The Grand System

Chapter 2

[The System is Activating...]

[12%, 30%, 45%, 77%, 100%]

[The system has successfully activated]

[You would receive a mission after 15 hours]

The written words and the glistening grand system symbol disappeared, leaving Travis in total confusion. He had never encountered this thing before.

Travis sat down on the bed, not quite knowing what to do next. He then thought maybe the trauma he went through from the time he lost his family had damaged his brain.

He set his alarm before concluding he would keep some money for a brain test.

In the morning, Travis opened his eyes while the rays of the sun filtered in through the curtain. His eyes almost popped out of his eyes as a question crept into his mind.

"Why did my alarm fail to wake me up?"

He jumped off the bed as quickly as he realized he had missed twenty-five calls from his boss and the time was 11:55 AM already.

He dialed his boss's number and received an answer on the first ring.

"I have replaced you, and I don't want to see your shadow here." His boss hung up the call.

Travis redialed the number to say something, but his boss blocked his number. He rubbed his hair in great tension and wished he was dreaming.

He slammed the alarm on the floor as he held a tear from dropping, for that wasn't the right moment to cry. That was the time he needed to convince himself that his boss could forgive him if he knew how to beg him. But only if he knew what to say.

The moment he was thinking about what to do next, the glistening Grand system symbol appeared before him, transfixing him.

[Account Balance: $15,000,000]

[Mission: Spend the money within three days.]

[You will die if you fail the mission]

[To print the Golden system ATM card, click here.]

One billion dollars? Travis felt baffled. His insanity had reached this stage of creating fake money and fake access to print a physical ATM card. But wait! Didn't it work last night?

He stepped closed and clicked on it, but this time, he didn't take a step backward. The glistening symbol rolled in a circle in five seconds and a golden ATM card dropped onto his legs.

Travis took three steps backward and couldn't decipher what he should call this. But he realized he didn't need a brain test.

Travis compelled himself to take the card and noticed that it had his full name printed on it.

[Your four PIN is 2442]

[Warning!]

[You will die if you fail the mission]

The fact that the system printed the ATM gave him great anxiety, as it indicated that the system was serious about killing him if he dared to fail the mission. But how on earth would he fail if the mission was to spend the money he didn't work for?

Travis wore his sandals and went out. Getting out, he thought of where he could check if the card was real. He can't just test it at any shop because half of him hasn't believed it yet.

He looked at his bike and remembered how Calvin spoiled its tires after enticing his girlfriend away with money. If only this card on his palm was real, he would surely revenge on Calvin.

Travis trekked to the bank and joined the queue of people before the ATM.

After some minutes, he saw Sarah coming out of a car with her boyfriend. Sarah was the friend of his ex-girlfriend. He quickly faced the front and focused, for he didn't want them to notice him.

Some people in the queue smiled as Gideon was coming while some waved to him because he was the second son of a famous cheer-giver millionaire. Gideon waved back to them and took out his card as they offered him a free chance to withdraw his money first.

Sarah noticed the familiar clothes Travis often wore and whispered to Gideon. "That is Travis."

"The guy Abigail dumped last night?" Gideon asked.

"Yes."

Gideon went to him and offered him a handshake. "Afternoon, Travis."

When Travis raised his hand to accept the handshake, Gideon swiftly dug his hand into his pocket, leaving Travis's hand hanging in the air for a moment.

The people laughed and Travis felt ashamed of the unexpected embarrassment. Travis then faced the front, waiting for his turn to operate the machine.

"You are the only man that doesn't greet me. Who did you think you were? Who are you to leap to shake my hand?"

Travis focused on the man withdrawing money now and held his card tightly as he ignored the presence of Gideon.

"He's arrogant and proud of his rotten life. That's why Abigail dumped him after getting all his hard-earned money. And the funny part is that she never allowed him to touch her," Sarah said.

"He successfully loses." Gideon laughed with everyone.

"Now you must kneel before me and say you are sorry before I count number one to ten." Gideon raised his hand and counted down with his fingers.

When he reached number 10 and Travis didn't obey, he pouched on his face and kicked his leg. Travis fell and forced himself up.

"Do you want to fight me? Come and fight me. Just dare me."

Everyone was interested in the fight and was praising Gideon.

The grand system appeared before Travis.

[You are the only special being that can see these words]

[You can answer me with your thoughts]

[Who did you want to punish first?]

"Gideon," Travis thought, not caring if the system would help him or not.

[Choosing Gideon to receive punishment...]

[12%, 30%, 45%, 77%, 100%]

[How do you want me to punish Gideon?]

"Can you make unphysical bees enter his clothes and bite him till he takes off his clothes?"

[Yes]

"Do it?"

[12%, 30%, 45%, 77%...]

Gideon grinned as people were saying how brave he was and how fearful Travis was because he didn't take a step forward to fight Gideon.

[100%...]