Drake Chwe returned to BellRox, anticipating Zack White's retaliation after everything he'd done.However, there was an eerie calm amidst the chaos he expected. The headquarters remained tranquil, unaffected by the poisoning incident and internal conflict."What's going on?" Drake blurted out, breaking the silence."What's the matter?" Lucille asked, noticing his unease."These people are unusually quiet," he said, scanning the surroundings.Lucille looked around, puzzled by Drake's observation. "Is it necessary for them to be noisy right now?""No, but usually there's a buzz of gossip whenever someone falls from grace. They laughed at my misfortune and spread rumors instantly, but why is there no chatter about Kale Justinbaste?" Drake wondered aloud."Hmm, you have a point. Even if the issue should be kept out of public view, the employees usually catch wind of it. Could it be that the executives forgave Zack so easily?" Lucille speculated."Forgiven or not, these people tend to spea
Lucille hurried to Bigas's agency to meet Eleanor. She anxiously checked her phone for any updates from her boyfriend's sister."Where's Bigas?" she asked, addressing one of the staff members as she entered the agency."He's on his way back here," the staff member replied, gesturing for Lucille to follow them inside to wait."Why isn't she sending updates to me yet?" Lucille wondered aloud, growing increasingly worried."You won't receive updates through your phone; please use this one," the staff member informed her, offering a burner phone.Lucille stared at the burner phone for a moment before taking it. "I can't believe Ely is so thorough. Is she really a teenager?" she commented to herself. "When I was her age, I was completely dependent on adults. I wasn't as brave as her. I wonder what made her like this."She was essentially talking to herself, as the staff member didn't seem interested in her thoughts.She proceeded to call Eleanor, who answered immediately."Ely, are you sti
In Drake Chwe's office at BellRox Corporation headquarters, Drake looked at his guests with bored eyes. "What's taking this long?" he wondered inwardly, running out of patience. He had thought clearing his name would be easy with Marianne's competence, but it seemed her magic wasn't working today. She looked rattled and unorganized while presenting evidence that his businesses and sources of income were all legal."Aren't we done yet?" he asked Marianne, who appeared busy checking documents."They're still asking for copies of investment declarations, franchises—" Marianne began, but Drake cut her off mid-sentence."Whatever. Just hurry up. Didn't we deal with audits with ease? You're taking a lot of time today," he said disappointedly."I'm sorry," Marianne apologized. "The detectives were kind of complicated to talk to, and they were very thorough."Drake scowled. He could only sigh in front of the detectives, knowing he couldn't leave without completely disproving their suspicions
The accusations from the crowd washed over Drake like a relentless wave, yet he remained composed, irritation simmering beneath the surface. He was no stranger to the ungratefulness of BellRox employees, who always seemed quick to pin random crimes on him."I can't believe this nonsense," Drake muttered to himself, shaking his head in disbelief. Despite knowing he had saved their lives by alerting them to the danger, gratitude seemed to be in short supply among the panicked crowd."Do I have to get used to this malice they always throw at me? These people never change," he bitterly mused, feeling a mix of frustration and disappointment at their lack of appreciation. "Next time, I won't even bother if they're all on the brink of death.""Restrain him!" an employee exclaimed upon seeing Drake's lack of reaction to the accusations."Is that true, Drake Chwe?" Chairman Sy asked as he emerged from the crowd, looking haggard at the instant destruction of his beloved headquarters."No. Why w
Before Drake's arrival, Lucille wasn't praying for his well-being; she was silently pleading for his swift rescue.“Gosh! I can’t take this! Drake, hurry and save me!” she cried inwardly, her desperation evident.Despite having numerous system items for protection, her heart and body struggled to withstand the terror of the brutal fight. However, she managed to hold her ground somewhat against Zack's relentless assaults."Seriously! What's your system level?" Zack inquired, wiping blood from his lips."Level 3," Lucille honestly replied, but Zack dismissed her with a sneer."As if," he spat, gritting his teeth as he prepared for another attack, wielding a gun in his left hand and a knife in his right."When will you stop?" Lucille exclaimed in horror at Zack's unyielding onslaught. She had already consumed numerous health potions to recover from his attacks, yet her lack of combat experience left her struggling to defend or counter effectively."Until you're dead!" Zack declared, firi
Lucille didn't rush to pick up Drake. Instead, she contemplated fleeing, but the thought of what Drake and Zack were capable of held her back. If she fled now, she knew she'd be caught immediately."Maybe this can be of use later," she murmured, picking up the cursed knife Zack had dropped. She stowed it away in her system storage and then checked how many items she had left."Gosh, I wasted more than a hundred items today," she groaned, unintentionally fiddling with the key pendant on her necklace. "I want to be free," she sighed before dragging Drake back to the car.Drake, now free from injuries but covered in dirt and mud from being dragged, slowly regained consciousness. He sat up, examining his now-normal skin, yet still trembling from the memory of his body rotting."I’m alive?" Drake muttered, confused. His gaze wandered around, trying to make sense of their situation. "Did Zack succeed in stealing my chance?" he asked.Lucille didn't answer immediately, the silence stretching
The next day, Drake headed to BellRox's branch office for a crucial meeting with the executives and investigators. Tension hung heavy in the air as they convened to address the aftermath of the bombing at BellRox headquarters, which had resulted in staggering losses.Billions worth of products had been reduced to ashes, and the investors were threatening to withdraw their support. As the executives gathered, their voices grew louder with panic as they discussed the implications of the incident. The chairman paced nervously, grasping the severity of the situation.Meanwhile, Drake Chwe maintained a nonchalant demeanor, calmly observing the chaos and panic unfurling around him.Chairman Sy, his face etched with worry, addressed the executives. "This is catastrophic! We've never faced such a crisis before. Our stocks are plummeting, and the investors are breathing down our necks. If we don't recover from this loss, BellRox could be on the brink of collapse!"Ms. Simmons, the CFO, chimed
Drake felt a mix of unease and annoyance at Marianne's actions, but the scene only lingered in his mind briefly. As soon as he hopped into his car, his thoughts shifted back to Zack White."Hide well, Zack. You can no longer escape," he muttered to himself as he drove to the police station.Upon arrival, he was greeted by the chief with a warm smile. "Sir, we've already located him. It's only a matter of time before we catch him," the chief of police assured him. "And thank you for the helicopters and mobiles you donated. They will greatly assist us in capturing not only this criminal but others as well.""Don't flatter me too much, sir. As one of the victims, I simply wanted to assist," Drake replied, glancing at the screen where the manhunt was being viewed live."I heard you also contributed funds to improve the facilities at the city jail. You're truly generous, sir," the police officer said, clearly trying to ingratiate himself as Drake had brought a significant amount of money t
Ten years had passed, yet the dream of earning a sextillion coins remained elusive. Time slipped away unnoticed as Drake immersed himself in the relentless pursuit of money to settle his debts. Only too late did he realize the true cost of his singular focus.Seated in his office, absorbed in his tasks, Drake was jolted from his concentration by the ringing of his phone. Glancing at the caller's ID, he recognized his sister Eleanor's number. With a resigned sigh, he answered the call."Hey, Ely," Drake greeted, attempting to sound nonchalant despite his apprehension."Drake, where are you?!" Eleanor's voice crackled with frustration and disappointment."I'm at the office, why?" Drake responded, his heart sinking as he anticipated the conversation that was about to unfold."Seriously? You forgot, didn't you?" Eleanor's incredulous tone pierced through the line.Drake's stomach churned with guilt. "Forgot what?"Eleanor let out an exasperated sigh. "My wedding, Drake! The one I've been
Drake was shocked to learn the truth, his jaws dropping even further when Lucille revealed that he needed to repay the tribute system twofold."Earning sextillion coins is impossible!" he exclaimed."You have to offer it back, or else you'll spend your life paying for it," Lucille replied grimly, exaggerating the explanation to divert Drake's attention away from herself."Damn it. Is this why I can't kill Zack? He cannot die until he pays his debt," Drake said frustratingly, but then he smiled viciously. "But does that mean I can keep him in prison to suffer?""He doesn't change. Good luck," Lucille muttered under her breath, slowly becoming accustomed to Drake's viciousness."What is it?" Drake asked."Nothing. I was just wondering why you came here," she bluntly asked, inwardly worried about the chance of Drake hurting her."What else? To pick you up?" Drake said, grabbing Lucille's hand and looking into her eyes with sincerity. "Lucille, please believe me, what Marianne said was al
Lucille Bmak seized the opportunity to escape when Drake and Rebecca were engrossed in their own conversation.Thinking it was her chance, she began to make her way out. However, unbeknownst to her, she was trapped in a labyrinth from which only Zack, Rebecca, and Drake could find their way out."What the hell is this place?" she muttered to herself as she continued downwards in an attempt to escape, but the path seemed endless."Aah!" she screamed as someone suddenly yanked her back."You're new here? There's nothing above your head yet," the female said, her tone cautious and discreet. “I got the ability to see other users status and progress. You're still fresh. Save yourself!”"What? I don't belong here. Do you know the exit?" Lucille asked, sensing no hostility from the girl."Go up instead of down," the girl replied honestly."Really? But why aren't you leaving?" Lucille inquired."I'm weak, but I can't die. You should be careful. Let go of the system as soon as possible while i
Lucille Bmak had prepared herself for this inevitable day.She knew all too well that her peaceful days would come to an end as long as Zack White and Drake Chwe existed.However, despite her thorough preparation, she couldn't shield her heart from the viciousness that Zack and Drake displayed towards her.The constant hostility from both men exhausted her heart and mind, leaving her unable to display any emotion upon seeing Drake, whose presence made her heart throb, or Zack, whose mere presence sent shivers down her spine."Damn you! Damn your luck!" Zack White growled in frustration, his anger palpable as he longed to inflict harm upon Lucille.He yelled and pounded on the barrier as if he desired nothing more than to tear Lucille apart, but what frustrated him even more was the nonchalant expression on Lucille's face."Do you think you'll escape me for imprisoning me for three years? I'll torture you every second of the day!" he threatened."So foolish," Lucille commented, further
Drake Chwe hurried to find Lucille. He strode past the long underground passage, paying little heed to the torture cell, laboratories, and whatever bizarre occurrences filled each room. As long as Lucille wasn't there, Drake's focus remained undeterred."Where the hell are you?" he muttered exasperatedly to himself, his breath coming in ragged gasps as he reached the final room at the end of the underground complex. Taking a deep breath, he swung open the door, only for his eyes to widen in shock at the sight of his lover bound by chains."Lucille!" he exclaimed, rushing forward to free her, but his efforts proved futile."Drake, long time no see," Lucille greeted casually, her gaze devoid of emotion as if she had just woken up from a nap."Hang on a little longer. I'll free you soon," he promised, frantically rummaging through his bag for any tool that might help, but none did the trick."Damn it!" he cursed in frustration, realizing he couldn't access his trusted system in a time of
Zack sported a victorious grin, his eyes locked onto Drake with the same intensity Drake once aimed at him from within the torture cell. His lips curled as he relished the sweet taste of turning the tables."It'll be better if we suffer together. You know, I didn't plan to torment you for just three years," Zack said, closing the distance between them. "Let's make it forever," he whispered, his voice dripping with menace.His grin widened as he observed Drake's expression darken. However, standing closer to Drake proved to be a mistake."Oh, damn it," Zack cursed, blood bubbling up as he collapsed to the ground."All talk, huh?" Drake snorted, a twisted smirk forming on his lips as he pressed his foot onto Zack's face. "Your only shot at survival was staying locked away. Why set yourself free?""What's happening?" Zack grunted in agony, attempting to extract the knife lodged in his side, but it remained stubbornly embedded in his flesh."Can't you recognize these?" Drake sneered, with
Thanks to Merlyn, Drake finally learned where Lucille had been taken. He instructed Merlyn to locate her using his device, unaware that she would succumb to a heart attack afterward, much like the way he deceived and threatened Natasha into her demise."Code blue! Code blue! Room 203!" a nurse frantically announced.Medical staff rushed to Merlyn Spenser's side, the monitor next to her bed blaring with the alarming sound of a code blue. Doctors and nurses swarmed into the room, their faces etched with urgency as they converged around Merlyn's bed. The room was filled with the sound of rapid footsteps and the clatter of medical equipment."Goodbye, Merlyn. Thank you for your help," Drake coldly muttered as he casually walked out of the ICU, a strange sense of satisfaction washing over him."Why Canman, though?" he wondered, glancing at the address Merlyn had provided. "This doesn't sound good."He immediately hopped into his car and drove to Canman, Zack White’s hometown. Arriving the
When faced with a choice between life and death, the decision might seem obvious to most. Yet, Lucille Bmak's response was anything but expected. Though she typically valued her own survival above all else, this time she made a different choice."F*ck you!" Lucille spat defiantly, refusing to entertain whatever offer Zack White had in store. Having fallen into Drake's traps before, she was adamant about not allowing herself to be ensnared by another chain, even if it meant facing death."This is the last time I'm asking you. Listen to me, or—" Zack seethed, tightening his grip around her neck."I don't care! Kill me!" Lucille exclaimed, though her body trembled with fear. Summoning a forced smile, she added, "You've repeated yourself three times now. You sound like the one who needs me.""Who needs who?" Zack White yelled, his fury palpable. Despite his rage, he found himself unable to carry out Lucille's demise.Rebecca, the veteran user of the system, who had once bestowed favors up
Inside Lucille's house, the dimly lit corridors exuded an eerie aura as Zack White prowled through them, his presence ominous and foreboding. His eyes gleamed with a dark resolve as he approached Lucille's study, his heart pulsing with venomous intent."Finally... the moment I've been waiting for," he whispered to himself. He tried to be as quiet as possible so that no one could detect him."I'll kill you once I'm done with my task," he murmured, his voice low and menacing. Despite the vigilant guards stationed at every corner of Lucille's house, Zack's movements remained undetected. He used a system device to camouflage himself through the guards.Peering into the study, he observed Lucille seated at her desk, completely absorbed in her work, unaware of his presence. Zack's lips curled into a sneer as he watched her, memories of past torment flooding his mind."You thought you could hide from me, Lucille. But I always find my prey," he hissed, his voice dripping with malice. "How dar