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2024-10-29 19:42:56"Let her handle your luggage, Mr. Rupert," Mr. Rocky instructed Anne to take my belongings, but I declined.
"I'm sorry, I prefer to carry it myself," I politely refused, as the documents I carried were very valuable.
"Very well then, we welcome you, and we're pleased you've chosen our inn. We'll provide the best service possible. Allow me to assist you with the check-in process," Anne gestured gracefully, inviting me to the counter displaying “information and receptionist” inside.
Anne sat in front of her computer, her fingers agilely pressing the keyboard. The summer season had made the air warmer; I noticed the fan at the counter was broken, with screws and bolts scattered to the side. Sweat trickled down Anne's forehead, and she wiped it away with the back of her hand. Perhaps unable to bear the heat, she then gathered her long wavy hair atop her head, revealing her slender and graceful neck.
The image of my fingers slipping down that neck, pulling her into a passionate kiss, invaded my mind. Her lips, in the midst of softly murmuring while typing, turned a delicate shade of pink, tempting beyond belief!
I was lost in this wild daydream when her cheerful and friendly voice shattered it. She smiled as she caught my gaze, and I cursed my intrusive mind, yet her smile warmed my heart again.
"Apologies for keeping you waiting, Mr. Rupert. Will you be paying in cash or by credit?"
"Ahem. Cash."
"There's no mention of your length of stay here. Could you please indicate how long you plan to stay?"
"True, this is the amount I can provide as a down payment. How long would it cover? Oh, and I've also booked the breakfast and dinner package."
Anne's face brightened; she received the $900 I had obtained from my earlier reward. On my way here, I had withdrawn cash from an ATM.
"The accommodation package with breakfast and dinner amounts to $50/night, Sir, and I've reserved it for 18 days."
"Perfect."
"Lastly, we'll need your ID."
"Is there an option for us to make things comfortable for each other? Feel free to fill in anything you like in that field, and I promise to be an unobtrusive tenant." I said it with a serious tone.
Anne's smile suddenly disappeared; she exhaled heavily and, without protest, entered a random name and ID number.
"Alright, done, Sir."
"Thank you," this time I gave her a wide smile, but Anne avoided my gaze.
"Pops! Mr. Rupert is ready to head to his room." she yelled to her grandfather.
With slow steps, Mr. Rocky approached Anne, who handed him the room key and gestured for me to follow him. I grimaced, imagining how long it would take to get to my room.
"Hihihi..." Anne chuckled, seeing my awkward steps trailing behind her grandfather. She was definitely having fun at my expense!
Judging from the old-fashioned wooden furniture, faded yet clean fabric, and porcelain that seemed decades old, the inn was struggling to keep running.
The long corridor was dimly lit; I winced at the sight of the long staircase leading upwards, then breathed a sigh of relief as Mr. Rocky passed it. Only God knows how long it would take us to climb if my room was on the upper floor. We passed several closed doors; my ears caught some activity from one of the rooms – the sound of a chair scraping. Mr. Rocky halted beside that room and bent down to peer through the keyhole.
My patience was truly being tested; my back was eager to be stretched out. After what felt like an eternity, I heard a melodious sound.
Click.
Yes! Finally!
"Please, Sir. May your rest be comfortable... Oh, and the hot water might take a while to run, as we use an older heating system."
"Thank you for the information, Sir. In this summer season, I prefer cold water. Good night."
Mr. Rocky nodded briefly, then turned around. I closed the door and immediately locked it. The room had the aroma of old wood, but at least it wasn't damp. The air circulation seemed to be functioning well. My assumption was confirmed when I pulled back the heavy curtains, revealing a wide window facing the backyard garden with its fish pond and vegetable patch. The scent of grass and soil mingled with the lively chorus of crickets – it was perfect.
The room was spacious, stretching about 6x8 meters. The bathroom was near the entrance; a queen-sized bed with a wooden frame occupied the center of the room, flanked by nightstands and bedside lamps on either side. A sturdy wooden wardrobe with Z-shaped carvings – Z for Zane – stood in one corner, a name I symbol scattered everywhere. Interestingly, the inn was named Turin.
I turned off the air conditioner and let the warm night air of summer flow into my room. The sound of a chair scraping in the next room still resonated, its rhythm constant as if the person next door was lost in thought, for I didn't hear the sound of a television.
Without wasting much time, I concentrated on studying the documents from Mr. Burrow on the corner table. I let the papers spread out before me.
'What can I do to retaliate against them?' I asked the system.
[Well, you might be interested in the plan I've come up with for you]
'Explain.'
A slideshow presentation from the system appeared in front of me, and I watched it while reclining on the wrinkled bed, which struggled to support my weight.
I'm not sure when exactly, but suddenly my consciousness faded away, drawn into the realm of dreams.
It felt like I had just closed my eyes, yet my instincts sent a signal of alertness, telling me that the room where I had fallen asleep was no longer empty. A thief, perhaps?! I remembered the documents from Mr. Burrow that were still exposed on the table and immediately sat up straight.
"Woah! You startled me," snapped a man with a terrifying face, marred by burn scars. He had been examining the scattered documents.
"Who are you!" I immediately grabbed his collar and cornered him against the wall.
"Wait, sorry if I'm bold, I was just curious about my neighbor's room," both of the man's hands went up.
"Give me a good reason before I make you taste my fist and knock your teeth out."
"I was just investigating whether you're a friend or foe,"
"Why should I care?!"
"Because... This is where we gather. The victims of Merrick Corp." The man nodded towards the stack of documents on the table with his eyes.
"Bullshit."
"My name is Dr. Bertha, well, Berthold. I know everyone listed in the documents you brought, did Burrow send you here?"
Okay, now all these intertwined events seemed too odd to be coincidences.
'Is what he's saying true?' I asked the system.
[True]
'Is that why the search results for motels you provided earlier placed this one at the very bottom of the list, with slightly larger font size than the others?'
[You're quite observant, I'll give you points for that]
[Ding! Congratulations, a reward of $2,000 has been deposited into your account]
'Why didn't you just tell me directly?'
[Where's the fun in that]
I rolled my eyes mentally at it.
[Apologies, the emoji you sent cannot be read by the system]
'Are you categorized as female?' I asked, as his way of answering made me think of my sister Helen.
[... I am a gender-neutral system]
I then released my grip on Dr. Bertha, who turned out to be a man. Who would have thought?
"What happened to your face?" I asked Dr. Bertha.
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The Ultimate Revenge System 8. Unfolded
"Here," Dr. Bertha pointed to a newspaper clipping that reported a house fire in the city center, which happened 11 years ago.Memories of that event were triggered; at that time, I was still a freshman at Merrick High School. I lost a classmate, Jeanette. The second prettiest girl in my class after Lyra. She and Lyra were close friends, a pair of beautiful women who attracted attention wherever they went. Jeanette's tragic death brought me closer to Lyra, and we eventually started dating. Because I was there for her during the times of her depression over losing Jean."Jeanette was your daughter? I'm sorry for your loss, doctor. But what does this have to do with Merrick?""Do you know what she said the day before our house burned down? She was harassed by Bash and his lackeys. In the riverside cabin, just like your sister Helen... I went to their house to threaten them, telling them that if Bash wasn't imprisoned, I would expose the illegal organ trade that their hospital was involv
The Ultimate Revenge System 9. Plan
[Of course not, silly.] I observed Anne, who remained motionless as the system responded to my question. "So, it's not her." [Don't get your hope up, then you won't be disappointed.] "Haha," I chuckled, leaving them both looking at me with surprise. "Oh, hello Anne," I replied hesitantly to Anne's greeting. "We witnessed how you escaped from their riverside cabin, Mr. Harrington." "Please, call me Danzel. I couldn't do much when facing Terry and Lyan simultaneously. They turned out to be incredibly strong." "Yes, Danzel. We're not making fun of you. It was the most rational decision you could have made if you wanted to survive. We're thankful you made it back safely. Right now, we need a little help from someone we can rely on." Anne responded with her wide-eyed gaze directed at me. I smiled at her, and she returned the gesture. In the midst of my crumbling world, her smile felt like a glimmer of hope. "Did you know that Tom is running for mayor? This is a project he plans to
The Ultimate Revenge System 10. Execute
"Even though, if they indeed had footage, they would know I was far away when that happened!""We know. This is just their tactic to defame you, Danzel. 'One stone, two birds,' as they say."I clenched my fists in anger. These people couldn't be underestimated! "Actually, I already have a plan."Anne and Dr. Bertha's attention was now fully on me. In the dimly lit, cramped room, I outlined my plan, a plan that had actually been formulated by the system in my head.***"Are you sure?" Dr. Bertha interjected, "But how is it possible? You don't have the capacity for that."He hesitated after I explained the procedure for a complete face-lift to change my identity entirely. The only person who could perform this was Dr. Bertha himself, known as the 'miracle worker.' Ironically, he didn't entrust anyone to touch his own messed-up face. For him, the only one who could do it properly was himself, and it would damage his pride if someone else did it and the result didn't meet his expectations
The Ultimate Revenge System 11. First Act
"Who's this clown?" Margaret Merrick asked with a condescending tone, her face stiff and unable to express any emotion due to the extensive plastic surgery she has undergone. One of her minions stepped forward and handed her, her husband and child each touch-screen tablets containing information about me, all of which I suspected had been meticulously detailed by the system, leaving no room for errors. "Based on this information, your reputation is quite remarkable. Strangely, why am I only now learning about you? It's as if you were created out of thin air," Tom Merrick questioned this time, an old man with the soul of a devil. His face wasn't much different from his wife's, leaving me wondering about the fate of the plastic surgeon who had worked on them – were they still alive, or had they vanished? Their work was a joke. "Because I chose to be so. Of course, I had to be careful, especially when it concerns all of you. Look at what happened to these people, all ending the same w
The Ultimate Revenge System 12. Pawn
"Why does your face look wrinkled?" Lyan inquired. He was a tall, brown-skinned man of mixed African and Caucasian heritage, his head always clean-shaven. But the difference now was that he had a thin beard and mustache, adding to the allure of his features. "Yeah, has someone been bothering you?" Terry added. They were gathered in the cabin shortly after Bash's call. Regardless of the situation, when Bash asked, they had no right to refuse. After all, their parents and they themselves worked under the Merrick family. "Some guy showed up earlier and threatened to overthrow the company. His attitude was incredibly annoying." "Why should you worry? Merrick Corp can't be shaken by such a minor threat, right?" "That's what I told Tom! But that old man threatened to take back the 20% share that the brat took from FnB and Merrick Entertainment! That's why I'm annoyed." Hearing this, Terry and Lyan were taken aback. Both of them worked in those departments. It was their playground, whe
The Ultimate Revenge System 13. Turn The Tables
"You! What do you want?" Anne shouted at Bash. *Whoosh.* Bash forcefully pulled the cloth covering Anne's head, not knowing why he had covered the face of this arrogant woman in the first place. "Surely, you desire me, you promiscuous harlot. You've been pretending to be high and mighty all this time, haven't you? Tsk tsk, it's a shame to waste such a beautiful face and body on that uncouth man. After this, you'll learn what it's like when I take you! Hahaha, don't crawl back to me begging for more later, understood?" Bash taunted, followed by laughter from his two friends. "Ugh! You wish!" Anne spat directly in Bash's face, making Bash slap her so hard that her lips bled. He wiped Anne's spit off his face. "Let's see if you can still talk big after what we're going to do to you," Bash threatened as he choked Anne's throat tightly. "Dude, dude, hey! You can kill her; we haven't tasted her yet!" Lyan pulled Bash's arm, freeing it from Anne's nearly suffocated neck. *Cough* "You
The Ultimate Revenge System 14. Friend or Foe?
'You never mentioned that she has a boyfriend!' [Really? I must have forgotten.] "Haha, not funny. Especially from the Merricks! Are you out of your mind?" [Tsk, he's not in the picture. Through my thorough investigation, he also harbors resentment toward Tom and Margareth Merrick. His parents were supposed to take over the Merrick business empire, but Tom sabotaged them, so he ended up taking over. For your information, he also doesn't like Bash. You two could be friends. The enemy to your enemy is your friend.] 'Oh my God, you really don't understand human emotions, do you?' [Will our plan fail because you have feelings for Anne? Should I look for another candidate?] 'No. But how will that guy react when he finds out his girlfriend is married to another man? And no, I don't have feelings for Anne.' [Pfft... I think he'll understand.] 'Okay, you really don't get it.' [I'm offended.] 'Good, now you're acting like a human.' [Hoof... Humans are confusing. I've given you an ou
The Ultimate Revenge System 15. Quarrel
*Cough* Dr. Bertha sputtered his drink upon hearing Alex's unfriendly statement. He glanced at me again nervously, gesturing for me to sit and not respond to Alex's sharp remark. "How long are you staying here? You're not welcome here, and one more thing, be careful how you speak to my guests. You have no manners, acting like you own the place," Mr. Rocky retorted coldly to Alex, who had just swallowed his last bite of grilled meat slices. "Pops!" Anne interjected, clearly upset. "What? Why did you let this traitor in? You know they're going to demolish our house, don't you? You're letting me live my last days in unrest by associating with him, Anneke Zane." It was the first time I had seen Mr. Rocky angry, and it made the atmosphere awkward. I wanted to stand up and leave the room, but Mr. Rocky patted my hand to keep me seated. "We've discussed this, Pops! Alex is not like Tom Merrick." "He's still a Merrick! That will never change. You! You always make my granddaughter and m
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- The Ultimate Revenge System
119. End
"Nobody move unless you want this bullet to pierce through this old man's skull!" Gatsby ordered, aiming the barrel of his pistol at the president's temple. The head of state instructed his men to comply with Gatsby's command."The four of you, follow me," Gatsby pointed at me, Elliot, Helen, and Kellan.Gatsby entered the City Hall and proceeded upstairs to Elliot's office, dragging the defenseless president along. Elliot grinned with satisfaction at the chaos caused by Gatsby. He knew he had been branded as a terrorist, especially since the one he was holding hostage was the president.He wouldn't live long after this, but he didn't want to fall alone. There had to be someone dragged along with him, someone responsible for his downfall, something he had fought for for years.That someone was Rupert, aka Danzel, and Helen Harrington, the siblings.Upon arriving at Elliot's room, Gatsby forced the president to sit in Elliot's desk chair, while Elliot gestured for me, Helen, and Kellan
- The Ultimate Revenge System
118. Chaos
Elliot never received any news about Alex's attack on Dustown Prison, nor did he want to inquire. His attention was occupied by the preparations for the President's visit, just a day away.As long as he didn't receive any notice from his aides regarding Dustown Prison, he would assume everything was fine. If there were even a hint of news about Dustown Prison, he'd be sure to know. But since Alex's request back then, there hadn't been any further requests. The atmosphere was completely calm without any issues. Elliot figured Alex might have backed off from attacking Dustown Prison knowing he was preoccupied with many matters."Kellan, have you found out who that mysterious donor is?" Elliot asked his secretary, having replaced his previous one because Sonia didn't approve.Kellan, his current secretary, shook his head. "No, Sir. He's truly mysterious. What should we do? He specifically requested to sit next to you. Should we still accommodate that request? Especially now that there's
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117. Siege 2
Elliot's eyes widened as he discovered Rupert's hiding place. He chuckled dismissively, 'No wonder the police never found him all this time,' he thought. Then he recalled Erwin's presence, the young man who remained closed off and impenetrable to him. The only employee under his command whom he couldn't control. Yet, due to his good performance, he couldn't just dismiss him. 'Besides, he's not in a critical sector,' he reasoned, choosing to overlook Erwin, but his judgment back then was wrong. Unbeknownst to him, Erwin had been forging alliances there, a fact that escaped his notice. *** "[Elliot has discovered your connection with Erwin; he and Alex plan to attack Dustown Prison tonight,]" reported the system. "Anne is still in critical condition. Do something to prevent them from coming here tonight," I pleaded with the system. The doctors finished observing Anne, and she was moved to a treatment room, almost her entire body wrapped in bandages. The doctor also mentioned the res
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116. Siege 1
Erwin drove us straight to Dustown Prison. Anne was still unconscious, and I supported her head in the back seat. Her condition was truly alarming, I couldn't bear to hold her body, afraid she'd feel more pain. Erwin called Ralph and ordered him to prepare competent doctors at the prison. Every second felt like a crossroads for me, constantly monitoring Anne's chest to ensure she was still breathing. I held my breath with every long inhale she took, trying to manage her pain. "Hurry, Er!" I urged Erwin. "Quiet! Don't command me!" Erwin snapped. I knew he was trying to navigate through the traffic in the Dustown city center; for this one, the system couldn't help because the streets were crowded with people, not because of traffic. Erwin repeatedly honked his horn to clear the pedestrians from the road. Several times, he had to brake suddenly as they crossed unexpectedly, truly testing his patience. After being stuck in the traffic jam for a long 30 minutes, our car finally gained s
- The Ultimate Revenge System
115. Help is Coming
About fifty people gathered in front of Jackie's Bar, arriving individually with their preferred modes of transportation from various corners of the city—some on motorcycles, skateboards, scooters, bicycles, cars, or by foot.There was no communication among them; they simply glanced at each other to determine if they shared the same purpose, exchanging a code by raising their left palm upwards, a symbol representing their Dandelion Organization, signifying a dandelion stem always seeking the sun.Without the need for lengthy discussions, they collectively entered Jackie's bar. Two formidable guards who had stood at the front door couldn't stop them and were pushed inside.A ceasefire ensued inside between the Dandelion Operation faction and Jackie's henchmen. Witnessing the chaos, Jackie stealthily retreated through the back door, leaving it all to his men. He valued his life too much.He cursed under his breath before calling someone, "You convinced me that he works alone! You said
- The Ultimate Revenge System
114. The Agony
Hearing the information from the system, I immediately headed to Jackie's place. Night was falling, the streets were getting crowded, and the city was brightened by decorative lights along the roads. Visitors from out of town, eager to witness the carnival in Dustown, flooded the pubs, hotels, and eateries.The city seemed to come alive again with stalls and food trucks lining the streets, creating long queues. It overwhelmed me to drive quickly through the chaos. While people were enjoying themselves, I was lost in thoughts about Anne's fate.*Honk* *Honk*My horn sounded at the drivers who parked recklessly along the street. I was truly impatient, especially with the drunken revelers who were barely conscious as night approached.I almost collided with a group of teenagers crossing the road without looking. I honked loudly, causing them to bang and hit the hood of my car. But I had no time to deal with them.Luckily, after passing the town square, the crowd lessened. I accelerated,
- The Ultimate Revenge System
113. Jackie's Bar
"I paced back and forth in Erwin's office, anxious as I hadn't received any recent updates about Anne. Not from Erwin's informants, nor from the system or Helen. I disliked this feeling, my intuition restless, sensing that Anne wasn't okay.Erwin, engrossed in his book, glanced at me from the corner of his eye, growing irritated as I disrupted his concentration."Tsk! Take one more step, and I'll kick you out," Erwin declared, unable to contain his frustration. His book remained untouched, the pages unturned due to my actions."Do you really have no information?" I asked again, wearing a pleading expression as I approached him."No, if I had any, you'd be the first to know. Now, get out of my space, or I'll have to force you out," Erwin commanded firmly. He was actually waiting for information that hadn't arrived yet. However, he masked it by focusing on more productive matters, unlike me.Right after that, Ralph arrived, carrying a vial bottle filled with thick white liquid. He was s
- The Ultimate Revenge System
112. Anne's ill Fate
Alex was furious, howling like a possessed person, ordering his men to search once again, this time more meticulously. Meanwhile, he returned to the room to interrogate Camilla.The woman was far too relaxed about Anne's disappearance, even seeming pleased. Camilla must know something! That's what Alex thought. This time, he was determined to interrogate Camilla until she spoke. He wouldn't hesitate to kill her if she didn't talk."You!" Alex barked, striding quickly across the room toward the startled Camilla, who was taken aback by Alex's sudden rage. She dropped the magazine she was reading and stood up. Alex approached her and immediately grabbed Camilla by the throat, her eyes bulging from the intense pressure on her neck."Tell me where Anne is! I'm not joking around. Your death is in my hands right now," threatened Alex, his eyes bloodshot, his hand muscles bulging as he tightened his grip around Camilla's throat.Camilla knew her chance to play around had ended. She also figur
- The Ultimate Revenge System
111. Revelation
“You’re delusional. I don't want anything,” answered Camilla, her lips curved into a sweet smile for Anne. Of course, Anne didn't immediately believe her, convincing herself to remain cautious around Camilla.Throughout her life, Camilla had always treated her badly, harboring negative thoughts about her. Initially, Anne had always wanted to understand the reasons behind Camilla's behavior, until she realized it was futile—Camilla's judgment of her was already formed, no matter how hard she tried to show kindness. Camilla remained steadfast and eventually deemed Anne as a mere attention-seeker.Since then, Anne realized she didn't need to waste energy on people who hated her because they would continue to do so. She had to focus on those who loved her, not many in number but sufficient for her.Thinking about it made her heart ache once again; now those people were gone, Pops and Dr. Bertha, whom she considered as her own father figures. Meha, who had been like the elder sister she ne
