Chapter 78: Chapter 78
Ray froze in the middle of the room like someone had just ripped the floor out from under him. That blue holographic text kept floating there, but his brain felt like it had been cracked open with a sledgehammer.
"...What?" The word barely made it out. His own voice sounded distant, like it belonged to someone else.
His heart was slamming against his ribs so hard it hurt. His hands curled into fists so tight his nails dug into his palms. All this time he’d walked around thinking he was untouchable. The only sick fuck lucky enough to pull a broken system out of some rusted street slot machine. He’d felt like a goddamn minor god—able to reach inside people’s heads and twist whatever he wanted. Common Sense Alter System. The ultimate cheat code. Total freedom. No rules. No consequences that actually stuck.
But now?
Ray swallowed hard. The taste in his mouth was sour, rotten. He stumbled backward until his back hit the wall, then slid down until he was sitting on the dirty floor, staring up at nothing.
"System," he thought, the words scraping the inside of his skull. "Other system owners... they don’t get fucked by my Common Sense Alter System?"
A beat of silence. Then the reply came, flat and cold.
[As long as the Host’s level remains higher than another system owner’s, they will be affected by the Host’s Common Sense Alter System. If their level exceeds the Host’s, the effect does not apply.]
The air in the apartment suddenly felt thin. Wrong.
"What the fuck..."
He squeezed his eyes shut until colors burst behind his lids. That godlike rush he’d been riding—the certainty that he could do anything to anyone—ripped out of him like someone had reached into his chest and torn it free. Not because the system glitched. Because he finally understood he wasn’t the only bastard who’d won the jackpot on that cursed machine.
There were others. Probably dozens. Maybe hundreds. Right now, somewhere out there, other people were walking around with the same sick grin on their faces, thinking they were gods too. And if even one of them was stronger than him...
Ray opened his eyes. His vision was dull. His right hand drifted up and pressed against his chest, feeling the frantic, ugly rhythm underneath.
"What level am I?" he asked quietly. Like his brain had short-circuited and forgotten the level-up from minutes ago.
[Host’s current level: 16]
He let out a short, ugly laugh that didn’t reach his eyes.
"Sixteen..." The word tasted like ash. "Still fucking low. Means there’s probably some asshole walking around at twenty-five, thirty, maybe higher. And if they are..."
His mind jumped straight to the weird girl from the gym. The one Karl mentioned. The one who’d opened her mouth about "power from the slot machine" and said his name like she already knew too much. Did she have a system? Was her level higher? Was she already inside his head right now, rewriting what he thought was real while he sat here like a fucking idiot?
The thoughts started chewing on each other.
Federal agents watching from rooftops and street corners.
That girl at the gym with the too-knowing eyes.
And now every other system user who might be stronger, faster, meaner.
Ray felt like he’d been kicked off the roof of a skyscraper and was still falling. This morning he’d been untouchable—famous, rich, able to bend reality around his dick. Now he felt like a sewer rat that just realized the alley was crawling with bigger, hungrier things. And one of them might already be circling.
He pushed himself up on shaky legs. Walked to the window on autopilot, yanked the curtain aside, and stared down at the street. Everything looked normal. People moving. Cars crawling. Life pretending nothing had changed. But Ray couldn’t see it the same anymore. The world had teeth now.
"System," he said, voice low and rough. "Can I detect other system owners? At least see their levels?"
[Detection feature unavailable. Host is advised to increase level and complete medium or hardcore daily quests consistently to accelerate unlock.]
Ray exhaled through his teeth. He wasn’t tired in the body. This was deeper. The kind of exhaustion that came when you realized the freedom you thought you had was just a leash you hadn’t noticed yet. And somewhere out there, someone might already be holding the other end.
He turned, walked back to the bed, and dropped onto the edge. Eyes on the floor between his boots.
Just earlier he’d been laughing about Mia getting hit with that cum ghost. Just earlier he’d still felt like a king who could fuck with people’s heads for fun. Now?
He bit down on his lower lip until he tasted copper.
"...I need to level up," he muttered. "Fast. Before someone else decides to put me in my place."
He lifted his head and looked at the empty room like it might answer him.
Because for the first time since he got the system, Ray didn’t feel like the strongest piece on the board anymore. He wasn’t the bastard whose cock could slam into any cunt he wanted and rewrite the world around it so nobody could touch him.
Ray sat on the edge of the bed, still trying to slow his breathing. His right hand dragged roughly down his face. "Easy, Ray... easy. Level sixteen. Still got room to climb. Still got—"
Ring... Ring...
The apartment buzzer went off again. Ray let out a long, tired groan that almost turned into a curse. "Who the fuck is it now..."
He stood up slow, walked to the door, and opened it with zero expectations. The second he saw who was standing there, his face changed.
Julia.
The tan-skinned girl stood with one hand on her hip, hair messy like she’d been tearing at it, eyes burning with pure rage. She was wearing that same tight crop top and tiny hotpants she always used to show off her body. But this time there was nothing flirty about her. She looked ready to rip someone’s throat out.
"You," Julia snapped the second the door opened. "You’re the one who gave Kevin that little ’enlightenment,’ right? You’re the one who pushed him to dump me!"
Ray frowned. "What the hell are you even talking about—"
"Don’t play stupid with me!" Julia shoved a finger right in his face. "Kevin told me himself last night. Said you ’opened his eyes.’ Said you gave him ’clarity’ about our relationship. You think I’m fucking dumb?!"
Ray scratched the back of his head, genuinely lost. His brain was still spinning from the system shit, the levels, the other system owners... and now Kevin’s pissed-off ex was on his doorstep ready to explode.
"Julia, I swear I don’t know what the fuck you’re talking about. Kevin broke up with you because he—"
"LIAR!" she cut him off, voice sharp. "You think I don’t know you’ve been getting close to him lately? You whispered in his ear! You made him think I’m just some cheap tan-skinned slut with no future!"
Ray’s patience snapped. He exhaled hard through his nose. "Listen, Julia. I didn’t push anybody. And right now I’m fucking exhausted. So how about you turn around and leave?"
Julia actually laughed — a cold, ugly sound. She stepped forward, closing the distance, her voice dropping into something quieter but way more venomous.
"You’re viral now, Ray. Everybody’s talking about you. But you think I give a shit about your supernatural bullshit? I don’t."
She looked up at him, smile ice-cold.
"From now on, I’m gonna make your life hell. You’re gonna regret fucking with my relationship with Kevin. You’re gonna regret getting famous. Because I’m gonna make sure every single person out there thinks you’re just a creepy, perverted little jerk-off addict."
Julia stepped back, clearly satisfied with the way Ray’s jaw tightened. She gave him a lazy little wave.
"Have fun, Mr. Viral."
Then she turned and walked off like she’d just finished grocery shopping.
Ray shut the door slowly. His back hit the wood and he let out a long, rough breath before muttering under it.
"Fuck... crazy bitch."
He barely had time to sit back down before the buzzer rang for the third time that day.
Ray dragged both hands down his face. "What the fuck now..."
He opened the door with half a scowl still on his face.
Christy.
The shy, cute girl stood there holding a small bag, her hair tied in a low ponytail. Oversized hoodie, short jeans. Her cheeks were pink like usual when she got embarrassed.
"Ray... um... can I come in for a second?" Her voice was soft, almost a whisper.
Ray nodded tiredly and let her in. The second the door clicked shut, Christy dropped the shy act.
"Tomorrow’s the weekend... it’s my birthday. I... just wanted to ask if you already thought about hanging out? I promise I won’t take up too much of your time."
Ray rubbed the back of his neck, head pounding. Julia had just threatened to ruin his life, the system had dropped a bomb about other owners, and now this shy girl was asking him out on her birthday.
"Christy, I’m... kind of dealing with a lot right now—"
"Don’t worry about that bitch."
Ray froze. "Huh?"
Christy looked straight at him. Those big eyes that usually stayed down were locked on his, sharp. A small smile appeared on her lips — not the usual shy one. This one knew things.
"I can help you deal with Julia. I’ve got access to all her socials. Even that little thing you did yesterday with the federal agent. I know about it."
Ray took a step back. "What the hell are you talking about?"
Christy shrugged like it was nothing. "I work as a whitehat hacker. And... the agent who interviewed you yesterday? She knows me. We worked together on a small project before."
Ray felt the floor tilt under him. This cute, awkward girl who used to just blush and ask for his number through friends... was a whitehat hacker? Knew federal agents?
"Christy... what the fuck are you actually?" The words came out low, half shock, half something darker.
Christy smiled again, softer this time. "We’ll hang out tomorrow. We’ll talk. I promise I’ll answer all your questions... as long as you answer mine too."
Ray stayed quiet for a few seconds. His brain was racing — paranoia, curiosity, and something heavier twisting together. Finally he gave a slow nod.
"...Alright. Tomorrow. We hang out. We talk."
Christy nodded, satisfied. Like always, she didn’t say much. She just turned, opened the door herself, and left with a small wave before it shut.
Ray stood in the middle of the room, staring at the closed door.
He dragged a rough hand through his hair.
"Christy... got my number because she hacked it?"
His thoughts started spinning fast. She looked sweet. Shy. But she had access to shit even federal agents had. Whitehat hacker. Knew people on the inside. Could probably bury Julia’s plans before they even started.
And most importantly... right now, while his life was turning into complete fucking chaos, a girl like Christy could be extremely useful.
Ray felt his blood running hotter. That weird adrenaline hit his head again. In the middle of all this pressure, threats, and uncertainty... his mind went straight to the gutter.
He looked at the door again, then glanced down. His pants felt tighter.
"Fuck..." he muttered, half annoyed at himself.
But he couldn’t lie.
Besides being someone he could fuck... Christy was actually useful as hell.
And in the middle of this growing shitstorm, Ray felt something ugly and excited stir in his chest.
Comments