บท 45: Unexpected Visitors
Despite the fact that nobody had made any moves on Rita yet, not even Zoey, the moment of peace wasn't likely to last. Right now, her skill seemed like a harmless party trick, akin to a fortune-teller helping people boost their luck—a novelty but nothing game-changing. However, when the game invaded reality, it would be a different story.
If a group could consistently increase the value of the loot they obtained after raids by even 10-30%, they would eventually leave everyone else in the dust.
Currently, players weren't earning much, so Rita wasn't charging high fees. But when they got stronger and wealthier, her ability's value would skyrocket. She'd need to tread carefully, ensuring balance. Demanding a percentage of a team's loot could make her a target. But charging too little? That wouldn't sit well with her either. She knew herself—deep down, despite her caution, she was greedy.
Suddenly, her phone rang. The call was from security, informing her that two people were at the gate claiming to know her from the game on October 10th.
Rita smirked, understanding immediately: players.
She wasn't concerned. These people were approaching in broad daylight, on friendly terms. Whatever their intentions, they seemed peaceful for now. She instructed the guard to let them in.
The visitors were a man and a woman, both dressed casually. However, their posture and the way they carried themselves suggested they were professionals. Rita led them into her house, offered water, and cut straight to the point, "What brings you here?"
The woman with a ponytail introduced herself, "Hello, I'm Shadow.Q. We work for the government."
Rita felt a surge of excitement, thinking to herself, **Finally, they're here!** She had anticipated this moment for some time.
She had already solved the dilemma of how to balance the use of her power. **Why worry about balance when you can find a stronger force to protect you?**
Rita nodded calmly. "What a coincidence—I work for the government too."
Shadow.Q was caught off guard by the joke, but she smiled despite herself. Her tense demeanor softened slightly. Initially, she had been worried that Rita might be one of those people who, after gaining extraordinary abilities, started to act arrogant. But Rita's response showed that, at the very least, she wasn't hostile toward the authorities. Shadow.Q replied, "I think you know what we mean."
Rita seized control of the conversation. "You're interested in my **Divine Gift**, right? You want to work with me?"
The word "cooperation" unsettled the man with the buzzcut. **They weren't looking for cooperation—they wanted control.** Cooperation implied equality, shared profits, and payment for each use of her ability. Asher couldn't help but blurt out, "Haven't you thought about serving your country?"
Rita raised an eyebrow. "I pay taxes."
Asher was speechless.
Shadow.Q, on the other hand, smiled again, trying to maintain composure. She had dealt with hundreds of players by now, and while Rita wasn't the most cooperative, she was far from the worst. What stood out was her calmness. There was no panic, no sense of superiority, but also no fear or subservience. Rita was a woman with strong convictions.
Dropping the scripted responses she had prepared, Shadow.Q went straight to the point. "How do you propose we work together, Rita?"
Rita replied, "I can use **Wheel of Fate** four times a day to alter someone's luck. I'm willing to sell three of those uses to you. How you use them or who you collaborate with is none of my concern. However, I won't stay in one place. I'm sure you've looked into my background. Since leaving showbiz, I've spent most of my time traveling or attending classes."
Shadow.Q didn't address the logistics of that but instead asked, "And the price?"
Rita named a high figure, "Three gold coins per use." She planned to raise the price further once the players became stronger and wealthier.
Asher immediately pointed out, "That's considered high income, which means a 45% tax rate. I mean, on every use."
Rita was stunned into silence.
Shadow.Q pinched the bridge of her nose, looking exasperated.
Rita took a sip of her coffee, signaling the conversation was over. "It's getting late. I think it's time for you to leave."
Shadow.Q quickly handed Asher the glass of water he had been ignoring. **Shut up already!**
After a moment, she tried to negotiate. "That price is too high. You've played the game; you know how hard it is to earn money in there."
Rita remained firm. "There are all kinds of Divine Gifts. Who's to say there isn't one for making money?" It wasn't a baseless claim. After all, if there were abilities like **God of the Culinary Arts**, **Thief God**, and **Water God**, why couldn't there be a **God of Fortune**?
Shadow.Q remained composed. Even though Rita had hit the mark with her guess, she didn't let it show. The government had over 520,000 players, and yes, some had money-making abilities. But the **God of Fortune** was only an A-level Gift—it wasn't an infinite money printer!
Three gold coins per use was excessive, especially when they already had two players with maxed-out luck in the government.
And so began a back-and-forth negotiation, with Shadow.Q and Asher taking turns, one pushing hard, the other softening the blow. Occasionally, Asher would say something deliberately awkward to ease the tension, showing how well they worked together as a team.
At first, Rita wasn't too invested in the conversation. But as the pair continued to press her, she grew curious. "Could you explain why you need my Gift so badly? Is it for scientific research? International affairs?"
Both Shadow.Q and Asher shook their heads. They couldn't divulge any details.
Rita tried to read their expressions, but they were completely unreadable.
In her previous life, even though she occasionally followed giants like the Lopez and White families into dungeons, she never knew much more than the average person. Most of what she learned came from the news—things like beta testing dates, the number of players involved, and the occasional headline about a mundane object undergoing a strange mutation. She was never privy to the real secrets.
So what could be so important that they'd need her **Divine Gift** this desperately?
Scientific research? Sure, maybe a little luck would help, but real progress came from genius minds and painstaking research—not something that required long-term cooperation.
International affairs? Even more far-fetched.
That left only one possibility: something related to the game itself.
Crafting equipment? Dungeons?
Or, if she dared to think even bolder—did someone have a way to **re-enter the game**?
After all, who said there could only be three beta tests? Who said that after the beta ended, the game would be inaccessible?
In her previous life, the government's dominance over the major families and corporations seemed too effortless to be just about resources and manpower. She didn't believe that. Look at Mateo and Sanchez's uncle—those guys would dream of ruling the world if they could.
Rita's heart began to race. Her eyes gleamed as she sat up straight, staring at the two officials.
Asher and Shadow.Q exchanged nervous glances.
**Don't look at us like that. You're scaring us.**
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