Quinn Carter sat perfectly still in the dark chemistry office.
The bright light from the computer screen showed pictures of her dead father.
Her heart beat very fast, but she was not scared.
She was furious.
Mr.
Harrison, the boring science teacher, was a spy for the Cipher Killer.
Suddenly, she heard a sharp click.
The doorknob turned slowly.
Someone was unlocking the heavy wooden door from the outside.
Quinn quickly closed the secret folder on the computer.
She pulled her silver Cipher coin off the desk and put it deep into her pocket.
She stood up and stepped into the dark shadows in the corner of the room.
The door opened with a loud creak.
Mr.
Harrison walked inside.
He did not look boring anymore.
He wore a long, dark coat.
He locked the door behind him.
He reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a long, shiny metal scalpel.
The sharp blade reflected the light from the computer screen.
“I know you are in here, Quinn,” Mr.
Harrison said.
His voice was soft and very creepy.
“I smelled Marcus Reed’s expensive cologne in the hallway.
You used the dumb basketball player to unlock my door.
Very smart.
Just like your father.”
Quinn stepped out of the shadows.
Her eyes were cold and fearless.
“You killed my dad.”
Mr.
Harrison laughed a terrible, dry laugh.
“No, little girl.
I did not kill him.
But I did help clean up the mess.
Your father stole something very important from Cranston Industries.
The Gamemaster wants his billion-dollar toy back.
We know you have the bio-chip.”
[System Alert: Boss Combat Started!]
[Enemy: Cipher Operative Harrison Lv.7]
[Threat Value: Very High]
[Warning: Enemy is armed with a sharp weapon.]
“Come and get it, teacher,” Quinn said bravely.
Mr.
Harrison moved much faster than a normal teacher.
He lunged forward and slashed the sharp scalpel right at Quinn’s throat.
Quinn used her Level 4 Agility to dodge.
She leaned her head back quickly.
The silver blade missed her skin by just one inch.
The sharp wind from the weapon blew her hair back.
“Boom!”
Quinn planted her heavy shoes on the floor.
She threw a fast, powerful jab straight at his chest.
But Mr.
Harrison blocked her punch with his arm.
He grabbed her wrist tightly and tried to stab her stomach with his other hand.
Quinn did not panic.
She used a quick acrobatics maneuver.
She jumped up high, placing both of her feet firmly on Mr.
Harrison’s chest.
She used his body like a ladder.
She pushed off hard, performed a perfect backflip in the air, and landed safely behind his large desk.
“You are very fast,” Mr.
Harrison hissed angrily.
“But you cannot dodge forever.”
He grabbed a glass bottle of green acid from his desk.
He threw the heavy glass bottle right at Quinn’s face.
Quinn saw the bottle moving in slow motion because of her Eagle Eye skill.
She dropped low to the ground.
“Crash!” The glass bottle hit the brick wall behind her.
The green acid burned a deep, smoking hole into the wall.
It smelled like rotten eggs and burnt plastic.
Mr.
Harrison jumped over the desk.
He swung the sharp scalpel down at her shoulder.
Quinn used her Iron Skin skill.
She raised her left arm to block.
The blade hit her forearm, but it did not cut deep.
It only made a tiny scratch, like a paper cut.
The System magic made her skin tough like thick leather.
Mr.
Harrison looked totally shocked.
“What are you?” he gasped.
“I am your worst nightmare,” Quinn said coldly.
She grabbed his wrist with her right hand and twisted it hard.
Mr.
Harrison yelled in pain and dropped the scalpel on the floor.
Before he could pull away, Quinn stepped close to him.
She grabbed the back of his neck with both hands.
She pulled his head down and brought her knee up super fast.
“Smack!” She hit him with a brutal jumping knee strike right to the nose.
A visible shockwave exploded from the heavy hit.
Mr.
Harrison felt his nose break into tiny pieces.
He stumbled backward, covering his bloody face with his hands.
Quinn did not stop.
She spun around smoothly on the floor.
She performed a powerful tornado kick.
Her foot hit the side of his head with a loud bang.
Mr.
Harrison flew sideways through the air.
He crashed hard into a tall metal cabinet filled with science books.
The heavy cabinet tipped over and fell on top of him with a massive crash.
The floor shook loudly.
Mr.
Harrison lay on the floor.
He was completely knocked out cold.
[System Alert: Boss Defeated!]
[EXP + 300]
[Total EXP: 450/600]
[New Item Dropped: Cranston Industries Black Keycard]
Quinn breathed heavily.
She wiped a small drop of sweat from her forehead.
The fight was very hard, but her body felt amazing.
She walked over to Mr.
Harrison.
She reached into his coat pocket and found a black plastic card.
It had the Cranston Industries logo stamped on it in shiny gold letters.
“Elijah’s father,” Quinn whispered to herself.
The billionaire’s company was definitely working with the serial killers.
Suddenly, she heard the sound of slow clapping.
Clap.
Clap.
Clap.
Quinn spun around quickly.
She raised her fists, ready to fight again.
But it was not another killer.
Noah Brooks stood in the open doorway.
He wore his perfect, expensive black suit.
His dark hair was styled perfectly.
He looked at the broken glass, the smoking acid hole in the wall, and the bloody teacher on the floor.
Noah did not look scared at all.
Instead, he smiled a very handsome, toxic smirk.
He slowly clapped his hands together.
“Wow,” Noah said smoothly.
“I knew you were hiding a big secret, Quinn.
But I did not think you were a beautiful ninja.
Beating up a teacher on your second day of school?
That is very bad behavior.”
“Get out of here, Noah,” Quinn said fiercely.
“This is none of your business.”
Noah closed the office door softly.
He locked it again.
He walked slowly toward her.
He completely ignored the unconscious man on the floor.
He stopped right in front of Quinn.
He was very tall, and he looked down into her dark eyes.
“It is my business now,” Noah whispered.
He reached out and gently touched a piece of Quinn’s messy hair.
“If I tell the police what I saw, you will go to jail.
You will lose your basketball scholarship.
Your sick mother will have no money.”
Quinn slapped his hand away hard.
She hated how smart and mean he was.
“What do you want, Noah?
Do you want money?”
Noah laughed a rich, dark laugh.
“I have more money than God, Quinn.
I do not want your money.” He leaned closer to her ear.
He smelled like expensive mint and dangerous secrets.
“I want you to go on a date with me tonight.
Just you and me.”
Quinn stared at him in total shock.
“Are you crazy?
I just beat up a man, and you want a date?”
“I like crazy girls,” Noah said with a wicked smile.
“Here is my deal.
You go to a fancy dinner with me tonight.
If you do that, I will call my family’s private cleaning team.
They will clean up this messy office.
They will make Mr.
Harrison disappear quietly so the police never find him.
And your secret stays safe with me.”
Quinn looked at the heavy black keycard in her hand.
She needed to break into Cranston Industries tonight.
She needed a good alibi.
A public date with the richest, smartest boy in school was the perfect cover story.
She hated Noah, but she needed him.
“Fine,” Quinn said coldly.
“One date.
But if you try anything stupid, I will break your nose just like I broke his.”
Noah’s eyes flashed with pure excitement.
He loved her fiery attitude.
She was the only girl in the world who dared to threaten him.
“I would not expect anything less, my sweet Solo Queen,” Noah purred.
He pulled out his shiny cell phone and dialed a secret number.
“Bring a nice dress.
I will pick you up at eight o’clock.”
Quinn walked past him and left the messy office.
She had a lot of work to do.
Tonight, she was going to wear a pretty dress, eat expensive food with her toxic ex-crush, and then break into a billionaire’s secret laboratory.
The game was getting much harder, but Quinn was ready to play.
[Current Status]
Name: Quinn Carter
Level: 4
Class: Solo Fighter
HP: 155/160
EXP: 450/600
Strength: 16
Agility: 18
Perception: 14
Intelligence: 16
Skills: Basic MMA Lv.2, Eagle Eye Lv.1, Iron Skin Lv.1
Items: Silver Cipher Coin, Cranston Black Keycard
Active Quest: The Gamemaster’s Secret