The next day, Orson stepped out of the hospital, having successfully arranged for the kidney transplant that his sister needed. Her surgery would take place in two days.
As he was about to hail a cab, a familiar face approached him—Charles, with his long face.
"Charles," Orson greeted with a smile, feeling less hostility than before. Charles had been the one visiting the hospital most often in recent days.
Charles awkwardly smiled back.
"Here to see Sienna again?" Orson asked, noticing Charles chatting with a burly man nearby. The man handed Orson and Charles each a pack of cigarettes.
The burly man was K.D.'s security personnel stationed here, and Charles had gotten acquainted with him through some past encounters. A few days ago, Charles had been lurking near Sienna's hospital room, which had raised suspicions among the guards. He'd gotten a black eye for his trouble, and if Sienna hadn't recognized him, he might've had more than just a bruise to worry about.
"I was just passing by," Charles scratched his head, giving an awkward grin.
"Passing by? You've been here since this morning, waiting for me to show up," the burly man teased, knowing Charles was the kind to act friendly with anyone, even a complete stranger.
"Hey, don't ruin my cover. I've been here for Sienna, really. I also wanted to catch up with Orson," Charles said with a laugh as he motioned for Orson to join him in his car.
Orson, however, wasn't fooled. "Cut the act, Charles. You're the type who doesn't do anything without a motive."
Charles grinned, unbothered. "Hey, don't make me sound so crass. I'm only here because I owe you one. If I still have a job, it's thanks to your wisdom."
Orson shot him a side glance. Charles was good at flattering people, but Orson wasn't going to fall for it. Instead, he pressed on, "I'm sure you've got something useful to share. Let's hear it."
Charles leaned in, lowering his voice. "I've got intel on SSR's next big moves. We have a reliable channel to ensure the information is genuine."
Orson raised an eyebrow. "Let me guess. They plan to gang up on us during the NPC army assault, right?"
Charles nodded enthusiastically. "Exactly! Or maybe they'll weaken us in the wilderness before the NPCs even arrive?"
"Right," Orson said with a smirk, clearly unimpressed. "Is that all you've got? Lauren's network already told me about that. I know what SSR's up to, down to the last detail. What else?"
Charles, however, wasn't done. "There's more. You won't believe this. During the last base battle, when SSR lost miserably, one of their members discovered something huge."
Orson looked intrigued. "Oh? Go on."
Charles's grin widened. "They found an ancient teleportation portal. And get this… It connects to the UJ region."
Orson's mind went blank for a moment. "Wait... what?"
Charles leaned in, whispering with excitement. "Yeah, that's right. The teleportation network that links different regions in Infinite Dimensions. They've found a way to bypass the magical barrier and open a direct portal to the UJ region."
"Holy crap..." Orson cursed under his breath. This was huge.
Each region in Infinite Dimensions was connected by ancient teleportation gates, but these gates were usually protected by magical barriers. Players could only access them once the game had been live for a year, at which point they'd have to pay a hefty fee for cross-region travel. Normally, the gates would disappear and reset to new locations, making them extremely hard to find. But if SSR had indeed discovered a way to lock one in place and break through the barrier...
"That's insane. But the question is, can they actually pull it off?" Orson said, rubbing his temples.
Charles nodded. "Wedge, through the Church, managed to figure out how to stabilize the teleportation point. Soon, it'll be open to UJ players."
Orson's mind raced. UJ was one of the strongest regions in Infinite Dimensions. If UJ players could come to other regions, it would shake the balance completely, especially in areas where smaller, weaker regions were already struggling.
"If this is true, this could be bad," Orson muttered. "If UJ gets involved, it's not just a battle for us. It's a global-scale power shift."
"Exactly," Charles said with a sly grin. "I don't need to tell you what this means. You lose this battle, and it could be the end for you."
Orson wasn't surprised. He had always known the stakes of international competitions. Losing to UJ players wasn't just about the game—it was a matter of national pride. The US's reputation was on the line.
Charles leaned back, sensing Orson's concern. "So, I'm sure you know what needs to be done. If you're not careful, SSR could secretly work with UJ players to turn the tide in their favor. You can't afford to lose."
Orson sighed. "I know. I've been through this before." He paused, his expression serious. "But if we win, it'll be a massive reversal."
Charles looked pleased, sensing an opening. "Which brings me to the offer... I need your help with something."
Orson raised an eyebrow. "Go on."
Charles's eyes gleamed. "Help us take over two mid-sized guilds, and we'll work closely with you. Our intel network will be at your disposal."
Orson thought for a moment. He knew Charles was offering a tempting deal, but there had to be a catch. "I'll think about it."
Charles grinned widely. "Great! Just let me know."
Later that day, Orson walked into his mansion, where the usual crew had gathered in the living room, eating snacks and chatting.
Stewart, the little priest, turned excitedly when he saw Orson. "Boss, you live in a place like this and you didn't tell me? I was about to book a hostel!"
"Hey, I almost couldn't hold them back anymore. Ruby, get over here!" Bradley said, grabbing Ruby by the pigtails.
Ruby bared her little tiger teeth and yelled, "You're the little spinning top! Let go of me! I'm finally meeting Orgod in person, and I want a picture! I want a close-up!"
"Sure, but if the president's too lazy, I'll take care of her," Madman interjected with a wicked grin.
"Not a chance, you weirdo!" Bradley said, shoving Madman aside. He was about to grab Ruby, but before he could, the rest of the crew leapt into action to stop him.
Ruby bounced up to Orson, looking up at him with big eyes. "Please, Orson, I'm your biggest fan. Can I have a photo?"
Bradley sighed, rubbing his forehead. "She's my cousin. My girlfriend insisted I bring her. She's trying to join the guild too."
Orson paused, remembering something Bradley had mentioned in passing before. Ruby had once had the potential to awaken an S-rank warrior class, but she had given up because the task was too hard and she lacked help. Right now, the guild was looking for someone suitable to wield the [Giant Sword], and maybe Ruby could be that person.
Ruby pouted and added, "My cousin keeps spreading rumors that you're bad with women, but I don't care. I don't judge!"
Orson raised an eyebrow. "Bad with women?"
Bradley froze, realizing what was happening. He quickly muttered, "Uh, well, I was just worried she'd mess things up... But I guess I was wrong. It looks like she's the one causing trouble, not you."
Orson turned to him, his gaze darkening. "Bradley! We need to talk."
Bradley looked guilty as he stammered, "Well, that's... uh... you know, I was trying to keep her from causing any chaos. She's, uh... got a bit of an energy problem."