While thinking about the young boy's request, I can see how Ole's jaw clenched when she saw their faces from the pictures. She might be easy going, free and fun but this time, none of those listed are visible on her face. This time, she is mad, and her madness has gone uphill.
She's mad that even Lea can't tame her in this state.
We may act according to our emotions because even after everything we do, plotting to kill everyone from someone's request, it doesn't change the fact that we too are humans. We hold emotions and we are indeed responsible for it.
It's almost 2 in the morning and hours have gone by so fast. Ole is still quiet and continues to have a war alongside her keyboard. Hinayaan ko lang siya at napagdesisyonang magtimpla ng kape para sa aming dalawa. She's on a mission right now on finding how to make that guy suffer before killing him.
"Take a sip for a while," I said as I silently place the cup on the table behind her.
Sumakto namang naglo-load ang kaninang pinagka-abalahan niya.
She muttered thanks and took the coffee. I sighed in relief. 'At least, she paused for a while.'
"How is it going?" I tried asking hoping she'll respond. "You've been in that thing for about 4 hours now."
"Hmm, I came across this website that psycho use for gambling. Found out, it's an illegal site used to lure ordinary gamblers and they're taking a lot of money from these individuals including this kid's father. Not that I am helping him, but I want to bring them all the way down."
I thought she wouldn't say something but in fact she explained to me what she said. She moved across another station and showed me some screenshots of transactions using the famous money app in the country.
"This site can be accessed through invites. If someone sends you an invite or you use their code in signing up, both of you will gain at least two hundred pesos and that can be your starting money for the bet. They'll let you win for the first 3-4 rounds. The bigger amount you bet, the bigger amount you'll receive. Since you keep on winning, of course as humans you cannot stop without knowing you have been losing money. They will let you win but for a few coins only, and that will make the victim put more money in their accounts from either bank or cash apps. Victims will keep on betting and encash the account since they know that the bigger amount they will bet, the bigger amount they receive.
"This kind of scam goes viral for a while now because they keep on paying content creators to promote their games. From links to invites and lately, they're improving their scale to apps. They also create a feature that if you invite more people to sign up in the game, they'll receive this amount. Sometimes, they got quotas. If they reach this number of sign ups using their unique codes or links, they will have some kind of bonus. Of course, the creators don't have any ideas from this. If they do, they don't give a damn as long as they are earning."
She explained things to me thoroughly and I am overwhelmed that there are things like this going on! Oh, maybe I am just too outdated since I don't use social media more often. I only have an iBook and Sulat App for this front act. Most of the time, it's Ole who's using my iBook as my admin.
But seriously though, I know there are thousands of individuals and families who are suffering from poverty, unemployment, unequal opportunity and many more.
Is this how our society is coping up with our economy? By taking chances in gambling online?
Pagkatapos ma-explain ni Ole sa akin paano ang laruin iyon, I found myself playing using one of the burner phones we ready. Every time we have missions, we use different phones that Ole bought from markets.
Yes, those vendors who buy and sell phones mostly in the markets. Marami na rin kaming cellphone na nakuha doon na galing sa nakaw at iba pa. Ole carefully chose those phones and formatted them so we can use them. We have plenty of those kinds and once we're done using them, either we dispose or reformat, depending on its model and its capability.
"Ano bang klaseng laro ito? Pa-tsambahan lang naman yata 'to. Hindi ko ma-gets!" may halong pagdadabog kong pag-pindot sa screen. There are times that the game will give you free ten rounds and you'll gain a few coins, though that will again depend on how much you bet. I've been betting twenty pesos since I started. I win some and lose more!
"Ahhh, nauubos na ang pera ko!"
"Chillax, that's exactly how they want you to feel. They'll give you the taste of winning, how sweet it was, then they'll take it back after a while. And since you are eager to win more, you will have to put in more money too!"
"Arrghh, I can't stand like this. It's irritating!" padabog kong ibinalik sa lamesa ang cellphone at tumayo. "Magluluto na nga lang muna akong lugaw para kay Rian!"
I heard Lea's laugh from her room. She opened her door earlier so we were able to see how's Rian. Wala pa rin kaming tulog ni Ole at alam kong mukha na kaming mga panda dahil sa eyebags namin.
"I think you guys need some rest first, mamaya niyo na ipagpatuloy 'yan. Mas marami naman yatang players kapag gabi or hapon?"
"I think so too. They are actually inactive right now so I guess, they are also having some rest. But I have to complete this so I can get access... almost there..."
Bumalik sa katahimikan si Ole at ipinagpatuloy ko ang aking pagluluto. Habang hinihintay kong kumulo ito, inihanda ko na rin ang ibang sangkap tulad ng luya at manok. Habang busy si Ole kanina, napag desisyonan kong magpakulo ng manok na gagamitin sa lulutin kong arroz caldo. Hinimay-himay ko ito ayon sa kayang kainin ni Rian. Sinunod ko na rin ang dahon ng sibuyas.
"Hala ang bango, nagugutom tuloy ako!" wika ni Ole kahit nakaharap pa rin sa screen. "Pwede bang makihingi sa lugaw ni Rian?"
"Tumayo kana nga kasi muna dyan at magpahinga. Umupo ka muna rito," tawag ko sa kanya habang hinahanda ang mangkok para sa kanya. Sinadya kong damihan ang niluto dahil alam kong magugutom kami lalo na't halos hindi siya makatayo sa upuan.
Sinunod naman nito ang sinabi ko. Dahil andyan ang yaya ni Rian, hindi ko pwedeng ibigay nalang kay Lea ang mangkok sa kwarto nito. Bumaba na muna ako saka sumakay ng elevator at pumunta sa pinto nila Lea. Ang yaya ni Rian ang nagbukas ng pinto.
"Hi, balita ko may sakit si Rian. Gumawa akong arroz caldo, paki sabi galing kay Yuri."
"Okay po, salamat."
Kaagad rin akong bumaba at bumalik sa may hideout. Pagkabalik ko, naubos na ni Ole ang laman ng mangkok niya at bumalik na rin sa harap ng computer.
"Hindi ko talaga maintindihan Lily," wika niya mayamaya pa habang ako naman ang kumakain. "Ang sarap mong mag luto kapag lugaw pero kapag ibang pagkain, kahit asong gutom di kakainin luto mo eh. Paano 'yon?"
Lumipad ang bote ng mogu-mogu at natamaan ang braso niya. Tumawa lang ito at ipinagpatuloy pa rin ang ginagawa.
May point din naman si Ole kasi kahit ako, kahit anong pilit kong magluto hindi ko rin talaga naiintindihan ang lasa. Bantay sarado na nga at lahat-lahat, nasusunog ko pa rin. That's why I give up cooking my own food. Lugaw-lugaw nalang talaga.
Gabi na ng magising ulit ako at kagigising lang din ni Ole. Nag-order lang ako ng pagkain namin dahil una, hindi kami maipagluto ngayon ni Lea at pangalawa, hindi rin makapag luto si Ole. No choice, hindi pwedeng ako ang magluto baka bigla nalang kaming manigas at mamatay.
"I was able to locate the specific hideout of the owners of the site," tinutukoy niya ang site na ginagamit sa paglalaro ng ama ng bata, ang mismong site rin kung saan ako naglaro kanina. "I was able to hack into their system but guess what, they are the dead ends. I think I've read this somewhere, and they call this 'Point Organization'."
Point Organization?
x,
igabyouuu
BINABASA MO ANG
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Mystery / ThrillerAfter the untimely death of their guardian, Yuri Mallari and her sisters began a dangerous and secretive life as professional killers. Years of working for unknown clients, as they delved deeper into the dark world of their profession, they stumbled...
