The God's Game System

Chapter 5

"Fifteen seconds, Andres."

A heavy iron sledgehammer smashed against the outer steel door. The metal frame groaned under the impact, shaking flakes of rust onto the concrete floor.

Andres's goons backed away toward the rear exit, their pistols trembling in their hands. They did not even look at Leo anymore. All four of them kept their eyes glued to the main entrance as the steel plate bowed inward under a second heavy blow.

"Ten seconds," Leo said. He held his phone flat in his palm, his thumb hovering right over the screen.

"You crazy bastard!" Andres screamed. His rough voice pitched high into pure panic. "Tell them to stop!"

"I am not entering the code until you get on your knees and beg me to save your life," Leo replied.

"I paid you!" Andres yelled, his chest heaving. "I gave you back your receipt! The debt is done!"

"Five seconds," Leo said. His voice remained completely flat.

The lock on the heavy front door snapped with a loud metallic pop. Dust poured down from the ceiling rafters, coating the air in a gray haze.

Andres collapsed forward. His knees hit the filthy, oil-stained concrete with a hard thud. He pressed his palms together in front of his chest and looked up at Leo with wild, desperate eyes.

"Please!" Andres sobbed, every bit of his street-gang toughness vanishing into thin air. "Please, Leo, enter the code! Do not let them come in here! I am begging you!"

Leo tapped the screen twice.

The heavy pounding outside stopped instantly. A soft chime rang from Leo's phone, displaying a short confirmation message from the Red Mask leader: Payment verified. Team pulling back.

Outside the yard, the heavy diesel engines hummed as the black vans slowly backed away from the gate, leaving the warehouse in total silence.

Andres remained on his knees, gasping for air, his forehead practically touching the toes of Leo's shoes.

Suddenly, sound cut out entirely.

The dust particles floating through the air froze in mid-flight. The air conditioner's hum died instantly, leaving the entire space trapped in a motionless bubble.

Crimson light erupted across Leo's vision as system windows expanded across the room, glowing with blinding intensity.

[Condition Met: Target 'Underworld Loan Shark Andres' has groveled at your feet.]

[First Humiliation Achieved.]

[Channel 9042 Viewership: 1,450,000 High-Realm Observers.]

A barrage of messages flooded the chat interface at blistering speed, text scrolling so fast it blurred into a wave of color.

Constellation 'Shadow Hunter' says: HAHAHAHA! Look at his avatar! On his knees begging a zero-stat human!

Constellation 'Silver Knight' says: Total disgrace! Hey Crimson Warlord, you claimed Andres was going to conquer the city docks this month!

Constellation 'Storm Sovereign' says: Crimson Warlord's champion just begged for his life like a frightened dog! Pay up your bets, you fraud!

Constellation 'Golden Archer' says: Imagine giving your avatar physical buffs just for him to get outsmarted by twenty thousand dollars cash! Crimson Warlord in absolute shambles right now!

Leo stared at the scrolling chat, his eyes widening. "Wait... Andres had a Constellation?"

"Of course he did," the Sovereign roars with laughter, his voice vibrating through Leo's skull with absolute triumph. "Did you think you were the only human backed by a higher power? Crimson Warlord gave Andres three physical buffs last month to help him take over these docks. And yet, your simple mind-game brought his precious champion straight to his knees without you landing a single punch!"

Leo looked down at the trembling loan shark frozen on the floor. Cold realization washed over him. The world was far more dangerous than he had ever imagined. The mob bosses, the corporate tycoons, maybe even the elite families in the city were all pawns in this celestial game.

The main reward notification flashed in bright gold across the center of his screen.

[First Humiliation Reward: 500 System Points Granted.]

[Unique Passive Skill Unlocked: Absolute Poker Face.]

[Skill Effect: Completely conceals your emotional state, heartbeat, body temperature, and true intentions from all human detection, lie detectors, and lower-tier system scans.]

"Absolute Poker Face," Leo murmured.

"A fitting reward for a mortal who wins through deception," the Sovereign said, his tone dripping with supreme satisfaction. "Look at the high-realm chat, Leo. Crimson Warlord just lost eight hundred thousand divine coins because his avatar groveled before you. You made us rich tonight, boy."

The Sovereign paused, his voice lowering into a sharp, dangerous rumble.

"Now... your debt is clear, your sister's medical funds are secured, and your pockets are full of points. It is time to deal with the people who put you in that hospital bed in the first place."