The Charismatic Zane with System

Chapter 2 - Prosperity System

“What… is this?” The chaos around him seemed to fade as Zane reached out to touch the glowing transparent screen hovering in the air. His fingers passed right through it.

“Are you deaf?! Get out of here before my men beat you to a pulp!” Danzel barked.

“I’m not leaving without Lucy!”

“You really don’t know when to quit!” Danzel snapped his fingers, summoning his bodyguards. Within moments, a group of towering men appeared and dragged Zane away, raining blows on him until he lay battered and limp on the ground.

When they were done, they tossed him onto the sidewalk near a trash bin like discarded garbage.

That bastard…! 

Clenching his teeth, Zane pushed himself up, every movement a stab of agony. He limped through the pouring rain, drenched to the bone, his breath ragged. The bright glare of headlights pierced his vision, snapping him out of his haze.

Before he could react, a uxury car slammed into him with brutal force.

THUD!

His body was thrown into the air, then skidded across the wet asphalt, leaving a trail of blood that mixed with the rain, turning the gutter crimson.

Through the blur of pain, he saw someone rushing toward him.

“Are you okay?” A voice broke through the downpour, muffled and distant.

Then everything went black.

***

When Zane opened his eyes again, he wasn’t in a hospital bed. Instead, he found himself lying in a lavish bedroom, awash in pristine white and gold. Every piece of furniture screamed luxury.

“Where… am I?” he murmured.

“Finally awake, idiot.”

Zane turned his head toward the voice, and froze. Sitting beside him was a stunning young woman, her beauty almost unreal. Big round eyes framed by thick lashes, a perfectly sculpted nose, soft pink lips.

“W-who are you? Where am I?” His voice trembled.

“You’re in my room,” she said coolly.

“How… how is that possible? What happened to me?”

“I hit you with my car last night,” Zeeve replied, her tone laced with irritation. “And honestly, it was your fault. Who the hell strolls into the middle of the road like that?! You’re lucky I didn’t kill you outright! Don’t tell me this was all a setup because you recognized me and wanted money. That’s it, isn’t it? You saw I’m a model and thought you’d hit the jackpot!”

“Stop accusing me! I don’t want your damn money!” Zane snarled. For a fleeting moment, he saw Danzel’s smug face in hers, and his blood boiled.

“Oh, please! I’ve dealt with scammers like you a hundred times! Just tell me how much you want so I can pay you off and be done with this. But once I do, you vanish from my life. Forever!”

“Are you deaf?! I said I don’t want your money! Shove it where the sun doesn’t shine!”

Zeeva crossed her arms, scoffing. “You a liar. You’re just pretending to be noble. And now that you’re crippled, you’ll probably milk me for life. Isn’t that the plan?”

“Crippled?!” Zane’s voice cracked.

“Yes! Your leg’s broken! You’re going to be disabled for the rest of your life!”

“No… no, that can’t be true!” He threw off the blanket and tried to move his legs. Nothing. Dead weight. “This isn’t happening!”

“But it is. Deal with it.”

“ARGH!” Zane pounded his fists against his unresponsive legs, screaming in anguish. Hadn’t fate taken enough from him? His parents, his love… now even his body?

DING!

A glowing screen materialized in midair. Zane froze. “It’s back… What is this thing?” He reached out, only for his hand to pass through it again.

“What are you babbling about?” The woman arched a brow, following his gaze. But she saw nothing. “What are you staring at? A ghost?”

“This screen… it’s real. I swear it’s real.”

Zeeva rolled her eyes. “Great. I picked up a lunatic.” She stood abruptly. “I don’t have time for this nonsense.”

“Hey! Where are you going?!”

Zeeva ignored him, striding out of the room.

Zane exhaled slowly, then turned back to the strange display. “Am I hallucinating from the head trauma?”

[Hello, Mr. Zane. I am the System. Allow me to explain the rules.]

His eyes widened as a calm, feminine voice echoed in his mind. “Wh-who… who are you?”

[I am your Prosperity System. Complete missions, and you will be rewarded.]

“Rewarded?”

[Yes. Complete tasks, and you’ll earn prizes, including wealth and… recovery.]

Zane stared at the screen, his skepticism warring with a flicker of hope. “You expect me to believe that? Systems don’t exist. This is a scam. Some sick trick!”

[If you doubt me, test it for yourself.]

Zane hesitated. As absurd as it sounded, curiosity gnawed at him. 

“You’re saying… you can change my life?”

[Absolutely. Complete quest s. Claim your fate.]

[System Updated.]

[First Mission: Kiss an Model.]

[Reward: Full Recovery.]

The voice faded as the screen dissolved into thin air.

Zane clenched his fists, fire igniting in his chest. “If this is real… I’ll use it. And then I’ll make Lucy and Danzel pay!”