Unholy Player-Chapter 181: Chess Piece

"You’re not lacking anything," Adyr replied, his expression softening just a fraction as he spoke, his tone easy but matter-of-fact. "If anyone’s lacking here, it’s me. I’m just not suited for teams."

And he meant it. Even though he had the skills to fit into any group if he chose to, it was never in his interest. Moving alone was more comfortable, and so far it had proven to be the most efficient path; sooner or later, everyone else would fall behind him.

Still, Adyr had no reason to shut every door in Dalin’s face. She wasn’t some disposable pawn. Like Eren, she was one of those rare people who might prove useful further down the line.

"If you’re looking for a team," he continued, "you can talk to Selina or Victor."

Adyr had been the one to set the wheels in motion for Eren and Selina’s connection, kick-starting their exchange of information by sharing his knowledge of Chinese early on. And considering it was Selina who had brought Victor into the team, it was hardly a coincidence that the most formidable group in Player Headquarters was now made up entirely of people Adyr already knew and had directly interacted with.

That meant the most promising circle of players in Player Headquarters was already coalescing into a single unit—and not without some of Adyr’s influence.

If Dalin joined them too, then—with so many others already dead and only a handful of active players left—the top-ranked players would be concentrated in a single group, one that Adyr could easily reach whenever he wanted.

And the stronger that group grew, the more advantageous they could be for him in the future. With his business in Velari nearly wrapped up and his thoughts already turning to other regions, they might serve as the perfect circle for him to leverage once he moved beyond these borders.

Dalin let the words hang in the air, then suddenly lowered her head, lost in thought. She had never imagined being in the same group as someone like Selina—and even harder still was the idea of asking to join their team.

Yet, personal grudges weren’t strong enough to cloud her mind.

If Adyr was offering her this group, it was clear he wasn’t entirely detached from it. And if staying connected meant swallowing her pride for now, she was ready to do just that.

"I understand." She lifted her head again, a faint smile and quiet determination on her face.

She has a promising future, Adyr thought.

Raising his hand, he opened his palm. A thick dossier appeared, heavy with information.

"These contain data on Sparks. Give it to them when you meet, and send my regards."

The file contained pages where Adyr had recorded details of thousands of Sparks he had gathered from Liora instead of spending nights resting in his Earth body. Of course, it wasn’t everything—there was no way he had time to write it all down, as there were far too many—but even this amount should be more than enough for the group.

It also contained the latest findings about the Legacy Domain—the real crucial information. Sharing this now would lay the groundwork for his future plans.

"Thanks," Dalin said tensely. The file Adyr handed her wasn’t light; it held hundreds of pages. Writing all that in such a short time was impressive enough, but acquiring that much Spark data was an incredible feat.

He is definitely something else, Dalin thought as she looked at him. She realized everything she had thought about Adyr was actually an understatement.

"Then, see you later," Adyr said, turning away and continuing down the corridor. He was eager to get back to his room and check out the new gear the researchers had mentioned.

"Hey, Dalin. You weren’t serious about leaving our group, were you?" Cole approached, his voice low and tense.

The only valuable asset their group truly had was Dalin, and without her, he wasn’t sure how long they could hold out. ƒrēewebnoѵёl.cσm

Dalin finally tore her gaze away from Adyr’s retreating figure and fixed her crimson eyes on Cole and the others. Her look was filled with disdain and that familiar arrogance—the usual cold superiority.

Without a word, she turned away, clutching the file, and left.

Cole and the others were left standing there, their unspoken questions answered clearly.

—

After returning to his room, Adyr powered up his computer and checked the shop menu.

A new section had been added just for him, labeled "J.T. Ripper Package." That piqued his interest.

Normally, the shop offered categories ranging from daily supplies to military-grade weapons and construction materials. But this was the first time he’d ever seen a personalized section created specifically for him.

Unlike the local network in Shelter City 9, the player forum was linked across all twelve shelter cities. Every Player Headquarters shared the same shop menu. That meant this personal section was visible to every active player in the world, and that anyone could buy its contents.

Adyr didn’t care much about that. The items had clearly been customized for him, even if some of them could be useful to others. Scrolling through the contents, even he was impressed at the research team’s level of progress.

"Is this what happens when you have an entire research division working for you?" he muttered with a faint, amused breath. Without hesitating, he added everything in the package to his cart and completed the purchase.

The total price was 18,300 merits. However, the 50% discount on the package dropped the cost to 9,150, and his ongoing 50% personal discount stacked on top of that reduced the final price to 4,575 merits.

He confirmed the order and settled in to wait. The contents weren’t bulky, so there was no need for him to visit logistics this time. A few minutes later, a chime sounded at his door. Glancing at the screen, he saw the deliveryman had already arrived. Rising to his feet, Adyr opened the door with a measured sense of anticipation.

After the order was in his hands, the real fun began—inspecting each item one by one and then putting them to the test.

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