The old drone maintenance hangar in Sector 4 reeked of metal and cheap lubricating oil.
The silver lotus flower spray-painted on the interior wall, though faded by the acidic moisture seeping through cracks in the ceiling, still served as the only symbol of order amid that chaos.
The atmosphere of the Silver Lotus was heavy with a melancholy that did not stem from the external pollution or the oppression suffered in the Lower Zone, but from a silent defeat that gnawed at the group’s spirit in the other world.
Around the hangar, the group of misfits moved in a disorganized manner, trying to occupy their minds to ignore the knot in their stomachs caused by a lack of credits.
In a corner, Jenny and Kai practiced combat moves, getting used to the enhanced strength that integration with Elysium had brought to their bodies in the real world.
The sound of Jenny’s punches hitting a reinforced sandbag echoed with a density her human body hadn’t possessed weeks ago, but her face was contorted into a grimace of dissatisfaction.
Near the workbenches, Zach, the group’s mechanic and tank, worked frantically on the gears of one of the white motorcycles.
The glare of welding sparks reflected off the grease stains on his hands, but his movements were jerky and lacking his usual patience, as he had to deal with some subpar parts simply because they were slightly cheaper than the ones he was used to using.
Two other members were sprawled on a torn sofa, watching a TV broadcasting Elysium news about the expansion of large corporations into the Open World.
In a separate room, shielded by a thick plastic curtain, the bluish light of a single Neural Helmet indicated that one of them was in Elysium, fulfilling the strict grind schedule the group had established to maximize the use of the only equipment they possessed.
At the center of it all, sitting lazily atop a pile of stacked supply boxes, was Skye.
Her long blonde hair fell like strands of silk over her silver jacket, and her blue eyes were fixed on a small metallic ball she tossed into the air and caught with ease.
She seemed oblivious to her surroundings, but her aura was tense; the Mana around her seemed to "curdle" subtly, a sign that her stress was affecting the density of the hangar’s polluted air.
"This is bullshit..." Jenny growled, stopping her training and kicking the sandbag hard enough to make the support chain snap. "In the real world, we solve problems with our fists. If anyone tries to extort Lotus, they end up puking bile on the asphalt. But in that fucking city in Elysium... we can’t beat those guilds’ fists. Five copper a day just for existing in that shitty city? That’s an insult to our effort!"
Kai wiped the sweat from his forehead, his face still pale. "Those sons of bitches have the noble NPCs in their pocket, Jenny. It’s not just strength, it’s logistics. If we fight back in there with so few people, the archers on the walls would turn us into sieves before we take a second step."
The mood of defeat was suddenly interrupted by the familiar sound at the metal gate.
The coded knocks roused everyone instantly. The group stopped what they were doing, turning their gaze toward the entrance with a mix of curiosity and suspicion.
Devon Baker entered the hangar with his usually slouching, calm posture now subtly different. He walked with his shoulders squared and a serious, focused expression that made Skye stop playing with the little metal ball in the air.
Skye hopped down from the boxes with a graceful leap, walking toward him. "Sup, Devon. Judging by your face, either the college blew up or you found something more interesting than molecular biology," she greeted him, taking a quick sniff of the air to check if he’d been followed, but sensing only the familiar scent of Devon mixed with the stench of public transportation. "Is everything okay? You look like you just saw a ghost."
Devon took a deep breath, waiting for everyone to gather around.
Zach dropped the wheel wrench and Jenny crossed her arms, everyone listening intently. "I had a long conversation with Lohan Hayes today," Devon said.
Upon hearing Lohan’s name, the group’s interest peaked. Skye narrowed her eyes. She had been the first to sense the "scent" of his Mana, that impossible blend of wildflowers, darkness, and poison that indicated a Base potential of at least Epic.
"The kid from the alley?" Jenny asked, her hand instinctively touching her ribs where Lohan had struck her. "What does that super-soldier in disguise have to say? Did he finally realize he needs friends in the Lower Zone?"
"Actually, it’s the opposite," Devon explained, his voice growing firm. "He’s already involved with an organization in Elysium. He’s the Vice President there."
The revelation caused a murmur of shock. For the Silver Lotus group, who struggled to maintain Level 9 by sharing a single helmet, hearing that the lone boy already held a leadership position in an organization operating in the Open World was surprising.
However, after a second’s reflection, the surprise gave way to a natural acceptance. With the potential Skye had seen in him, it wouldn’t make sense for him not to have support or not to be forging his own path.Skye, however, frowned, a note of concern creeping into her voice. "Vice President? Devon... has he submitted to a corporation?
Did he sell himself to the Hogue Group or one of those vultures in the Upper Zone to get quick funds? If that’s the case, he’s just another gun pointed at our heads."
Devon shook his head immediately. "No, Skye. I asked the same questions. He was very clear: his organization values freedom and absolute justice.
He told me that no one there is treated unfairly because of their origin or Rarity Tier. He emphasized that everyone, from the elites down to Common Tier members, has a respected place."
Upon hearing this, the silence that followed was different.
The people around them who possessed the mentioned Common Tiers, like Kai and two other Players, suddenly froze.
In Elysium’s cruel hierarchy dictated by a player’s Base rarity, Common Base players were seen as "cannon fodder" or disposable farming tools.
Those Silver Lotus members had been feeling bad for a long time.
They knew their growth would be slower than Skye’s or Devon’s. They felt that, by sharing the load, they were only holding back their more talented friends, acting as a burden that prevented the Silver Lotus from founding its own independent organization.
No one in the hangar wanted to abandon them, as they were family, but the Common Tier members themselves felt that isolation was inevitable as the Open World level rose.
Hearing that Lohan offered a place where they would be treated with honesty and where they would find specific jobs that valued their effort, without the impossible strain of trying to keep up with Rare or Epic Bases, was like feeling a comforting warmth on a day of acid rain.
"Specific jobs... without being treated like trash?" Kai murmured, hope shining in his eyes for the first time in weeks. "Bro, could this be true?"
The group’s opinion of Lohan, which had previously been one of fearful respect, rose dramatically to a possible sincere admiration if this proved to be true.
They saw in him someone who understood the pains of the Lower Zone and who hadn’t forgotten his roots upon attaining power.
Skye observed the shift in her companions’ moods. She saw the relief on Zach’s face and the glimmer of hope in Kai’s eyes.
She felt a twinge of wounded pride upon realizing that the group’s direction was shifting toward something different from what she had imagined. It wasn’t Lohan who would join them to strengthen them, but rather the opposite: they were considering joining him.
However, as she looked at those people she considered her family, Skye softened her expression.
Her ego as a leader was secondary to their happiness and safety. If the result of this union brought a new positive direction for the group, lifting them out of financial suffocation and giving everyone a real purpose in Elysium, she would be happy to accept it.
"Alright," Skye said, her voice sounding less like a general and more like the "mother" Devon had described. "It looks like that meeting you set up with him next week has become our top priority. But Devon... listen to me carefully. We’re only going to dive into this if we make sure what he’s saying is the truth. The Silver Lotus doesn’t trade one collar for another. If he is who he says he is, we’ll give him our loyalty. If not..."
She didn’t need to finish the sentence; the weight of her Mana in the air finished it for her.
Devon smiled, feeling the knot in his chest finally untie. "I believe him, Skye..."
Skye nodded, returning to her pile of boxes, but this time she didn’t pick up the little metal ball.