Bastard NPC Chapter 6

Chapter 6

“Something really big is happening.”

As soon as I finished speaking, Adam burst through the door and alternated his gaze between me and Colin, who were sitting side by side. It wasn’t a good sign. Judging by the venomous expression on his face, like a mother-in-law looking for any fault, it was clear he was about to say something unnecessary.

“I can’t believe you targeted my innocent little brother while I was away. I didn’t think you were that sly.”

“No, sir—”

“Right. My brother isn’t some easy target just because he has a nice face. You’d better give up.”

As expected, Adam rambled on with nonsense. When we met as a user and NPC, our conversations were mostly professional, so I didn’t realize he had a bit of a brother complex. 

It made me think that he was going a bit too far, but then again, complexes are best left untouched. It’s safer to avoid people like him.

“Ah, yes. I’ll give up. But, may I say something?”

“You’re so lacking in persistence!”

“Shh, quiet, will you? Riley has something to say.”

“Persistence isn’t the key here. Fine. I’ll give you a chance. Do your best.”

As Colin interjected, Adam immediately switched gears, sitting down on an empty chair as if he’d never been acting like an overbearing parent. 

Now that I think about it, it wasn’t a brother complex—it seemed like the hierarchy in this family was pretty clear. Colin was the one in charge, and Burke was the weakest.

“What happened yesterday?”

As Colin, who had turned his chair halfway in my direction, asked kindly, the door suddenly swung open. Burke, with a donut in his mouth, entered. Preoccupied with his donut, Burke quietly perched on the desk, and I nodded in acknowledgment as I looked at the donut topped with generous amounts of chocolate.

“A VCI agent came by. And they made quite the ruckus.”

I briefly explained what happened early this morning, mixing in a bit of exaggeration. I had woken up to strange noises, panicked and bumped my head against the wall. 

Then I received Adam’s call, and heard another explosion before stepping outside to find the house in ruins.

“But you, my friend. Last night, didn’t you call me ‘old man’—a completely inappropriate term?”

“Is it because of my mood? I remember it well.”

“Why? Riley’s right. Brother, you’re not an old woman.”

Burke suddenly interrupted and blurted out. Adam, who had a scowl on his face, was about to open his mouth, but Colin was faster.

“Who was the VCI?”

“Theodore di Ranieri. Do you know him?”

A strange silence filled the room. Ignoring Colin’s flustered expression and Adam furrowing his brows, even Burke, who had been chewing on his donut, stopped and stared at me with his mouth agape. 

At that moment, my phone screen lit up, showing an unread message. I glanced around, gauging the atmosphere, and cautiously turned the phone over.

“Were you born yesterday?”

The first to speak was Adam. How did he know?

In a sense, it was true that I was born yesterday, so I missed the chance to refute it. Burke was next.

“Riley, are you stupid? Don’t you know about that crazy dog?”

I didn’t want to hear that from a fool with chocolate all over his mouth, but I couldn’t deny that I didn’t know about that crazy dog. Hence, I nodded, and Burke hurriedly moved his seat, saying that I was stupid. 

Then he stood next to Adam and whispered to him, glancing at me. You’re stupid, right? How can you not know about the crazy dog? I know him too.

“Riley got a head injury yesterday. That’s why.”

Colin stepped forward to defend me, but somehow it made me feel more miserable. I also felt like I was being ostracized for some reason. No, I, a player, didn’t know, but the NPCs all knew? Why?

“You got a head injury and became an idiot. I didn’t even know that…. Do you want to eat?”

Burke, pitying me, handed me the remainder of his donut. They say there’s no bad person who shares food. Although he may be a little slow, Burke was definitely a kind NPC. 

I wasn’t really in the mood to eat, but I didn’t want him to feel awkward, so I took a small bite from the edge of the donut. Adam, however, recoiled as if he were seeing something filthy. 

Honestly, he’d probably eat something off the ground if it were dropped. It seems he’s been raised more delicately than I expected.

“But, is that man really that famous?” I asked, savoring the sweetness left in my mouth. Turning to Colin, he hesitated for a moment, as if unsure how to explain, before biting his lip.

“Should I say famous or notorious?”

“Christopher, David, Robert, Joseph, Brian, Jonathan, Charles, Tyler.”

The voice came from an unexpected source. It was Adam. Following that, Colin asked if I recognized the names, and I nodded. 

These names were not unfamiliar; they are the key NPCs in this game. Or rather, they were key figures. They’re all dead now.

 

‘This isn’t good news. Tyler was shot by the VCI. Things are getting tense. Be careful, you too.’

‘Hey, hey, did you hear about the 19th Street gang getting wiped out by the VCI? It’s a shame that David died, but this is an opportunity, my friend! I’ve got info that the 19th Street gang was secretly smuggling goods through Fixford. What do you say? Ready to sit on a pile of cash?’

‘From my excellent judgment, the western highway is the best escape route. Although it’s the fateful road where the VCI made Christopher lie in a coffin, it’s the ideal choice for outrunning those fools. It’s far better than Route 6.’

 

Once, these people used to call me for missions, and we would work together. One by one, though, they vanished, now only briefly mentioned in conversations. 

There was a common factor behind their deaths: they weren’t taken out by organizational power struggles or any other reasons. They were all shot by the VCI.

At this point, it was hard not to know. I turned to Colin with a look of disbelief, and when our eyes met, he nodded.

“That’s right. These are all cases that Ranieri was in charge of.”

Surprised, I stared wide-eyed at Colin as he bitterly smiled. Turning his body, he placed his hands on the keyboard. His long, pale fingers moved swiftly for a moment, and then Theo’s personal information appeared on the large monitor.

“Wow, what is all this?”

While my information was filled with criminal records, Theo’s section was filled with achievements as a law enforcer. 

Top of his class, youngest to join, youngest to be promoted, and various top-tier awards. His resume looked so impressive it could be submitted for a job application.

Naturally, this wasn’t the kind of information I was looking for. I wasn’t curious about how great he was. On the contrary, I needed some weakness to use as a shield. But for some reason, this guy had no weaknesses.

A reasonable suspicion crept into my mind. Considering how well his character was designed, I wondered why he’d never appeared in the game before. 

His status, being opposed to criminal players, and his connections with major NPCs—it all seemed suspicious. Perhaps, Theo was a hidden boss that the developers had carefully planned.

Oh, maybe that’s exactly it. Since he’s set up as an antagonist against players, the moment my information was unlocked, he must’ve seized the opportunity to come after me.

“…I’m screwed.”

A sigh escaped me. Seriously, how do you deal with a hidden boss with no strategy guide? And now, I’m no longer a player—I’m in the same position as any NPC.

“Don’t be too discouraged. You’re still alive, aren’t you? For now, at least.”

Adam chimed in, but it didn’t offer much comfort. When I let out another long sigh, Colin, who had given Adam a silent glance, spoke up.

“It’s a bit odd, isn’t it? Why would Raineri specifically come looking for Riley?”

“That’s what I’m saying.”

“Is there something you’re doing secretly, Riley? Some drug deals, maybe?”

“What? No! I’m not that kind of person, not at all.”

Colin asked if I had any ongoing crime, like preparing a gang or transporting contraband. My answer was always the same. No. Then Colin tapped the table as if he didn’t know what was going on and became lost in thought. 

Disturbed, I sighed for the umpteenth time and looked at my phone that I had flipped over.

4 missed calls.

5 unread messages.

Fortunately, there were no more records.

His last message was just a little creepy.