Orson was utterly baffled. What kind of day is this? First, Usher's goons come knocking, then Blank shows up for an assassination attempt, and now his left eye is acting up.
"Is Infinite Dimensions even worth playing anymore?" he muttered.
"Uh... hey, don't cry, babe. Come on, be good, alright?" Orson grabbed a tissue box from his nightstand and awkwardly offered it to her.
But Blank, the infamous assassin, only cried harder. The more she thought about being humiliated in-game by this man, and now in real life, the angrier and more wronged she felt.
Her delicate sobs turned into a full-on breakdown, tears streaming down her face as she wailed pitifully.
Orson massaged his temples, feeling like the universe was playing some cruel joke on him.
Sitting half a meter away, he handed her tissue after tissue, muttering, "Alright, fine! I'll let you kill me ten times tomorrow in the game. But come on, I've only got one life in the real world. I can't let you stab me without taking some advantage first."
Blank was hitting Orson right in his weak spot—he could handle almost anything but a crying woman. It was Sienna's favorite move, too, always guaranteed to work.
After a while, Blank sniffled and glared at him with red-rimmed eyes, full of disdain. "I don't want to talk to someone like you. Having the Captain send me to recruit you was clearly a mistake. You're not worthy of joining us."
"The Captain?" Orson asked, puzzled. "What's that? Not some scam group, is it?"
Blank shot him a murderous glare, but Orson just grinned.
"Relax, I'm kidding. No need to get mad. By the way, I have to say, you're much prettier in person than in the game—especially with that cute little nose and those tiny eyes. Really pleasing to look at."
Her frustration boiled over again. "Tiny eyes?!"
Now that the lights were on, Orson could properly take in her appearance. She wore a sleek black tactical suit that hugged her slender figure. Her alabaster skin, electrifying eyes, and a teardrop mole near the corner of her eye made her look both alluring and deadly.
"No wonder she's so upset. I really did take a big advantage earlier," Orson muttered to himself, squinting at her.
Blank's chest heaved as she tried to suppress her rising fury.
"Enough jokes. Why did your ancient martial arts clan come looking for me?" Orson finally asked with a smirk.
Blank's surprise was evident. "How does he know about my background?"
Her origins were a closely guarded secret, known only to a select few in high-level government circles. Yet this gamer seemed to know more than he let on.
Blank straightened, her expression hardening. "If you want to continue playing Infinite Dimensions without interference, listen carefully. I'll only say this once."
She explained her mission: she was acting on behalf of an organization called "The Radiant Shuttle" to recruit Orson. Their goal was to establish a foothold in Infinite Dimensions.
Orson's expression turned serious. "The Radiant Shuttle…"
Memories from his previous life surged forth. After Infinite Dimensions entered its extreme hardcore phase, this powerful organization emerged, uniting ancient martial artists and top-tier fighters.
They had poured their blood and sweat into constructing the first Heavenly Demon Defense Line, protecting the US Safe Zones at great personal cost.
It was The Radiant Shuttle who made that sacrifice.
When Orson first encountered Blank, he'd suspected she had ties to an ancient martial arts clan. Now, his hunch was confirmed.
But their foresight surprised him. The game had only been live for a few days, and The Radiant Shuttle was already moving to lay its groundwork.
In his previous life, Orson had been a small fry who never caught their attention.
Now, they were seeking him out directly. He couldn't tell if it was a stroke of luck—or misfortune.
"Join The Radiant Shuttle, and we can offer you protection," Blank said bluntly, clearly aware of the trouble brewing around Orson.
"What about Dragon's Kiss Guild?" Orson asked.
Blank smirked coldly. "From a national perspective, DK Group is nothing more than a pawn. What's there to worry about?"
Orson chuckled. "Fair point."
The Radiant Shuttle's connections clearly extended to the highest levels of the state. No matter how powerful DK Group was, it would always be an ant compared to the government.
But there was a condition. Blank's icy tone left no room for negotiation:
"To join us, you must become the undisputed number one player across all regions—out of hundreds of millions of players. And you must remain loyal to your country."
She threw a business card onto his desk. "Call this number in the morning. Arrangements will be made."
Without waiting for a response, she turned and walked out.
Orson watched her retreating figure, shaking his head.
"The bigger the storm, the pricier the fish…"
"First the corporations, now the state. Everyone's diving into Infinite Dimensions."
He hadn't paid much attention to such things in his previous life, but now it was clear. With Infinite Dimensions operating beyond any single nation's jurisdiction, governments couldn't afford to stay idle.
Joining The Radiant Shuttle was a strategic move—it would give him a shield against external threats, including potential assassination attempts.
Feeling more at ease, Orson yawned and decided to wash up before heading to bed. His 26-level lead put him securely at the top of the leaderboard. Catching up to him was practically impossible for others now.
The electronic lock's alarm sounded. Orson turned around, puzzled.
Blank stood at the door, looking annoyed.
"What are you still doing here? Don't tell me… you're planning revenge for earlier?" Orson crossed his arms over his chest protectively, a wary expression on his face.
Blank's cheeks flushed. She muttered under her breath, barely audible: "The fingerprint lock's on. I can't open the door."
"Wait, what? You just climbed up the balcony earlier. Can't you jump back down?" Orson asked, genuinely confused.
"This is the thirteenth floor!"
Blank's face twitched. If she were better at swearing, she'd have unleashed a torrent of curses by now.
"So what? Thirteenth floor isn't that high. You can make it," Orson said earnestly, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"I'm not wasting time explaining things to an idiot like you!" Blank stomped her foot in frustration.
Grabbing Orson by the collar, she dragged him to the door and unlocked it herself.
As she stormed off, Orson leaned against the doorframe and muttered, "Geez, just admit you need more training. It's not a big deal."
Blank's fists clenched, her voice trembling with fury. "Die! A million times, just DIE!"