Chapter 23: Assistance from a strange NPC
"There's no way I'm gonna give her five million dollars to let James go... That would shamefully be me playing the role of a jerk."
"I won't do that," Tyler said, declining Venus's request.
"She might be good at ripping people off, but I'm not going to be a part of her victims."
"No way!" Yelled Tyler in exasperation.
Tyler regretted letting James go with him... If he hadn't gone with him, he wouldn't have been captured by Molly. Although Tyler knew that she was only doing this to get to him, but the fact that she was holding James captive and requesting for the sum of five million dollars made The Hangman furious.
Tyler was pained, however, he had no choice right now...
Like...
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[Venus unblocked you...]
[Venus: You have got an hour, Hangman. An hour passes without those bucks and I'm gonna cast life of your James. Don't dare my brutality].
[Venus blocked you].
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"You bloody bitch..." Tyler cursed and paused. He saw that Venus really meant this, and it only sent chills down his spine.
'An hour?! That's small time for me to get five million dollars,' Tyler spoke inwardly in frustration.
He barely got paid every month by the shameless government and had not even earned a thousand dollars since he was transported into this game world. Tyler wondered where he could get that huge amount of money until his scattered thoughts rearranged, and he smiled to himself.
"Maybe, Ciara can help me beg her father," Tyler muttered with a cold faint smile on his cheeks.
He quickly dialed Ciara's number and called. Although, he had had some issues with her lately, but now, Tyler was ready to apologize so he could put her in a good mood. Ciara really loves him, so she would do anything possible to make him happy.
However...
"Pick up the damned call!" Tyler mused as he stared at the game system screen which indicated a "ringing" sign, meanwhile, the person on the other hand had perhaps refused to pick up.
Tyler had called for minutes, and the same outcome could be noticed. He knew that Ciara would always be with her cell phone anywhere she was, and not picking up his calls made Tyler quite stunned.
"Even if I stab Ciara, she wouldn't dare not to pick my calls."
"What's going on?" Tyler questioned himself in a mutter. He tried calling repeatedly because Ciara was the only one who could help out, however when it was about a hundred unanswered dials, Tyler decided to stop calling.
Half an hour had passed, and The Hangman was sitting hopelessly in his office back at the Strider Station. His look reflected dismay, and his once bloodshot eyes turned faint and red. Seemingly crimson.
"Bruh... You are dead," Tyler said to himself.
"If James dies, I'm going to kill myself."
Tyler kept making silly statements and guesses for minutes until a message suddenly popped in. Nah, they were two messages from two different people.
One was recognized... It was Ciara. While the other was that of an unknown contact. Literally, it was an unknown NPC.
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[Ciara: Don't you ever call me again. I've left your house for good. Now I'm with the smart romantic guy that I desire. The one who would party with me every single time. It's been worse being with you, Tyler. I have only been pretending these days...
The fact is that I don't love...]
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Tyler quickly removed the message, his brain seemed to bang on his skull, and his heart felt like popping out.
Tyler couldn't believe his eyes.
He stared at the name on the screen again to confirm if it was truly Ciara Lenson. And yeah, it was the Ciara he had been with for four freaking years.
Sigh...
'My chest hurt.'
Tyler felt a complicated pain deep within. "No, Ciara wouldn't do this..."
He couldn't believe the message, and he made himself believe that it wasn't Ciara. "Not at this time of help... This is bad!"
Not being with her might affect his position in the Strider Order. Someone as arrogant and proud as Ciara could make Tyler lose his job in an instant, and Tyler didn't want "The Unbelievable" to happen.
He tried texting back and even called but got no response. Tyler did this countless times until he finally decided to go home and check up on her if he got James back.
Somehow, he had wronged her, so he was willing to apologize.
Then, he checked the other messages by an unknown contact and read them.
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[Unknown: Hey, I got your boy. Meet me at Madison Apt Street right now].
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"Huh?" How's this?" Tyler pondered.
Tyler dashed out of the Strider Station without daring to waste time. Even though he didn't know who just sent the message, Tyler was willing to meet the unknown NPC in the street of Madison Apt.
Madison Apt was just a few kilometers away from the Strider Station, so it didn't take long before The Hangman arrived there. At least, it only took seven minutes by using the Strider vehicle.
Tyler thought of using the last available Golden Portal Ring, but he changed his mind since this wasn't a crucial emergency. He just only needs to meet the unknown person today.
"Hey, here," a strange yet friendly voice called from almost behind as Tyler wandered around the streets, heedless of where to go.
Tyler quickly turned to look in the direction of the voice only to see a young man like him. He had pale skin and long dark hair with a sturdy body structure. However, being clad in the attire of a swordsman was what amazed Tyler the most.
'He is a Swordsman NPC. Huhu, cool!" Tyler commented inwardly as he stared at the male figure. With haste, he approached the guy, and politely exchanged greetings.
"Umm, you sent the message, right?" Tyler asked.
"Yeah," the swordsman replied.
"But... I can't see the captive with you. Where is he?" Tyler questioned. Truly, this guy didn't have James with him... He was alone.
The man chuckled playfully.
"You don't have to worry. You know he had just been injured severely. He is in the hospital at this moment," the swordsman explained.
Tyler felt relieved.
Sigh...
"Then, how come you defeated Venus to get him? What did you do to her?" Tyler asked, curious.
"Umm, uh... I..." The Swordsman stammered.
"Well, she would be fine, I guess."
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Sixtee
Sixtee Note that Tyler being with Ciara for four years is the game system's programing. Remember that the game system made things feel like the ApexRise Online world has been existing for years.
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone