Soulless Players

Chapter 17: The Rabbit and the Tortoise

Loen stormed out leaving the door fully open.

After Raven confirmed that Loen had no intention of returning to close it, he stood up and steadily slid the door back closed.

Shortly, he went back to his seat, with his temper returning to his initial silent and careful persona.

On the other hand, Steve was doing his best to calm down as quickly as possible. He knew that by this, he would be able to think of a solution on what to do once Loen returned.

Steve silently peeked at the person sitting next to him. Sensing that Raven was completely unbothered, he could not help but grumble internally.

'I wish I could be as ignorant as you,' Steve thought as he rolled his eyes disdainfully. As the only person in the cabin who knew how powerful Loen was, he couldn't help but be frustrated by Raven's rash action earlier.

Still, Steve was thankful to Raven for defending him. If not for him, Steve would surely be situated in a much more difficult position.

When Steve felt he was no longer tensed, he looked at the changing scenery through the window.

It was afternoon, with the sun shining brightly above the blue sky. From afar, Steve saw the cows and horses eating the grass.

After a few moments, the scene changed into a plain filled with swaying corn plantation. Aside from this, Steve also noticed a group of children playing in the field happily.

Seeing this sight, Steve couldn't help but be envious.

Their life was like that, living through the coming days full of happiness and without fear for the future - the opposite of the life he was living.

Unlike the children and animals in the field, Steve's life is miserable.

Looking back, Steve knew why Philip chose to escape from the game and lived as if he belonged in this world.

He understood Philip but couldn't do it to himself.

Steve wanted a genuine life, without anyone manipulating him behind the scenes. A life that he lived with his choices ruling over his destiny.

'Maybe that's why I'm angry at Philip.' Steve lamented sorrowfully, 'Because I envy him for living a happy cowardice life.'

Thinking about all of this made Steve's eyes slightly wet. He leaned his head by the window and continued observing the surroundings outside.

When he felt bored by this, he focused his sight on the person reflected in the window.

"Why are you not asking me anything?" Steve asked, breaking the silence within the room.

After a short while, Raven answered with another question, "Do you want me to?"

Steve went dazed, looking at Raven's reflection. After a long silence, he blurted out, "No."

"Then no," Raven replied plainly but strongly.

Steve continued staring at him, trying to read his expression. But after seeing no changes, Steve returned his sight to the changing scenery outside.

Strangely enough, having observed the serious and detached Raven comforted him. He didn't know why but he just felt this way.

When he could no longer see anything new and interesting outside, he quietly turned his sight downwards.

While his hands were fiddling the briefcase on his lap, his eyes were melancholy staring at the wooden floor on the bottom.

"Living is… quite hard," Steve whispered but its volume was enough for Raven to hear him.

"Especially when you are forced to do the things you don't want to do."

Steve didn't know why he was speaking to Raven, but strangely, he felt the need to say something.

Maybe because he wanted to release the building frustration inside him or maybe because he just wanted to become vulnerable for a second.

Steve didn't know why, he just did it.

"Am I doing this for my survival or am I just doing this because I had no other choice?" Steve raised his voice slightly, his tone filled with sadness.

Afterward, Steve then turned back his sight to the window and murmured,

"It's too tiring when you're not in control of your own life."

Steve said all of this even though he knew Raven wouldn't understand him. How could he when Steve rumbled everything without any context?

After all, Steve didn't say this expecting a reply or comfort. He just needed someone to hear him out.

When Steve felt less tensed than earlier, he sat straight, waiting and readying himself for Loen's arrival.

However, his preparation halted when he heard Raven asking him a question.

"Do you know the story about the rabbit and the tortoise?"

"Yes, I know. It's a children's story." Steve answered with confusion. He had no idea why Raven asked this.

Raven probed, "Then, you must know who won the race between them?"

"Of course, it's the tortoise."

When Raven heard Steve answer this, for the first time since they entered the train, Raven looked at the child sitting beside him.

"No, it's not." Raven said, his tone was like of an elder teaching a child, "The winner was obviously the rabbit. After all, he's faster and built differently than the tortoise."

"Even if he slept the entire day during the race, he would still arrive at the hill faster than the tortoise after he woke up."

Steve became dumbfounded upon hearing this. The story of the rabbit and the tortoise was also present in his past world. He was sure that the tortoise had won the race.

He was about to argue but stopped when Raven continued his own version of the story.

"When the rabbit won, the tortoise felt devastated by his loss. He seeks vengeance but has no power as he is too slow compared to the rabbit."

"What did he do then? He lay down and quietly monitored the rabbit leave and formed a family."

"Years passed by, the rabbit died, then his children also died, and so on till his great-grandchildren."

"And when the last rabbit died, ending the whole family's bloodline, then the tortoise came out from his shell and declared himself the winner as he outlived not just the original rabbit but also his blood family."

Raven then finally said his point, "What I want to tell you is when you're weak, step back from the battle and patiently wait for the right time."

"I don't know why a child of your age is out here doing a dangerous job. I also don't know why a child of your age is feeling as if you have gone through countless wars."

"You don't have to say them to me as I don't care about your reason. I also don't want to understand your situation. All I can say is, use your own strength to your advantage."

Raven put more force into his voice, "If your enemy won like how the rabbit won the race…"

"Then be the tortoise and be the winner of life."

Steve flinched when he heard this. Although he felt that Raven really had no idea about his real situation as the player, his advice greatly helped and impacted him.

He knew he was weak and shouldn't have personally gone to Philip. He should have waited for the right opportunity to strike him.

If only he realized this and used his strength as a merchant to control the battlefield from behind, he could have won the war.

Steve smiled genuinely, this was the first time since his karma became -100.

He and Philip were built differently, with him having the advantage of being born wealthy and influential and the latter with strength and experience.

Hearing Raven's version, Steve finally discovered how he should fight!

He has to be someone who moves behind the curtains so that his enemies won't know they are being spectated. He must be someone who manipulates the actors with his wealth!

Steve finally calmed down. His mind felt refreshed, and all of this was thanks to Raven.

He never expected someone he deemed as an NPC in this simulated world to help him with his own battle.

'I want him.' Steve thought as he looked at Raven. He wanted Raven to work under him not as a mercenary but as a subordinate. '

'Wait, I'll make sure to personally seduce you.' He jokingly pondered. To make Raven quit being a mercenary, he needed a reason.

For this to happen, he could only do it as slowly as possible. Gaining Raven's trust is his long-term goal.

It was then Steve remembered that since riding the train, he hadn't checked his system.

After thanking Raven for his advice, he quickly lowered his head and whispered, "Open System."

Shortly, an invisible and holographic panel appeared before him.

'Everything was still the same, even my karma…' Steve stopped, his eyes bulged in an instant, and his heart beat as fast as the sound of the running train.

The partitioned door opened and Loen entered the cabin calmly.

Loen sat across from Steve and took a newspaper out of nowhere.

Steve followed his movement, his eyes quickly turned golden.

However, this action greatly shook Steve's whole being.

Because in his vision, he saw nothing from Loen. Instead of the usual golden light radiating around Loen, what he saw was nothing. Literally no light.

Everything has a monetary value, even what other people deem as garbage has a worth.

There are only a few instances where a thing has no value. One when it was completely annihilated and had no further use; second when it was very abundant, like air; and lastly when it was not a thing but a product of magic.

Steve's sweat gushed like a waterfall as he retracted his gaze away from Loen.

And along with the sound of his beating heart, the sound of the system's bell continuously rang in his ears.

Ting!

[Karma: -99]

Ting!

[Karma:-50]

Ting!

[Karma: -25]

Ting!

[Karma: -10]

The time had finally arrived for his karma to change.

Steve rolled a fist, his nails lodged through his palm, as he nervously whispered,

"What to do!?"

Ting!

[Karma: 0]