NOVEL NEXT Chapter 195: Cheat Code
Jessica and Cassandra inhaled sharply, their entire beings shaking with disbelief. EverRealm wasn't just a game. It was the game.. the crown jewel of VR gaming across all five planets. They'd spent countless hours in its digital worlds, laughed and cried through its duels, lost themselves in its beauty. And here, in their living room, sat the girl who had built it. It was like being in front of a goddess.
"What?!" Jessica finally exploded. "How?! We've known each other for almost two years and you never told me you were the owner of the most played VR game in the entire world!?"
Aileen chuckled softly, fiddling with the edge of her jacket. "You never asked. And besides… it's not completely mine anymore. I sold the game to a company years ago. But I still monitor the systems, fix issues, and call shots on updates and major changes." she said.
Jayden leaned back, eyes narrowing thoughtfully. "That's clever. You basically still have control over your game." he pointed out.
Aileen giggled, but there was a tinge of irony in her tone. "Yeah, except I don't." She sighed, her voice tinged with something bittersweet. "As the creator, I'm not allowed to have a personal account. They say it'd be 'unfair.'" She lifted her hands, air-quoting the word with playful sarcasm. "So mostly, I just watch others play. And sometimes… it gets boring."
Cassandra, still in shock, snapped out of it long enough to coo sympathetically. "Aw, you poor thing. You created the game, and they won't even let you play it? That's not fair."
Aileen exhaled. "Yeah, but I've learnt to come to terms with it. And sometimes, I play on a guest server. But it's just not… personal." she sighed.
Jayden exhaled softly, his voice calm but sincere. "Well, for what it's worth, I think your game is really impressive, Aileen."
Aileen's smile widened at his words. "Thank you, Jayden. I heard you're quite the gamer yourself."
Jayden chuckled. "I used to be. Not so much now. But I still play from time to time."
"That's good," Aileen said, her tone lifting with excitement. "Because I'm releasing a new update soon, one with some really cool features."
Jessica and Cassandra's heads snapped up at once, their expressions flipping from awe to giddy greed. Normally, they'd wait in anticipation for an update like every other player. But now? The developer herself was right in front of them. So, why wait?
They pounced on her. Literally.
In a blur, Jessica and Cassandra dragged Aileen off her single chair and onto the wide couch, squishing her right between them, even spilling slightly into Jayden and Tasha's space.
"Hey, Aileen…" Jessica said sweetly, her grin practically glowing. "Could you maybe… give your big sisters here a little hint about the update?"
Aileen laughed, trapped between them. "Big sisters? You're only, what, like a few months older than me!" she giggled.
Cassandra leaned in closer, eyes shining with mischief. "I don't care about that. I don't even care about the update. Well… I do—but what I really want to know is…" She dropped her voice conspiratorially. "Is there a cheat code? Like a hack? A backdoor? Something to unlock unlimited health points or access every weapon?"
Aileen blinked, then burst out laughing. "No. No way. My game is unhackable. I coded it myself. There are no cheats, no loopholes. That's the whole point. Even I couldn't create a secret account without the system flagging me." she said, a sigh escaping her lips.
Jessica and Cassandra stared at her like she'd just confessed to burning down a temple. "You expect us to believe the creator of EverRealm didn't leave any backdoor?" Jessica pressed.
Aileen shook her head, laughing harder. "Nope. None." she admitted.
But Cassandra and Jessica refused to believe it. They grilled her relentlessly, tossing every theory, every urban legend, every supposed cheat rumor at her while she shot each down with playful but firm denials.
And just like that, the rest of the day was swallowed whole. Training plans dissolved into chaos as the group spiraled into conversations about games, secret codes, and impossible cheats. Controllers and VR rigs eventually came out, and the sitting room transformed into a battlefield of laughter and button mashing.
To everyone's shock, Aileen dominated every game. She beat Jessica. She beat Cassandra. She even beat Jayden.. twice. By the evening, their "training session" had turned into a gaming marathon with Tasha groaning in defeat at her failed attempt to keep them disciplined.
In the end, all she could do was reschedule the training to which they all agreed to.
She also suggested that they all meet up at school the next day to register for the global tournament.
When the sun dipped low and the sky dimmed violet, the day finally wound down. Cassandra decided to wait for her mother to pick her up. But Aileen rose to leave just as the low hum of engines filled the air outside.
Through the window, a sleek, yellow hover-SUV descended smoothly, polished chrome gleaming under the last light. It looked less like a car and more like a symbol… of wealth, of status, of something untouchable.
A man in his mid-thirties stepped out, dark hair slicked neatly, suit sharp enough to cut. He strode to the passenger side, posture perfect, and waited.. stoic, respectful.
"That's my ride," Aileen said casually, slinging her small bag over her shoulder. She waved at them with a warm smile. "Bye, guys. See you tomorrow."
The suited man bowed his head slightly and opened the door for her. Aileen returned his gesture with a soft smile, then slid effortlessly into the car. The door closed with a soft thud, and the vehicle lifted, purring into the dusk until it was gone.
Jessica and Cassandra stood frozen, jaws unhinged once more. "Did we just—?" Jessica began, but words failed her.
Tasha only smirked knowingly, arms folded as though she'd been expecting this reveal all along. "Told you she's awesome." she muttered.
They returned inside, the room still buzzing from the shockwaves Aileen left behind. Jayden had returned back to his room while the girls remained in the sitting room. They talked a while longer, circling back to lighter topics, until Penelope finally came to pick Cassandra.
The day closed on that note.. like the curtain after a play, the stage heavy with echoes of everything that had unfolded.