Part-21

  **Mission 4: vince Ryan to cooperate and help with weeding without res to fighting. Reward: (+2)INT**

  **Penalty if Failed: Two wild dogs will chase you which are faster than you.

  James blinked, his frustration momentarily fotten. A new mission? And a terrifyiy to boot! Two wild dogs? He wasn't sure which was more uling – the bizarre mission objective or the threat of being chased by angry es.

  He stared at the message, his mind rag. Fighting was clearly off the table. So, how could he vince Ryan to cooperate? The reward, a potential increase in "INT," was tempting. Maybe a bit more intelligence could help him navigate this strauation and uand the enigmatic Bully System better.

  Taking a deep breath, James lowered his rake. He needed a neroach. Force wouldn't work, but maybe a different tactic could yield better results.

  The blue s dispying the mission and its terrifyiy mocked James. Res to violence was out of the question, but a simple request seemed uo vince Ryan's belligerent attitude. James chewed on his lip, frustration mounting.

  Suddenly, an idea sparked in his mind. He wasn't sure if it would work, but it was worth a shot. Reag into his pocket, he pulled out his phone and dialed Principal Byzed's offiumber.

  The ph owice, then a gruff voiswered. "Principal Byzed speaking."

  "Mr. Byzed, it's James," he said, his voice shaky but determined. "We're just starting the detention, but there's a problem."

  "What kind of problem, James?" Byzed's voice held a hint of .

  James g Ryan, who was still leaning against the wall, looking bored and pletely uncooperative. Taking a deep breath, James decided on a slight exaggeration.

  "Ryan… Ryan isn't pulling his weight," James said, trying to sound panicked. "He's just standing there refusing to help!"

  There was a beat of silen the other end of the lihen, a low growl emanated from the phone's speaker. "Ryan! Is that true?" Byzed's voied, sending a shiver down James' spine.

  Ryan, who had been nontly scuffing the dirt with his shoe, froze. His eyes widened in a mixture of fear and disbelief. He whipped his head towards James, his expression a mask of betrayal.

  No! I was just… stretg!" Ryan stammered, grabbing a discarded rake with unnatural acrity. He lu the patch of weeds, attag them with a ferocity that bordered on manibsp; Sweat beaded on his forehead as he ripped and tore at the rown pnts, his movements jerky and uncoordinated. It was as if he ossessed by the spirit of a champion weeder, determio clear the entire backyard in record time. James watched in amusement as Ryan hacked away at the weeds, muttering ily under his breath. A small smile tugged at the ers of his lips. Maybe there was a be to having Principal Byzed on his side, even if it meaing to a little white lie.

  A surge of satisfa washed over James. His daring pn, a desperate gamble, had paid off iacur fashion. A triumphant fanfare echoed in his head, followed by the familiar blue s notification:

  **Mission plete!**

  **Reward: +2 INT**

  **Current INT: 12**

  James couldn't help but let out a small, satisfied chuckle.