Eleuthernemis System

Chapter Five

I moved without thinking.

My chair scraped back as I shot to my feet. Park Junho was already yanking the office door open, but I was right behind him.

The once calm store had turned into a place full of fear.

Woo rim stood frozen behind the register, hands raised, his usual smile completely gone. The hooded figure was three feet away from him, gun in hand.

Above the man’s head text appeared.

[NAME: Unavailable]

[AGE: Unavailable]

[RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Unavailable]

[OCCUPATION: Unavailable]

[STRENGTHS: Unavailable]

[WEAKNESSES: Unavailable]

[STRESS LEVEL: Unavailable]

[THREAT LEVEL: Unavailable]

Shit. This was bad, I needed to have some sort of conversation with him.

“Don't move!” The robber’s voice cracked. He sounded young, around my age too. Maybe early twenties.

“Easy, no one needs to get hurt. Why don't we calm down.” I said.

“Shut up!” The robber's head swiveled towards us.

“Both of you, hands up. Now!”

I raised my hands slowly. My heart was hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat.

I looked at him again. Text appeared above his head.

[NAME: Dong hyun]

[AGE: Unavailable]

[RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Unavailable]

[OCCUPATION: Unavailable]

[STRENGTHS: Unavailable]

[WEAKNESSES: Unavailable]

[SECRETS: Unavailable]

[THREAT LEVEL: Unavailable]

[STRESS LEVEL: Unavailable]

Damn it!

“Woo rim” Park Junho said, voice shaking a bit. “Open the register. Give him whatever he wants.”

“I … I can't.” Woo rim’s voice was barely a whisper. His hands were shaking uncontrollably.

“The key, it’s. I … I don't know where …”

“Bottom drawer.” Park Junho said. “Left side. You know where it is.”

“Hurry up!” The robber said, moving a step closer to Woo rim.

“O…okay!” Woo rim crouched down trying to open the drawer. His breathing was fast and panicked.

I glanced at the robber again. The text above his head still showed nothing useful.

Couldn't I unlock these things somehow? Like unlocking hidden stuff in games?

[You can]

I blinked. “What?”

“You alright Ireum?” Park Junho whispered to me.

“Y … yeah. I’m fine” I said.

It responded. That’s right I forgot, it could read my thoughts. If that's the case, I want to unlock all the information about the robber.

A new window materialized in front of my eyes.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – —- – – – – – –

[UNLOCK INFORMATION]

[CURRENT BALANCE: 100 Starter Coins]

[NAME: 10 coins

[AGE: 5 coins

[RELATIONSHIP STATUS: 5 coins

[OCCUPATION: 10 coins

[STRENGTHS: 20 coins

[WEAKNESSES: 25 coins

[SECRETS: 50 coins

[THREAT LEVEL: 15 coins

[STRESS LEVEL: 10 coins

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

My mind raced. A hundred coins in total. I could unlock some things but not everything. What did I need most right now?

“I said hurry!” Dong hyun moved closer to Woo rim. The gun caught the fluorescent light.

Woo rim fumbled with the drawer. “I'm sorry. I'm sorry …”

Think. What information could actually help us get out of this alive?

Threat level. I need to know how dangerous he really was.

Unlock threat level.

[UNLOCKING: … - 15 Coins]

[BALANCE: 85 Coins]

The text above Do hyun’s head flickered.

[THREAT LEVEL: HIGH]

[LIKELIHOOD OF ACTUAL VIOLENCE: High]

[Robber is experienced and has robbed stores constantly]

I could feel my heart beating so loudly I was surprised everyone couldn't hear it.

This was really bad. He was experienced. I thought I could find a way to get through to him but that plan has gone down the drain.

I needed more. How could I stop him?

Unlock weaknesses.

[UNLOCKING: … - 25 Coins]

[BALANCE: 60 Coins]

[WEAKNESSES: Shaking hand, blind in left eye, easily distracted]

Woo rim finally got the drawer open and pulled out a small key. He fumbled with the drawer. His whole body trembled. It took him three tries to get it into the register lock.

The cash drawer sprung open with a mechanical ding that made everyone flinch.

“All of it. In a bag. Now!”

Woo rim grabbed a plastic bag from under the counter and started scooping bills into it with clumsy, frantic movements.

Some coins scattered around the counter, hitting the floor with sharp pings.

“Faster! And don't try anything stulid!”

“He’s going as fast as he can,” Park Junho said, taking half a step forward. “just calm down …”

“I said don't move!” Do hyun said pointing the gun at Park Junho.

Woo rim made a strangled sound and nearly dropped the bag.

Park Junho froze immediately. His hands were curling into fists, and I could see the tension in his shoulders.

I knew what he was thinking just from looking at him. He was thinking about it. About rushing the robber.

He shouldn't do anything stupid. What was he thinking? Rushing someone with a gun.

I had to calm down. If I lost it, we could all die here. I needed to think of something.

Okay. He had shaking hands, was blind in his left eye and was easily distracted. I could use this to my advantage.

Do hyun had shifted his focus back to Woo rim. I knew it was time.

I tapped Park Junho gently and he looked at me. I smiled faintly and explained my plan, my voice barely a whisper.

Park Junho’s eyes widened as he stared at me. I knew from his face that he wanted to refuse but I looked at him with a reassuring gaze and he swallowed his words.

I glanced at Do hyun and the frightened Woo rim then glanced back at Park Junho and nodded.

I slipped away and hid behind a shelf by Do hyun's left – the snack aisle, bags of chips rustling softly as I pressed against them.

I could see Do hyun's profile through the gap between a row of cookies and instant noodles.

I paused for a moment and suddenly felt all the confidence I had disappear as suddenly as it appeared.

I mean, what was I thinking, why was I trying to save all these people when I couldn't even save myself?

Maybe I could wait. Maybe he would leave us alone after he was done taking the money.

I almost laughed. What was I thinking, it was obvious he wouldn't leave just like that. We had seen his face, they never leave witnesses.

I shook my head. No. This was the exact reason I had to save everyone. Because I couldn't save myself. If I couldn't do that maybe I could save other people.

“Hey” Park Junho's voice rang out in the quiet store, breaking me out of my thoughts.

Dong hyun's head snapped towards him. The gun following.

“What?” Dong hyun barked.

Park Junho's hands were still raised, but he took a small step forward, his voice urgent. “Wait. Just – just wait a second.”

“I said don't move!”

“There's a safe!” Park Junho blurted out. “In the back office. The manager keeps all the real money there. Has to be at least five million won, maybe more.”

I saw Dong hyun's posture shift slightly. His head tilted.

“You think I'm stupid?” But there was interest in his voice.

“I'm serious!” Park Junho gestured towards the office door behind the counter, taking another half step.

“That register barely has anything. You came all this way for what? Maybe three hundred thousand. The safe’s right back there. I can show you.”

“Shut up. Shut up and let me think!” Dong hyun's whole body turned to the right, following Park Junho's gesture towards the office.

His back was to me now. Almost completely.

This was it.

My legs felt like jelly as I crouched lower. Every instinct screamed at me to stay hidden. To stay safe. My hands were shaking worse than Woo rim’s had been.

What was I doing? I was going to get myself killed.

But I was already moving.

I stayed low, below the shelves, my sneakers silent on the tiles. Three steps. Four.

Dong hyun was still looking towards the office, distracted by Park Junho's words.

“...keep it in the bottom cabinet, it has a combination lock but I've seen the manager open it …”

Five steps.

I could see the gun now. Held in that shaking hand.

I needed to move now.

Just as I was about to move, movement appeared in my peripheral vision.

A student, hiding near the refrigerated section, bolted for the door.

His backpack bounced widely as he ran. He must have thought he could escape now that Dong hyun was distracted.

“No! Stop!” I wanted to scream, but my voice caught in my throat.

Dong hyun whipped around, his movement sharp. He looked furious.

He raised the gun and aimed at the student.

“I said nobody moves!”

Time seemed to slow down. The student was almost at the door. Dong hyun's finger tightened around the trigger. Park Junho's face turned white with horror.

I didn't think.

I launched myself forward.

Bang!