Master of Lust

Chapter - 83

Rick perched himself on the cliff's edge, a combo platter of disbelief and frustration etched all over his mug. He'd just seen a girl, either crazy brave or just plain loco, take a nosedive straight into those frothy, tumultuous waters down below.

Rick's jaw decided to stage a rebellion as he muttered to himself, "She could have at least stripped down before that wild dive. I might have caught a peek at those massive melons. Such a melon-wasting situation on a thick girl. Thick & thicc, man, that chick was the whole package...""

The cool breeze ruffled his hair as he pondered the mess he found himself in. Six million dollars were swirling down the proverbial toilet, and there was zilch he could do about it. He'd poured time, energy, and a hefty chunk of cash into whatever crazy scheme had led to this epic cliff dive. What a major league bummer.

The waterfall below roared like it was having a good laugh at his epic misfortune, and no system's magic pill could flip that script.

"Man, this is the pits," Rick griped in a low voice. He gave his head a shake, followed by a bitter chuckle. "But I am not some loony, you know? I have got way too much love for life to be pulling a stunt like that. I mean, if I hang tight, I can bank on raking in way more dough than that, no doubt about it."

Rick wasn't about to roll the dice with his own life. He treasured his existence way too much to even entertain the idea of a leap like that. He hunched over the cliff, keeping a close watch on the roaring waterfall, hopeful for any glimpse of the girl's return.

After a deep sigh and one last frustrated stare into the abyss, Rick decided it was time to bounce. He gave his pockets a reassuring pat to make sure his phone and wallet were safe and sound. He felt relieved that they were still right where they should be. Rick had no plans to mimic the girl's wild move, even if it meant waving goodbye to his six million bucks.

[

Quest: Follow the girl, and help her find that plant

Time Duration: Before the girl dies

Quest Rewards: 1 Lottery Spin (Standard); Cash: $10,000; Ero Points: 3,000

]

"Fuck off," but Rick was far from thrilled when the quest popped up in front of him. In fact, it grated on his nerves more than anything else. He let out a frustrated grumble, "Seriously, were you napping this whole time? Why is it feel like you are never around when I could use a hand? Fucking, I can't even snag a decent deal from your damn pricey shop. Why, you ask?

Fuck, because that joint of yours is crazy expensive."

"If that's not enough, I have to kill off someone just because you tell me to."

"And I gotta bite the dust because you give the word."

"I have to fucking risk my neck for a lousy bump in points and some chump change. And why? Just because you, the fucking almighty system said so? Suck my dick, you lousy system. I'm so done with your nonsense. I'm not lifting a finger for your quests, and I couldn't care less about your shenanigans.

Take a hike!!"

Rick was suddenly agitated as he lashed out at his all powerful system, hurling abuses left right and center. It was the accumulation of all that happened with the old man and his minions. It was all fun and games, amusing when it was just flirting with girls, charming them and romantic stuff like that.

But the minute the system demanded he cross the line into violence, or be willing to bite the dust himself, a knot of dread and unease had taken root in his heart. Now, that knot was unraveling with a vengeance.

There was silence that followed after that sudden outburst from Rick, neither Rick spoke, nor the system conversed with any more pop-ups. Was it a silent stand-off? Rick had no idea. But after what felt like a minute or two, the system chimed again.

[Would a ten-percent discount do? On everything in the shop.]

Surprisingly, the system extended an olive branch, suggesting a truce. However, Rick was deeply entrenched in his groove, not exactly known for his tactical genius, and right now, his brain was taking a backseat.

"Screw you," Rick shot back at the system.

"Come on, rabbit," he hollered as he turned away and headed back toward the forest. "We're out of here."

Rick let out a whistle, and a little bunny that had been bouncing around in the vicinity hopped right out of the underbrush. It was an adorable, fluffy critter with inquisitive ears that twitched as it hopped closer to Rick.

Under different circumstances, this sight might have brought a smile to Rick's face, but right now, he was far from jovial. He stood there near the waterfall, facing away from the tree as the rabbit made a beeline for him. In a perfect world, the rabbit might have leaped into his arms, clambered up his clothes, and settled on his shoulder.

But as fate would have it, the bunny had different plans in mind.

With a burst of unexpected energy, the rabbit made a daring leap toward Rick. However, instead of ending up in his arms, it skillfully landed right on his shoulder. Rick's eyes widened in sheer surprise, and he let out a yelp of astonishment, teetering on the rocky ground as he struggled to maintain his balance.

The rabbit, showcasing remarkable agility, hopped onto Rick's shoulder but didn't stick around. It gathered its little legs for another jaw-dropping leap, launching itself into the air. The force it exerted on Rick's shoulder was enough to nearly dislocate it. Rick couldn't help but be both impressed and amused by the surprising strength packed into such a small critter.

He was left utterly speechless by the rabbit's astonishing display, leaving him both in awe and breathless.

With an astonishing display of grace, the rabbit vaulted over Rick's shoulder, its destination now the stunning tree adorned with vibrant purple flowers behind him. In that instant, the rabbit executed its highest jump, a maneuver that intersected perfectly with the soft, golden rays of the setting sun. Its fur appeared to ignite, shimmering like a snowball ablaze in the twilight.

Against the backdrop of the picturesque tree and the fading daylight, the rabbit's leap became a breathtaking sight.

In the blink of an eye, the rabbit sailed across the river, covering an incredible distance. It landed with remarkable grace on a tree branch strategically positioned at the center of the river, bridging the water's expanse. Rick stood there, completely dumbfounded by the seemingly impossible leap the rabbit had just executed.

"Can rabbits even jump like that?" Rick pondered, a puzzled look settling on his face. The answer was all too clear in his mind: this wasn't your everyday bunny. It was an extraordinary creature, pushing the boundaries of what was expected from its kind.

With a featherlight touchdown, the rabbit set up shop on a sturdy branch smack dab in the middle of the river. Rick watched in breathless awe, appreciating how the rabbit seemed to be giving gravity the old slip 'n slide. But just when he was 'bout to let out a sigh of relief, the branch decided it was time for a little bend-and-snap action, courtesy of the rabbit's hefty presence.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Rick hollered, his ticker playing the bongo drums inside his chest. He'd gotten kinda attached to this extraordinarily cute bunny and wasn't keen on witnessing it meet a watery demise. He leaned in closer to the river's edge, all set to go superhero if necessary.

Much to his total shock, that branch didn't go all "snap, crackle, and pop" as he'd dreaded. Nope, it acted like it was part of some next-level Rube Goldberg contraption. Rick's brow furrowed in pure bewilderment, trying to decode this wild turn of events.

"Hold up a sec," Rick mumbled to himself, squinting his eyes as the big light bulb lit up in his brain. "This ain't your run-of-the-mill branch. It's gotta be something extra."

The river stayed chill, and the rabbit didn't seem to be in hot water. Meanwhile, the branch kept shifting down. Rick's peepers bulged out in shock as he caught on to what was unfolding. This wasn't just some ordinary branch; it was part of a contraption, a lever of sorts.

"What in the...?" Rick blurted out, his voice tinged with amazement. He was 'bout to embark on some sleuthing when he picked up a weird sound coming from the riverbank. Swinging his head in that direction, his jaw decided to take a little trip south as he laid eyes on a spectacle that had "mind-blowing" written all over it.

The small bridge that spanned the river suddenly went all wild, rattling and quaking, creating ripples through its wooden frame. Rick's peepers couldn't quite believe what they were seeing. The bridge split in two, each chunk folding up like origami to form a platform on either side of the river. It was like witnessing a ginormous jigsaw puzzle doing the tango.

"Holy smokes...," Rick began, but the words hitched a ride on his surprise as the jaw-dropping spectacle just kept on rolling.

As the bridge morphed, the water that had been merrily flowing beneath it suddenly took a detour to the sides. It unveiled a hidden platform, mysterious and black platform that suddenly surfaced up the river.

The water decided to skedaddle away from the platform, clearing a path. Those bridge segments, now transformed into two separate gangways, became a runway leading right to that enigmatic black platform.

"Alrighty then, this is like some top-notch Indiana Jones-level shenanigans," Rick mumbled, his gaze laser-locked on the mind-boggling transformation. He couldn't wrap his head around what he was witnessing; it was as if a chapter from a wild adventure novel had popped right off the page and into the real world.

The rabbit, holding court on the tree branch smack in the middle of the river, appeared to be as cool as a cucumber amid all the hubbub. Its ears kept on twitching inquisitively, and it fixed its gaze on that newly revealed black platform, almost like it had been in on the secret all along.

Rick found himself at a crossroads, a bit torn on whether to explore that platform. He had a hunch earlier that the tree might be the crucial piece of the puzzle leading to the cave. Now, staring at this mind-blowing setup before him, he was pretty darn convinced it was the real deal.

"Hey there, system... My good old system. That deal we were chatting about, is it still on?" As he watched the scene unfold in front of him, Rick suddenly asked, a sheepish grin donning his face.

[...]

"Oh, come on, we are pals, aren't we?"

But there was no response, and just like that, Rick found himself swinging in the balance.

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