The Rage Bait System

Chapter three

“You are fired!"

The furious scream of Wendy filled the whole office. Ethan's eyes snapped open as he stared at everyone in confusion.

His boss, Wendy, pointed at the door with those well-polished nails, eyes filled with disgust and rage. Then, there were the employees who stood outside with venomous judgment on their lips.

This…

He stared at the familiar scene, then looked down at himself. He wasn't dead. He's back on time.

How?

"Get out!” Wendy's voice exploded through the office again.

He stilled.

He was back.

Back to the day everything began.

The day Wendy ruined his reputation by lying against him. The day Lucy stole his future, and he couldn't save his sister.

The day he died like a stray dog on the side of the road.

A cold fury surged through Ethan, his nails dug into his palms.

All his life, he had tried to be decent. Where had it gotten him?

Betrayed.

Humiliated.

Buried.

Not this time.

Never again.

His eyes darkened.

Ethan opened his mouth to speak, but a mechanic's voice rang in his mind.

[Ding!]

[The Rage Bait System is active.]

[Host emotional state detected: Rage.]

[Newbie reward package available.]

Ethan froze completely.

The voice… It wasn’t a hallucination.

A transparent blue screen suddenly appeared before his eyes.

HOST: ETHAN

RAGE POINTS: 0

SYSTEM LEVEL: 1

CURRENT TASK:

Cause emotional instability in targets and gain Rage Points.

REWARD METHOD:

The angrier the target becomes, the greater the rewards.

Ethan smirked.

That's interesting.

“What are you laughing about?" Wendy barked.

"Tell me something, Wendy."

Ethan took a step forward.

"Do you always repay people who save your life by destroying theirs?"

Wendy's eyes went wide. "What?”

The office went dead silent.

"You were screaming for help minutes ago." His voice turned colder,

"I dragged that drunk bastard away from you." He jabbed a finger toward the business partner.

"Now, you accuse me of being the one who wanted to force myself on you." His eyes sharpened.

“How convenient for the employee to take the blame while the business partner goes scot-free.”

Wendy's expression faltered.

The cold mechanical voice dinged.

[Rage detected from Wendy Hayes.]

[+10 Rage Points.]

" You—-" Wendy stepped forward, raised her hand at Ethan, but he caught it easily and flung her hand away.

"You don't deserve this position." Ethan's eyes burned with fury as he wiped his hand with a handkerchief as if Wendy's hand was stinky.

"A leader protects the people who work for her."

"You?"

He scoffed.

"You throw them under a bus the moment it benefits you."

"For five years, I worked myself to exhaustion for this company. And the one time I help you, you try to ruin my life."

"People like you disgust me.”

Wendy looked at him in disbelief, “Are you—”

[Target emotional state upgraded: Furious.]

[+25 Rage Points.]

"If I had known, I should have pulled out my phone and taken videos of you two. I wonder how many views that would get online. It seems that's what you wanted, right?"

" How dare you lie about this?!" Wendy flared up in rage, " You bloody liar!”

[Target emotional state upgraded: Humiliated.]

[+50 Rage Points.]

“Security!" She screamed with all her might.

Ethan didn't flinch. Instead, he pulled the tag off his shirt gradually as he reminded her.

" You're not firing me. You're not worthy,” he said coldly.

The entire place went silent.

" I quit.” He dropped the tag on her desk. "After all, I'm tired of working in such a company where the boss takes all the bonuses and credits while the employees work like monkeys."

Some people around chuckled.

While others whisper,

“Is he really quitting?"

“That means he really didn't do anything. He is innocent, or else why would he just quit and not beg?”

The more the whisper grew, the more Wendy wanted the ground to open up and swallow her. Her face, red in embarrassment and rage. Her manicured nails dug into her flesh so hard that they bled.

She clearly didn't expect this reaction.

She wanted to scream, yell, and scratch Ethan's eyes out of their sockets, but she was at a loss. She watched as Ethan walked out of the office confidently, like he owned the place.

Even when the security stepped forward, they couldn't drag him out because he was stepping out on his own. Chin up, hands in his pockets, and a small smile across his lips.

It was clear.

The one who needed help was Wendy, their boss.

The moment Ethan stepped out, the system rang in his mind.

[Ding!]

[Target has experienced extreme emotional instability.]

[+80 Rage Points.]

[Reward: Beginner Fighting Skills.]

A strange warm sensation instantly spread throughout Ethan’s body. His muscles tightened slightly. Information flooded into his mind naturally, like instincts he had always possessed.

Ethan’s eyes narrowed slightly in surprise, but before he could comprehend that, the system rang again.

[Ding!]

[Additional Reward: $40,000 credited to host account.]

Ethan smirked.

Perfect.

Just as he left the company building, his phone began to ring.

He knew who the caller was.

In his previous life, this exact call had destabilized him. But that won't happen anymore. He would be able to save his sister, Jenna.

He answered the call.

“Doctor."

“Ethan, where are you?" The doctor asked, “Your sister's condition has worsened, and if she doesn't undergo the surgery soon, she might not make it.”

Unlike before, Ethan didn't panic.

“Can you make a payment as soon as possible?" Doctor George asked when Ethan didn't say a word.

Ethan slowly exhaled,

“I'll handle it now.”