The 90 Billion Devotion System

Chapter 2: System Awakens

Chapter 2: System Awakens

Urek bit his lips and his nails sank into his palms. His chest was burning with anger, humiliation, and something much more painful. betrayal.

The murmurs about him became louder.

"Isn't that Urek Han?"

"Yeah. He’s been after Rose for three years."

"Did he really think she’d stay with him forever?"

"Pathetic."

Urek drew a long breath, and tried to disregard the voices. He did not come here on their behalf.

He came forward.

Rose turned as she heard his footsteps coming up. Her face changed to a degree of surprise, to discomfort. She was hesitant, and looked at Min Yunji before she spoke.

"Urek… please don’t do this. Everyone is watching."

It was a low, almost imploring voice.

But Urek didn't care.

He stared into her eyes and was open and raw.

"Rose, I know you're angry with me," he said, his voice firm despite the lump in his throat. "I bought you these meat-filled buns. Forgive me. Do not talk about separation again. I'll fix whatever is wrong with me."

There was an awkward silence after his words.

Somebody in the audience laughed.

"He really brought food? As if that would change anything."

Min Yunji laughed, and he was observing the scene as though it was a form of entertainment.

Then Rose spoke again.

Her words hurt more than Urek ever imagined.

"Urek… I am not angry. My ex-boyfriend wants to get back together, and after careful consideration, I feel he needs me more."

Everything was stilled a moment.

Urek's heartbeat roared in his ears. His breathing caught.

He looked at her, trying to read her face, to find some indication that she did not really mean what she had just told him.

But nothing.

Only a calm, determined face.

Like his life was no longer of any importance.

A cutting, derisive voice interrupted the silence.

"Hey, loser," Min Yunji called out, tapping the roof of his sleek car. "You heard her. Move along."

The door to the passenger seat swung open.

Rose hesitated for a split second, then stepped forward.

And just like that, she got into the car.

She didn’t look back.

She didn’t say another word.

As the engine roared to life, Urek felt something inside him crack.

The sleek vehicle pulled away, the taillights glowing red in the darkness before vanishing down the road.

He stood there, unmoving.

Alone.

The air around him suddenly felt suffocating.

Slowly, he lowered his gaze to the small bag in his hands. The warmth from the meat buns had already faded.

His fingers trembled as he exhaled a shaky breath.

Then, with a quiet, empty chuckle, he walked toward the nearest trash can.

And threw them away.

Without another word, he turned and walked toward the convenience store.

The automatic doors of the convenience store slid open with a soft chime. A gust of artificially chilled air washed over Urek Han as he stepped inside, a stark contrast to the lingering warmth of the outside world. The bright fluorescent lights overhead buzzed faintly, illuminating the rows of neatly stacked shelves filled with an assortment of snacks, drinks, and everyday essentials.

A faint scent of instant noodles and cheap coffee hung in the air.

Urek barely noticed.

His steps were slow, almost mechanical, as he wandered deeper into the store. His mind was blank, his emotions numbed by everything that had just happened.

He found himself standing in front of the alcohol section without even realizing it. His eyes drifted over the various bottles lined up before him.

Beer.

Whiskey.

Soju.

And then.

"Solace Breaking Wine."

A cheap, but potent liquor.

He reached for the bottle, his fingers tightening around its cold surface.

It wasn’t his first time buying alcohol after a breakup.

No… he’d done this before.

Each time Rose walked away from him he always chose the same method of coping.

Drinking alone in his dorm.

Blurring out the pain.

A severe headache accompanied his already heavy heart when he woke up.

And then.

Going back to her.

Apologizing.

Begging.

He told himself that enduring more time would eventually make her understand his true value.

But now.

All remaining connections between them had vanished completely.

A dark laugh escaped his throat.

"Why am I always relying on this?"

His fingers squeezed the bottle harder.

"It makes me end up being a supporting character."

The realization hit him with the force of a knife through his heart.

A supporting character.

That’s all he had ever been.

The background figure who patiently waited.

He gave without seeking anything back.

He stood by helplessly as the person he loved disappeared into the distance repeatedly.

He swallowed hard.

"Being a supporting character is the only role I can play in life... and without it, there's nothing good."

His reflection in the refrigerator glass door showed him a tired and empty-eyed face.

💕

"As long as I have enough supports, I won't be a supporting character anymore..."

The bottle's label received attention from his thumb movement.

And then.

A soft electronic note rang in the air.

A notification.

Not his phone.

It originated.

Somewhere else.

Somewhere… deeper.

His vision momentarily became blurred and the world around him changed.

Then.

[System Activated.]

A cold strange feeling went over his whole body.

The bottle almost slipped from Urek's hands when his head started spinning.

Flickered the fluorescent lights above.

And before him.

A clear blue screen appeared in front of his eyes.

---

A blue screen was in front of Urek Han and its gentle light had a weird effect on his face.

His breath was arrested.

He was losing his grasp on the bottle of Solace Breaking Wine.

All things around him were forgotten. The store's background sounds including refrigerator hums and customer conversations and instrumental music from speakers became barely audible.

He could see nothing but the screen in front of him.

The motions of the display were in the rhythm of a biological being.

And then.

A signal in his ears.

There was a sound that was not made by his cell phone.

The Devotion System found a good host to its system.

The pupils of Urek contracted.

[System binding in progress...]

Before he could do anything, a force invisible to him entered his body.

A formless cold force surrounded him and then entered his innermost being.

His pulse grew faster.

A shudder went over his spine.

This sensation.

He was feeling something totally new that was better than all his previous feelings.

It did not hurt.

It was not overpowering.

It was plain.

Absolute.

There was a foreign element lurking inside him since the very start waiting to come out at this very moment.

Another notification flashed.

[Binding successful.]

The text lines appeared before him with sharp and easy-to-read characters.

[Host: Urek Han

Personal Assets: 230 USD

Devotion Points: 90,000,000,000 USD

Limitless Strengthening Points for HOA stat]

Urek’s mind is grounded to a halt.

He blinked once.

Twice.

Then again.

The numbers didn’t change.

Ninety billion.

A wealth so absurd it defied reason.

Was this.

Some kind of elaborate prank?

Or.

Before he could finish the thought.

A sharp voice sliced through the air.

“You damn pervert! Have you seen enough, or do you want to touch me too?!”

The sudden outburst sent a jolt through Urek’s system.

His head snapped toward the voice.

A girl stood in front of him, arms crossed tightly over her chest, eyes blazing with rage.

Her expression was twisted in disgust, as if she were staring at the lowest form of life.

Urek’s brows furrowed.

What the hell was she talking about?

Before he could even begin to process the situation.

The system flickered again.

[Target Identified: Kim Jenny]

[Age: 24]

[Height: 1.65m]

[Weight: 49kg]

[Appearance Rating: 79]

[Favorability to Host: -50]

A final notification followed.

[If favorability exceeds 95, target will officially become the host’s devoted follower.]

Urek’s grip tightened around the bottle.

His eyes darkened.

This system.

It had just given him its first task.