Infinite Choice System

Chapter Two

Nelson watched Derek grab Claire’s arm to lead her to his Ford Mustang. Claire was angry, and her face was red because Nelson didn’t chase or beg her to stay. He just left her with Derek as if he never valued her, and it hurt her pride and femininity.

“Nelson, you are just a poor, useless loser!” Claire screamed at him. “You will never amount to anything in your life! It’s over between us! Don’t you dare ever call me again!” Then she looked at Derek, saying, “Derek, please take me away from this garbage person.”

Derek laughed arrogantly as they got into the sports car, the engine roaring into the day, leaving a cloud of smoke.

Meanwhile, Nelson was just a calm guy standing on the pavement. He knew Claire would regret her decisions later on. When she found out how rich he was, she would cry and beg on her knees, but he would never look at her again.

Once Derek’s car was out of sight, Nelson decided to head home. On the way, he passed a supermarket, and he decided to stop by since he had money now.

Minding his business, Nelson grabbed a cart and started picking out a ton of groceries for his family and everything they usually could not afford. While he was pushing the cart, Nelson looked at the card in his hand, his heart thumping.

“Please let this be real,” he prayed. “If this is a cruel joke and the money disappears, I’m cooked.”

Over in the electronics section, Nelson saw the glass display and decided to buy the latest, most expensive iPhone model. But as he walked up to checkout, he felt nervous again.

“Why did I pick so many things? What if the total is way higher than the money? That would be too embarrassing.”

At the counter, the cashier attendant was a young guy named Todd. Todd happened to live in the same neighborhood and knew Nelson’s face very well. And if anyone from the neighbourhood was asked about Nelson, the verdict was the same: a failure who could never achieve anything.

So, when Todd saw Nelson pushing a cart piled with lots of food and holding a new iPhone, he laughed out loud sarcastically.

"Yo, Nelson! What is the meaning of this? Did you win the lottery, or did you just lose your mind?" Todd mocked. "Look at all this stuff. A poor student like you can't even afford a single bag of these groceries, let alone the newest iPhone! Who are you trying to fool?"

Nelson frowned. "Just scan the items. I have the money to pay."

Todd laughed even harder, making a huge fuss so that other customers in the store would look over.

"You have money?” Todd japed. “Don't make me laugh! Everyone knows your family is struggling. You probably hid some small items in your pockets too. Guard! Security! This guy Nelson is trying to shoplift! He is trying to steal things from our supermarket!"

Nelson couldn’t believe it. His neighbour was pointing a finger at his face as if he was a thief, causing other customers to whisper and look at him judgementally.

But right then—

[The Infinite Choice System has generated new choices:]

[Choice A: Back away quietly, leave the cart, and go home to avoid trouble. Reward: $1,000.]

[Choice B: Argue back verbally and shout at the cashier to defend your honor. Reward: $10,000.]

[Choice C: Boldly add another luxury item worth $10,000 to your purchase to shock them. Reward: $500,000.]

Nelson saw Option C and the massive $500,000 reward that came along with it. The anxiety in his heart disappeared instantly, replaced by extreme confidence.

Meanwhile, the commotion Todd roused finally drew the attention of the manager, a serious-looking man in a suit.

“What is going on here? Why is there so much noise at the counter?” the man demanded, trying to protect the supermarket’s reputation.

“Sir, this guy is a known poor loser from around here!” Todd explained, pointing at Nelson. “Look at his shopping cart! Look at his hand! He’s trying to buy all of this, but he has no money. I suspect he is trying to shoplift or use a fake card to scam us! We should call security right now and lock him up!"

While Todd was shouting like a maniac, Nelson just stood there calmly, not moving a muscle. The manager turned his eyes to him, looking at his cheap clothes, but because he had a steadier attitude, the man gave him the benefit of the doubt.

“Young man, this is a serious accusation,” the manager said. “Can you please give your side of the story? If you can prove you can pay for these items right now, we will complete the transaction. Otherwise, I will have to call security to search you."

Nelson smiled confidently before pulling out his debit card, holding it between his fingers. The manager tried to take the card, but Nelson shifted it out of reach as he pointed at a very opulent display case. Inside the case was a luxury Breitling watch coated in gold, with a price tag of exactly $10,000.

“Manager, before you swipe my card, please unlock that case,” Nelson said. “Add that $10,000 luxury watch to my bill as well, and I will pay for everything together."