Starting from Zero

Book 3, Chapter 21

Seeking Help

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There's no point in staying in the game so I just logged off where I was.

I spent the next three days in worry, expecting Rose to come up. She never did. My patience gave out at noon on the fourth day.

I must do something!

I left a note on the table, telling Wayne to check for Rose's status every half an hour, and call me if she appears.

I left our dorm without having lunch. I came to the HQ building of Zhong Hua Company, then wandered in front of the 178-story construction for a full minute to decide whether I should go in.

I entered eventually. 40+ elevator lobbies are located on the ground floor, besides the reception desk and a security room. The actual working area starts from the second floor.

"Good afternoon. How can I help you?" The reception lady greeted me with her routine smile.

"Is president Ludwig available?"

She looked at me in shock. Well anyone would be if someone just ask for the top guy out of blue.

But she still checked her computer. "I'm sorry, the president is currently out on a business trip."

"Is his special assistant Yanken here then?"

She answered without checking her record this time. "Sorry, they went away together."

"What about the executive, Cloudia?" There's got to be someone I can find!

"Sorry but--"

That's what I feared most. I stopped her from giving me explanations. Sorry ma'am, but I have to ask in another way!

"Just tell me, is there any management above the 170th floor, that I can talk to right now?"

Her attitude obviously changed. "Sir, may I ask that what is your business? Only the most senior higher-ups of our company work in that area, forgive me but I cannot assist you without you giving me an appropriate reason."

Sigh. She's one responsible receptionist. I'd really appreciate it if not for the situation I'm in.

"Ok ok! A last question--"

"Sairin! What brought you here?"

I turned to see aunt Cloudia walking into the hall with a bunch of bodyguards.

"Your mother told me you should be attending college now."

"Auntie Cloudia! So nice to see you. Take me up there, I need your help!"

"Oww, I thought you were here to pay me a visit!" Then she spoke to that receptionist, who is now standing there like a statue. "Tell the secretaries to cancel all of my schedule for the afternoon."

I followed her into her office, then hinted her to give us some private. Aunt caught my intentions and asked the guards to leave, locked the door and finally asked: "Can you tell me now? Whatever made you so...secretive?"

I double-checked the door to make sure no one would come in before I sat down on a sofa. "Well, don't tell my mom."

"I promise."

"Alright. Here's what happened: I met a girl, a college student like me."

"Oh? What is her name? Her age? How did you know each other?"

She seems over enthusiastic! Women all love gossip.

"Let me finish first!" I stopped her from asking anything else. "We met on the internet, a game, where we played together. The game is that [Zero] you guys are now running."

"I didn't expect [Zero] can help people find lovers! Hmm. I smell business!"

She's off topic again!

"Should I go on?"

"Oh, yes. Continue."

"Her character name is 'Crimson Rose', I've met her in real life too, when she told me her name is Lica Lin. But later in the game she said that name was a made-up, she didn't tell me her true name when we first met."

"Has she told you her real name then?"

"She said it is Charon. But now I don't know which is real anymore, or if there is a real one at all."

"So what kind of help do you need from me? A proposal to her family? You should ask your mother for that." She started joking again.

I didn't smile at the joke, I just continued. "Everything about us went fine. Then something happened. We ran from some pursuers. We were in a pretty good condition so I took the chance and confessed."

"She said no?"

"That would have been simple outcome. She hugged me and laughed and cried, I told her that magic word I-Love-U, then I was ready to kiss her. She chose to face me so I thought she accepted it!"

"I didn't know you're so practiced. Did your father train you about how to get a girl?"

"Let's not talk about the train or what. She disappeared and dropped offline just before the kissing part! I've waited for 3 days now and she never went back on!"

"She...just, disappeared?"

"Yes! She's gone from inside my arms. I even crashed down from my horse."

"That wasn't her own choice, which I can assure you." Couldia leaned on the sofa and explained. "I have an account too. I don't play much but I went in there to check several times. I also know something about how certain functions work, including how someone can log off. Normally when someone choose to log off, their body will fade slowly and finally vanish. The process often takes 3-5 seconds, definitely not 'just disappear'. There's only one situation when someone can disappear very quickly, which is disconnection by abnormal means when the player is still in normal conditions."

"Um, abnormal...in normal what now?"

"It refers to the sudden disconnection with the player's brainwave when the player should be free to log off on his or her own. There are many incidents that may cause such disconnection. For example, her helmet suddenly lost connection with the network. This is a rare situation, actually we haven't heard of any confirmed cases.

Another possibility is sudden brain death, usually caused by certain health conditions like cerebral thrombus. But our helmets have monitoring mechanism regarding such cases. The helmet will give out alarm and shut off the game if it detects abnormal blood flow inside player's head. Besides I don't think your young girl friend would have such a condition.

The last and most possible scenario, is someone suddenly took off that player's helmet. Of course they will go offline because the helmet lost connection with the brain. I said most possible, but that's probably shouldn't be the case. Taking off someone's helmet by force in the middle of their game is like waking someone up by shouting loudly into their ears, it will irritate their brains and may cause certain syndromes. There is a Call button on the helmet, you can drag player out safely by holding it down for 10 seconds(*). I don't think anyone would pull helmet just to save a couple of seconds. Unless they meant harm. She is a colleger, so she should be playing in her dormitory, where there are only her classmates and teachers right?"

"I get it now. But I don't know her situation and I'm worried!"

"This could be a problem. You are not even sure about her real name."

"What should I do?"

"I suggest you tell your parents about this. I believe they'll give you support. Who knows, maybe your father will even allow you some funds in order to get a grandson! There's nothing to worry about if you can get help from your father."

"No! I won't tell them!" You're kidding me. I won't be pursuing a girlfriend if I need to report it to my parents every time. "I refuse!"

"You can't refuse. Your mother is just hunting for a daughter-in-law these days and you just got her one. We've got to tell her."

"No no no! I will, not, tell them, whatever happens! You promised!"

"I promised what?" She gave me a sly smile which really crept me out.

"But you said--"

"Did I say what EXECTLY I promised? What I meant is that I will help you, but not keep it secret from your parents. You misunderstood and that is not my fault."

Gah! Cloudia sure has been in the trading society for years now. That trick was basic. No wonder they say that traders are all trickers.

"You just lied!"

That didn't work. Aunt sent an internal call to mom. "Reya, are you there?"

Yep, I heard my mother's voice.

"You'd better come over for a bit. Your precious son is with me and he got something to tell you!"

She finished that call while smiling at me, who could only wave around funnily cause I can't protest out loud now.

My mother barged into the room with a BAM! within 20 seconds. "Ziri! What's the matter? Did someone hurt you?"

"Hurt me?" I pointed at my face. "Whoever would hurt such a face? Besides, do you think anyone can just hurt me and get away alive?"

"Then?..." She must have noticed my bad mood and began to ask my aunt about it.

Unsurprisingly, their conversation went like planned. My "honorable deed" got exposed faster than I expected. What's worse is that mother called my dad without any hesitation.

"Get to my place NOW! Big news!"

He didn't understand at first. "What happened? I'm discussing a very crucial business in Europe!"

Mother raised her voice. "Our son is more important than any business! Get back now unless you can guarantee a billion net profit out of it! Your son is in love!"

"He WHAT??" I can see my father trying to squeeze his face out of the screen. "You don't say? Now that's some big news! You wait. I'm on my way!"

Damn it. This is getting out of control.

I mean, really out of control. My father appeared on the helipad on top of the building before 6 pm.

"Hey dear! You weren't joking right?"

"Of course not. I won't make fun of such things. But things are a little complicated."

"What's wrong? She refused? Her family refused? Tell me who they are, I can go buy everyone over. Getting a girl is just like doing business. You win enough people and you win the war! Just look, I got a whole company for free by marrying your mother. That's more profit than anything else!"

Mother knocked him on the head. "Cut the nonsense!"

Next, the three of them held a "special session" which lasted for two hours.

Aunt Cloudia announced their final decision:

First, auntie will ask the resources from the company to investigate about Rose's detailed profile. All of it.

Next, mother will lecture me about the key points of how to keep a girl, as well as some feminist psychology.

Lastly, father will be responsible of providing any asset I may need when going after Rose. The private mercenaries from the company may even set up some plots like "hero saves beauty" or "hero Vs villain" to improve my personal image!

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(*) It was 5 seconds before, according to previous chapters.

It's kinda a tradition in China for parents to overreact about their children's love affairs. No biggie.