"If there is such a thing, then he is an actual fool." Aaliyah couldn't help but laugh.
"You seem to know much. Is it also something your brother told you?" Ray finally spoke. He knew that except for basic things, he didn't know much about the game, and the only way he could clear his doubt right now was by letting Dustin spit it all out.
Dustin smirked, "Yes, my brother told me many things which you'll never know, but these are common knowledge you can find in the game forum." He is basically calling Ray, the ignorant fool.
Ray smirked as he saw the new notification pop up on his screen. 'What he is saying might be true, but since I have this, that rule doesn't apply to me.'
[Pocket Dimensions: The collection inside or outside the mini-game will first be stored inside the pocket dimension. Players can later withdraw selective items to their personal inventory.]
'It's basically saying that, once I have collected something in my pocked dimension, then I don't need to worry about losing it.' Ray laughed inwardly, then decided to continue his conversation with Dustin.
Hana, on the other hand, saw Ray returning to his old self. She didn't know the reason, but she felt happy that he wasn't in a sad mood like before.
"So, you're saying we can't take any loot from the mini-game out with us?" Ray simply asked and waited for Dustin's reply, who gave a low-level healing potion to Alex.
Then he answered Ray with a shake of his head, "Alex was right, you really haven't read the rules before entering 'Apex Survival.'"
'This damn dog with Karen mouth!' Ray cursed Alex.
Dustin decided to continue, seeing Ray's displeasure. He thought that by adding the new info he could make Ray feel more hopeless. "You can take things out, but only if they're an actual item, not waste which you've collected."
Even Fiona felt that Ray really is fool.
"Ah... my bad, I really missed many things." With a silly smile, Ray confirmed something that might be minuscule for others, but to him, this was a chance to change his life once and for all.
Then he recalled the info he read about the game payment system. Ray might have missed majority of the rules but still he had read few those he thought worthy of his attention.
The 03-Payment Rule, every item in the game can be exchanged based on its quality.
The 04-Payment Rule, the payment system uses Apex coins, which hold similar value to real-world money.
The 07-Payment Rule, a single bank account system is used for a single player Id.
Once the game coins are inside your account, you can use them inside and even outside of the game.
This made a clear road map in Ray's mind. Collect garbage, restore or modify it, then sell them in the market.
Seeing Ray's silence and taking it as despair, Dustin decided to deliver another blow. "Let me tell you this," he spoke while preparing to lay the last traps before the final wave.
"From this mini-game, you'll hardly get any loot, except for worn-out leather and pieces of bone, which aren't items accepted in the market. So, the system won't let you take those with you."
"I can guess that," Ray replied.
Dustin smiled. "And you know that you can only level up once you clear the mini-game, which means you can roam around the game, kill zombies, or loot other players, but you won't be able to level up if you don't challenge the mini-games."
Ray nodded. "I know that much."
"Then you also know this, not every mini-game will be a group challenge, and even if you find some and clear it, you'll level up with at most a single level per game." Dustin's voice was loud so everyone could hear him.
Aaliyah spoke, "We know that but he might be hearing this for the first time." She didn't even took his name but all knew whom she was talking about.
Ray couldn't help but speak, "I read about it but what's your point?" he asked Dustin who showed a pity smile.
"You'll level up for sure while you're with us, but what about after this? As far as I know, this city has just one more group challenge, and that's for level 5 and onward players. So, Ray, what will you do after this—still pick up trash or quit the game?"
"Pffft," Alex, who was resting on the side with a painful expression, couldn't help but laugh, followed by Aaliyah and Fiona.
"Whether I play or not, it's none of your concern," Ray replied to Dustin, then looked at Alex, "The dog crying just minutes ago is now laughing. Why am I not surprised?"
"You!" Alex raised his hand and yell at Ray but unwillingly he moved the same hand which was broken, "AAAAAHHHH" he cried again.
"Fool," Ray chuckled, then looked at Aaliyah. He made a disgusted face and chose to ignore her and Fiona.
"He!" Aaliyah saw this and became furious, but Dustin looked up, saw the shortage of time, and decided to work on traps. "We don't have much time. Rohan, you help Alex; your 'Quick Heal' might work on his broken bones."
He felt that after his words, Ray would become more hopeless and might truly leave 'Apex Survival' forever.
Ray was still at the rear, but this time with Alex, who wasn't in the mood to talk as Rohan tried to heal him while others helped Fiona and Dustin add a few more traps.
[First wave begins in 10...9....8....7....]
[Defeat skeleton soldiers]
[Skeleton soldiers 200/200]
With one player missing, Hana told the others to get Ray's help, but first Aaliyah, then Fiona, rejected the idea. In the end, Dustin reassured her that they didn't need his help.
Rohan, by Ray's side, spoke. Though Alex was also beside him, Rohan still chose to speak what was in his heart. "I only got to know today that they looked down on you for no reason."
Ray in response chuckled, "I was expecting this from Aaliyah, but" he looked at Alex, "I wasn't expecting this bastard to join their side."
Alex was about to speak, "Oe!... " but Rohan's words forced him shut his mouth, "Don't Alex, or I'll stop healing your hand."
Ray smirk as the next wave starts attacking the group.
[Skeleton soldiers 199/200]
[Skeleton soldiers 185/200]
[Skeleton soldiers 180/200]
The beginning was going smoothly when an arrow landed just between Alex's legs, who had been carefully relaxing.
"Oh Shit!" Alex cried out loud.
"Just an inch from his crotch." Rohan gulped, thinking of the pain it would have inflicted. He stopped healing Alex as a few more arrows came their way.
Ray moved forward and, with a swing, brought his sword down on the bony arrows, breaking them in one sweep. But it didn't stop there; the arrows kept coming.
"Hana! Target those archers first." He yelled but then he saw a smirk on Dustin's face, "She is busy, can't you handle those, or you are really useless."
Ray's veins bulge as he knew, this was the reason he was told be at the rear so when the third wave starts and archer came for the first time, they will attack those in the rear first.
But he wasn't alone, Rohan and Alex were also with him, which meant now he had to save himself while also defending those two.
'I swear, if we cross paths once more after this mini-game and you still choose to provoke me, then I might really kill you.'