NOVEL SIMPLE 15: A mostly true explanation
Eventually they meet up with PCliver as well, and all they can talk about is how incredibly strange this game is.
"I'm currently looking into things with a friend of mine, but so far all we've been able to conclude is that this shouldn't be possible." PCliver says.
"Master Stone does prefer to let us experience things for ourselves rather than boast about what will be possible." CoDestiny says.
"There's another thing I noticed." PCliver says. "The process I went through to get this job was perfectly legal, but there was a startling lack of interaction with anyone. Just emails, and even that seemed like just corporate templates."
"Same here." JadeBea says. "The only times so far we've talked to anyone from Sect Tech is with Master Stone."
"Then how about we get some answers from him?" CoDestiny suggests.
"I really don't want to risk getting fired though." JadeBea says.
"If this is enough to get us fired then this isn't a job you should want in the first place." CoDestiny says.
"There is still one major problem though." PCliver says. "We have absolutely no way of contacting him."
...
"Damn it!" CoDestiny yells.
They try everything they can think of. From shouting, to searching the sect, but eventually they realise there is only one way to make him appear, and that's to have the cultivation and SP necessary for the next technique.
Unfortunately CoDestiny and PCliver won't be able to afford it by the time they break through, and JadeBea is behind them in cultivation.
So they decide to go about their individual tasks for now.
JadeBea harvests more Sky Pearls and makes a few more spare vessels.
PCliver prepares an area they can farm the Sky Pearl Tulips.
And CoDestiny goes out hunting for new prey, while also filling out the map.
Soon he finds markings similar to the ones the boar made, and after following them...
He finds an entire herd, around fifty of them.
The battle that ensued was short, but still much longer than anyone expected. The fact he'd already made it to the fifth stage helped, but these boars were also slightly bigger than the previous one.
And so CoDestiny became the first to experience what it's like to respawn.
It was a quick process, barely ten seconds in fact. His spare vessel morphed into the shape of his avatar, and he was back as if nothing had happened.
"So... Can I have another spare vessel please?" CoDestiny asks JadeBea.
"I do have an extra." She says. "It'll cost you 50 SP."
"But last time you gave me it for free." CoDestiny complains.
"That one was for the purpose of safety." JadeBea explains. "Now you've died as a result of your own mistakes, so you have to pay for it. I could have set the price to 100 SP instead, so you should consider yourself fortunate."
"Fine..." He pays up, the goes to leave.
"I would suggest staying here for a bit." JadeBea says. "I'll be breaking through soon, so the Sect Master will probably be appearing."
Once JadeBea breaks through to the fifth stage I decide to appear before my disciples.
"Congratulations!" I say. "This next technique is fairly self explanatory once you use it, but I've made a habit of giving these to you myself, so how about I answer some of the questions you clearly have."
"That would be perfect." PCliver agrees. "To start, what is all of this? The game was impressive before, but now it's absurd. Controlling two bodies at once... and the fact both can have separate lines of thought at once... Explain."
I sigh.
I always knew this conversation was going to happen, but they're not yet ready for the whole truth. I can at least keep the lies to a minimum though.
"You must understand that my team was originally a group of researchers."
This is true.
"At one point we discovered something amazing. I won't tell you what, as I don't want it replicated by unsavoury groups, but the amount of practical applications is numerous."
True again.
"One of the applications included the ability to create incredibly realistic simulations like the one you're in now."
Lie. This is a parallel universe we found using our discovery.
"All the other amazing things you've experienced are also a result of the discovery."
Technically true, but definitely deceptive.
"Eventually we went through some troubles."
Very true. Everyone died, including myself sorta.
"Thankfully though, a sponsor came to support those of us who were still on the team."
I was the only one left, and the sponsors are the Void Fae.
"But in return, we have to use some of our already developed technology to make a popular MMO. I know it sounds silly."
Because it's a lie. Though the Void Fae do help me in return for cleansing impurities, and for bringing people from Earth to help me do so.
"And I happen to be the only one available to run this MMO."
The only one alive.
"There are more details I've left out, but I will not share them. Not yet at least." I finish my explanation.
"I still have a question though." JadeBea speaks up.
"What is it, keep in mind that I may choose not to answer." I reply.
"Can this game be safely played by someone with... a physical disability?" She asks. "And are there any conditions for who we can invite using our second unassigned vessel?"
"Those are certainly good questions. Physical disabilities have absolutely no impact on whether you can play. A member of my team was in a wheelchair, and he still experienced everything like anyone else." I explain. "As for conditions. No murder hobos, no griefers, no scam artists. Just generally try to avoid anyone who will make the experience worse for everyone else. Why do you ask?"
"I have a sister who... I'd rather not say what it is, but she doesn't have much muscle strength and can't go outside." JadeBea explains.
"We'll be happy to have her then." I smile. "Helping people like her is one of the reasons we created this simulation in the first place. It'll be nice to actually achieve one of our original objectives."
"They why don't you invite more people?" CoDestiny asks. "You could easily just send out more VR headsets to people like Jade's sister."
"There are at least two reasons we can't do that. First being that the current way of recruiting players was decided by our sponsor." I lie.
"Secondly, we have very little control over the simulation at this point. It has become so advanced that the code is impossible to understand, and if we tried changing something then we have no idea what the result would be. The reason I have as much influence as I do is because my player character is a very high level, meaning the local NPC's are scared to get on my bad side. And I had to earn this level through the same methods you're using." I explain. "But if we suddenly invited a bunch of player then they'd probably go wild, causing a bunch of destruction that I'd be forced to clear up myself. By bringing you in gradually I'm hoping you can form some sort of system for keeping yourselves in check."
PCliver does his best to hide a smile.
It seems he's been planning on forming a system for a while now. With himself at the top probably, but someone was gonna end up in that position, and he is a very good choice. The Void Fae probably took that into consideration when choosing him.
AN: If you were in the disciples situation, what questions would you ask? Give me a good one and I may include it at the start of next chapter.