Who Are You?

Arc 1.8 - Alex McGuire

A/N: I changed the term 'Triad' to 'underworld/mafia' because triad is for the Chinese or a similar part of the yakuza. As this world is western, I'm changing the terminology to western as well. Thx for reading~ 😘

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Alex came out of his shower with his hazel-brown hair dripping and beads of water streaming down his toned body with every movement. A towel was loosely hung around his waist. Walking into his closet, he talked with the parasite about the coming dinner with Eric.

[Host... how did you know Eric had a gang in the mafia? I never told you. I was restricted from doing so]

"Restricted? Come on Parasite, I didn't think you'd be so naive. I wouldn't have needed your help to find out something like this." Rolling his eyes as he pulled out a T-shirt from the hanger.

Σ(ﾟДﾟ) ... [Th-then why did you force me do all those things in the past?] (ಥ﹏ಥ)

"It's simply much more convenient. Otherwise, what would the use of your existence be if your not there to assist me?" Walking over to the drawers, he picked out a pair of black boxers, squinting at it. 'I'm still not used to these things that look like short-leggings as underwear...'

[...Then what about Eric? How exactly did you find out about his gang then?]

"How do you think Eric was able to keep Alex McGuire in jail for a lifetime for an attempted kidnapping and harassment? Because he's that good of a lawyer? Or of his 'connections' as a lawyer?" Scoffing, he held a pair of shorts in one hand and sweatpants in the other. He chose the sweatpants after contemplating for a bit.

[but how does any of that connect to how you know about the mafia or how he has a gang?]

Smirking, he put the clothes on his bed and grabbed his computer. Typing on the computer brought up a few files on Eric's past, all information that should've been destroyed or never even listed as related to Eric himself popped out.

Gesturing towards the computer, as if welcoming someone into his house Alex watched as several articles, pictures and even phone records in the files were being skimmed through with split seconds. Parasite was analyzing, pulling data and connecting the dots from each of the files.

[I see! His high school life that's portrayed to the public is practically squeaky clean compared to all these criminalizing things hidden away and deleted from his high school. All the people he interacted with are those that seem to be strangers to his outside life. These strangers are his friends and his family, they are also connected...HOST! He's the leader of one of the most low-key and dangerous gangs in the country!!]

"Yes, shocking isn't it? It's indeed shocking to know that the second-male lead has such important history that I wasn't informed of." He smiled.

[A-Ah, that- you know, I-I was restricted, BUT I also wasn't informed on how the second-male lead was the leader of such a gang. A-A-All I knew was that he was connected to the mafia and had a gang, they didn't specify on the kind of gang and of his family or ANYTHING like this!] The poor parasite was stuttering all over the place trying to explain his fault and how he also didn't know most of this information until now. His host had scared him shitless with a simple smile. A smile that seemed like a smile yet not a smile.

[M-More importantly, Host! How were you able to find these things? There was never anything about saying you knew how to hack and code...]

"Hm? Hacking? This was just one of many things I picked up doing some odd jobs in the past. The debt I was in was quite troublesome..." For a moment, it looked like Alex was feeling nostalgic of the past. The look disappeared from his face abruptly, instead it turned indifferent.

Getting up, he stripped himself of the towel and had changed into his comfortable home clothes. Not appropriate at all for when having a dinner with a mysterious leader whose work, all accumulated, can have him face up to high enough criminal charges putting him on death row before trials can even begin that is posing as an upright, law abiding lawyer who follows the justice system wholeheartedly.

"How interesting. This second male lead has such a powerful background, bigger than the male lead. Yet he lowers himself in front of his precious best friend and crush. Hmm...they don't seem to be aware of this mans history."

Going over to the kitchen, he takes out all the ingredients and tools he would need to make dinner.

"He seems to be one of those psychotic people that switch personalities. Upright, honest and charming during the daytime. Dangerous, cold blooded and sexy during the nighttime." After doing measurements of each portion, he began to whip up the ingredients together.

Huh?...Charming? Sexy?...Did I hear my Host right?

[Host...I would advise you not to become romantically engaged with the main characters... In fact, it's best to stay away from romantically engaged with anyone of each world. After all, it would only leave you in heartache at the end of completing all your missions]

"What does that mean?"

[It means that having any feelings for a person in each would bring you too much pain until you decide to suic-]

"Tsk. Not that. What do you mean that I would leave until I complete all my missions?"

[When all main missions are deemed as completed, even if not to the fullest, the System control centre would immediately pull you out of the world either by death or as some mysterious missing persons case]

Frowning, Alex was a little disappointed. He wouldn't be able to fully enjoy a full lifetime as a man in this world then...However, this also brought out more questions.

"What happens if I don't complete all of the main missions? Would I have to stay in that world for the rest of my life? And what about the Hidden Quests? Do I need to complete those?"

[Only if given a time limit to certain worlds, missions or quests issued by the system control centre, it is absolutely mandatory to complete. Otherwise, be prepared to pay in the most cruel punishment ever issued by the system and to be brought to a low-success-rated world on the next transfer. However, even if there isn't a time limit, you have about 25 years to live in each world until forced death. The years increase twofold every time you rank up each class. As your class is currently F, there aren't many worlds where you wouldn't be able to finish the missions in 25 years. There's no possible way to live out a full lifetime with your current class. And after 25 years, if Host still hasn't completely all main missions issued by the system control centre, all experience and points from missions that were completed would be awarded. But for the main missions that were not completed, depending on how crucial the mission, Host would have to take the appropriate punishment. Hidden Quests, they are mandatory to complete if they are accepted. In you case host, you indeed have to complete the quest]

Parasite ended his last sentence with hint of smugness.

Alex's face darkened after the last sentence, he still remembers how he was forced to accept that hidden quest by this parasite.

"Are there such things as triggered missions?... wait no, the hidden quest is basically a triggered mission. What about sub quests/missions, do they exist?"

[Indeed, hidden quests and triggered missions are the same thing. Sub-missions are commonly issued. And sub-quests don't exist, the quest is a subbed sub of the sub-mission, so they're practically useless and unneeded as they would just cause more work for Host]

"Hmmm..." Alex was lost in his own thoughts as he cooked a dinner for two. A dish of beef 'n' rice enchiladas, another dish of creamy roasted red pepper tomato soup and bottle of wine.

Just as the clock turned 8 PM, the apartment door bell rang.