CH002: His Vengeance System

Jed was certain he could get home on time before the rain start but just as he came out on a deserted street, he came upon a scene he’d never imagined to see in his wildest dreams. He’d thought they only ever happen on radios and television. How unfortunate can he be?

“Please, don’t pull the trigger. I will pay you even more than whoever hired you to kill me paid,” A middle-aged man in a now soiled silver tuxedo pleaded on his knees. Five masked hoodlums were surrounding him with guns in their hands.

Jedidiah should have taken this moment to flee from there and pretend he didn’t see anything but he panicked for the old man. He brought out an old mobile and called someone.

Meanwhile, the old man’s assailants all laughed. “Our loyalty can’t be bought with money. Besides, your son paid us enough to make sure we do a clean job without leaving behind any traces.”

One could even feel the painful look of betrayal that spread out on the man’s face like he couldn’t believe his own son had planned his assassination. The call Jed made didn’t go through so he tried again frantically with shaky hands.

However, as the phone made the second ring, a loud ‘bang!’ resounded in the silent environment. Jed looked up with a pale face and saw the middle-aged man sprawled on the floor. Blood seeped out of him like water.

He shook at this cruelty and tried to make a run for it when suddenly his phone fell and made a loud crashing sound, alerting the assassins.

“Who’s there? Get him!”

Jedidiah could hear the loud voice and heavy footsteps behind him as he ran. His heart pounded wildly like it was going to rip out of his ribcage.

Just as he wanted to take a turn out of the alley, two consecutive gunshots resounded again.

“Ow,” Jed whimpered in pain as his steps faltered. One of the bullets had hit him from behind. His shabby shirt turned red with blood as he staggered out.

Bang!

Bang!

And another, they shot at him till he finally halted.

Crack!

Thunder struck coupled with lightning as a heavy downpour began. Jed struggled to open his eyes as he writhed in pain. The raindrops mixed with tears that poured down his cheeks.

From the moment he became knowledgeable of this world, it has been nothing more than pain. He lived a wretched life and now he was going to die miserably.

Jed forced a bitter smile on his pale face. How could he be so stupid? If he had left the alley when he had a chance to… Maybe he really did deserve the names he was called at the orphanage, on the streets and in the company.

Ping!

As Jedidiah’s eyelids slowly closed, he heard a distant cry. It grew louder in his ears and made his painful state even worse.

“Ping!” it shrieked again as he slipped out of consciousness.

[System activated!]

[User identified.]

[Integration process has begun.]

These were the last words he heard before he gasped and took his final breath.

****

Jedidiah panted hard as his eyes flew open. He was lying face-flat in front of a podium with uniformed teenagers surrounding him. Even as he stood up groggily, he felt there was something different about him. His feet; entire body felt heavy.

He took a quick glance at the students that were now pointing at him as they laughed. His brows furrowed as he looked around.

“A school?” he heaved. Why is he in school? Wasn’t he in the alley?

His face lost colors instantly at the recollection and he hurriedly touched his chest that had hurt badly. But strangely, he couldn’t feel anything. Wait… Isn’t he supposed to be dead?

“Fatso!” a voice from the crowd broke through his thoughts and he looked up. The next words he heard confused him.

“What? Did you also lose your brain from the fall? What made you think you are worthy of having a crush on Jane? She’s the school queen while you are just a… nobody.”

The assembly ground of Elites High erupted with laughter following this remark. Jedidiah looked around with a puzzled look. Who is Jane? What is going on and why the hell is he in a school?

His eyes suddenly fell upon a boy standing on the podium with a fierce look on his refined facial features. There was a beautiful lady beside him. She should be the one books describe when they mention someone being as pretty as a picture.

Together, they gave off the strong oppressive feeling of a power couple. Jedidiah arched his brows. Who are they and why are they staring down at him with a look of contempt?

Before his mind burst out with any more questions, he heard that familiar ‘ping!’ sound again and a virtual screen which was visible to only him appeared.

[Integration process was successful.]

[I’m Vendetta]

These words read out on the screen.

Jedidiah frowned at the robotic voice that came out from nowhere. His eyes focused on the screen, he asked, “You saved me?”

He seems to have remembered that he heard this voice before losing consciousness. Besides, Vendetta means vengeance in Italian.

“Yes. Now we are unified and Vendetta is obligated to this user for the rest of his journey.”

Jedidiah paused; what journey? He suddenly remembered that time at work when he had sneakily read a meganovel blog, he had read info about systems like this.

He got excited and asked, “Wait, are you one of those thrifty systems that would suddenly gift its user a huge sum of money to spend?”

Vendetta seemed speechless because it failed to respond for a while. But to Jed’s obvious disappointment, it said, “No.”

Noticing how disappointed Jed looked, it hurriedly explained, “There are different kinds of systems in the world. We have the VIP system, the thrifty system and so many more. I am a vengeance system as my name entails not a make-the-user-rich system.”

Jed nodded in understanding. “Then where is this place? Why am I here? What is my new identity? Why do these teenagers harbor so much hatred for me?”