The Sovereign’s Retribution: Daily Login to Godhood

Chapter 5: Checking Out

Silas opened the System the moment he woke up.

「 Day 4 Sign-In available. Would the Host like to sign in? 」

He pressed it.

「 Ding! Day 4 Sign-In successful! 」

「 Congratulations! The Host has obtained: 」

「 1. $200,000 」

「 2. Skill: Iron Grip (Rare — Passive) 」

「 Iron Grip — The Host's grip strength is permanently multiplied by 5. Effect is always active. 」

A Rare skill from a daily sign-in. Silas flexed his right hand. The fingers that had been swollen and stiff two days ago now closed into a tight fist. He could feel the difference immediately — a density in his grip that hadn't been there before.

He squeezed the bed rail. The metal groaned.

'Interesting.'

He let go. A faint impression of his fingers remained pressed into the steel.

「 Wealth updated: $100,250,014 」

Silas swung his legs out of bed. He'd taken a Pain Suppression Pill last night and used the four hours to walk laps around his suite. His legs were shaky but functional. The Cellular Regeneration was working around the clock.

He wasn't healed. Not close. But he was mobile. And that was enough.

'I'm leaving today.'

He picked up his phone and searched for private medical transport services in Veridian City. Found one — Meridian MedCar — that offered wheelchair-accessible vehicles with on-board nursing staff. He called them.

"Meridian MedCar, how can I help you?"

"I need a pickup at St. Caelum General Hospital. Eighth floor, private suites. One hour."

"Of course, sir. Will this be billed to insurance or — "

"Cash. Direct transfer. Whatever your rate is."

A pause. "That would be twelve hundred dollars for in-city transport with medical attendant."

"Fine. Send the details to this number."

He hung up and got dressed. The hospital had provided basic clothes — sweatpants and a T-shirt. They'd have to do. He lowered himself into the wheelchair by the bed.

One hour.

Forty minutes later, his door opened without a knock.

A man walked in. Heavyset, thinning hair, an expensive suit that didn't quite fit his frame. Behind him stood two hospital security guards in dark uniforms.

Silas recognized him from the photo he'd found online last night. Conrad Hale. Administrative Director of St. Caelum General Hospital.

"Mr. Vane." Conrad's voice was friendly. The kind of friendly that had a bill attached. "I heard you're planning to leave us."

"That's right."

Conrad clasped his hands behind his back. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. Not until your full account is settled."

"I settled my account two days ago. Forty-seven thousand dollars. Paid in full."

Conrad shook his head slowly. "That was the initial estimate. A more thorough review of your treatment has been conducted. Additional procedures, specialist consultations, imaging services..." He pulled a folded paper from his jacket pocket and held it out. "Your revised total is two million, three hundred thousand dollars."

Silas didn't take the paper. "Two point three million."

"Medical care isn't cheap, Mr. Vane."

"It is when half the treatments never happened."

The smile stayed on Conrad's face, but his eyes changed. "I'm not sure what you mean."

"Billing codes 4412, 4415, and 4420. Procedures listed on my chart that were never performed. Thirty-one thousand in phantom charges — and that's just my file." Silas kept his voice level. "I'm guessing if someone checked every charity patient in this hospital, the number would be a lot higher."

The room went quiet. One of the security guards shifted his weight.

Conrad let out a short laugh. "Mr. Vane. You were unconscious for eleven days. You have no idea what procedures were or weren't performed."

"I have my chart."

"Charts can be misread by non-medical professionals. Happens all the time." Conrad stepped closer. "Here's how this works. You pay the revised balance, or you stay. The hospital has the legal right to hold patients with unresolved accounts. I'm sure you don't want lawyers involved."

"You're right. I don't want lawyers involved." Silas reached for his phone. "That's why I went straight to the Department of Health."

Conrad's smile cracked.

Silas held up his phone. On the screen was a photograph — the back of his medical chart, showing the handwritten note in blue ink: Extended stay billing — approved by Admin. Director C. Hale. Ref: TM-0894.

"I took this two days ago. Emailed it to the Department of Health's fraud investigation division this morning. Along with your name, your position, and the reference code TM-0894." Silas paused. "I wonder what TM stands for. I'm sure the auditors will figure it out."

Conrad's face went white. Then red. His jaw worked, but nothing came out for a full three seconds.

"You — you can't — that chart is hospital property. Photographing medical records is a violation of — "

"Of what? My own chart? My own billing codes?" Silas shook his head. "You billed a man in a charity ward for procedures he never received. While he was unconscious. With no family to ask questions."

He looked up at Conrad from the wheelchair. His voice dropped.

"How many others did you do this to?"

Conrad's composure collapsed. He jabbed a finger at Silas. "Listen to me, you little — you have no idea who you're dealing with. One phone call and I'll have your account frozen. I'll have you declared mentally incompetent. I'll — "

Silas gripped the armrest of his wheelchair.

The metal dented under his fingers. Not cracked. Not bent. Dented — five deep grooves pressed into solid steel, as easily as pushing into clay.

The sound made everyone stop.

Conrad stared at the armrest. Then at Silas's hand. Then back at the armrest.

The security guards stared too.

"I'm leaving now," Silas said. His voice was calm. Quiet. "Move."

Nobody moved for two seconds. Then the security guards stepped aside. They hadn't been paid enough for whatever they'd just seen.

Conrad stood alone in the doorway. His face was a mess of fury and fear.

Silas wheeled himself forward. Conrad didn't move. Silas stopped the wheelchair six inches from Conrad's legs and looked up at him.

"I said move."

Conrad moved.

---

Nurse Darla was at the eighth-floor station when she saw the commotion. Conrad Hale storming down the hallway, face red, the two security guards trailing behind him looking confused.

Then Silas Vane wheeled himself out of his suite, calm as a man going to lunch.

"Mr. Vane?" She hurried over. "What happened? Where are you going?"

"Home. Or somewhere that isn't here." He stopped the wheelchair. "Darla, I want to thank you. You were kind to me when you didn't have to be."

She blinked. "I — you can't just leave. Your fractures aren't — "

"I've arranged private medical transport. I'll continue treatment outpatient." He pulled a folded piece of paper from his pocket and held it out. "If anyone in this hospital asks questions about Conrad Hale's billing practices, give them this number. It's the fraud division at the Department of Health."

Darla stared at the paper. She didn't take it.

"People are afraid of him," Silas said. "I understand that. But he's been stealing from patients who can't fight back. That's going to stop."

She took the paper. Her hand was shaking.

"Take care of yourself, Mr. Vane."

"I plan to."

He wheeled himself to the elevator. The doors opened. He rolled inside and pressed the button for the ground floor.

As the doors closed, his System chimed.

「 New Quest Available. 」

「 Quest: Dismantle St. Caelum Hospital's fraudulent billing network within 14 days. 」

「 Reward: Epic Crate. 」

「 Time remaining: 14 days, 0 hours. 」

「 Failure penalty: 3-day sign-in lockout. 」

Silas read the notification twice. An Epic Crate. The tier above Rare. And a failure penalty that would cost him three days of rewards and break his streak.

The elevator descended. Through the glass walls, the Meridian skyline rose around him.

'Fourteen days to destroy a fraud network connected to the Thorne Empire. While still healing from injuries that should have killed me.'

The elevator reached the ground floor. The doors opened. A medical transport driver stood in the lobby holding a sign that read VANE.

Silas wheeled himself forward.

'Day 4. First quest accepted. First enemy confronted.'

He rolled past the front desk. The receptionist stared. The lobby security guard stared. A woman in the waiting area nudged her husband and pointed.

Silas didn't look at any of them.

'Conrad Hale thinks he can scare me with a text message and a fake bill. He's going to learn the difference between a man with nothing to lose and a man with everything to gain.'

The transport van was parked outside. The driver opened the door.

Silas looked back at St. Caelum General Hospital one last time. Thirteen days in that building. Eleven unconscious. Two awake.

He wouldn't be coming back.

"Where to, sir?" the driver asked.

Silas thought for a moment. He needed a room. Somewhere clean, private, with good internet access. Somewhere no one would look for a man who was supposed to be bedridden.

"The Regency Grand Hotel. Meridian District."

The driver nodded. The van pulled away from the hospital.

In his pocket, Silas's phone buzzed. He didn't check it. Whatever Conrad Hale or his people had to say, it could wait.

He had fourteen days. And he was just getting started.