2026-07-16 18:42:10Derrick 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 Hours
Tick… 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 calm, forcing his shoulders to relax.
“Good morning, Sarah,” he said, lifting the corners of his mouth into what he hoped was a warm, genuine smile. He made eye contact. “I appreciate how reliably you handle the front desk. Really.”
Sarah’s hand froze over her keyboard. Her eyes widened in panic. “Sir… are you sure you’re okay? You’re smiling again. Should I call medical?”
[Fake smile. Motivation: Reward-seeking.]
Reward denied.
Derrick’s eye twitched. “It wasn’t fake!”
The system offered no mercy.
[It was. Try again.]
He moved on, growing more desperate. Next was Marcus from logistics. Derrick forced a bigger smile, adding a nod for good measure.
“Marcus! Solid work on the supply chain report last week. Keep it up.”
Marcus actually took a step backward. “Mr. Stones, if this is about the missed shipment, I swear I’ll fix it. Please don’t fire me.”
[Still fake. Fear-based performance detected.]
Derrick’s frustration boiled over. “Why is this so difficult?!”
The outburst made three nearby employees flinch. One of them dropped their coffee.
He retreated to the break room, determined to succeed in private first. He practiced on the janitor, an older man named George who was emptying trash bins.
“Morning, George,” Derrick said, smiling as naturally as he could manage. “You do important work keeping this place clean.”
George stared at him for five full seconds. “Did I do something wrong, boss?”
[No sincerity detected. Reward denied.]
Derrick wanted to scream.
By 10 AM, the entire office had turned the situation into underground comedy gold. In the bathrooms and supply closets, employees exchanged stories.
“Did you see? He smiled at Jamal and looked like a serial killer trying to sell cookies.”
“I thought he was having a stroke. His face was doing… things.”
One bold intern whispered, “This is the best thing that’s happened all year. The tyrant is broken.”
Derrick overheard one particularly good line near the water cooler:
“He’s not human… but at least now he’s trying to pretend.”
The system chimed in with its own dry commentary:
[Current office morale regarding your smiles: 97% terror, 3% confusion.]
He finally cornered Emily in the copy room, away from most eyes. This time he tried something different — he thought about the mission reward instead of forcing the expression.
“Emily,” he said, attempting a softer tone and smile, “I know things have been difficult lately.”
Emily looked ready to cry. “Please, Mr. Stones, I need this job. I’ll work harder. Just tell me what I did wrong.”
The smile collapsed instantly.
[Mission Failed.]
Reason: All attempts motivated by self-preservation rather than genuine care.
No time awarded.
Sincerity: 0.00%
Derrick slammed his hand against the copier. The loud bang echoed. Emily fled the room.
Alone, Derrick leaned his forehead against the cool metal of the machine. The ticking continued.
Tick… Tick… Tick…
42 Days 5 Hours 47 Minutes…
For the first time, the reality sank in deeper. The system wasn’t just punishing his cruelty. It was rejecting his entire way of existing. He couldn’t even fake basic human decency convincingly.
He spent the rest of the day avoiding people entirely, hiding in his office and staring at reports he couldn’t focus on. Every time he considered another attempt, the memory of terrified faces stopped him.
As evening approached, the system issued a quiet notification:
[Daily Mission expired.]
[Better luck tomorrow, Host.]
Derrick laughed bitterly at the sarcasm.
The man who could terrorize an entire company with a single sentence couldn’t even manage one sincere smile.
And his time kept slipping away.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
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
You may also like
The Cheat Seed (Vol 1)
Sinadin36.0K viewsThe Legend Of Sword God
Djisamsoe 20.4K viewsTales of the Slime Tamer
Rapture Tales64.7K viewsThe Ultimate Devourer
Daoist Of Lies16.0K viewsTHE SHATTERED LEDGER
Tan clipps46 viewsReborn as the Empire's Blind Prince
Divinebeing07235 viewsReborn as the Zombie King
SONIA 114 viewsReincarnated Grandmaster
Dan Axel217 views