"Is this the place?" I muttered to myself as I parked my car in front of a three-story building on a quiet morning. This was Damien's secret hangout, and I had come here to farm more EXP and skill points.
The temptation to gain more EXP was simply too alluring to resist. It seemed that the more powerful I became, the stronger my hunger for power grew.
Now, I understood why rich people always seemed to chase more wealth. It appeared that humans just couldn't figure out how to be contented.
Some might argue that it's not the case for all people, and I agree with that. But the majority of humans tend to seek more when given the opportunity. Take me, for example. I used to be content just playing video games in my room before I got my system.
When I first acquired the system, even though I kept thinking that I could become incredibly powerful in the future, it was more of a sarcastic notion.
In fact, I was just thinking of getting my parents' money back to buy the latest gaming console and spend my days playing games. I'd chat with my friends on Discord, trash talk 9-year-olds in Call of Duty and call their mom a bitch, consume way too many energy drinks, and order pizza every single day.
But as I continued to get smarter, stronger, and more powerful, I found that I was still not satisfied. At this point, I couldn't help but think that not even becoming a god would be enough for me.
"Wait, maybe this is my character development?" I mumbled to myself.
In novels, main characters undergo character development to become better version of themselves. But in my case, it feels like I'm heading in the opposite direction.
"So, my character development is becoming a narcissistic, manipulative, rich, charming, handsome person? ... Awesome!" I chuckled to myself as a sudden funny thought crossed my mind.
"At this point, I won't even be shocked if someone with a twisted sense of justice comes after me, with a sole mission to hunt me down. Or perhaps, I'll end up having a son in the future who wants to kill me , and I'll be forced to wear a mask and say, I am your father ?"
One darted to the left, another scampered to the right, and the third ventured straight ahead. Their movements were swift and coordinated as they navigated the building, helping me piece together a comprehensive map of the area.
As my rats scurried through the building, each time they encountered someone, a small red dot instantly appeared on my mental map. It was a very useful ability, providing me with real-time information about the exact locations of every individual in the area.
With each red dot that appeared, I could visualize the layout of the floor and the positions of the people within it.
This mental map was like a digital blueprint in my mind, continuously updating as my rats moved and spotted new individuals. After a focused 10-15 minutes, I had meticulously mapped out the entire building, creating a comprehensive and detailed overview of the environment and the people inside it.
How did I manage to do this despite the range limitation of my skill? Well, my intelligence came to the rescue once again. I devised a clever workaround by giving a specific command to my rat: to scout the area and remember everything it saw.
Rats are quite smart when it comes to recalling details, which made the task relatively easy for them. While my rats ventured beyond the range of my skill, they diligently absorbed information.
And, as soon as they returned within my skill's range, they could transmit the information they had collected. This approach allowed me to extend the effective reach of my skill and obtain the comprehensive map I needed.
In my mental map, I could only see what was within its range. However, with the rat memories , I didn't need to constantly control them to keep updating the map.
It was a significant advantage, and I was not sure whether it was a loophole or if the skill was intentionally designed to be used this way.
As I surveyed my mental map, it revealed that there were 20 people on the first floor alone, and all of them appeared to be gangsters.
"Time to earn some Skill points,"