The Charismatic Adam Reed

Chapter 4

Knowledge of countless martial arts techniques and medical practices began to flood Adam's mind like a raging flood in a once dry riverbed. It was as if every scrap of knowledge that no human should have was suddenly embedded in his brain.

Adam jolted awake, his body aching from the brutal beating he had received. He struggled to recall what had happened, and suddenly, he remembered the voice in his mind.

He shut his eyes and scanned his mind. He found a wealth of knowledge such as Nine Skies Acupuncture Method, Mystic Martial Arts Techniques, and other abilities like Celestial Restoration and Visceral Vision in his memory.

Adam couldn't contain the feeling of happiness in his heart, but he was too confused, so he decided to try using a skill called Celestial Restoration.

Soon, a warm stream circulated to his extremities and bones via his veins. His wounds vanished miraculously as the stream passed through them. Moreover, his fractured bones were mystically mended. All the injuries he had suffered before was gone in an instant.

Adam stood up in disbelief, feeling light and energized. The pain was just a vague memory.

'What exactly is this Supreme System? And why did I get it?'

Adam was getting more and more confused, but he soon decided to go home.

When he arrived, he was careful not to wake his mother and sister. He quickly changed his clothes and put the bloody ones in a plastic bag, planning to throw them away later.

The next morning, Sarah was shocked to see her son doing the dishes, as he had never done that before. She expressed her concern and suggested that he should rest, or perhaps she could make him breakfast.

Adam kept his back to her as he said, "I quit my job."

Sarah was surprised by the news and cautiously asked, "Did something happen at the club? Why did you quit so suddenly?"

Adam finished drying his hands and faced her. "It's not a big deal, Mom. Don't stress about it, okay?"

Sarah was still uneasy but chose not to press Adam for more details. She understood that her son was now at an age where he had to make his own choices and deal with the outcomes of his actions. So, she began to prepare breakfast, while Adam, curious about his newfound abilities, decided to try something.

As his eyes focused, he could see the inner workings of his mother’s body with amazing clarity. He could see the muscles, bones, and even the blood vessels. This was the power of Visceral Vision, and thanks to this ability, Adam discovered the root of his mother's health problems.

'Abnormal bone marrow cells... high white blood cell count... swollen lymph nodes...'

Upon realizing that his mother had leukemia, Adam racked his brain for any healing knowledge that could save her. Suddenly, it came to him – the Nine Skies Acupuncture Method.

This mysterious healing technique could potentially cure his mother's illness, but there was one problem. He needed needles, and not just any needles. He required a set of high-quality acupuncture needles.

After eating breakfast, Adam took a shower and put on his best clothes. He left his home and made his way to the only herbal shop in Lein City – Herbal Haven.

It was Sunday, but Lein City was as busy as ever, except for the herbal shop. When Adam walked in, he saw only two other customers and a pretty young woman who seemed to be the clerk.

Adam approached her and asked, "Excuse me, do you have any acupuncture needles?"

The young woman responded enthusiastically. "Yes, we do! We have a set of premium acupuncture needles right over here."

She pointed towards a shelf stocked with various sets of acupuncture needles and continued, "Feel free to take a look at our selection. I'll be over here if you have any questions or need help."

Adam nodded and glanced at the other two customers, a young man and an older man in a wheelchair. He then made his way over to the acupuncture needle section.

As he browsed the selection, he realized that even the cheapest set cost $400, while he only had $120 with him. And out of that $120, $100 was meant to cover their small house's monthly rent.

Feeling desperate, Adam was about to ask the young woman if the shop sold used acupuncture needles or perhaps had some in stock that were no longer on display. However, before he could do so, he heard a loud commotion from behind him.

The young man, who was another customer in the store, began shouting angrily at the shop clerk, "I can't believe this! You told me the item was available, and now you're saying it's not? This is ridiculous!"

The young woman tried to calm him down. "I’m very sorry, sir. There was an unexpected shortage, and we couldn’t get more stock. If you leave me your contact details, I can notify you when we have them again."

"But I need it now!" the young man demanded, his impatience growing.

The clerk suggested an alternative. "I understand your situation, sir. We can give you a full refund, or help you find a similar item that might suit your needs."

The young man raised his hand, ready to slam the table in anger, but the older man in the wheelchair quickly reached out and grabbed his arm.

"Easy, son," the older man said gently. "It's understandable that the 100-year-old ginseng pills are rare. There's no need to cause a scene. Let's go home."

But the young man shook his head. "But Father, we only have one pill left. Where else are we going to find it? You need those pills."

"It's okay. Let's–" Suddenly, the older man's expression changed. His face twisted in pain as he clutched his chest, gasping for breath.

Realizing that his father's heart condition had flared up again, the young man panicked and hurriedly searched his pockets for the last ginseng pill he had brought. But just as he found it and was about to give it to his father, a rough hand gripped his wrist, forcefully stopping him.

"Get lost, man! This is none of your business, let go of me!" the son snapped, glaring at the stranger who had intervened.

Adam stared back at him, not letting go of his wrist. "That pill might help your father's heart problem, but it won't treat his underlying illness. And not just that, the pill will actually speed up your father's death."

The young man’s face turned purple with rage, and he jerked his hand away from Adam. "Who are you to talk like that?"

He dismissed Adam’s warning and attempted to put the pill in his father’s mouth, but Adam interrupted him again. "If you want to kill your father, go ahead. But don't say I didn't warn you."

Despite Adam's warning, the son went ahead and gave his father the pill anyway. Slowly, his father's condition seemed to improve.

Breathing a sigh of relief, his father said, "Let's go. It's no big deal to wait a few days to order from another city."

The son glanced at Adam before pushing his father's wheelchair toward the door, and Adam just shook his head. But as they almost reached the front door, the old man suddenly vomited blood.

The son immediately panicked and cried out, "Father!"

The old man clutched his chest, struggling to breathe and clearly in immense pain. Adam saw that the old man was in a critical condition, so he quickly pushed the son away.

"What are you doing?" the son shouted, becoming defensive. "Back off!"

Adam sternly replied, "You didn't listen to me before, and look what happened. Are you going to keep being stubborn and risk your father's life?"

Seeing the young man frozen in confusion, Adam swiftly stepped in front of the elderly man in the wheelchair. He then quickly tapped a few pressure points on the man's chest.

"Hey!" the son yelled. "Get away from him!"

Adam released his hold on the pressure points and looked at the son with a serious stare. "I just saved your father's life, but that doesn't mean he's out of danger."

The son gritted his teeth and looked at his father, who was now breathing a bit easier but still clearly in pain. He crouched down beside his father and asked, "How do you feel, Father?"

The old man, still recovering from the intense pain, managed to utter a few weak words, "Better, son. Thanks to this man here."

The young man stood up and offered a slight nod of appreciation to Adam. "Thanks... but I don't get it. My father has been taking these pills for a while now, and he's been okay. What caused this?"

Adam was about to answer, but then he heard the familiar, otherworldly voice in his head.

[Your journey to become the Supreme Being has begun. Your first task is to fully heal Howard within 48 hours. The reward for success is 100 Supreme Points. Fail, and face the punishment of losing 2 inches in height.]