo Le realized:
"Hey, where's the photography guy?"
Xue Nian pointed inside the building; they weren't GTB members or bounty hunters. Company rules didn't allow testers to join any factions or organizations—without proper ID, they could only wait outside.
Soon, Lu Run returned with a chip.
"Why did you suddenly go inside to shoot? What did you get?"
"Interior shots, for one thing." Lu Run said excitedly, "I found out the GTB ID is quite useful. I asked the receptionist for information on 'Li Aozi,' and that synthetic beauty handed me this chip, saying I could read it with any device or neural interface."
He handed the chip to Luo Le, who had significant character modifications. Luo Le checked the chip and saw the item information:
[Item Name]: "GTB Fugitive Information Record Chip—'Li Aozi'"
[Type]: Chip/Information Carrier
[Quality]: Ordinary Durable
[Attribute]: Contains information on the fugitive 'Li Aozi,' including 334GB of high-definition video footage detailing his crimes.
Memory Usage: 340GB
[Description]: All information is subject to discrepancies; refer to actual details.
Note: This item is linked to related missions; do not damage it.
"There's a few gigs of text and image data, but the main thing is a video—let's go somewhere private, I'll send it to the group for you to see."
Luo Le, intrigued, converted the chip's contents into files and shared them in their channel.
"Hey, files from the game world can be transferred outside?" Lu Run was surprised.
"The chip holds binary data; what's the issue with transferring it?"
"Doesn't that involve leaking secrets..."
"No, we're using a local network, and the big shots are watching. This is also part of the live demonstration."
Luo Le opened the data file in the external channel and explained:
"Also, the company doesn't seem to care about keeping game content secret. It's almost as if they want everyone to know about this game."
"What do you mean by 'want'—"
"Look at the data." Xue Nian signaled with his eyes: "The data shows that this NPC uses psychic abilities and is around the Beta level, which should meet the company's requirements for PV production. Xiao Lu, you have a good eye."
"Oh, I just thought he looked handsome, enough to—attract female players to the Frost-Plated Republic..."
"Ahem—"
Xue Nian twitched his mouth. Based on his experience in Frost-Plated, he was certain that once the game launched, Lu Run would be hunted by Frost-Plated players countless times.
As someone in marketing, Lu Run knew female players' weak points: though they always say "no romance in esports," who would refuse a tall, strong, and handsome virtual character?
Sure, I want to focus on gaming, but he's a globally wanted (and handsome) man!
"To be fair, this guy is quite good-looking, and for some reason, I feel a sense of familiarity with him."
Luo Le rubbed his chin and browsed the police profile and information on Li Aozi:
"21 years old, vocational school graduate, arson at a bank, assaulting law enforcement, attacking humanitarian aid organizations—hey, this guy's a scumbag and terrorist. Is it really okay to use him for promotional material?"
"Artistic license, artistic license."
Lu Run didn't mind. When it came to his expertise, he was confident:
"Height 185 cm, weight 82 kg, good physique, sharp features—perfect model material. Just that brown-black wasteland coat ruins the vibe..."
"He's a scavenger." Xue Nian reminded, "In the game, Blue Star's outer regions have three major dangerous organizations: scavengers, the Green Base, and the Subway Brotherhood. Among them, scavengers are the most ruthless and inhumane maniacs, with a minimum Alpha level."
"Hey, what are those Alpha and Beta things you keep mentioning?" Lu Run asked, confused.
"Just the game's tier classification. Check the company's training manual later—oh, office workers don't need to know these things."
