The Young Master in the Shadows

Victor opened his eyes to look at the orange sky above his head. It was sunset. They have been inside for a day and a half. Not bad considering he was planning for a two days trip.

Looking around him, he saw everyone was starting to get up. Especially Tom, who gave him and the girls a piercing glance.

“Did you find your Keys, Tom?” Asked Margret who stood up and started to dust her tight clothes.

“What keys?” Tom asked stupidly before he remembered saying something like that when he left the reward room earlier.

“Ah, Yes. They have fallen in a previous tunnel, so I had to return and fetch them.” He said as he looked at Margret and the girls whose clothes were full of holes.

“Why are their skin so shiny?” He thought to himself.

Could it be that? No. Impossible, it must be a light trick. Even Peter had somewhat healthy looking skin.

They didn’t know what Tom was thinking. But their skin was really shiny and tender, like a new baby’s skin. They have used the algae Victor told them about. And its effect was beyond magical.

Victor who was thinking about the same thing nodded his head, That stuff would become one of the main products his family pioneered after discovering this dungeon.

“I thought there would be some police and ambulance waiting for us when we come out.” Said Peter as he looked around at the empty field and the dark deep hole in the ground behind them.

“I told the drivers that we may spend the night in the forest, so they would not call anyone. I have to remind you though. Keep the fact about the dungeon a secret. “ He said making the others nod.

“Now prepare yourselves, we will go down after I make a phone call.” He said.

His phone has a satellite connection so worked on all locations regardless of coverage. So Victor took the phone and called his father, Theodore. It took him 3 Rings to answer.

“Did you do it?” His Father’s cold voice came from the other side.

“Did what?” Victor played dumb.

“Did you kill Nick?” he asked impatiently. Although he didn’t really like Nick he was still his son.

“What? He is dead? I would never do such things. When did that happen?” Replied Victor in surprise.

“The night he visited you, His car exploded on the way back. The family has already sent investigators, they would be here tomorrow. You are the prime suspect.” He said.

“Ah Fine, I am innocent anyway so don’t worry. I just wanted to inform you that I discovered and cleared a dungeon on the cloudy mountain.” Victor said He must make sure his father claims this area before others do.

“Did what?? I searched for that dungeon for a whole year and found nothing. Tell me about everything” He said in a changed tone, it was no longer cold. Forgetting everything about Nick, It’s not like he didn’t care about his son’s death, but a dungeon discovery was a big thing that affected the entire family’s future. And he had a lot of other sons.

Victor began to tell him how he was going on a camping trip and how he discovered the dungeon and cleared it with some friends. He also explained about the algae he found.

“Are you sure about that algae?” Asked his father. An F rank dungeon did not usually have anything of value. Only small amounts of otherworldly materials. But every now and then there would be a dungeon discovered with some magical herb or fungus that could only be cultivated inside it. Those things can be used on normal humans after some dilution. So they were a huge revenue source.

“Yes, pretty much. I tried it on my friends and it works like magic. It may need some further studying. But it would become the new hit in cosmetics. So I would like to claim 20% of the profits.” said Victor with a smile

“If what you said is true, You would only get 10% as you were trespassing on my mountain. Now go. We would talk later. Ah and the police may be looking for you, don’t make trouble.” His father said as he hang up.

“Damn it.” Said Victor as he put the phone in his pocket. He expected his father to give him 15% so he asked for 20%. But his cheap father only gave him 10%.

It doesn’t matter he thought as he led the others down the mountain. 10% was a large amount of money. As this thing would be a massive hit.

As for the police thing. He long expected it when he arranged for Nick to be killed.

“Are you going to cultivate that algae?” Asked Margret who was listening in to his conversation.

“Yes. I will send you and the girls a few boxes when the product launches.” He said, making the girls smile. Although they packed some of it. Who doesn’t want some for their family and friends?

Victor nodded and looked at the girls who were cheering and appraised them in secret.

Lily gained 2 additional levels while the others 1 level each. This was not bad considering they were just rookies and this was an easy dungeon.

He gestured Lily to come near then took out a white envelope and gave it to her secretly.

“Just for contingencies.” He whispered as She nodded and took it.

Those guys would probably try to frame him for Nick's murder. So he had to prepare for everything.

Soon they reached the movie set, which was lively with all the lights and some explosion effects. They seemed to be filming some action scenes.

Aria went ahead to look for the car drivers who were sitting next to a bonfire drinking beer. She quickly began to scold them for failing to inform her of Victor’s instruction for them to wait for two days. Then she began to use her phone to make some calls, as there was coverage here and she had a lot of missed calls.

Victor looked at the set and smiled, not bad this movie is going to be a hit. He should invest more in John Sigma, that guy was a gem. Not the one found in goblin's corpses but a real one.

“Victor white, Freeze and put your hands above your head.” A sound startled him and everyone else. Who looked to see a female police officer with three other cops approaching. The female officer was waving a gun.

Victor lazily raised his hand and turned to look at them.

“Office Lea, we meet again. How did you know I was here? Are you stalking me?” He said with a smile.

“I am arresting you for murdering your brother Nick White,” She said coldly ignoring his question as she cuffed him. He didn’t resist. Players must not fight with the police in public or display their powers. So when most players are arrested they usually comply and find a way to escape later.

The girls gasped in shock as they heard the charges. Especially the twins. Nick was dead?

“Don’t worry, I would go out really quickly. I didn’t do anything.” He said to the girls with a smile.

“You would not go out again in a lifetime. You are charged with using explosives and murdering three people. I am sure that the car accident that day was also your doing. You must have been testing things for the final show at night.” said Lea as she pushed him down the mountain.

This idiot was as unreasonable as ever thought Victor as he walked with her. His connections were not able to help him here it seemed. His father had made things clear when he told him that the cops were after him. He didn’t care as he had already arranged his cards. He only has to wait and see how this game will play.

“Take his bag. It may contain some dangerous substance.” Lea said to her partner as she lead Victor to the police car nearby.

Watching Victor being taken away the girls were a little anxious, especially Aria who tried to call her father multiple times but couldn’t reach him.

Margret was thinking whether this was the business that would take a few days that Victor told her about in the dungeon. “Did he really kill someone and was waiting to be arrested? No. Impossible.” She quickly denied such a stupid idea.

Lily frowned, then found an isolated corner to take out the letter Victor gave her and opened it to find a list of instructions beginning with “If I were arrested. You would be monitored so destroy this after reading.” She quickly read everything before throwing the paper secretly in a nearby bonfire and watching it burn.

“Miss Aria we should get going too, we can’t help him by staying here,” She said as she headed to one of the vans.

Aria quickly came back to her scenes and asked everyone to board. They were going back to the city.

Tom was standing there smiling. This bad guy is gone, at last, he thought. And began to head towards Lily intending to ride next to her. This was his chance. Maybe he would get a new companion tonight.

;

System notice,

The Whimsical System is astonished by all the fantastic scenery of mother nature and it has noticed that the host was getting a little fat.

Quick Mission

Return to the city ON FOOT, you are not allowed to take any vehicle.

Rewards:

100 COINs.

Failure:

Lose all your hair.

;

“Damn it,” thought Tom as he began to walk down the mountain. But those 100 COINs are not bad for a night’s work he thought.

“Aren’t you going to ride with us?” shouted Margret after him.

“No, I have been gaining weight, so I need some exercise.” He shouted back as he continued to walk.

“What is wrong with him. Is he really possessed?” Thought Margret as she sat next to the twins, intending to ask them about Victor’s arrest.

“Do you know anything about the arrest?” she inquired. Their fidgeting behavior has reviled many things.

Mina looked at her sister not knowing what to say, they were not allowed to reveal family secrets.

“It’s OK, tell everyone.” Lily, sitting in the back said. Thinking of what her young master wrote on that letter. His enemies will try to silence the witnesses or change the testimony, she has to find a way to spread the story of how he saved the girls. And This was a good chance.

Mina nodded then began to tell everyone of how Victor saved them from Nick, with some reductions. Everyone was listening with interest even Aria who was perking her ears from the front seat.

The heroic tale of a young master saving his maids soon found its way online, to inspire a best selling novel, and a movie adaptation.

Akaichi Thanks to all who donated. It really helped.