Previously on EC…
Bell has bought gold from the game company, triggering a response from them to monitor her. Barthos, being an engineer, got dragged into helping her in choosing construction materials, where he’s paid by a percentage of the discount on the materials. Soon after, Bell went to teach a class at the Academy, in which her co-worker observed in the back without her noticing. He questions the AI capability of the game as well as various things, before wanting a lab there, forgetting his original purpose. After being reminded, he got carried into the air and dropped into the Academy ground’s reservoir, starting a new sport.
Elsewhere in Norman, a settlement got attacked by bandits…