*****
“Future son-in-law, I know that you and your girlfriend are trying everything you can to give me beautiful grandchildren as soon as possible, but you shouldn’t ignore your health. Why not come eat the noodles I prepare for you first before they go cold? Then you can huh...” The voice ended with a startle and then it became one of deep surprise. “Mark, what are you doing here?”Mark, “_”Mark suddenly found it extremely difficult to breathe.He felt as though he was going to suffocate to death for no reason, but he did everything he could to control himself and remain calm before he eventually turned his attention in the direction of the newcomer.Behold, as he had already thought in his subconscious mind, standing there was the person who was said to be in a critical condition and for whom he had been working his life along the line for in the past month.“Weren’t… weren’t you supposed to be in the hospital right now, having the surgery you were supposed to have?” Mark breathed strenuously, shivering slightly from head to toe.“Huh… me?”The Woman, a middle-aged woman instantly appeared genuinely confused when she heard Mark’s question, then she pointed at herself before gazing at Mark as though he had gone insane.Her eyes became filled with anger in the following second.“Are you cursing me to die? You bastard! How dare you curse at me?” She screamed furiously at the top of her lungs before glaring at Mark and finally glancing at her daughter who was still trying her best to calm her new boyfriend.“Haven’t I warned you to stop communicating with this beggar? See him cursing at me now! How dare he swear at me to be critically ill and go through surgery?”Mark, “_”Mark again, “_”‘Is this a prank or what?’ he suddenly thought.He refused to believe that these two ladies were the same ones he once knew and that this Rebecca’s mother was the same one who had been constantly sounding as though she was on the verge of death till that morning, every time he spoke to her on the phone from the site.Finally, the difficult-to-accept reality dawned on Mark. He was merely a tool meant to be used by Rebecca and her mother.Mark felt as though he was going to go crazy in the subsequent moment, but after a second, he refused to accept the truth.It was too difficult for him to accept.“You… You… this… this... this... you were forced into this, weren’t you? You must have been forced to do it." As soon as Mark stuttered this, he found his thought to be the best and only explanation in this case.Immediately, Mark felt greatly pleased in his mind, knowing that the love of his life hadn't cheated on him out of her will."Don’t worry, I will protect you!” He screamed and directly rushed at Rebecca, his reasoning and judging ability gone completely rotten in a blink.He wanted to protect Rebbeca, thinking that her mother and the young man must have only forced her.Based on the Rebecca he knew, Mark refused to believe that she would intentionally cheat on him and even hurt him.He was about to reach Rebecca when suddenly, a fist flew at him.“Bastard, what do you think you are doing?” Gab growled, and finally, his fist hit Mark.He had expected to injure Mark and knock him away; however, since Mark had broken his physical limit over and over again in the last month, his stamina had become crazily strong, so instead of him getting hurt, Gab, the third-generation wealthy brat was the one who felt as though he had hit a boulder with his fist in the following moment.He cried out and was instantly knocked away.Both Rebecca and her mother were shocked to their cores at this sight.They couldn’t react for a moment, then they were overwhelmed with fear in the following moment as they recalled Gab’s identity which could destroy them if a single ant were to touch him.“What… what have you done, you stupid loser?!" Rebecca cried out.“Do you know who he is? You are so done for now! Argh!!! There is no way you are escaping this! Your entire family will suffer for this!” Rebecca’s mother also cried out.Mark became stuck in his tracks when he heard the two, Rebecca especially, and then he was confused as to what had just happened.Mark was trying to find any sense in it and comprehend what he had just heard when suddenly, a strong flower vase which was picked up by Rebecca flew at him and hit him at the back of his head, knocking him out of his feet.“What…”Mark couldn’t understand what had just hit him. He was about to lose consciousness when he saw both Rebecca and her mother rush at Gab and begin to sob while helping him up, leaving him on the cold hard floor to die alone.Two painful tears rolled out of Mark’s eyes and a thought crossed his mind.‘She wasn't forced to cheat on me,.’No sooner had he thought this than his heart felt greatly attacked and then he couldn't handle the pain it transmitted to him.Added to the pain that was still transmitting from his head and the shock he was still going through, Mark’s consciousness gave in, and he fainted.***** “You stupid bastard, how dare you claim young master Gab’s woman as yours and even dare to touch him? Bang.” “Rahhhh!!!” Inside a small room with only a dim light illuminating it, a blood-curdling cry that was filled to the brim with agony and the most painful torture on earth filled the place right now.The sound was heart-wrenching and could make people’s hair stand on the end. It was made by Mark, who appeared thoroughly devastated at this moment with his clothes already turned to rag and dyed with his blood. In each hole of the cloth, various sizes of fresh wounds that were still gushing out thick red blood were seen, ranging from small to ghastly. Mark was presently feeling the greatest pain of his life, and he had already wished for death more than once, as the agony was just too much. This was his third day of receiving all sorts of beatings after he caught Rebecca cheating on him. Mark had no idea about how he got here; just that, he suddenly awoke with a bang of
***** “See, I will be honest with you. You aren’t the first to be brought here for having designs on the young master’s woman, but many who thought they‘d be able to avenge themselves were long dead since the young master is not just a nobody, but the son of the Police Department’s Commissioner. You can’t sue us or him, so, you should just forget anything called revenge and travel as far away as you can from the young master’s woman, otherwise…” The person, probably the only human being who still has a trace of humanity in him within the police station sighed and then stood up after applying ointment to the last spot on Mark. “You can leave after wearing this,” The person threw a pair of pants and a shirt at Mark, and then they turned around and left. Mark remained seated and wouldn’t react for a moment. He appeared unusually calm and quiet at the moment, only he knowing what was on his mind.Eventually, without still having any emotion, not even the slightest fluctuation of it, M
*****“So pitiful.”“Our biggest prayer every day is to not have a child that will bring about our downfall.”“Sigh… with how kind and hardworking the mother and daughter duo were, to think that they would end up being thrashed and rendered homeless because an unfortunate son had offended someone he shouldn’t have offended.”“But I heard that it was the landlady of the house who instructed them to be thrashed and expelled; how could it have anything to do with that gentle boy?"“Aish. What do you know? Have you forgotten that I’m a friend of Rebecca’s mother? She told me yesterday that her daughter had acquired a wealthy and influential young man from a powerful family as a new boyfriend, and due to jealousness, the stupid boy had offended the wealthy young man, thereby gaining his wrath. To punish him, the influential young man decided to purchase his family's home and make the landlady do what she did.”“He deserved it, but… but isn’t that too excessive? How could he…”Hearing all t
***** Even before Rebecca, her mother, and her new boyfriend were spotted, everybody had already rushed toward the vehicle that brought them over. They were all utterly amazed by the expensive car which none of them had seen before in real life except in movies.Their eyes began to glow as they waited for the car’s door to open, and as soon as it did, they circled the three and started giving the short and not-so-handsome Gab idolization gazes“Is that the wealthy young man?”“So handsome!”“Welcome, Young master, my name is…”“Young master, I am…”Ignoring Mark and his problem, everybody there began to throw all sorts of flattering words at the young man, praising him to the peak.“Ahhh!!” With his tears mixed with his snorts, Mark's sob increased upon witnessing the scene that was going on.Although he didn't want to accept the reality, Mark ultimately understood why everybody, despite having a good relationship with himself and his family refused to offer any hand of help.It
*****“Mister, did you and the two patients brought by you all fall from a skyscraper?”“I…” Mark couldn’t respond after hearing the question he was asked. He even failed to see the pitiful look being given to himself by the doctor. “Will… will my mother and sister be okay?”The doctor, “_”He couldn’t help but keep quiet for a brief moment, then he shook his head. He had been extremely curious before, but since Mark didn’t want to say anything, he couldn’t be bothered. Well, it wasn’t that he was bothered in the first place anyway.“That’s right, however, before any treatment could be performed on the patients, Mister will need to deposit a small amount of money.”“I…” Mark turned into a statue for a moment. “Mo… money?”The doctor, “_”He couldn’t help but suddenly gaze at Mark s though he were a fool. “Yes, money.” He responded again, giving Mark a gaze that asked; ‘Don’t you know that you will be paying money in the first place when you bring over a patient? Two patients in critic
*****“Do you know what day this is ?” With his face now turned to a scowl and all the traces of smile previously on it completely gone, making him look utterly infuriated, the middle-aged supervisor, who was standing before Mark questioned, then before Mark could respond, he snapped at him.“Three fucking days! You are returning three fucking days after you’ve asked for just one day off and you still dare to ask me for the money I was owing you? Even daring to tell me to borrow you some money to it, do you take me for a fool who could be easily duped?”Mark’s heart pounded in his chest and he became greatly nervous again.He had thought that luck had finally decided to shine upon him when he saw the usually hateful and furious supervisor smiling at him, which prompted him to ask what he needed, but…Mark swallowed hard. “Sir… sir Supervisor, it’s… it’s okay not to borrow me any money again, but… but the money you were owing me, could… could you return that first?”“Did you hear yours
***** [ The Face-Smacking System Host’s Profile. [Name: Mark Thumpson] [Age: 19years] [Race: Human] [Account Balance: $0.42] [Strength: Danger! (A single shove to the host is all that is needed for you to lose your life.)] [Technique(s)/Talent(s): 0] [Point(s): 0] [Property(ies): 0] ---------Locked for the time being and will gradually be revealed based on the host’s level------- ] As though it were a suspense movie, Mark watched the sci-fi-like screen that was suspended before him, raising his head for a while and unable to believe that it was real. Had someone been paying any attention to him at this moment, they would have concluded that something had happened to Mark or that he had gone insane, needing medical attention, especially with his appearance. ‘You… you…’ Mark hesitated greatly after he was convinced that he wasn’t hallucinating. He was now uncertain if this ‘system’ of a thing was like the ones he usually read about in novels and see in movies, but just at
***** After searching for a moment but seeing no other person who looked like they had spoken apart from Mark, all gazes were directed at Mark again. Nobody could talk for a brief moment, and then slowly, everybody exchanged blank gazes. “Did that… that homeless-looking boy did not just claim to have the ability to treat a person, did he?” “This… hahaha, what a joke.” “I will rather eat my shit than believe that someone like this, who resembles a person who had just been dehumanized for committing a theft is a doctor.” “What a fool?! Does he think we are joking here?” “The punk!” Everybody resumed discussion with a changed topic, having zero belief that Mark could do a single thing. Even the jade beauty, her revitalized expectancy instantly dashed, and her eyes became filled with hopelessness once again.“Grandfather, please, wake up! Wake up” She resumed shaking the old man while pleading for him. Like everybody else, her conclusion as soon as she saw Mark's appearance was
*****“Sir commissioner, who would have thought that you’d also be invited to this banquet? My name is Rashmond and I am the CEO of Rashmond Medicines. Please do take care of me in the future.”“Brother Rashmond, nice meeting you. Please, make sure to also take care of me in the future.”Deep within the estate, inside a not-too-big hall that was elegantly and beautifully decorated, with bright light illuminating it, making it resemble a day, groups of influential and affluent people were busy building connections with each other right now.Although it was said that the banquet wasn’t open to the outside, the descendants of the Jackson family had invited a few of their friends, so, it still has up to fifty outsiders in it right now.Everybody was presently acting as though they didn’t mind, but it was obvious that they were already fed up with their nonstop waiting for the Old Master of the Jackson family, the main reason why most of them were there. Whether big or small, everyb
*****Mark, “_”‘Who knows me?’He couldn’t help but suddenly frown slightly before turning his head in the direction where he was being called.The following second, his mouth gaped and he became dumbstruck.“Mister, are you entering or not?”“I…”Mark quickly turned back when he heard the grumble of the driver of the taxi he was just about to enter.He hesitated for a brief moment, then he shook his head.“I’m incredibly sorry, sir, but I think…”“You are not going. Nonsense.”The driver, a grumpy-looking man hissed angrily, then not allowing Mark to finish his words, he pressed hard on the pedals, almost stepping on Mark’s feet.“Why are people always angry these days, anyway?”He shook his head and turned around, just in time to see the jade beauty who had been running toward him reach him.“Mister Mark!” She called gently, looking as though she would tear up.Mark was confused and he couldn’t help but feel uncomfortable and a bit irritated by this sight that made h
*****As though the people inside were a group of country’s threat, who were being chased by all the various security departments of the country, an incredibly fast speeding car could be seen on a long tarred road right now, and even the slightest divergent and collusion could cause the most fatal accident that would take the passenger’s lives. “I…”Inside the car, the mouth of the Jade beauty, who had never been snapped upon or gotten furious upon by her grandfather before since she came to the world was opened wide with shock and disbelief, but feeling his present state, she breathed in.She still wanted to convince her grandfather to slow down, but she was able to tell that his present state gave no space to a no, so she gently nodded her head and then continued searching hard.Honestly, although she was greatly amazed by everything about Mark, which she had learned from her grandfather the previous day, she still felt that he was being greatly overestimated.The jade beauty
*****“You… you guys just did what?”Still at the gate. The mouths of the Grandfather and Granddaughter duo were incredibly wide open with both shock and deep disbelief at this moment and they were presently busily gapping at the second security guard who had begun to shiver hysterically, looking like someone who had been imprisoned in a hundred years old ice.The guard wasn’t able to respond, and his heart was bleeding really badly as he sobbed within, wondering how he had unfortunately been partnered together with his stupid colleague.Meanwhile, seeing the look on the guard’s face made the grandfather and granddaughter duo realize that the guard was really serious, that they had truly sent Mark, with whom he had made up his mind to build a perfect and seamless connection with, away.“Just pray that I will be able to find him and convince him to come back!”The old man finally growled after a long time had passed and then his body released a strong killing intent that made the
***** Back at the gate. After driving Mark away, although the rude security guard did not feel entirely satisfied that he wasn't able to fulfill his desire to oppress and break a few of his limbs as he had intended, he still felt invigorated. It was as if he had just taken a refreshing, cold bath after enduring days of scorching heat and dirt. “When last had it been since I was able to use my power as a security guard to this level of satisfaction? The feeling is so great and amazing!” As though he had just achieved something great, the rude security guard still sighed with contentment, still standing before the gate and looking through the rectangular window on it. “I’ve always been respectful to every single person I come across ever since I began to work as the security guard of this estate, because a single word from any of them could ruin my entire life completely, but tonight, I finally managed to slightly curb my hunger of using my power... but how much I so much wish for
***** Immediately following the echo of the abrupt voice, silence enveloped the area outside the gate. It was so profound that one could hear a pin drop. A moment later, the few people present there shifted their vacant stares toward the direction from which the scornful voice, which was filled to the brim with disbelief, emanated. In the luxurious car parked outside the gate, the driver, a short middle-aged man, turned his blank gaze towards the rear. His mouth hung open in bewilderment for a prolonged moment the next second, until... “You little troublemaker. Haven't we made a conclusion before we left home to do our utmost to avoid causing any disturbances here today?!” The short man emitted a low growl, barely audible to the person seated in the back seat of the car, looking completely helpless and frustrated. Upon hearing his father's voice and sensing his deep concern, Gab directly understood his fear, which was that he might have offended someone he shouldn't have offende
***** “Who are you, and why are you on the property of the Jackson family?” Mark, who had been standing in confusion in front of an incredibly tall and massive black gate, was suddenly startled back to his senses. He quickly looked around, trying to search for the source of the sound, but no, he saw nothing. “Brat, are you deaf or what? What are you looking for?” Mark, “_” He couldn’t help but suddenly frown slightly after a second of blankness, but then he sighed. “I’m here for the banquet of the old master of the Jackson family,” he said calmly, finally locating a tiny sound system, where the rude voice that was speaking to him had originated. The sound system was incredibly small, but Mark was amazed by its quality, projecting sound in a way that one would think was coming directly from the speaker and not from a projector. After Mark’s slight amazement, he waited for a response to his words, but he saw and heard none coming. This silence, however, persisted for several
***** “That stupid and useless wretch actually dares to hang the call on me?! What the audacity? How dare she?!” At this moment, an aged man, who was radiating nothing, but strength, power, and authority was consumed with intense fury. He paced about, his body emitting a strong killing intent that could make anybody die from fear. He began to puff heavily, feeling like going on a killing spree. The old man with grey hair was Mark’s grandfather, Maria’s father. He had never liked Maria since the beginning of time, instead, all his love had always been toward her stepbrothers and stepsister. He had mostly always acted indifferent toward her and would never praise her, no matter how many positive things she had contributed to the family or how much she worked for its growth. The hatred and intense disgust towards her began when Maria declined to marry the man of his choice. The man he believed would have elevated his family to a position of great power and prestige in the co
*****“Father please I need your help! Anything at all! Please! My children, your grandchildren are now homeless, and they’ve known nothing but suffering all their lives! Please! Just a small apartment where I could slowly pay back in the future will do!”Mark's mother spoke rapidly, acting as though she was eating something incredibly hot without pausing or punctuating her words.It was as if she was fearing that she might lose the courage to convey her purpose for calling if she ever stopped even for a moment.Once she had finished explaining her purpose, however, a prolonged silence that made her feel a great discomfort followed. She waited patiently, but no response came. This led her to suspect that her father had disconnected the call.Just as she was on the verge of checking the cell phone’s screen, to ascertain her thoughts, though, a burst of hysterical laughter echoed through the cell phone.“Kakakakakaka!!!”The laughter wasn’t only long, it was loud as hell and fi