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Home / Urban / 1-STAR TRASH: Bad Review System / 6. The Price of an Army
6. The Price of an Army
Author: Nuna_Su
last update2026-06-26 16:53:56

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 I’m not hungry!” Dane snapped. Harsher than he meant.

Rina stepped back. Eyes glassy.

Jax stepped in front immediately. “Yo, Dane! She’s just trying to help.”

“I know!” Dane cut him off. “And that’s the problem!”

He stood. Faced the 429 people.

“Listen to me,” he said. “If you pity me, if you worry about me, if you care about me… I’ll die. My system works when you hate me. So if you want to live, hate me. Curse me every day. Never say thanks.”

Silence.

Then Kimo, the janitor with 0.3 score, raised his hand. “You bastard, Dane.”

“1-Star,” Rina added quietly.

“I hate you,” Jax said, but his voice shook.

[+10 EXP]

[+10 EXP]

[+427 EXP]

[Level Up! --> Level 14]

Strength returned. Dane could breathe again.

“Good,” he whispered. “This is how we live.”

Not everyone was strong enough.

On day four, 37 people were gone.

Jax reported to Dane. “They ran off last night. Said they couldn’t take it. Every day they had to hate you, every day they had to insult you. They said… they’re tired of being evil.”

Dane stared at the empty corridor where 37 burlap beds sat empty.

“I don’t blame them,” he said. “I’m tired too.”

Rara, who’d been silent until now, spoke up. “They’re weak.”

Dane turned to Rara. “You’re also a Reputation Police agent. Why are you still here?”

Rara smiled faintly. “Because I already carved my own score. I can’t go back.”

She lifted her shirt. On her chest, a long scar. Her 3.9 score looked cracked.

“I chose,” Rara said. “I follow you, until death.”

[WARNING: GENUINE ADORATION DETECTED]

[SOURCE: RaraStream]

[EFFECT: -15% POWER]

Dane staggered. “Don’t say that, idiot.”

Rara laughed. “Yeah, yeah. I hate you. Happy now?”

[+15 EXP]

Dane knew they couldn’t attack the 5-Star Tower right away. They needed training.

“Tomorrow morning,” Dane told the crowd, “we split into 10 groups. Each group hits a small target. Branch hospitals, Adoration offices, Reputation Police patrols. We drop their scores.”

“Then what?” Jax asked.

“Then you curse me,” Dane answered. “Every target that falls, you hate me harder. So I level up.”

Rina raised her hand. “What if we get caught?”

“If you get caught, say I forced you,” Dane said. “So you survive.”

“I don’t want to survive if you die,” Kimo blurted.

[WARNING: GENUINE ADORATION MASS DETECTED]

[EFFECT: -30% POWER]

Dane dropped to his knees. Blood dripped from his nose.

“What did I say?!” he shouted. “Don’t care about me!”

Crowd went silent.

Then Jax stepped forward. “You idiot, Dane. Just die already.”

“Poor 1-Star,” Rina said.

“I hope you get deleted tomorrow,” Kimo added.

[+427 EXP]

[Level Up! --> Level 15]

New skill unlocked: [Wave of Insults level 3 – 50m area, 3 second stun]

Dane stood up. “Tomorrow we start.”

Next morning, 10 groups departed.

Dane’s group: Jax, Rina, Rara, Kimo. Target: Small Sector 9 Adoration office branch. Building score: 3.5.

They entered through the back door.

Security guard saw them. “Hey! Who are you?”

Dane activated Wave of Insults level 3.

“1-Star! Trash! Troublemaker!” Dane shouted.

Red wave shot at the guard. He dropped, clutching his head. Adoration score on his chest flickered: 3.2 --> 2.9.

“Take down the main panel!” Dane shouted at Rina.

Rina ran to the server. Hacked it. Building’s Adoration panel died.

Outside, Sector 9 citizens saw the Adoration office go dark. They cheered. Then they saw Dane.

“THAT’S DANE!” someone shouted.

Phones came out. Curses exploded.

“DIE DANE!”

“1 STAR!”

“TRAITOR!”

[+50 EXP]

[+50 EXP]

[+100 EXP]

[Total EXP: 3,389 / 6,000]

Mission success. Sector 9 Adoration office score dropped to 2.8.

But as they ran, trouble came.

Reputation Police drones surrounded them in the alley.

“Hands up!” the drone operator shouted.

Rara stepped forward. “I’ll handle it.”

She raised her hands. Reputation Police badge visible.

“I’m RaraStream. Undercover agent. Target’s inside. Don’t fire.”

Drone hesitated 2 seconds.

Two seconds was enough for Dane to pull Rara into the alley, then run.

Behind them, drone shouted: “SHE’S LYING! CHASE THEM!”

That night, at the station, Dane called Rara over.

“You trying to get us all killed?” he asked.

Rara stayed silent.

“I have to maintain cover,” she answered quietly. “If my superiors know I’m helping you, they’ll delete me.”

“So when will you betray us?” Dane asked directly.

Rara met Dane’s eyes. “I don’t know. Maybe tomorrow. Maybe never.”

Dane nodded. “Good. Honest.”

He turned away. “Jax, watch her 24/7. If she moves weird, tie her up.”

Jax saluted. “Yes sir.”

Rara didn’t protest. She only whispered as she passed Dane: “I hate you, Dane.”

[+15 EXP]

Night 7 after escape, Dane sat alone. Checked his panel.

[Level: 15]

Hate EXP: 3,404 / 6,000

Deletion Deadline: 17 hours

Suddenly, station door opened.

Not officers. Not Liora.

Mira.

His sister. Wearing hospital clothes. Her hair was starting to grow back.

“Mira?” Dane stood. “What are you doing here? Which hospital?”

Mira ran, hugged Dane.

“I missed you, bro,” she whispered.

[CRITICAL WARNING: MAXIMUM GENUINE ADORATION DETECTED]

[SOURCE: Mira Mercer]

[EFFECT: -100% POWER]

[LEVEL DROP: 15 --> 5]

[SKILLS LOCKED]

Dane dropped to his knees. Blood sprayed. World went dark.

Last sound he heard before blacking out: Rara’s voice.

“Don’t touch him!” Rara shouted at Mira. “You’ll kill him!”

Then darkness.

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  • 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

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  • 4. Threat Level Red

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