GOD FORMULA

22 The Contract~

Piper's mobile was an all-terrain vehicle with a trailer attached. The cyborg had recently installed lead lining after it was reported that radioactive monster species existed. The interiors were chic with carbon plating and fiber paneling. 

He had named the vehicle- Piperwheel, against Noah's violent disagreement. In fact, the name was already painted across the side.

| PIPER WHEEL |

The high-tech vehicle had the best facilities possible in a mobile. It was owing to all the state-of-the-art spare parts Piper had acquired from the Engineers Guild. However, the exterior of the vehicle looked primitive by design. That was intentional. The boys wanted to keep their heads down and not get noticed.

Often, larger guilds and parties came hunting for strong players, and if the latter did not agree to join, that did not end well. News of solo players and smaller teams being decimated and looted was all over the public chat rooms.

Four large virtual displays formed Piper's workstation. 

"So, did you get any drops?" the cyborg asked, checking real-time ultrasound scans of the Wyrm mines.

"Just experience points. Perhaps there were some drops from my attacks on the Queen. But, naturally, I could not hang around to pick them up. I would have been buried alive if I had not escaped in time."

"Right. Although, to be fair, the detonation was caused by you," Piper quipped. 

"Go ahead and tell me if there was another way out." Noah walked to the shed and deposited his dirty gear.

Piper shook his head and turned his gaze to the displays.

"The scans show nothing. The mouth is fully blocked."

"How do we get in again?"

"You still wanna go back? After seeing how overpowered the Queen is? Are you insane?"

"Dude, I gotta reach level 100 before the others."

"I get it. But why, Noah?"

"You know why."

"Because it is rumored that the system allows a race change at level 100?"

"It's just not me saying it. The top players believe the same. Can you imagine? You get to make yourself completely cyborg or hybrid or even a mage. And if there are any other superior races, you can ascend to them. How about a rakshasa?"

"Noah, you are strong as they come. Why do you want to change your race? Are you ashamed of being a human?"

"It's not that."

Piper crossed his arms and regarded his friend. "Your growth has been mysterious, man. People leveling up on the WTN do change, but your transformation in the matter of a few months is bizarre. Like- you grew a foot taller, and you look drop-dead gorgeous all of a sudden."

Piper, usually prone to exaggeration, was not making it up at the moment. Noah had metamorphosed from a measly kid to an over 6 ft muscular hunk. He was literally unrecognizable. No other player on the WTN had reportedly gone through such radical changes.

Noah did not comment on the topic, as always. Piper sighed and went to the coffee machine. "Fine, I'll find another way into the mines."

"You're the best, Piper!" Noah chirped.

"We have a contract," Piper said, pouring two cups of coffee. "The team which hired us is on its way.“ 

"Err. Already? Who hired us this time? Lionheart Guild?"

Lionheart was one of the best performing and wealthiest guilds in G*****a. Their leaders purchased equipment directly from Providence. A billionaire gamer had established the guild, and his pockets were deep. However, they always went for easier campaigns to collect more inventory and level up their large number of players.

"Nah. The Fellowship. A squad of Providence."

Noah narrowed his eyes. "You mean-"

"Yep. Dr. Jack Chrysalis called me up himself," Piper replied, handing him a cup of steaming coffee. "Therefore, we need to get some things straight before the team arrives."

"And what is that?"

"You know what. We'll probably have to work with Eve Trinity on this contract. You must promise not to be weird."

"I-"

Noah's face had reddened. He was on another plane.

"Look at your face-" 

"GoulagSlayer13-"

"Yep. In the very flesh."

"I'm going to be okay, Piper. Not that this doesn’t affect me at all. I was upset that she was not on the same team during the Beta phase. I haven't heard from her since. But now my priorities are different."

"Exactly, man. I'm glad to hear you say that. We will have to act like professionals. The other members of the Fellowship probably don't know your history. And they better not. Are we clear?"

Noah shrugged and shook his head. "You don't have to worry about me."

Before the boy had joined Piper in the Beta phase of the Worldwide Trinity Network, Jack had recovered his memories. 

Noah remembered his meeting with Eve in the infirmary ward. 

The boy had changed a lot since. He had become a dashing, resourceful man. Noah cared little about things other than leveling up. However, he was slightly worried about how he may react to meeting Eve again.

"Moreover, we need better equipment," Piper went on. "We have leveled up, no doubt. You are level 69, and I am at level 42. But we need missions like these to get legendary drops. Fellowship has promised a share."

"What's the current unlock status in equipment tiers?"

"Take a look by yourself." Piper clicked a few keys, and a screen popped up.

[ WTN Weapon Tier Status ]

[ Common 80/ 80 ]

[ Knight 50/ 50 ]

[ Mythic 25/ 25 ]

[ Legendary 6/ 10 ]

[ God 0/ 5 ]

"You see, most of our equipment is knight-tier. With a couple of mythic-tier thrown in. You haven't become #1 yet because you don't own any legendary-tier weapons. What if someone unlocks a god-tier weapon? You'll be left way behind." 

"Hey, I don't think such a nightmare campaign is visible yet on the Trinity map."

The Trinity map was a digital representation updated every two months by Providence. It revealed new campaign sites for the reference of players.

During the launch of Trinity worldwide, the first reveal showed major sites, including the Wyrm mines. 

People had not preferred to flock to the mines because there were rumors about level 75 monsters. Nobody wanted to die so soon. Noah preferred solitude during his campaigns and had dragged Piper to the location. However, it had not been a suitable site for equipment drops from bosses.

"We need this contract, Noah." Piper sounded serious.

"Fine. Tell me more about this Fellowship team."

"Umm. Sure. According to the Trinity Lexicon, there are Trinity squads set up by Providence. Inducted from both the army and pools of talented civilian players, they are enforcer teams assigned missions and campaigns on the WTN. Each squad comprises four permanent members- three female fighters, the Trinity, and One male fighter, the Ace of Trinity. They can have as many rookies and temporary members. Some support members as well. Independent contractors like us."

"I've heard of this," Noah muttered. "Aces. The girls are supposed to be their partners, right?"

"Yep. And the Ace is usually someone overpowered. Most of the Aces are the Beta Phase Campaign survivors into the outlands. If you had joined Providence, you could have been an Ace too. Not to mention with three hot girlfriends."

"You make it sound glorious."

"Isn't it, really? Aces go around on fun missions, sleeping with three hot girls, and the government funds everything. While you and I are stuck in these mines, flirting with Wyrm spiders."

"You give them too much credit, Piper. Providence is evil, and I know it. Do you really think Jack Chrysalis' intentions are noble?"

"Well, nobody knows for sure. He helped us out a lot in the past. Now he's extending a contract worth ten thousand credits."

"Ten thousand?"

"Yep."

"What is the mission? They want the Queen Cyclops Ant?"

"Ermm, Nah. I doubt they even know of the Queen's existence. They have a mission at the natural lake behind the mine."

"Loch lake?"

"That one, yes. Probably a Boss Monster. No idea. I mean, I have already taken the advance-"

"What?!"

"All I'm saying is just let's meet the team. "

"I-"

"Apparently, they stopped to hunt a Karkadann on the way-"

The roars of motorbikes sounded, and Piper cut himself off.

The vehicles stopped outside the mobile trailer and sputtered off.  

Piper nodded at Noah. They logged into Trinity and entered battle mode. 

Was it a guild or a party? 

They opened the door and walked out, their weapons and armors equipped. 

Eight vehicles stood outside. They were hybrid motorbikes, and Piper's eyes lit up immediately.

"Noah, those are minxes and coyotes. You could tell by the robust, throaty growls and their thrumpy exhaust notes." Piper whistled. "These are top-notch vehicles built for RazorCars."

A small crowd of players stood by their parked bikes. They were battle-dressed and appeared not much older than Noah and Piper. A dark-skinned guy in a beard left the crowd and approached them. 

"You know your vehicles," he said, holding out his hand. "Hi, I am Omar. A member of Trinity. We are looking for Lovelord and Piedpiper."