Home / Urban / 1-STAR TRASH: Bad Review System / 3. First Viral, First Casuality

3. First Viral, First Casuality

Author: Nuna_Su

2026-06-26 13:56:19

Sirens still screamed behind Dane as he plunged into Sector 9 night market.

Neon red-yellow-blue light reflected off pools of cooking oil. Smell of grilled fish, sweat, and synth exhaust made his nose burn.

Good. More people. More hate.

[BAD REVIEW SYSTEM]

[Level: 12. Hate EXP: 1,753 / 3,000 --> Level 13. Skill: Insult Wave Lv2, Sarcastic Retort level 1]

Active Mission: Survive 24 Hours Without Blocking Anyone.

“Hey! That’s him!” shouted a meatball vendor. His phone came out instantly. “Dane Mercer! The 1-Star!”

In 10 seconds, 20 phones aimed at Dane. Streams. Recordings. Curses.

“Criminal!”

“Traitor!”

“1 star!”

[+5 EXP]

[+10 EXP]

[Total EXP: 1,773 / 3,000]

Dane ran and laughed. His ribs still hurt from Kade’s hit, but Bad Review System had already closed 60% of the wound. He jumped onto a siomai cart, kicked a tent, then darted into a narrow alley behind the public toilet.

Behind him, Kade kept chasing. His leather jacket was torn, hologram cuffs flashing red. “I’LL KILL YOU, DANE!”

Dane didn’t answer. He was thinking.

Mira was safe. Neo-Care Hospital scheduled free surgery. But only because the hospital’s Adoration score crashed after Dane’s video went viral. If Dane stopped now, if he got caught or deleted, the hospital could break the promise. Mira would die again.

So Dane couldn’t stop.

He needed more hate. Faster. Bigger.

He needed to make all of Neo-Jakarta hate him in one night.

Dane stopped on the roof of an empty warehouse. Breathing ragged. Below, Kade and two Reputation Police drones were sweeping the alley. Hadn’t seen him yet.

He opened the hologram. Hand shaking. Not fear. Hunger.

Hunger for curses.

He opened the stream app. Title: “IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT FROM 1-STAR TRASH.”

Viewer count: 0. Then 10. Then 100. Then 1,000. News spread fast when Dane appeared.

“Good evening,” Dane said to the camera. His face smeared with dry blood. “I know you all hate me. Good. Keep going.”

The chat exploded.

_@StarQueen5: die

@NeoFlex: 1 star

@GarbageBoy: I hope you get deleted tonight.

[+3 EXP]

“I want to tell you something,” Dane continued. “Three days ago, my sister Mira, 16 years old, was rejected by Neo-Care Hospital because her score was 25. They said ‘below 30 is not priority’. Know who they prioritized? A 5-Star influencer who gets botox every week.”

He pressed a button. Another hologram appeared: hidden recording from Neo-Care lobby. The hospital director shaking hands with RatuAdora, 5-Star influencer. On the table, a thick envelope.

“This is proof,” Dane said. “Neo-Care Hospital sells beds to rich people. While my sister almost died on the sidewalk.”

He paused. Stared at the camera.

“So if you still have hearts, hate me. Curse me. Give me 1 star. Because the more you hate me, the more I can expose their rot.”

Then he pressed share.

The video exploded.

In 5 minutes, #DeleteDane trended #1 in Neo-Jakarta. In 10 minutes, Dane’s video hit 4 million views. In 15 minutes, Neo-Care Hospital got flooded with hate.

@RSNeoCare: LIES! We never—

@Netizen1: 1 star for the hospital

@Netizen2: I’m taking back my Adoration from this hospital.

@Netizen3: die, corrupt hospital!

Neo-Care’s Adoration panel on city public screens: from 4.1 dropped to 3.8. Down 0.3 in 20 minutes. Insane. Adoration scores usually moved 0.01 per week.

Hospital management panicked. Notification popped on Dane’s hologram. Unknown number.

“This is Neo-Care Hospital. Your sister’s surgery is scheduled tomorrow morning. Free. Please delete that video.”

Dane killed the call. Blocked.

“Too late,” he said to the camera.

[+50 EXP: Mass Social Impact Detected]

[+100 EXP: 4-Star Institution Lost Adoration]

[Total EXP: 1,926 / 3,000]

New power burst through Dane’s body. Rib wound healed completely. He could feel muscles denser, breath longer.

Level 13.

New skill unlocked: Sarcastic Retort level 2. Counter-insult +35% damage + 1s stun effect.

“Good,” Dane whispered. “Continue.”

He uploaded video two. This time he named names. List of 12 5-Star influencers who took bribes from Neo-Care Hospital. Including QueenAdora.

Neo-Jakarta exploded.

But there was a price.

Red notification appeared.

[WARNING: GENUINE AFFECTION DETECTED]

[SOURCE: Mira Mercer]

[CONTENT: “Kak, the hospital called. My surgery is tomorrow. Thank you kak. You’re my hero.”]

[EFFECT: -30% POWER]

It felt like being stabbed from inside. Knees gave out. Dane collapsed on the edge of the roof.

“Damn it, Mir,” he muttered. “Not now.”

He typed fast, “Don’t say thank you. I didn’t do this for you. I did this because I hate that hospital.”

Send. Block.

Red panel vanished. Strength returned.

But his hand shook.

“TARGET DETECTED ON WAREHOUSE 7 ROOF!” a drone shouted.

Red light swept the roof. Kade leapt up, landing in front of Dane. Face bruised. Score on chest: 4.7. Down 0.1 because his stream earlier got flooded with backlash from Dane.

“You see it, Kade?” Dane said while standing. “Your score dropped. Because you failed to catch me.”

Kade’s face turned red.

“I’ll ..”

Dane didn’t let him finish.

“You know the difference between you and me?” Dane said. “I get hated for fighting back. You get worshipped for bullying. You think you’re strong? You’re just Reputation Police’s pet dog.”

He activated sarcastic retort level 2.

Red waves poured from Dane’s mouth, shaped into words: “Pet Dog.” The words shot into Kade’s chest.

BOOM.

Kade flew back 5 meters, slammed into a chimney. Score on his chest flickered. Dropped to 4.6.

“I’ll kill ...”

“No, you won’t,” Dane cut him off. “Because if you kill me, you can’t raise your score anymore.”

He ran.

This time toward the crowd. Toward 10,000 people watching his stream.

Dane dropped to Sector 9’s main street. Ahead, a giant stage for next week’s 5-Star concert. Massive LED screen.

He jumped onto the stage.

“HEY NEO-JAKARTA!” he shouted into the still-active microphone. “I’M DANE! THE 1-STAR! I’M RIGHT HERE!”

10,000 phones came out. 10,000 streams lit up.

Hate exploded like a bomb.

“DIE!”

“1 STAR!”

“TRAITOR!”

“I HATE YOU DANE!”

[+10 EXP]

[+500 EXP: 10,000 Simultaneous Hate Sources Detected]

[Total EXP: 2,536 / 3,000]

Dane laughed. Chest burned. Red energy flowed like a river in his veins.

He raised his hand.

“I know you hate me. Keep going. Because every word ‘I hate you’ you say makes me stronger. And I’ll use that strength to destroy this rotten system.”

He pointed at the LED screen. On it appeared the faces of Neo-Care’s director. RatuAdora’s face. Faces of 12 corrupt influencers.

“These are our enemies,” Dane said. “Not me. I’m just a mirror.”

Then he jumped off the stage, into the crowd.

Chaos broke out. People ran. Drones fired warning lasers. Kade screamed from above: “CATCH HIM!”

But Dane couldn’t be caught anymore.

[Level Up! --> Level 14]

Tier 3 Skill Unlocked: [Mass Hate Conversion - Convert 10% negative Adoration within 100m radius into shield]

Transparent red shield appeared around Dane. Drone lasers deflected. Citizens’ fists bounced off.

He ran through the crowd, like a shark in a sea of blood.

Two hours later, Dane was in a new hideout: an abandoned underground train station. Smell of rust and sewage.

He opened the hologram.

Breaking news: “Neo-Care Hospital Adoration Score Drops to 3.5. Director Resigns. Free Surgeries for 200 Low-Score Patients Scheduled.”

Mira was safe.

Dane leaned against the wall. Breathed in relief.

Ding.

New notification. Not red. Not green. Gold.

[Reputation Police: Threat level Upgraded]

[Dane Mercer , status: Threat level Red]

[Crime: Reputation terrorism]

[Order: Capture alive or died]

The station door burst open.

It wasn’t Kade who entered.

Ten fully armed officers. In front, a woman in black uniform. Score on chest: 4.9. Almost 5-Star.

“My name is Liora,” she said. “I’m head of the Hate Hunter Division. And you, Dane Mercer, just declared war on the system.”

Dane stood.

The red shield around him still glowed.

“Good,” he said. “Because I did too.”

He smiled.

“So, who wants to go first?”

Continue to read this book for free

Scan the code to download the app

Previous Chapter Next Chapter

9. SHADOW FROM THE CORE
The alarm screamed. Red lights flashed without stopping. The stench of ozone and burnt metal filled the underground station. The black creature stood at the threshold of the door. Liquid, but it had a shape. Two meters tall. It had no face. Only a dark hole where its voice came from. “Target: Dane Mercer. Execute.” Three hundred ninety-two people stepped back. It wasn’t because they were cowards. It was because instinct told them: run from this thing, or die. Dane stepped forward. Level 15. His new skill, Mass Slander level 1, had just unlocked. His hands were trembling, but it wasn’t from fear. It was from EXP. “So this is The Core?” he said. “You’re sending a liquid golem to catch me?” The creature tilted its head. A hundred voices piled on top of each other: “Anomaly must be erased.” It moved. Fast. It had no legs, but it glided forward like smoke. Dane activated Enhanced Strength level 1. His fist shot out. _Thud._ His fist passed right through it. There were no bon
8. Operation Queen
Dane didn’t sleep for 36 hours.In front of him, Liora’s chip hologram spun: data on 127 5-Star names. Photos, addresses, schedules, weaknesses. And at the very top, golden letters:QueenAdoraAdoration Score: 5.00 – PERFECT! Address: Adora Tower, Floor 99, Sector 1. Weakness: ?Three question marks. Even Liora didn’t know QueenAdora’s weakness.“Perfect 5.00,” Dane muttered. “Means she’s never made a mistake. Never made anyone hate her.”“Or she’s just too good at hiding it,” Rara said from behind. She carried two bowls of synthetic soup. Smelled like wet cardboard.Dane didn’t eat. “If she’s perfect, then we make her imperfect.”Jax entered, carrying a strategy board. On the board was a blueprint of Adora Tower. 99 floors. Guards on every floor. Patrol drones every 3 minutes. Lasers at the entrance.“Damn,” Kimo said. “392 of us want to raid the strongest 5-Star base in Neo-Jakarta? We’ll all die.”“Yes,” Dane answered flatly. “That’s why we’re not raiding.”Everyone turned to him.
7. The Price of A Hug
Dane woke up in darkness.Smell of mold. Smell of dried blood. Smell of his own body that hadn’t showered in three days.His head was heavy. Chest empty. Like something had sucked all strength from his bones.[BAD REVIEW SYSTEM]Level: 5. Hate EXP: 1,204 / 1,500 --> Level 6. Active Skill: Wave of Insults level 1. Locked Skills: Sarcastic Retort, Mass Hate Conversion. Five.He dropped from Level 15 to Level 5 because of one hug.“Damn,” he muttered. Voice hoarse.“Still alive, idiot?”Voice came from the corner. Rara.She sat leaning against the wall, eyes swollen, hand holding a knife. On the floor beside her, dried bloodstain.“How long was I out?” Dane asked.“Three days,” Rara answered. “I kicked Mira out. She cried outside for two days, only left this morning.”Dane closed his eyes. “She’s okay?”“Hospital came to pick her up earlier. Said surgery was delayed because of riots. But her Adoration score went up to 28. So they accepted her.”Dane felt relief. But relief was instant
6. The Price of an Army
Two days after escaping Reputation Prison, 429 people were still crammed in Sector 9’s underground station. Smell of sweat, smell of sewage, smell of hope that hadn’t been breathed in a long time.Dane sat on a pile of burlap sacks. Below him, 429 faces stared up. Some full of fire. Some confused. Some… regretful.“I’m not a leader,” Dane said. “I’m just 1-Star trash with a weird system.”Jax grinned in front. “Yeah, but trash that can break 5-Star cuffs.”Rina chimed in. “And trash that saved us from deletion.”Dane stayed silent. He didn’t like being called a hero. Because heroes needed to be loved. And if they loved him, he’d die.On the second night, the problem appeared.Rina brought a bowl of mushroom soup. “Eat, Dane. You haven’t slept in two days.”Dane looked at the bowl. Rina’s hands trembled. Not from fear. From worry.[WARNING: GENUINE ADORATION DETECTED] [SOURCE: Rina Kadeva][EFFECT: -5% POWER]Dane pushed the bowl away. “I’m not hungry.”Rina froze. “But ...”“I said
5. Reputation Prison
Reputation Prison Sector 1 had no iron bars. No need.Dane sat on a hologram chair in the middle of a white room. Golden cuffs on his wrists. Ahead, a transparent screen displayed his face from 12 camera angles. In the corner, Adoration score: 3/100. “Welcome to the end of your record, Dane Mercer,” an AI voice said from the speaker. “Your score is 3. You will be deleted in 48 hours.”Dane didn’t answer. He was busy opening the Bad Review System panel.[BAD REVIEW SYSTEM]Level: 11 Hate EXP: 2,641 / 4,000 --> Level 15. Skill Locked: Mass Hate Conversion. Status: Shield Down, Liora’s “Genuine Love” effect still active. Damn. Liora’s effect was still draining 70% of his power. He was weak. Weaker than when he first got the system.The room door opened. Two officers pushed Dane’s chair out. Destination: Block Z. Block for 1-Star inmates waiting for deletion.Elevator dropped 20 floors. Smell of disinfectant, sweat, and despair.Block Z door opened.First sound Dane heard: laughter.“
4. Threat Level Red
White spotlights slammed into Dane’s face. Rust smell from the underground station mixed with ozone from Reputation Police plasma weapons. Ahead, Liora stood calm. Score 4.9 on her chest glowed like a tiny star.“Hands up, Dane Mercer,” she said. Voice flat. No emotion. “You’ve violated 12 codes. Reputation Terrorism. Mass Incitement. Institution Score Reduction. You can’t run anymore.”Behind Liora, ten officers raised weapons. Red lasers aimed at Dane’s chest.[BAD REVIEW SYSTEM][Level: 14. Hate EXP: 2,536 / 4,000 --> Level 15. Shield: Mass Hate Conversion Active – 12%]Dane didn’t raise his hands. He smiled instead.“You know what, Liora?” he said. “I’ve been waiting for this moment.”He opened his arms wide.“Hate me. Now.”[+5 EXP][+5 EXP] [+10 EXP] Three officers behind Liora cursed instantly. “Die!” “1-Star!” “Traitor!”The red shield around Dane thickened. Lasers deflected, bounced off walls, sparked fire.Liora frowned. “You think that’ll hold me?”She raised her hand. H

You may also like

Son-in-law: The Billionaire's Reign

From Trash Bag to Cash Bag

Revenge Of The Rejected Heir

The Heir's Revenge

Rise of Marcus Reid: Betrayal to Dominance

KNEEL FOR NO ONE: Once A Servant, Now A Billoniare

The Rain Idol: Diva of the Divine

HEIR FROM THE ABYSS

Latest Chapter

9. SHADOW FROM THE CORE

8. Operation Queen

7. The Price of A Hug

6. The Price of an Army

5. Reputation Prison

4. Threat Level Red