World Of Karik: A Game Of Villains 23 Liar Liar

Petrovich spent the next two days bringing the camp in order; he even wrote a rulebook and a memo for the future newcomers. I looked through it—there was little information, but everything was sensibly and clearly organized. Dmitri was constantly at the forge, as usual. The Major and Semyon took turns helping Vadim level-up or make food. Girls were released from those duties. However, they were rather gloomy. But they would survive. I was sure that they wouldn't have pa.s.sed the test without such an ability. As for me, I spent the whole day in the swamp and had only six hours of sleep. I would go to the base only to have breakfast and dinner and then I would go back to the swamp. It was worth it, though. As it turned out, striking improved my strength and dodging my dexterity. I was yet to come up with a plan on how to improve my intelligence, though.

As a result, my stats were as follows:

Strength: 22

Dexterity: 28

Endurance: 32

Intelligence: 25

I got the Combinator achievement for raising my dexterity up to 25 so I could create my own combos now. Sadly, I had no special abilities, so I could only use my ordinary attacks. But even so, the second one was 30% stronger than the first. I immediately remembered that time when Baldy used a four hit combo. How much had he improved his attributes? I also tried to chain my spells together but that didn't work either. Gaining 25 endurance points, too, gave an achievement—Toughness. I could now withstand blows with up to 100 damage without being knocked over. But, most importantly, with my Stone Skin and the armor, my defense reached 72 points. Realizing that even a machine gun couldn't harm me now gave me the creeps. Even returning to the base didn't seem so dangerous now. Realizing that you aren't in danger did wonders for a good night's rest.

I spent the last few hours focused on improving my strength, as I wanted to know what I would get when I get 25 points of it. However, it seemed that that would have to wait until tomorrow. It was too dark now. I could still see some ten steps or so ahead but that was it. I wasn't yet ready to go and check who, and what, roams the swamp at night.

I came back in a good mood. There was a surprise waiting for me next to the base—eight large wooden carts placed a circle, within which was a campfire. I was so confused that I didn't even try to hide and was quickly noticed.

"Cat," Petrovich's happy voice came directly from the illuminated circle. "Come here, it's okay. These are the usual merchants."

Those he called "the usual merchants" turned out to be a family consisting of the owner and his three sons accompanied by two dozen guards, all varying from level 70 to 90. To be honest, at first I didn't believe that we could offer such people anything interesting, something that couldn't be taken by force, but I was wrong. It turned out that there were a lot of merchants and that each of them monitored about a dozen settlements, circling them every other month, bringing weapons, amulets, potions and exchanging them for attributes. As Dmitri had said, getting out of the nearest cart with a set of some vises, you could exchange, or even gain, attributes with the help of a special amulet. As, of course, there was a limit to how much a person could gain up this way, no more than 50 points to each attribute. The only problem was the price—it was very, very high. After all, anyone who decides to sell a couple of points will eventually lose what might help them survive in the future, and those who have already reached the 100th level and whose settlements were, as they say, already closer to the exit... They were ready to kill each other for the opportunity to become a little bit stronger.

"These points might seem like a trifle to us right now, but everything will change later. But firstly you need to get there," with those words the Redhead went to check the goods at the next cart, leaving me alone.

"Aren't you afraid that someone holding a grudge could buy weapons and fight back?" I approached Petrovich, trying to spoil his mood a little, but he hadn't stopped smiling.

"Alex, the merchant, is a clever man.", said the Lancer. I couldn't see his name because of the level gap. I should try to talk to him later. "Why would he bring us something expensive if he can get what he wants in an exchange for some common swords? Moreover, if you sell a weapon for revenge, there will be less of those willing to sell their stats the next time."

"Did you sell anything?" I was actually curious.

"Of course." His answer honestly surprised me. For some reason, I was sure that a person like him wouldn't risk his future for the sake of momentary benefit. "Although Alex doesn't carry legendary things, he has a lot that can be found only behind the distant forest, something without which you can't get there. The stats I sold to him just now... If all goes according to plan, I'll get them back."

Just like the Redhead, he said that you couldn't go further without the merchant's goods. This all looked like high-quality brainwashing. I could be paranoid, but brainwashing is still a possible option. I should take a closer look regardless.

It was strange that everyone had gathered here, except for the girls. Why were they constantly sitting in the cave? Olga, for one, didn't seem all that timid to me.

"Ronald Jones," came a hoa.r.s.e ba.s.s from one of the caravan master's sons. He immediately waved his hand, pointing at his relatives in turn. He spoke with a strong accent. "This is Alex, my father, and these are my brothers, Sylvester and David Senior."

David Senior, so there's the Junior, a thought flashed through my head. Baldy's real name was David Jones. Little Davey. All of a sudden, all the oddities that had been unconsciously confusing me all this time and for which I could not find an explanation, finally made sense. That's why they are so tense, despite the difference in levels, that's why they keep looking around. I hope this won't lead to trouble.

"We were told that one of your squad members has gone somewhere and that we can learn the details from his follower, from you." The caravanner approached us. His accent was less noticeable. I had a feeling that my head was being squeezed in a vise. The first thing I wanted to ask was why they were so interested in unknown newbie, but the thought disappeared at once. Instead, I had a suspicion that the Jones family would be overseeing only nine starting bases, and not ten, if I say something wrong.

"You mean your son?" I had to raise the stakes.

"Hmm," Alex thought, and the pressure on my head intensified. "Perhaps you have some proof of you being his follower?"

Yeah, of course, a diploma and a certificate.

d.a.m.n, my nose was bleeding. Petrovich was holding himself well. He didn't start panicking and tried to learn about what was going on with his subordinate. He got a fat chance, though. They stopped him and gently led him aside.

"A personal weapon." If I was right and if it really was Baldy who had provided me with the scythe, they would recognize it.

I summoned the scythe and showed it. The pressure disappeared immediately.

Deception: +4,000

You have reached Deception, level 4.