2026-07-16 18:40:46Derrick Stones woke up the next morning drenched in sweat. The blue interface was the first thing he saw, floating cheerfully above his bed like an unwelcome alarm clock.
Remaining Lifespan: 42 Days 19 Hours
Tick… Tick… Tick…
The sound had followed him home. It had haunted his dreams — a constant reminder that every second was borrowed.
He slammed his fist into the pillow. “Enough!”
[New Daily Mission Issued.]
The text appeared in bright blue, larger than usual.
Mission: Smile sincerely at one person today.
Reward: +2 Hours
Failure Penalty: None (this time)
Note: The system can detect sincerity. Do not attempt to manipulate.
Derrick stared at the words for a long moment, then burst out laughing — a harsh, bitter sound that echoed in his empty luxury apartment.
“Smile? That’s it? You want me to smile at these worthless—” He caught himself as the timer pulsed warningly. “Fine. Let’s get this over with.”
He dressed in his sharpest suit, determined to treat this like any other business transaction. Fake it until the system gave him the hours. Two hours wasn’t much, but it was something.
At the office, the atmosphere was even more tense than usual. News of the restaurant incident had spread. Employees avoided him like he carried the plague. When he stepped onto the floor, several people actually changed direction mid-walk.
Derrick forced his face into what he believed was a friendly expression. He approached the receptionist, Sarah.
“Good morning, Sarah,” he said, stretching his lips into a wide smile. “You look lovely today. Keep up the good work.”
Sarah’s eyes widened in pure terror. She dropped her pen. “M-Mr. Stones? Are you feeling alright? Should I call a doctor?”
The smile froze on Derrick’s face. The system chimed.
[Fake smile detected.]
Intent: Manipulation for reward.
Reward denied.
Sincerity: 0.00%
Derrick’s eye twitched. “What do you mean fake? I smiled!”
[The system does not reward performance. Only truth.]
He stormed away, muttering curses. The ticking seemed louder now, mocking him.
Tick… Tick… Tick…
Next target: Emily from admin. She was at the copier, looking exhausted.
Derrick walked up, forcing the smile again. “Emily! Great job on the filing last week. Really… excellent.”
Emily turned pale. “Sir, did I do something wrong? I swear I’ll fix it immediately—”
“Why does everyone think I’m about to fire them?!” Derrick snapped, dropping the smile instantly.
[Attempt failed. Smiles motivated by frustration do not count.]
He tried three more times throughout the morning — with Marcus, with a delivery guy, even with the janitor. Each attempt grew more unhinged. His “sincere” smiles looked like a shark trying to sell insurance.
By 11 AM, the entire office was buzzing with a new rumor:
“Mr. Stones has a brain injury.”
“He keeps smiling. It’s terrifying.”
“Maybe he’s dying and this is his redemption arc.”
Derrick overheard one intern whisper, “He smiled at me and I nearly had a heart attack. I think he’s possessed.”
The system was merciless in its feedback:
[That was a grimace.]
[Too much teeth. Looks predatory.]
[Sincerity level: Negative.]
In his office, Derrick slammed the door and paced like a caged tiger. The timer continued its relentless countdown.
42 Days 14 Hours 33 Minutes…
Tick… Tick… Tick…
He finally sat down and stared at the interface.
“Alright. You win this round. How the hell do I smile sincerely?”
No answer came. The system stayed silent, as if challenging him to figure it out himself.
Derrick thought about it. Really thought. When was the last time he had smiled because he genuinely felt something good?
He couldn’t remember.
The realization hit harder than the wine bottle had. For the first time, the mission felt less like a stupid game and more like an impossible wall.
He spent the rest of the day avoiding people, terrified that another failed attempt would cost him more time. The ticking never stopped.
By evening, as he prepared to leave the office, he caught sight of Lena Brooks packing her things at her temporary desk. She had not been fired — legal had advised against it after the harassment evidence surfaced. She looked exhausted but unbroken.
Derrick almost approached her. Almost forced another fake smile.
Instead, he turned away.
[Mission remains incomplete.]
As he drove home that night, the blue timer glowed softly on his dashboard reflection.
42 Days 11 Hours
Derrick gripped the steering wheel tighter.
This system wasn’t just watching him.
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Chapter 12 – Echoes of Pain
The following weeks blurred into a painful rhythm for Derrick Stones. Mornings began with the relentless ticking in his head, a constant reminder that every choice carried weight. Evenings ended with him sitting alone in his apartment or the empty office, replaying memories he had once buried under layers of ambition and arrogance.Remaining Lifespan: 29 Days 14 HoursHe had clawed back some time through small, mostly anonymous acts, but the sincerity meter moved like molasses — 21.7% now. The system had grown quieter, appearing only for significant moments, as if waiting to see whether he would sustain the change when it stopped feeling novel.One rainy Thursday afternoon, the past came knocking in the form of a woman named Carla Ruiz. She had been a logistics coordinator three years earlier. Derrick remembered her vaguely — efficient, quiet, someone he had fired after a missed deadline during a particularly brutal quarter.Carla stood in the lobby, soaked from the rain, holding a fo
Chapter 11
The rain fell in heavy sheets against the windows of Derrick Stones’ apartment, mirroring the storm raging inside him. He sat on the edge of his expensive leather couch, elbows on his knees, staring at the glowing blue interface that refused to grant him mercy even in the quiet hours of the night.Remaining Lifespan: 31 Days 8 Hours 17 MinutesTick… Tick… Tick…Each tick felt heavier now, like a hammer striking the inside of his skull. The donations, the volunteer events, the forced policy changes — they had bought him some time, but at a cost that went far beyond money. Every insincere act left him feeling more hollow than before.He picked up his phone and opened the banking app again. His finger hovered over another large transfer. Ten thousand more to a different charity. His thumb pressed down before he could talk himself out of it.The confirmation screen appeared.Nothing from the system.Derrick waited, heart pounding. Still nothing.“Come on,” he whispered. “That has to count
Chapter 10- Public Performance
Derrick stood in front of the mirror in his luxury apartment bathroom, practicing smiles again. Not the desperate, toothy grimaces from before — he was trying for something that didn’t make children cry or employees reach for the panic button. The blue timer hovered persistently in his reflection.Remaining Lifespan: 37 Days 4 Hours 22 MinutesTick… Tick… Tick…The weekend volunteer event at the city food bank was scheduled for tomorrow. This time, he had gone all-in. He had personally called the local newspaper and a business magazine, tipping them off about “Horizon Dynamics’ Operations Manager giving back to the community.” He had even prepared a short speech about corporate responsibility.If sincerity was the currency, then visibility would multiply the reward. At least that was the new theory.Saturday morning arrived under gray skies. Derrick showed up at the food bank warehouse wearing jeans and a Horizon Dynamics polo — the first time in years he had dressed down for anything
Chapter 9- The First Punishment
The fragile progress from the previous day shattered the moment Derrick Stones stepped back into the office the next morning.The old instincts returned like a drug he couldn’t quit. The sight of his fearful employees, the smell of tension in the air, the power he had wielded for years — it felt comfortable. Safe. Like slipping back into a well-worn pair of shoes.Remaining Lifespan: 41 Days 17 HoursTick… Tick… Tick…He ignored the timer and went straight for blood.Richard Kline was the first victim. The analyst had submitted the revised report — the one Derrick had demanded after humiliating him publicly.Derrick read the first page and threw the entire document across the conference room table where half the department was gathered.“This is still garbage, Richard!” he roared. “Are you incompetent or just trying to sabotage me? I want this redone by lunch. And if it’s not perfect, consider your position here terminated.”The room went dead silent. Richard looked like he might actu
Chapter 8 – Reality Hits
Derrick Stones sat in the private examination room of the city’s best hospital, staring at the MRI images on the screen. The doctor, a middle-aged neurologist named Dr. Patel, looked visibly confused as he pointed to the scans.“Mr. Stones, this is… unprecedented.”Derrick leaned forward, the blue timer still glowing in his peripheral vision.Remaining Lifespan: 41 Days 22 HoursTick… Tick… Tick…“What do you mean?” he demanded.Dr. Patel adjusted his glasses. “The trauma from the bottle impact should have caused a severe subdural hematoma. Based on the paramedic report from the restaurant, you were clinically unresponsive for over a minute. By all medical logic, you should have suffered significant brain damage — possibly permanent. Or worse.”He paused, gesturing at the clean images.“Yet here you are. The scans show only minor swelling that is already resolving at an abnormal rate. Your vitals are stable. It’s as if your body received some kind of… intervention.”Derrick’s mouth we
Chapter 7 – Mission Failed
Derrick Stones arrived at the office on the third day after the incident with a new strategy and a pounding headache. The blue interface had become his constant, unwelcome companion.Remaining Lifespan: 42 Days 8 HoursTick… Tick… Tick…He had spent the previous night researching “how to smile sincerely” on the internet like a desperate man. Articles about genuine facial expressions, eye contact, and positive body language stared back at him mockingly. He practiced in the mirror until his face hurt.Today I will beat this stupid system.The moment he stepped onto the twenty-third floor, the atmosphere shifted. Employees who had grown used to his usual scowl now watched him with open suspicion. The “brain injury” rumor had evolved overnight into wild speculation.“He smiled yesterday. I think he’s dying.”“Maybe it’s a tumor. That would explain everything.”Derrick ignored the whispers and zeroed in on his first target: the receptionist, Sarah. He approached her desk with deliberate ca
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