Zero's Law: Lord Of The Karma System

Pull Out The Ledger.

Chapter 7: Pull Out The Ledger

"So how was I supposed to know the woman was a crook?"

[BY CONSULTING THE SYSTEM LEDGER]

Zero blinked. He wanted to argue, to defend himself... but his thoughts were messed up. And his emotions was somewhere between anger and disbelief.

[FOR WRONGLY ATTACKING A MAN: YOUR PENALTY IS 200 NEGATIVE KARMA AND INSTANT KARMA.]

"Two hundred negatives and instant karma? What the hell are those supposed to mean? Explain yourself."

"Yo tough guy..." A deep voice said from behind.

Zero turned back to see a huge, mean-looking black man, built like the WWE wrestler 'Mark Henry', staring straight at him. Beside him stood two other mean-looking men, though they were not huge like him. One was bald, and the other had tattoos on his left cheek.

"Are you the one that knocked down Big Jo?" 'Mark Henry' asked.

"What... Big Jo? I don’t know who that..."

Then Zero’s eyes darted to the thug sprawled unconscious on the concrete. The guy’s lip was bleeding, his jaw already swelling.

"Oh... you mean him?" he said quickly. "It was just a little misunderstanding."

'Mark Henry's' face darkened. "That misunderstanding just got a lot bigger. Because Big Jo... is my big brother."

Zero’s thoughts raced. Your big brother? He’s skinny and white, and you are… never mind.

"Look, man, I am sorry, alright? I will take him to a hospital, pay the bills. Hell, I will even compensate him with money."

"That’s tempting," 'Mark Henry' said, cracking his knuckles. "We will consider it after giving you the same treatment you gave my brother."

Zero swallowed hard and stepped back, intimidated.

[THIS IS INSTANT KARMA. YOUR PUNISHMENT]

'Oh really? Thank you so f*cking much, System.'

I just got discharged from the hospital today, and now I am about to be sent right back. Dr. Kemp won't be thrilled to see me.

Zero kept retreating until his back hit a wall. The three men closed in, meaning business.

"System, pull up my last selection". He called urgently, raising his hands in a defensive position.

[CHOOSE ONE]

{AN ADRENALINE BOOSTER}

{A GUN}

{A MARTIAL ARTS DEFENSE TECHNIQUE}

"No healing potion. Are you kidding me?"

Before he could decide, 'Tattooed cheek' lunged forward and smashed his fist straight into Zero’s face.

"Urgh!" Zero groaned, and countered with a desperate kick, but 'Tattooed cheek' stepped back fast, dodging it clean.

'Mark Henry' swung his right fist straight at Zero. Fortunately, Zero managed to block it with both hands, but the sheer impact left his arms trembling.

He didn’t want to imagine what would have happened if that hit had landed clean.

The three men attacked together... raining punches at Zero from all sides.

"Gahhh! You said you would give me the same treatment I gave your brother. All I did was land one punch, but you guys are barraging me. How is that the same?" Zero complained.

"You still got some jokes, huh!" 'Mark Henry' growled. "Boys let's shut this f*cker up".

"System! pull up the selection screen again."

[CHOOSE ONE]

{AN ADRENALINE BOOSTER}

{A GUN}

{A MARTIAL ARTS DEFENSE TECHNIQUE}

'Should I pick a gun? No... We are too close. I could maybe shoot one or two before they disarm me, and use it against me.'

'Give me the defense technique!'

[DONE]

Knowledge flooded his mind.

[YOU HAVE RECEIVED THE MARTIAL ARTS DEFENSE TECHNIQUE: ‘JEET KUNE DO.’]

A surge of instinct hit him.

He pivoted low, slamming his foot into 'Tattooed cheek’ ankle. The thug cried out, as he stumbled back in pain.

Zero ducked under another blow from Mark Henry, then sprang upward, using the motion to drive his head like a battering ram into the brute's jaw.

Mark Henry staggered back, creating an opening for Zero to run.

But he had barely taken two steps when a massive black hand caught his shirt and...

BAM!

'Mark Henry' slammed his head straight into Zero’s face. For a moment, all Zero saw was white. He didn't even know when he hit the ground.

"You tore my f*cking lips. I am gonna kill you". 'Mark Henry' swore, spitting out blood.

Not giving Zero a moment of respite, 'bald head' started stomping on him.

"Urgh..." Zero groaned as 'Mark Henry's' heavy foot landed next.

'Tattooed cheek' tried to join in, but Zero kicked his already injured ankle, sending him hopping back.

'At this point I am really going to die'. Zero thought, desperately looking for a way out... until an idea hit him. 'Wait, these guys are thugs. No way they don’t have dirty records. Why didn’t I think of that earlier?'

"System, pull up the ledger!"

The digital screen flashed into existence.

>LEDGER<

Rows of countless names appeared.

'List out those currently present here' Zero ordered.

Nineteen names were listed.

'So about fifteen people are watching this happen, yet none of them tried to put a stop to it?' He was baffled. 'Humanity really is doomed'.

After glancing through the list, he became furious. 'You damn system. I don't know the thugs name, so how am I supposed to search for them in this list?'

[SHOULD I PULL UP THEIR NAMES?]

"OF COURSE!!!"

The list shuffled, with three names moving directly to the top.

[THEY ARE THE THREE NAMES AT THE TOP]

Zero quickly tapped the first one.

Scod Floyd — Bad (Robbing, Harassing, Medium theft, Selling and using hard drugs.)

He didn't hesitate to declare. 'Judge him'

[SUBJECT: SCOD FLOYD]

[OFFENSE: ROBBING, HARASSING, MEDIUM THEFT, SELLING AND USING HARD DRUGS]

[SELECT JUDGEMENT PATH:]

{SYSTEM JUDGEMENT}

{MANUAL JUDGEMENT}

{CIVIL JUDGEMENT}

[WARNING: ONCE A JUDGEMENT PATH IS SELECTED, IT CANNOT BE REVERSED.]

'System judgement'. Zero thought as another kick struck his face. 'Get on with the judgement, god-damnit!!.'

[CONFIRM JUDGEMENT: SCOD FLOYD — ROBBING, HARASSING, MEDIUM THEFT, SELLING AND USING HARD DRUGS]

[PUNISHMENT: MAJOR.]

[COSTS 1000 KP]

[EXECUTE?]

[WARNING: ONCE EXECUTED, JUDGEMENT CANNOT BE REVERSED.]

"F*cking execute it already."

[DONE]

Just like with nurse Brad, a strange current pulsed through the air as an unseen power was unleashed.

'Bald head' (Scod Floyd) was about to kick Zero when he felt a sudden pain in his chest. He tried to endure it, but it grew so intense and unbearable that he fell to his knees, clutching his chest.

"AHHH!!". He screamed out loud, drawing everyone's attention.

"Yo man, what is it?" 'Tattooed cheek' asked, moving to his side.

"AAHHHH!!!" He screamed louder, collapsing to the ground.

'Mark Henry' turned, realizing that it was serious. "Scod! Hey..."

He released Zero, to attend to his fallen friend.

Zero didn’t wait. He forced himself to his feet and stumbled away, blood dripping down his chin.

'Buka Sanders,' the next name glowed on the ledger. He almost tapped it… then stopped. The distraction was already enough. He dismissed the screen and limped away.

"Yo bro, this guy’s getting away!" a voice shouted.

Zero turned to see Big Jo (the first thug he had knocked out, which led to the whole mess) glaring at him.

"Shut the f*ck up and call an ambulance!" Mark Henry barked.

'Good. At least the brute has got a brain after all'. Zero thought, limping towards where he dropped his bag earlier.

But it wasn't there anymore. Someone has already stolen it.

"Just great". He muttered.

Someone suddenly appeared by his side, causing him to tense.

But it was just the taxi driver.

The man grabbed his arm and helped him to the cab.

"Those thugs really did a number on you," the driver said as they drove off.

"You were watching?" Zero asked.

"Yep. You were taking too long to come out. So I came looking for you. Didn’t expect to find you getting pounded." He replied.

'Yet you didn’t try to help or call the cops', Zero thought but choosed not to say.

"Drive me to the Burning Bright Hotel," he said instead.

"Are you sure? You don't want to go to a hospital, or a clinic?"

"No."

"Alright". The driver whistled. "So those thugs back there... where they former friends of yours? Was it a deal gone wrong, or something?"

Zero ignored him. He leaned back on the seat, and closed his eyes in deep thoughts.

Till he was interrupted by a low beep from the system.

[MEDIUM PUNISHMENT EXECUTED: HEART ATTACK, AND STROKE.]

[SCOD'S DEBT HAVE BEEN PAID]

[+1500 KARMA POINTS.]

Zero exhaled weakly. He only had two words for the system.

"F*ck you".