Traveling through the game world, starting out as a third-rate villain

As I sipped my coffee, my gaze remained fixed on Emilia. I couldn't help but ask, "So, you're saying that before Maya-senpai disappeared, you two were talking to the locals?"

Emilia nodded, her expression serious. After a moment of contemplation, she replied, "Yes, Maya and I were communicating with the locals. We noticed some commotion around us, so we remained vigilant, watching for any unusual activity. We decided to investigate."

"That sounds just like you two," I responded, picturing the scene in my mind.

"Yeah," Emilia replied with a slight smile, nodding.

"What was the commotion about?" I asked. Since Emilia mentioned it, it should be related to Maya-senpai's disappearance.

"Well, to be honest, it was strange," Emilia began to recall.

"I said at the time, 'Look over there, it looks like something's happening at that shop.'"

"Maya and I both felt that something was wrong, so we decided to investigate. When we approached the old woman and asked her what was going on, she told us that her daughter, Millie, had been missing for three days. They had tried their best to contact her, but there was still no response."

‘Missing?’

Hearing that word, I began to ponder. What's going on with these disappearances here? Has anything like this happened in the game before?

Emilia's expression grew even more solemn. "As members of the Arcadia Hunter Academy, Maya and I decided to offer our help. The old woman was very grateful and told us that Millie had gone out with friends, but never came back. As rumors of kidnapping spread, the family became increasingly worried, fearing the worst."

‘This isn't a coincidence.’

Hearing this, more questions arose in my mind. If this was an isolated incident, I might have dismissed it as a local crime. But if similar events had occurred, then the problem was much more serious.

Sioux Falls was an area under federal jurisdiction, as well as a research center, so the population here was not large.

"Did they contact the Security Bureau?" I asked.

Emilia paused briefly before nodding. "Maya and I also thought of that question and asked if they had reported the matter to the local Security Bureau. They did report it, but were told to wait for the investigation results."

"I see, that's standard procedure."

In this world, everything has procedures and order, especially when it comes to matters involving the Federation. Most civil servants must strictly adhere to federal regulations and laws.

Emilia continued, "Then, things took an unexpected turn. Just as we were talking to the old woman, Maya suddenly left without any warning. I was startled. She seemed to sense something and quickly flew towards the other end of the city."

Hearing this, my heart skipped a beat. If she sensed demonic energy, that would explain her reaction.

I could also feel that they had set up a barrier in the place where we were, so as to avoid any information leaking out, which is why no assistance arrived in time.

The worry in Emilia's voice still lingered in my ears. "I tried to keep up with her, but she was too fast, I couldn't keep up at all. Since then, I've been trying to contact her, but she hasn't responded. That's how it is."

Her words made me sink into deep thought, and I began to evaluate the information she provided.

‘The disappearances of people and the disappearance of Maya-senpai.’

Some say the disappearances are rumors, but Maya-senpai's disappearance has become a reality. Some might think that Maya-senpai just went out and hasn't come back yet, but I know that's impossible. Emilia and I know her; she would never do such a thing under any normal circumstances.

‘However, there isn't enough information yet.’

The information currently available is not sufficient to draw a conclusion. We don't know Maya-senpai's exact location. The only clue is where she was last seen and those disappearance rumors.

‘I need to investigate further.’

Just then, I heard Emilia's voice.

"Not enough information," I said, standing up.

"What are you planning to do then?" Emilia and Sylvie's eyes focused on me. They seemed to understand what I was about to do.

"I'm going to look around."

"I'll go with you." Sylvie started to get up, but stopped when she saw my gesture. "You're too tired, you should rest first."

For Sylvie, this had been a long day, and I could see some clues in her details. Her physical coordination had deteriorated, her reactions had become sluggish, her eyes revealed a strong sense of sleepiness, and her mental state was not very stable.

The whole incident had a great impact on her.

I stared at Sylvie, narrowing my eyes slightly. "I know you're worried about me, but I've been through worse. I can hold on a little longer, but you need to rest. I'm just going to wander around. It's good if you take care of yourself now."

"But..."

"I won't accept a refusal. Stay and rest, and chat with Emilia-senpai about what happened here."

Sylvie hesitated for a moment, and finally nodded, accepting the suggestion. "Okay, but you have to promise me you'll be careful."

Such promises are destined to be broken...

"I promise you," I nodded.

Emilia heard our conversation and stepped forward. "Sylvie and I will stay here together, and we'll arrange accommodation for this weekend. I've also contacted the academy and the Security Bureau. If there's any news, I'll let you know. We won't be idle either, we'll look around like you."

I looked at Emilia and Sylvie, each showing a different determination.

"Alright."

After saying that, I paid for the coffee and left the coffee shop.

Whoosh!

As soon as I stepped out the door, the cold night wind pierced like a blade. I shivered and quickly adapted to the drop in temperature. The city at night had a completely different look.

The hustle and bustle of the day was replaced by the eerie silence of the night, occasionally broken by the sound of wind in the distance.

‘Now, let's begin.’

I transformed the [Shadow Cloak Armor] into a jacket, turned on my smart watch, and utilized the special resources at hand.

[Tribe]: What can we do for you?

This was a group of genius hackers that I sponsored and had always trusted. Their website provided me with convenience. Now that they had more funding, they could rent better servers and proxies, getting rid of their dependence on the black market.

Although it was just for convenience and to give face to the Federation, it did make things smoother.

[Shadowmoon-1]: I have a commission that I need your help with.

I sent a message first, with the ID name [Shadowmoon-1], showing my high-level ranking and that I was the first to commission here.

[Shadowmoon-1]: I need a detailed report on the recent kidnapping incidents in Sioux Falls. Focus on the details, patterns, and any clues about the disappearances. Please prioritize this.

I looked around, waiting for the hackers to confirm my request.

The Tribe team had already proven their abilities, and now it was time to test them again.

[Tribe]: Understood, operation has commenced. We will reply to you immediately as soon as we collect substantial information.

Confirmation came quickly, and I turned off my smart watch. As time passed, I felt a sense of urgency.

I could feel that there must be a connection between Maya-senpai's disappearance and the recent series of kidnapping incidents. But to uncover the truth, I needed concrete clues.

‘It's time to take a walk.’

I once again stepped onto the streets of Sioux Falls.