VRMMORPG: The Other World Online

Joseph Mead walked down the stairs into the cafeteria. A bright Yellow and red banner hung on the wall behind the cashier.

'Brilliance Laboratory Cafeteria!"

The rowdy people slowly stopped what they were doing and stared at the man that pulled out his identity card and handed it to the robot stationed there.

"Am I seeing things," a man in his early thirties whispered to the man next to him. "Isn't that Dr Mead? What is he doing here?"

The man next to him, too busy stuffing his face with noodles, just hummed, not paying attention.

The man glared at his companion. "Are you even a scientist? What is with that weird attitude! Why don't you pay attention to things?"

The man with the noodles in his mouth just rolled his eyes in response.

"Hey!" the other man whispered. "Do you think it has to do with that project that Dr Fennings is working on? Do you think that is why he is here?"

The second man swallowed the last bits of noodles in his mouth and wiped his face with a sophistication that was not present while eating. "What does that project have to do with our lab? Aren't we the weakest of all the Labs out there?"

"Right."

The first man slouched in disappointment and returned his attention to his rice.

All over the cafeteria, the people were having similar conversations.

After ordering the food, Joseph Mead sat on a table, far away from the gawking crowd.

He pulled out his fold device and looked through the contacts.

A call came through just as he was going to open a file that Assistant Moore mailed him.

"Hello?" he asked in a low voice, his face blank.

"Joseph."

The caller's voice was low, and gruff.

"Sir?" Joseph answered as he received the tray of lunch from the blue robot that delivered it to him.

"Did you find anything?" the man on the other end asked.

"Yes," the man said, "I am sure that the game stimulates the player's Qi Veins on the first day of their log in."

"What else?"

Joseph hmmed. "That is it for now. I will be looking at the subjects this evening."

"Good."

"Boss," the man said, "do you mind reserving a booth at Bamboo House at Y street for me?"

The other side was silent for a moment. "Why?"

Joseph smiled. "I am going on a date."

Silence lingered between them again.

"With whom?" the voice at the other end asked.

"Alyssa Moore."

"The Data compiler?" the man asked in a surprised tone. "Why her?"

Joseph smiled. "Women reveal secrets to their loved ones don't they?"

There was a chuckle at the other end. "They do. But only if you are able to get her to fall really hard for you."

"That is an easy thing to do," Joseph said in a low voice. "So can you."

"Already done."

"Thank you, boss."

The phone was cut off at once.

Joseph's green eyes swept over his food tray. Porridge and a single piece of apple and a bit of honey.

He smiled and started to eat.

His eyes wandered as he had his fill.

There was a reason that he had chosen this particular Lab as his base. It was not as prestigious though it had good fecilities. The biggest reason was that, its security measures were not the best in the country, let alone the world.

This was the only place that he could escape the scrutiny of the authorities.

After finishing his bland food, Joseph left the Lab Campus towards the small villa near the place.

He got out of the Hover Car and looked around the place to see if he was being followed.

Seeing that he was alone, he took out a rusted key from the plant pot next to the door frame.

He opened the door and walked in.

The room he walked into was a black space with only a single chair placed in the corner, and shower head on the right side of the wall.

He stripped and had a quick bath, his movements calm and sure.

He then pressed his hands on the wall.

There was beep sound and the wall opened up to another room that showed a row of clean white shirts, black pants and plastic overalls.

Getting dressed, he pressed the wall again.

The door closed and opened again.

This time, it revealed a fight of stairs.

Joseph sighed and ran up them to an Iron Door.

It looked similar to the Door that Cheng Xiu had faced in the Rat dungeon.

He pressed his palm at the place where the key holder should be and there was a beep sound.

The door opened to reveal a clean and spacious Lab.

Joseph strode forwards as he pulled out a pair of gloves form his pants pocket, and wore it. There was a pair in every pair of pants that he owned.

He then took a transparent helmet from a table and wore it.

He then walked towards the bed in front of him.

On the bed laid a woman in her thirties. She had exquisite features that was ruined by the horror that was written in her eyes.

"Hello, Sofia," the man whispered.

The woman struggled against the hold of the straps that bound her to the bed frame.

Joseph took out a file from the drawer next to her.

He read it out for her to hear.

"Sofia Marks. Subject 13 of the Awakened Abomination Project. Birth Defect: Mute," Joseph said, the light smile on his lips gradually disappearing. "Days of confinement: 2."

The woman struggled to breakfree.

Joseph gave her mocking smile and took out a scalpel. "Now…let us see why the Qi veins of a Qiless got awakened. This will hurt a little, Subject 13. But it is for a glorious purpose."

The woman seemed to scream though no words came from her as the scalpel pulled open her veins.

Joseph chuckled.

The brightness of the room contrasted with the dark intentions of its occupent.