Chapter 197 - Episode 197: The Person Behind The Rumors.
Chapter 197 – Episode 197: The Person Behind The Rumors.
Michael is shaking his head with disbelief.
"You're crazy, you know that? Can you at least kill them normally? I mean, I know that these people are all bad people, but this is just brutal."
Leonardo is looking at the images and then looks at Michael.
"I don't think Trevor is the one who did that…"
Leonardo then looks at me and continues.
"It was Azrael who did that, isn't it? We have seen Azrael in the desert back then, and you all saw the way Azrael chewed off those monsters back then, right? I think Trevor isn't the one who made them like that. It could be Azrael and Krestan."
Emma is humming in agreement.
"Leo is right. I have been playing with Trevor longer than you guys, and Trevor wouldn't do something like that. Even though I know for sure he's quite scary when he was in combat, he's not crazy enough to butchering and dismembering bodies."
Francesca is nodding in agreement.
"Yeah, and we all know Krestan is a madman from the history book that we read in the game. Well, even if that was Trevor's doings, I still can understand why he did that. As a woman, listening to the story of how Hacal's wife was killed while she's pregnant is making me very pissed. I would do the same if I have the power to do so."
Ivonna, Emma, Chelsea, and Grisell are nodding in agreement. Ivonna then looks at the TV and raises her eyebrows.
"Can we focus on this thread? Something feels not right because I think this isn't just a coincidence."
Grisell is looking at Ivonna and tilts her head.
"What makes you think like that?"
Ivonna is pointing her finger at the thread.
"I don't know if I'm right, but this is just what I'm thinking. The original poster is anonymous even though they can just use show their account, right? What is he or she afraid of? They would get bashed by the community? That's not the case right? Then you can see that he or she updated the forum title and put Trevor's name in it even though it's not yet been confirmed. Why he or she did that? I think the original poster wants to stir the community and make Trevor looks bad."
Michael is raising his eyebrows.
"So you're saying that someone did this just to make people hate Trevor? But why? Is it jealousy?"
Ivonna shakes her head.
"If it's just jealousy, the original poster could have made a thread a way back before this incident, or at least he should have made a thread about the incident in the Fjel Town. Even if he got the opportunity now to make him look back, he should have mentioned something about the incident in the Fjel Town, right? The question is why now and why this one, as if this original poster knows about Trevor's doings and go to the Delaisse mountain that is a week or more to travel from everywhere if they really just got there by coincidence, but this original poster seems to know where the Headless Cult's lair and immediately go there to take screenshots."
Leonardo is humming with understanding.
"So this original poster know how to get there the fastest way and used this opportunity to spread the rumors. But who knows about this lair?"
They're all immediately looking at me. I nod and raise my eyebrows.
"There are only 3 players that know about the lair. Jake, Jacob, and Aspen."
Ivonna is looking down and she knows the one behind these rumors.
"Aspen…"
We are all looking at her, and then Emma nods in agreement.
"Oh yeah, I think he's the one who planned all this. Do you realize how he's always showing his fake smiles at us and pretend to be mysterious and cool? I know that something is not right about him from the start."
The girls start gossiping about Aspen and then we guys are just listening to them. Ivonna then looks at me.
"I met Aspen, and he was different when I saw him. He knew about the incident about the Headless Cult and he told me that he wanted to see you, Trev. I think he wants revenge for what you did to his cult by stirring the community to hate you. Is that make sense?"
I'm humming while putting my hand under my chin.
"Yeah, that makes sense, and I know something like this might happen, so I'm prepared."
Ivonna tilts her head and looks at everyone.
"You said that we should not get involved in this, so we are not going to do anything to help you out. I know that some of us want to help you, but I will not allow it because once one of us gets involved in this, all of us will get dragged as well. So please bear that in mind, guys. It's better for us not to interfere with this one, but at least we can do something and don't let all of the players hate him. There's one person in mind that I can persuade to not get involved in this matter, Kingstar. If he's not get involved in this matter, then millions of players will not as well since Kingstar is their leader and have more influence than the community, and that is more than enough to reduce the problem."
They all nod in agreement and then look at me with concern. I smile and scoff.
"Yeah, that's right. You all shouldn't be involved in this. It will be easier for me to handle this matter on my own."
Ivonna looks at me.
"So, what's your plan to handle this problem?"
I raise my eyebrow.
"My plan for this? None. Because I'm not going to waste my time convincing them and there are so many important things that I need to do, something that far worse than just killing a bunch of killers."
Hans raises his eyebrows with confusion.
"Are you not afraid of getting banned for that?"
I scoff and shake my head.
"Banned? They're not going to ban me for this. They know the game and the story of each NPC, and they know it's something that is necessary to get a quest done, it's just that I'm taking the fastest the roughest way to get it done. They're not stupid enough to listen to players' demands for something that they think it's wrong or taboo. They're the game devs that Becker trusted them with the game he made and they know the game more than a bunch of players."
Chelsea is humming with understanding.
"True… anyway, Ivy, let's convince Kingstar to not get involved with this. I want at least Trevor's mind to be at ease if Kingstar is not get involved in this."
Ivonna nods with understanding.
"Alright guys, I guess we should play and persuade a few people that I have in mind other than Kingstar. Let's go."
All of them nod and then walk into the gaming room.
I look at the TV for quite a while.
"You finally showed your true color. I guess we need to settle this matter now, Aspen."
I walk into the gaming room and log in to the game.
As soon as I'm inside the game a message appears on my screen, it's Becker.
[Wow Trev, you really did it, huh? How does it feel to become a villain in the game? I bet you don't even care, huh? Anyway, if you need a hand, you know that I can do everything in the game and turn the tides around by just flipping the back of my hand, right? I know that you don't like the attention, and so I'm helping on my side by convincing my friends to not care about these rumors. Have fun, Trev!]
I smile and chuckle with disbelief.
[Thanks, Becker. I really appreciate it.]
I close the message screen and stretch my body. I look around and I have no idea where Avriel is at, so the first thing that comes up in my head is to go to Krestan's house to prepare for the second plan. I open a portal to Krestan's house then enter the portal, and as soon as I'm in front of Krestan's house I'm surprised to see Krestan is standing outside of his house while crossing his arms with an annoyed face.
I walk toward him and raise my eyebrow.
"What's wrong? You look so pissed."
Krestan looks at me and sighs.
"Huh? You're asking me why I'm pissed? Just get in there and you will understand."
I furrow my forehead and look at his house, then I walk past him and enter the house. I look around and then I see Avriel sitting on the couch with Jariel in a wheelchair facing the window. Now I know why Krestan is so annoyed by it. Avriel looks at me and she smiles. I'm glad that she's safe and Jariel as well, then Krestan gets inside the house and walks past me.
Jariel slightly turns his head but then he looks to the front again and ignores me. Krestan is whining and venting about it in front of both of them. he really dislikes people getting into his house and moreover seeing Avriel here without his permission is really pissed him off, then they both start arguing again as always.
I walk toward the wall and lean while keep listening to them arguing. Avriel then looks at me and becomes quiet and so does Krestan. I look at them both and nod.
"Are you guys done? There's something I need your help with."
They both are raising their eyebrows. I take a deep breath.
"I need you guys to find a person, and Avriel knows about him."
Avriel tilts her head.
"Who?"
I raise my eyebrows.
"Aspen. I want to kill him."