Note from the author:
Hello again. Chapter 4 is finally here, even if it took much longer than expected.
I will try to deliver the next ones in a more timely manner.
This chapter lacks mature content as explicit as in the previous chapter. I think that's for the better since I firmly believe that including sex on every stage of the story is making it predictable. You can't build suspense when the reader knows that the main character will just fuck their way out of trouble each time. Also, since announcements like this one may be interpreted as content spoilers, I will not mention this again in future chapters. You will have to read the whole thing to find out. I am writing this only because Literotica as a site is dedicated to erotic content, and I want to be as transparent with potential readers as possible here.
TLDR: My goal is to write a story that you could unironically read for the plot. Sometimes there will be sex, sometimes not.
P.S. I have read the comments on previous chapters. I greatly appreciate all of them.
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I watched Veronica from the distance, as she talked with the guys. It didn't even take a whole minute before they got ready to move out.
She and James were scanning the building I was still in, trying to spot me, but none of them seemed to succeed. Lazar moved first, and James followed after him. Veronica waited a few more seconds. I briefly considered coming out of my hiding spot, but she turned around and caught up with the other two.
She told me before we split up to wait around five minutes to give them time to make some distance and only then follow behind. I was more than happy to do so. I lay down, finally having some time alone.
There was a lot to think about. The upcoming boss battle, my leave after it, and, most importantly, my second time with Veronica and how I felt about it.
I decided to start with the battle since it was arguably the most straightforward of the bunch. From what James could recall it will be the same robot as we faced before, but bigger and stronger with a wave or two of regular mobs. It was nothing new in terms of encounter design, it was still a tutorial after all.
The team went ahead to check the place out and I was to rejoin them later when they clear the way. That wasn't the best excuse, since my character was supposed to be a scout by design, but it was better than just flat-out telling guys that I had trouble walking.
Right, that. I covered my face with my hands. I still couldn't believe that happened. I mean, it did, but that was not the point. Why was I still thinking about it? That was another stupid question. I had a lot of them, but that didn't make me feel any better, just the opposite.
Yeah, I had sex before. Frequently enough for it to lose its novelty. I took a girl home or we went to her place, we had fun and then it was back to business as usual. Why was it different now?
Because you are a girl now, stupid. And you didn't fuck. You have been fucked.
- So what?! - I shouted - It's not even the real me! Why in the goddamn does that bother me so much?
I stood up and started pacing back and forth around the room. I must have done it too quickly since my vision was a bit blurry. I grabbed a small rock I found laying on the ground and threw it across the street. It didn't go as far as I anticipated.
I took the glove off and looked down at my hand. It was small, slim, and delicate. Feminine. I wiped my face and looked again. My fingers were wet.
I smiled. It kind of made sense now, when I thought about it. I put the glove back on and sat down, my back against the wall.
The guy asleep inside the cold pod never made a big deal out of sex. That was true. Right now, I was making a big deal out of sex. That was also true. The solution how to connecting those two facts was so simple I didn't even consider it.
I am not the same person as the one back in the real world, outside the VR. Obviously, it was still me. I am still me. Just... other me, I think? Does that make sense?
No, it doesn't. Stop making stupid shit up.
I stood up again and checked the time on my HUD. Turns out I was behind schedule already. Can't believe I got so distracted. I sighed and jumped down onto the street level.
Looking around there was no one nearby. I realized that this was the first time I have been alone. That character select playground doesn't count. It wasn't real. Ok, nothing here is, but there is a difference between a white, clearly artificial space and a place you couldn't tell apart from reality. I started walking, following the direction of the rest of the group.
The industrial complex was truly massive. Earlier I was thinking about it more in terms of individual areas than a single, cohesive unit, but now that I had a chance to take my time to look around. I wondered how it looked before when it was still operational.
I also noticed that the sun was slowly going down. I remember that when we started it was before noon, around 11 AM. Now, I checked my HUD again, just past 4 PM. Damn, time flies when you are having fun. I smiled despite myself.
And here I am again, thinking about it. Yeah, it was fun. I caught myself walking with my eyes closed, daydreaming. I mean, there was nothing wrong with enjoying it, right? Too bad I was starting to think that more and more.
But that was not the plan. I picked up my pace, taking my rifle out of my EQ more to keep my hands occupied than for my protection.
The plan was to kill the boss, get to the next area, find a hub, whatever that was, and make a new character. A male one. Like it should have been from the start.
No more thinking about it. Move, get to the exit, and get this over with.
------------|V|------------
Turns out they have not cleared the way entirely. Or even worse, they did and I went the wrong way.
I took cover behind a wreck of a car, trying to remain hidden. It seemed to have worked since four bots further down the road continued walking aimlessly around.
I tried to recall the road I followed until now, and check if I missed something. I walked through the outskirts for a while, then went through the hangar with the blown-up doors and from there it was almost like a single corridor, as I entered the main part of the facility. The still-standing buildings, even if in terrible shape, created a single path that I followed.
I even checked a few doors along the way, but they never went further than two rooms, and the other exit always ended up on the same street that I walked before, just further down. I guessed it was a way to sneak past the guards, but the team at the front took everyone heads-on, so I didn't question why there was no one around. Well, until now.
I noticed no crossroads, shortcuts, or hidden paths along the way, even with my spotter skills. So they must have been here if there is no other way. And knowing them, they killed everything in sight. Then how is it possible, that they missed someone blocking the road?
- Hi Val - my comm link picked up a signal - it's an open channel, so I will be quick. We think we are nearing the boss fight location, but for some reason, enemies keep spawning even after we cleared an outpost. We can deal with them, but the problem is that some of us are running low on ammo, so please hurry up.
Before she cut the connection I heard several gunshots on her side. Pick up the pace, got it, but I would at least want to know if I am on the right path. I regretted more and more wanting to stay behind. Maybe I would have to suffer a walk of shame, but at least it would all be over sooner.
I tapped on my comm, and a pop-up showed up, displaying my security settings. I kept pressing until it displayed "Open channel".
- Val here - I spoke quietly - I am on my way. I passed the hangar you blew open around ten minutes ago. How long is it until...
I fell to the ground before my mind had a chance to process what just happened. The buckshot dug into the hood of a car a foot or two to the right of where I was hiding, creating a pattern of holes in the rusted metal.
I grabbed my rifle and dumped a whole magazine in the direction of the gunshot without even aiming. I heard only three impacts on the metal, the rest ended up in the wall behind the target, but it was still more than enough as the bot collapsed to the ground in a shower of electric sparks.
- Was that on your side? - my comm picked up a signal again - are you...
I tapped it once cutting the connection and crawled closer to the car, just as the burst of shots flew above me.
Dozens of thoughts ran through my head, and I tried to pick out ones that would somehow help me get out of this situation. No more open-channel communication until I am safe. Three enemies are still ahead, and one is dead on the ground. Combine that with what Veronica told me, and I was sure that the respawn kicked in.
Another shot, this time from the other side of the road. I just heard the whistle of shrapnel flying over my head and hitting the wall far back. Start fucking doing something!
I swapped mags and peeked over the hood of the car I was hiding behind. The closest one didn't have any ranged weapon and was limping my way, carrying a makeshift metal mace. The one in the middle was reloading a single-shot scrap cannon, and the one at the back was aiming straight at me.
I ducked down as fast as I could, but even in the game, you are not faster than the bullets. A few of the pellets went through the rust holes in the car and were about to tear into my back, but instead, I felt a brief but strong pressure, as if someone pushed my whole body.
[Shield 14]
That's right, I have a shield! I went through a whole tutorial and never got shot at even once, so I forgot about it. Time to use it to my advantage.
