Becoming a Money God with My Kickback System

Chapter 2

Chase couldn't help but feel dejected as he trudged back to his house. He didn't even have transport money for a cab.

Because of the fiasco at the restaurant, he had been ordered to pay for the "damages" on the spot. He emptied everything in his pockets, gave up his free meal, and even lost the salary that was due at the end of the month. All of it, just because of what Rachel did.

There was definitely nothing in that water. She had purposely decided to frame him.

Chase clenched his fists tightly. He had never done all this for himself. He had only been trying to make sure his sister, Lily, was well and okay. She was lying in the hospital, battling stage 4 leukemia, and the doctors would not begin treatment until the full payment was completed.

He rubbed his head in annoyance, his hair a mess, and held back the pain gathering in his eyes.

I have to find another job, he thought. I still have to complete the money before the end of the month.

That was only two days away. On that day, the hospital would either take his sister's case or drop it.

He climbed the stairs to the apartment on the fourteenth floor, tired to the bone. When he pushed open the door and stepped inside, he froze.

His landlord was seated in the sitting room with his legs crossed, counting a thick stack of money in his hands.

"Landlord?" Chase asked, confused.

"Shush! Don't interrupt my counting!" the landlord said, annoyed.

"I'm sorry, sir, but how did you get the keys to my apartment?"

"Why wouldn't I have the keys to your apartment? I own the place, after all! Every brick and every property!" the landlord said greedily, licking his lips as he slowly counted each dollar. "I came in the afternoon like we agreed, but you weren't here. So I let myself in."

Chase's blood ran cold as his eyes moved to the corner of the room. The floorboard beneath his bed, where he had hidden his savings box, was pulled open.

Then his eyes widened in panic. The money in the landlord's hands was every single dollar he had been saving.

"My savings!" Chase cried, rushing forward, but the landlord was already on his feet, adjusting his clothes as he tucked the cash into his pockets.

"So I have collected the part payment for the rent. The remaining should be transferred to my bank account. But for you to survive," the landlord said, flicking a measly coin that rolled in circles before finally lying flat on the floor, "I left you this. Remember, you are already long overdue, so don't be late to pay the rest."

He turned to leave, but Chase lunged forward and grabbed his leg.

"What are you doing, you buffoon?! Let go of my leg and go find money to fend for yourself!" the landlord said in annoyance.

"I'm very sorry, sir, but please, I need you to return the money you took from my savings box," Chase pleaded.

"What are you talking about?" The landlord raised an eyebrow despite his annoyance.

"It's the money you just finished counting, sir, the one you put in your pocket. I have been saving it for a very special reason!"

"The money from your savings box? You are owing me rent for more than three months now. How is that your money again?"

Chase felt his throat run dry. The man's logic was staggering.

"Please, sir, I know I owe you a lot, but I promise I will pay you back in due time. I just need this one, because my sister is in the hospital. She has a very serious illness, and the doctors will not start treatment until the entire money is completed. Please, let me settle this first, and then I will do everything to pay you back!"

"Sorry, but I don't see how that is my problem," the landlord said. "I only came to take my money from where I kept it. I don't understand why you are begging me to give you my money."

"Then at least give me half, sir! I will make sure to repay you two, even three times over!"

"Half?" The fat landlord burst into laughter. "Ha ha ha! You are a really funny fool! I am well aware that your girlfriend has dumped you, and now you are broke and jobless. How do you expect to pay me?"

Chase's eyes widened. News travelled fast.

"I will look for another job! I will do anything possible to pay that money. Please, just give me this one so I can pay for my sister's treatment!"

"No! I'm not giving you my money, and that is final. Now go and find the remaining money you owe me. Leave my leg!"

"I just need—" Chase said, but he wasn't done speaking when the landlord tried to pull himself out the door.

RIIIP!

The landlord's trouser leg tore from the knee down.

"Ah! Do you know how much this pair of trousers costs? Five thousand dollars!" the landlord shouted angrily.

"It was a mistake! I didn't mean to do it. Please, don't worry, I only need time. I will find another job and pay for the trousers as well!" Chase cried.

"No! You don't need time. You need a beating. Boys!"

Two huge men came out of the room with terrible frowns on their faces. They had been ransacking the apartment for anything else of value.

"You will regret laying a single finger on our boss," one of them said.

Chase didn't have time to say anything else before a fury of punches landed on him.

A sharp blow to his face sent him crashing to the ground, and they continued stomping on him again and again. He was kicked left, right and center until it felt like part of his organs had moved.

"Landlord, we've thoroughly dealt with him," one of the men said.

"That's good. Now do away with him," the landlord said, dusting off his torn trousers.

Chase, who was barely managing to breathe, felt himself being dragged by both legs across the floor.

"Don't worry, it's only a short trip down," one of the men mocked.

Chase managed to open one swollen eye, and his heart froze when he saw where they were headed. The window.

"Wait, please—"

He didn't get to finish. He was flung from the fourteenth floor.

The wind roared in his ears for a few terrifying seconds before he crashed into a pile of trash cans.

CRASH!

Chase felt his bones break one by one. His face fell to the left, and he never imagined he had this much blood in his body. It was now pooling around him.

Lily... I'm sorry...

Just as he was about to close his eyes and let death take over, a cold voice echoed in his mind.

[Designated Host: Chase Locke.]

[Situation critical. Multiple fractures, severe internal bleeding.]

[Criteria met. The host has reached the lowest of the low, and has been wronged beyond limits.]

[Binding process initiated...]

[10%...]

[20%...]

[50%...]

[100%]

[The Kickback System is activated!]

[From grass to grace, from pain to gain, the host now has the power to turn debt and unfairness into profit.]

[Question: Is the host ready to become a God in human form, or is the host ready to die?]

[Yes or No?]