"I-Is that so? Tell them... I'll pay online. Right now," Augustus replied immediately, voice steadying.
"How?—Wait, I'll tell them." Keith's voice disappeared briefly. Then...
"They're saying it has to be settled face-to-face. Like David took hard cash or something," Keith answered after checking with them.
Augustus's jaw tightened. "Alright. I'm coming there in five to ten minutes. Just stay calm—and don't let them hurt David," Augustus said and ended the call.
He began, turning to her. "I'm sorry, Ambrosia." his voice had lost its usual calm. "Something urgent came up—I have to go."
Ding… [Crisis Identified. Growth Demanded.]
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Task #23:
[×] – Rescue David from the loan sharks and ensure his safety.
| Penalty: All future tasks related to {David} will auto-fail. + David's bond forcibly seized. Public Perception: 69 (-30).
| Time Limit: 8 hours.
| Reward: Loyalty +1 (David) - Skill Unlock: [Crisis Negotiation Lv.1] - [??].
Some debts aren't financial—they're the kind that test who you are when it counts. You didn't choose this mess. But you'll be remembered for how you handled it.
━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━
Before she could respond, he bolted toward his parked car, eyes skimming through the new task.
"You rascal…" she called after him, her voice softer, tinged with worry. But Augustus was already gone.
He spotted the parked car and quickly slid into the driver's seat, eyes sharp.
"Alright, nothing to worry about, just give them the money and it should be over," he mumbled to himself, pressing on the accelerator.
The city blurred past. His foot slammed the brake as the red signal flashed, forcing him to pause.
Augustus tapped his fingers on the steering wheel, trying to keep still. As soon as the light turned green, he hit the gas again—already driving like someone who'd done this before.
Augustus parked behind his own Toyota Corolla, stepping out quickly. I hope they haven't hurt him… he mused and rushed into the old office.
The door was… already half-open. Stepping in, his gaze swept through the office that had welcomed him with open arms.
However, it wasn't the same anymore… broken chairs, dim lighting, scattered papers, a few drops of blood on the floor.
Augustus's jaw tightened. What the heck happened here? He frowned, gaze sharpening as a serious expression appeared on his face.
"Augustus!" Keith called out after noticing him and rushed toward Augustus with an anxious face.
But before Augustus could ask anything about the disheveled office—
"I'm sorry, Augustus… but they already took him away. I tried stopping them, but they even hit me," Keith said stiffly, anger and helplessness clashing in his voice.
Augustus's eyes flickered with an unknown emotion. "Calm down. Did they say anything about how to get David back?" Augustus asked.
Keith nodded and repeated their exact words. "They said… If you want to get him back, come to Club Radiance. Of course, with the full money, no excuses will be accepted. Pay up and take him back."
Augustus nodded slowly and scanned the room once again. "Where are the others?"
"They're at some new place. David asked them to wait there—said it was a surprise or something."
Augustus nodded slowly. "Alright. Don't worry. I'll go bring him back," he replied.
Despite him acting all calm and composed, a heavy weight was bubbling up within his chest.
It's still the same, just go there, give them the money, and get David back. He pieced things together, trying to make it simpler.
He remembered—David only had a wife and a sixteen-year-old daughter. Involving them wouldn't help. If anything, it'd make things worse.
"Let me come with you. It's not good to go alone," Keith offered. Augustus could see he was shaken but still willing.
However, he still considered his advice. "You're right… I shouldn't go alone."
Augustus furrowed his brows. Should I call Michelle? he thought, remembering that he was once a bodyguard.
"Then… let's g—" Keith said hesitatingly.
Augustus smiled lightly. "Don't worry. I know just the right person to ask for help. You handle things here—I'll go get David," Augustus said, already stepping out of the office.
"Hello? Michelle—I hope I'm not disturbing you. Something urgent came up…" he began, keeping it sharp and to the point.
Michelle's voice was calm as ever. "What happened? How can I help you this time?"
Augustus replied, his tone tense. "They've taken someone. I need your help getting him back."
A pause. Then, "Who?"
"David," Augustus began. "He is my close friend. He stayed loyal. Worked hard. Handled most of Cr—my studio's business without ever complaining… I can't just leave him when he is in trouble."
Augustus wasn't just explaining. He wanted Michelle to understand why this mattered so that he would agree to accompany him.
But Augustus wasn't making up things or lying here. David truly was handling most of Crunch Studio's business. Hiring, deliveries, logistics—he had been doing all the heavy lifting, quietly, without ever complaining.
Michelle exhaled. "You don't find people like that often."
Augustus felt a bit of weight lift. "Exactly," he exclaimed.
"Where is he?"
"They took him to some place called Club Radiance. I'm going there now. I'll meet you at the entrance."
Another pause—this one heavier. He could hear Michelle's tone shift.
"Club Radiance… was it a debt issue?"
"…How do you—" Augustus caught himself mid-sentence and shook his head. "Right. Just hurry."
Michelle let out a faint breath. "Alright. I'll be there in ten."
After the call ended, Augustus let out a long sigh. His fingers trembled for a moment.
He didn't know what kind of place they had taken David to. He'd seen the office, turned upside down like some back-alley threat. This place they'd taken David to? No doubt—it was a den of wolves.
Even if he wanted to save him, the truth was—Augustus was pushed around even by average employees, not that long ago. Now he was going to face real criminals?
He felt uneasy. It was risky. Maybe even stupid.
But there was no backing down. He was grateful he'd made good connections with good people like Michelle and David, who helped him most of the time.
And when they needed him the most, how could he back down?
Now it was his turn.
"Friendships aren't built in quiet moments. They are forged when you showed up, even while shaking," he mumbled, eyes flickering with resolve.
He shoved those thoughts aside, slid into the car, and slammed on the accelerator, pushing his worries deep down.