The Shameless Urban System: Chaos and Laughter

Chapter 4: Modibo's Misunderstanding

The air inside Mariam's office felt frozen, yet between Rendy and his boss, the temperature was skyrocketing to a boiling point. Rendy's fingers remained buried in Mariam's shoulder muscles, which had become soft as butter thanks to the Divine Massage Technique forced upon him by the system. Mariam remained slumped in her chair, head tilted slightly back, eyes dazed and lips parted, a scene entirely inappropriate for an operations director known for being ice-cold.

At that exact, disastrous second, the door swung open with a loud thud.

"Ms. Mariam, I have the revised reports..."

Modibo's sentence died in the air. He stood frozen in the doorway, his eyes bulging so wide they looked ready to pop out. The documents in his hand sagged. In front of him, he saw Rendy, the office loser who should have already been fired, standing behind Mariam's chair in an incredibly intimate position. Rendy's hands appeared to be fondling the sensitive areas around Mariam's neck and shoulders, while Mariam herself looked as if she had just experienced a moment of overwhelming ecstasy.

[Notification: Target 'Mariam' is in a 'Mind-Blown' state. Massage side effect: 60% temporary loss of vigilance.]

[Hidden Emergency Quest: Whisper something naughty in her ear right now or your stamina points will be reduced to 1!]

Rendy cursed internally. You bastard system! This is not the time to be a flirt! But he knew that losing his stamina meant he would pass out on the spot, and that would be far more humiliating.

With courage born of desperation, Rendy leaned down. He brought his face close to Mariam's flushed ear. The scent of expensive floral perfume mixed with her natural, warm feminine aroma hit his senses, triggering an unhealthy surge of adrenaline below his belt.

"Ma'am..." Rendy whispered, his voice fierce yet low, sending a shudder through Mariam that made her body jerk slightly. "Your skin is much more sensitive than I expected. How about we continue with the lower parts later in a place that's... more private?"

Mariam let out a short, stifled gasp, a sound that echoed with intense eroticism in the ears of the still-paralyzed Modibo. Mariam's face, already flushed from relaxation, exploded into a deep crimson of shame and shock.

"RENDY! WHAT THE HELL IS THIS?!" Modibo finally screamed, his voice cracking with rage and disbelief. He stormed in, slamming the door shut behind him. "You... you're harassing her in the office?! Ms. Mariam, are you okay? I'm calling security right now! This scoundrel belongs in jail!"

Mariam snapped out of her trance. She quickly pulled away, spinning her chair away from Rendy while trying to straighten her blouse, which had become slightly disheveled from the massage. Her hair, usually tied up neatly, now had several strands dangling across her face, giving her an 'after-hours' look she couldn't hide.

"Modibo... wait," Mariam's voice was hoarse; she cleared her throat loudly to steady it. "It's not what it looks like."

"Not what it looks like?!" Modibo laughed hysterically, his sleek face looking greasy with emotion. "I saw him pawing at you! I heard you moaning! Rendy, you really are disgusting. Using these dirty tricks to keep your job? You think by giving 'extra services' to the boss, you can save yourself from being fired?"

Rendy stood straight, slowly sliding his hands into his trouser pockets. He could feel his heart pounding, but the system provided a calm buff that kept his mind clear. He looked at Modibo with a cold, piercing gaze he had never shown before.

"Modibo, you watch too many trashy adult films," Rendy said calmly, even though he was screaming at the system for help inside his head. "Ms. Mariam was suffering from a serious neck nerve cramp. As a devoted subordinate, I was simply helping to relieve the tension. Isn't that right, Ma'am?"

Mariam stared at Rendy with an unreadable expression. There was anger, but also the lingering, incredible sense of comfort from the massage that made it difficult to truly explode. She knew that if she confirmed Modibo's accusations, her reputation as a firm boss would be shattered by a scandal with a subordinate during office hours.

"That's right," Mariam replied, her voice cooling down even though her eyes avoided contact with Modibo. "Rendy was just helping with my medical issue. You walked in without knocking, Modibo. Where are your manners?"

Modibo gaped. "But Ma'am... the position he was in... he whispered something naughty! I saw you blushing!"

"That's because my blood circulation was finally flowing!" Mariam snapped, trying to cover her embarrassment with authority.

However, Modibo wasn't stupid. He had been eyeing the senior manager position for a long time and saw Rendy as a pesky obstacle. "I don't believe it. This is a scandal! I'm reporting this to Mr. Ibrahima at headquarters. Unless... unless Rendy is fired for good today."

Rendy narrowed his eyes. He felt cornered. His reputation was on the line. Mariam also seemed hesitant; she wanted to protect herself, and sacrificing Rendy was the easiest path.

[Ding! Side Mission Detected: The Arrogant Loser.]

[Description: Modibo is trying to take you down with fake morality, even though he is a snake himself. The system has detected forged documents in Modibo's inner jacket pocket containing reports of embezzlement from the branch office renovation project involving Samba and Adama.]

[Objective: Humiliate Modibo in front of Mariam.]

[Reward: 500 System Points & Skill: 'Eye of Truth' (Passive - Level 1).]

[Penalty: If you fail, you will be forced to dance naked in the office lobby for 10 minutes.]

Rendy gulped. Dancing naked in the lobby? This system was truly psychotic.

Rendy took a step forward, invading Modibo's personal space. He stood intentionally close, taking advantage of his slightly superior height.

"You're talking about morality and office rules, Modibo?" Rendy asked with a mocking tone. He could smell the instant coffee and cold sweat on Modibo. "It's funny coming from someone carrying a 'ticking time bomb' in his own jacket pocket."

Modibo's face shifted slightly. "What do you mean? Don't try to change the subject, you jerk!"

"Your inner jacket pocket," Rendy pointed with his chin, his eyes locked sharply on Modibo's chest. "The branch office renovation project report. You think Ms. Mariam doesn't know about the discrepancy in funds you 'arranged' with Samba and Adama? You came in here to take me down, but you forgot to hide the evidence of your own crime before knocking, oh, sorry, you didn't even knock."

The atmosphere in the room shifted instantly. The tension, previously sexual and awkward, turned into a gripping criminal standoff.

Mariam frowned. She was a woman who was meticulous about numbers. Hearing the names Samba and Adama, two people from logistics she already suspected, her business instincts flared.

"Modibo?" Mariam asked in a low, threatening voice. "What is he talking about?"

Modibo turned deathly pale. His hand subconsciously moved to cover his left chest, where the pocket was. "He... he's just bluffing! He's talking nonsense to save his own skin! How could I possibly do something like that?"

"If so, then take it out," Rendy challenged. He gave a crooked smile, one that looked mischievous yet full of confidence. "Empty everything in your pocket onto Ms. Mariam's desk."

"If I am wrong, I will resign right now without severance pay and let you kick me out of this building yourself."

Rendy was betting everything on the system. If the system lied, he was finished. But seeing the sweat start to bead on Modibo’s temples, Rendy knew he had the upper hand.

Mariam rose from her chair. She walked slowly around her desk, her aura of leadership fully restored. She stopped right in front of Modibo. "Modibo, you heard him. Empty your pockets. Now."

"Ma’am, this is an invasion of privacy! You cannot listen to accusations from a lunatic like him!" Modibo tried to back away, but Rendy deftly blocked his path, standing directly in front of the exit.

"Why are you afraid, Modibo?" Rendy whispered, his voice dripping with mockery. "You were so eager to call security just a moment ago. Why do you look like a rat trapped in a sewer now?"

Modibo glared at Rendy with deep-seated hatred. In his mind, he was already crafting a plan to destroy Rendy, but for the moment, he was cornered. Mariam was not a woman who compromised when it came to company money.

"I... I forgot to bring the report," Modibo stammered, reaching for the most cliché excuse in the world.

"Oh, really?" Rendy suddenly lunged forward. His hands, now possessing superior motor coordination thanks to the system, darted out.

"Don’t touch me!" Modibo shrieked.

A brief, embarrassing struggle ensued. Modibo tried to swat Rendy’s hands away, but Rendy was too quick. In a single motion that looked like an awkward, forced hug, causing Mariam to wince at the sight of the two men grappling, Rendy managed to reach into the inside pocket of Modibo’s suit jacket.

*Rip!*

Rendy pulled out a small, folded brown envelope.

"Rendy! Give that to me!" Modibo lunged, but Rendy nimbly dodged, spinning behind Mariam’s desk and using the boss as a human shield.

"Here, Ms. Mariam. Please, examine the honesty of your star employee," Rendy said, sliding the envelope over Mariam’s shoulder.

Mariam took the envelope with a hand that trembled slightly, not from fear, but from the residual adrenaline of the earlier massage still resonating through her nerves. She ripped it open.

As her eyes scanned the rows of figures and the signatures below them, Mariam’s face shifted from flushed red to a deathly, pale white with pure rage.

"Modibo..." Mariam’s voice was so low it sounded like a tiger’s growl. "You used your cousin Issa’s subcontracting firm and inflated material costs by three hundred percent? And you tried to pin this on the procurement department?"

Modibo went limp. His knees seemed to lose their structural support. He collapsed to the floor, sitting on the expensive carpet of Mariam’s office. "Ma’am... I... I can explain... Samba forced me to..."

"Quiet!" Mariam snapped. She slammed the documents onto her desk; the sound echoed throughout the room. "Get out of my office. Now. Wait in the security room. I’m calling the police."

"Ms. Mariam, please! I’ve worked here for five years!" Modibo pleaded, tears welling in eyes that had been filled with arrogance only moments ago.

"Ten years wouldn’t save you from stealing from me," Mariam replied coldly. She pressed the intercom button on her desk. "Samba, Adama, get to my office immediately. And tell security to collect Modibo."

Rendy simply stood there, watching his rival’s downfall with an indescribable sense of satisfaction. The system was a jerk, but it was incredibly useful.

[Ding! Side Mission Complete!]

[Reward: 500 System Points added. Skill 'Eye of Truth' (Passive) has been activated.]

[Evaluation: A performance that was quite cheeky and shameless. Bonus: +5 Charisma Stat.]

Rendy felt a warm sensation flow through his body, especially in his face and eyes. He felt sharper, more... alluring.

Security officers entered and dragged the struggling Modibo out. The room fell silent again, but the atmosphere had become heavy. Now, it was just Rendy and Mariam.

Mariam sat back down, leaning against her chair, which now felt incredibly relaxed, ironic, considering the chaotic situation. She stared at Rendy with an intensity that could cut through concrete. Rendy remained standing, staring back with newfound courage.

"Rendy," Mariam called softly.

"Yes, Ma’am?"

"How did you know about those documents? I had only just begun to suspect a fund leak this morning, and you... you are just an admin staff member who barely even steps into the archives."

Rendy smiled faintly. He walked slowly toward Mariam’s desk, placed both hands on the surface, and leaned in slightly so that their faces were only inches apart. The effect of the +5 Charisma he had just acquired began to take hold.

Mariam could feel her heart racing again. The masculine scent of Rendy, which she had ignored before, now dominated her senses. There was a glint in Rendy’s eyes that made her feel like she was being hunted by a very handsome predator.

"Let’s just say I have a talent for smelling things that have gone rotten, Ma’am," Rendy whispered, his voice low and raspy. "Just like I know that even though you are angry right now, your shoulders still feel incredibly comfortable, don't they?"

Mariam swallowed hard. She wanted to be angry, she wanted to fire Rendy for his insolence, but her body told a different story. Rendy’s earlier touch had unlocked a Pandora’s box within her that she had kept tightly sealed for the sake of her career.

"Don't think you’re in the clear, Rendy," Mariam said, trying to maintain the remnants of her authority even though her breathing had become erratic. "You still owe me an explanation regarding the... 'extra service' you mentioned earlier."

Rendy let out a soft laugh, a sound that felt dangerously seductive. "An explanation? I’d rather show you than explain it. But it seems we have another interruption."

[Warning: Target 'Fatoumata' is approaching the room with bad news. Scenario 'Office Rumor' is active.]

Rendy turned toward the door. Sure enough, through the glass wall partially covered by blinds, he saw the silhouette of Fatoumata, a department secretary known for being a gossip but who secretly harbored feelings for Rendy, running over with a panicked expression.

"Rendy! Ms. Mariam!" Fatoumata burst in without permission, her face pale. "You have to see this! Modibo... he just sent photos and a message to the office W******p group before his phone was confiscated by security!"

Rendy and Mariam exchanged glances. A sinking feeling hit them both.

"What photos?" Mariam asked sharply.

Fatoumata shoved her phone forward with trembling hands. On the screen was a photo taken from the angle of the open door, the moment Rendy had leaned in to whisper something to Mariam’s ear while Mariam’s hand looked as if she were tugging at Rendy’s jacket (when she had actually just been trying to steady herself).

The message header was highly provocative: 'Our holy Director apparently has a pet in the office. No wonder this piece of trash wasn't fired!'

The world seemed to stop spinning for Rendy. He had just defeated Modibo professionally, but the man had managed to launch a suicide attack that destroyed both of their reputations in front of the entire company.

[System Notification: New Challenge Started! 'Crisis & Reputation Management'.]

[Quest: Clear your name and Mariam’s within the next 24 hours, or Mariam will be transferred to an overseas branch and you will be permanently unemployed.]

Rendy stared at Mariam, whose face was flushed red again, but this time it wasn't from embarrassment or pleasure, but from a rage capable of burning the building down.

"Rendy..."

Mariam hissed, her hands gripping the edge of the desk until her knuckles turned white. "If you don't have a solution for this in five minutes, I will personally ensure you never work in this country again."

Rendy swallowed the bitter lump in his throat, but inside his head, the mechanical voice of the system echoed with a tone that sounded almost like it was laughing.

[Ding! Would you like to use Skill: 'Short-term Invisibility' to escape? Cost: 1000 Points. Warning: Clothing does not disappear.]

"System... you really want to see me ruined, don't you?" Rendy whispered softly, while Fatoumata watched him with a look full of pity and... a strange sense of jealousy.

Outside the room, he could hear the murmurs of his colleagues, Moussa, Amadou, and the others, starting to gather in the hallway, trying to peek into the room that had now become the center of the biggest scandal of the year.

Rendy knew he couldn't run. He had to do something far crazier than just massaging his boss's shoulders. He had to face this 'storm' in the most 'shameless' way possible.

"Fatoumata," Rendy said suddenly, his voice surprisingly calm. "Please gather everyone in the lobby in ten minutes. Ms. Mariam has an 'important announcement' regarding my promotion."

Mariam gasped. "What?! What promotion?!"

Rendy turned to look at Mariam, his eyes glinting with a mischievous scheme. "Trust me, Ms. Mariam. Or we’ll both go down together in that photo."