The Caffeine System: Critical Heart Protocol
The world didn't end with a nuclear explosion or an alien attack, but with the "Great Silence." Blind monsters called The Sleepers emerged from the bowels of the earth, slaughtering anything that made a sound louder than a breath.
Raka, a paranoid night-shift barista, is trapped in his cafe as a massacre unfolds. On the verge of death, a blue hologram appears on his retina. It's not a guardian angel, but the [Doomsday Streaming System]. This system has the personality of a "Toxic Netizen" who craves drama and is sarcastic, and uses Raka as an Avatar for the entertainment of an entity from another dimension.
To survive, Raka discovers that caffeine is his power source. The stronger the coffee he drinks, the faster his heart beats, and the slower time passes in his eyes (Bullet Time). Raka becomes the fastest man on earth, but at a fatal risk: if his heart rate reaches 450 beats per minute, his heart will explode.
Accompanied by Baginda (the fierce Mutant Swan and System's golden boy), Luna (the mute archer), and Dr. Vanya (the mad surgeon), Raka must run through this silent hell. He fights not only to survive, but to satisfy the "Audience" in exchange for points to upgrade his dying heart.
This is a story about a man running against time, fighting monsters, and arguing with a supernatural admin in his head, towards a bitter but relieving finish line.
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Chapter: Chapter 18: The First OverdoseThe left monster's bowling ball-sized fist slammed into his friend's temple. The middle monster's skull cracked instantly, his eyes turned white, and his massive body began to topple."One," Raka counted.Using the back of the falling middle monster as a runway, Raka jumped towards the right Tank Monster.The right monster was in a low jumping position, intending to crush Raka."You want to play stacking? Come on," Raka grinned, showing off the blood that covered his teeth.Raka maneuvered, twisting his body in midair to avoid the monster's grip by mere centimeters.When he was right behind the monster's head, Raka grabbed the small horns on the monster's back and pulled it down at supersonic speed.The monster's body spun in the air, losing control.Raka released his grip and kicked the monster's back towards the lef
Last Updated: 2026-03-02
Chapter: Chapter 17: Caffeine LimitRaka stood on the brink of death. Three giant Tank-type Sleepers stood in a circle before him, blocking his only path to safety.Raka's hands were shaking violently. The small glass bottle containing the strong espresso clinked softly against the metal ring of its cap.It was the only weapon he had. However, it was also the most deadly poison for his body at the moment.A blood-red warning suddenly appeared on his retina, causing his vision to be blocked.[WARNING: CRITICAL CARDIAC STABILITY.][Current Heart Rate: 110 BPM (Decreasing Rapidly).[Blood Vessel Integrity: 18%.][Analysis: Adding stimulants in this condition will cause Total Heart Failure.[You will explode from the inside. DON'T DRINK ANYMORE.]Raka laughed softly. A laugh full of despair."Don't drink anymore, you said?" Raka whispered, staring blankly at the dialog b
Last Updated: 2026-03-02
Chapter: Chapter 16: The Last Option[Beautiful assist! Looks like your 'Guardian Angel' at the water tower is in a good mood. Let's run faster, don't waste the bullets!]"I'm trying, damn it!"Raka jumped across the gap between buildings. His heart was pounding.Thud-thud. Thud-thud. Thud-thud.A burning sensation spread throughout her body. It wasn't just a result of running; it was the caffeine's extreme calorie-burning effect.Raka feels the roles are reversed now.Until now, Baginda had always been the shield, the wall that took the blows. Now, Raka was his feet and his protector."I won't let you die, Baginda," Raka whispered between heavy breaths. "You're the only 'person' I have in this hell."Baginda responded by pressing his head against Raka's cheek. The warmth of the swan's body gave Raka a morale boost.The water tower d
Last Updated: 2026-03-02
Chapter: Chapter 15: Shadow in the Water Tower"System," Raka called out breathlessly, "please tell me that arrow wasn't a stray one. Tell me there was someone there who deliberately saved our asses."Raka squinted to hold back the stinging sweat dripping from his brow. He followed an imaginary straight line drawn from the tail of the black arrow still in the asphalt.His gaze then spread upwards, past the rows of burnt-out shophouses, then across the dangling, broken electric cables until finally stopping at a point in the distance.A water tower.At its peak, a large cylindrical water tower reflects the orange light of the afternoon sun.The distance was probably around five hundred meters, a distance impossible for an ordinary human to aim accurately.A blue dialog box appeared, flashing casually in front of Raka's face.[Trajectory Analysis: 99.9% Intentional.][Someone up
Last Updated: 2026-03-01
Chapter: Chapter 14: Harnessing Creativity[There's no gap, you idiot. This is a sea of flesh. Your running speed is useless if there's no ground to stand on. You'll slip on top of their bodies and be eaten alive in seconds.]"So what should I do?! Fly?!" Raka shouted in frustration.A mutant rat jumped from the front row and lunged at Raka's calf. Its sharp, yellow teeth ripped through Raka's pants."Ah!"Raka kicked the rat reflexively. The rat's body felt solid and heavy as it flew off his feet."Get away from me, you damn pest!"The situation quickly deteriorated. The rats weren't just biting. They were climbing. They crept up Raka's shoes, trying to reach his thighs and waist.On the other hand, Baginda was also struggling hard. Three mice had jumped onto the swan's back. Biting its wings and neck."KWARK! HONK!"Baginda screamed in
Last Updated: 2026-03-01
Chapter: Chapter 13: Rat Wave AttackBut then he felt a new strength within him. His heart had been upgraded to a speed he had never experienced before.A hint of arrogance began to creep into his heart.“No,” he said quietly. Not at Baginda but more at himself. “I won't run anymore.”He looked back, looking at Baginda who had flown down from the washing machine. "Wait here."Baginda just tilted his head as if to say, "don't do anything stupid."Raka grinned. Even though Baginda didn't speak, he knew what the swan meant. "I'm just testing my new machine."He downed the rest of his coffee in one gulp and began to feel his heart rate rise rapidly. He stepped out of the shophouse and into the shadows of the wrecked car to approach the Bellringer. The creature didn't notice him and continued walking.Raka's plan was simple: get close, enter Bullet Time mode , destroy th
Last Updated: 2026-02-28
Chapter: CHAPTER 53: THE QUEEN'S CONDITIONSValerius was stunned. "You... you know my mother?""More than just acquaintance," Edna replied.He turned to face Bastian and the still confused crowd of guards."Lower your weapons. This child is no ordinary intruder. He is the key that might be able to open the gates of the Black Piston from the inside.""Edna, you can't be serious!" Bastian exclaimed. "He's just a kid! And that robot is just a pile of junk waiting to explode!""He's the last Alaric, Bastian," Edna said firmly. "And if he made it all the way here with Sentinel as badly damaged as this, it means fate still has a good sense of humor for us all."Edna looked back at Valerius, her gaze now filled with a mixture of hope and warning."Welcome to the Rust Pits, Prince Valerius. I am Edna, Queen of the Rust Pipes. And I think we have a lot to discuss before Bastian decides to m
Last Updated: 2026-02-13
Chapter: CHAPTER 52: FIRST MEETINGValerius stared at a giant man sitting on a throne made from a modified old tank chassis.The man wore a thick leather apron, and his plate-sized hands were covered in dried black oil.He was sharpening a large machete with an electric whetstone that sent sparks flying in all directions. His name was Bastian. Everyone in Rust Pit called him 'The Foreman’."So," Bastian began, not taking his eyes off the machete. His voice was deep. "Jaxel sai
Last Updated: 2026-02-13
Chapter: CHAPTER 51: FORCED INVITATIONDarkness enveloped Valerius's eyes. He couldn't see where his feet were going. The smell around him changed; from the sharp scent of rusty metal to the smell of hot steam and sulfur.“Slow down! You’re dragging a prince, not a sack of potatoes!” Cogs shouted.His voice sounded a bit distant, most likely being locked in a small cage or being held by force by one of the looters.Last Updated: 2026-02-12
Chapter: CHAPTER 50: SCAVENGERS“Welcome to the real world, Prince,” Cogs said bitterly. “The Vexxos didn’t build a beautiful city. They built a giant machine, and those people were just fuel.”“Grimbolt, we must help them,” Valerius said firmly.“Negative, Valerius,” the massive robot replied. “My current combat condition is four percent. Weapon systems are offline. Attacking the camp now is a suicide scenario with a ninety-nine percent failure rate. Top priority is finding the Rust Pipe Queen.”“But they suffer!” exclaimed Valerius.“And they will continue to suffer if you die today,” Grimbolt said again. “An unplanned death is not a sacrifice, Valerius. It is just another statistic for Vexxos. We must move.”Valerius clenched his fists. He looked at the camp once more.“Very well,&
Last Updated: 2026-02-12
Chapter: CHAPTER 49: GRINDING VALLEYAcid mist began to descend, blanketing the water's surface with a vapor that tingled the skin. Valerius stared at the land, a pile of rusted metal before him.“It’s time for us to disembark, Valerius,” Grimbolt said. “If we go past this point, the barge will enter the Vexxos’ self-destruct zone.”His voice was deep, accompanied by the unsynchronized hydraulic squeal of his newly patched left leg.
Last Updated: 2026-02-11
Chapter: CHAPTER 48: HALF-HEARTED IMPROVEMENT“Cogs, please get the remaining copper wire from under that chair. Quickly!” Valerius ordered.Cogs snorted. However, he still flew to retrieve the wire.“I&rsq
Last Updated: 2026-02-11
