Zack, his arrogance undeterred, said, "What? Are you bitter because I received more than you?"Drake was left in disbelief by Zack's revelation. He couldn't fathom what he was hearing. Zack had amassed a billion dollars through the system and acted as if it were no big deal, presuming he had received even more than Drake.Drake finally managed to respond, "Zack, it's not just about the amount. I'm simply surprised that you got anything at all. I thought I was the only one."Zack scratched his head, wearing a sly grin, and asked, "Why did you think that?""Well, isn't the system all about tribute?""Forget about Tribute. That miniature temple thing isn't even in there anymore," Zack grumbled."You mean the miniature temple can move?"Drake realized that the temple's location wasn't fixed. He thought inwardly, “Oh, that's why it disappeared after I made an offering.""I don't know, man. It's just not there anymore. Didn't you check for yourself?""No, I was too drunk to even remember wh
Drake, completely unaware of the serious danger Zack was secretly planning, went back to enjoying his time at the circuit track. He decided to treat himself to a brand new sports car and had a blast."Excuse me, does Zack White come here often?" Drake casually inquired with the track staff."Yeah, he's a regular, sir," the staff replied apologetically. "We're really sorry about what happened. We never expected he'd take issue with someone else renting this place. You probably shouldn't come back here; it was our mistake trying to accommodate another customer.""But he's not the owner, right? Shouldn't you report him for harassment?" Drake asked, sensing that this wasn't the first time Zack had caused trouble."We can't do that, sir." the staff leaned in closer to Drake and whispered, "He leads an organization. It's legitimate and registered, but it's actually a criminal organization.""What?" Drake was taken aback."Please don't try to find out more, sir. Just leave this place and avo
The seconds dragged on mercilessly, each one feeling like an eternity as Drake's mind raced. He fought through the excruciating pain, pushing himself to reach the system's screen. With a final, desperate effort, his trembling fingers managed to press the holographic message."Yes, buy that healing potion!" he willed with all his might.The system responded instantly, deducting the required 50,000 coins from his account, and a shimmering vial of potion materialized before him. Drake's weakening hand gripped the vial, and he struggled to open it, his vision dimming as the room around him seemed to blur and fade.Gasping for air and writhing in pain, Drake felt the potion take effect almost immediately. It was as though an electric wave of rejuvenation flowed through his veins. The pain subsided, and he could feel his strength returning."Phew, that was close!" he exhaled with relief as the world around him gradually came back into focus.As he struggled to his feet, the first thing he n
"Stay with us, sir! We've got you!" urged the paramedic, his voice filled with urgency.Drake's vision blurred as his consciousness wavered. The world around him felt disjointed and surreal, almost like a fevered dream."No... no..." Drake whispered, the words barely audible.A paramedic kneeled beside Drake, carefully assessing the wound on his chest. Another paramedic stood over him, frantically trying to apply pressure to the wound."We need to stabilize this wound now!"As Drake's consciousness began to slip away, the crowd of hotel personnel and paramedics continued their efforts to save him. Their voices and actions seemed distant and hazy, as if part of a dream. Drake felt an overwhelming sense of detachment from the world around him."I can't just... die like this," he thought, his mind racing as he pictured his sister's face.Meanwhile, the mysterious miniature temple remained bathed in radiant light, a mystifying presence amid the chaos. It stood there, untouched by the fran
The night lay quiet, and Drake's car sped along the empty highway, leaving the Navi Hotel behind, its memory-altering fog still lingering in the rearview mirror. As he drove, he couldn't stop thinking about the unknown attackers and the puzzling tribute system."I know I'm not the only one with this system, but are these attackers connected to it? What do they gain by hurting me?" Drake pondered.His mind kept replaying the terrifying events. His hands trembled, and he shivered, haunted by the fear he just experienced."That felt like something out of a horror movie. I never want to go through that again," he muttered, rubbing his neck and still feeling the eerie sensation of a close encounter with death."Ugh, I shouldn't dwell on it," he groaned. Even thinking about it was terrifying enough.Drake was still a long way from Magrao, so he pulled over at the roadside. He took deep breaths, trying to calm his racing heart and the trauma that had enveloped him."Think about something els
At a funeral home, the largest chapel was filled with mourners, all dressed in black, gathered to pay their respects to Drake Chwe.The front of the room held his urn, encircled by wreaths of flowers, with a cheerful photo of him propped on an easel nearby.Drake's aunt, Rebecca Luansing, stood at the front of the room, addressing the gathered guests."Drake was an extraordinary person, full of life and energy. He touched all our lives in ways we can't even begin to describe. We'll miss him terribly," Aunt Beck said with teary eyes.Aunt Beck covered her face, making it seem like she was really crying, but in reality, she just wanted to hide her irritated expression."Why are there so many people here? I don’t think Drake had many people who cared for him like this. If he did, he wouldn't have been so overwhelmed by his problems before becoming rich," she grumbled inwardly.She peeked through her fingers and observed the mourners across the room. Some were genuinely weeping, while othe
"I want to kick her ass!" Eleanor declared. "I want to pull out all of her hair until she's bald!" Drake has no choice but to let her go. He was too shocked to see this new side of his sister to stop her from leaving. He had always viewed Eleanor as weak and gentle, forgetting that she was fully capable of asserting herself, especially now that she was healthy.“No, she still needs protection,” Drake muttered to himself before dialing a number on his phone.“Hello, increase Eleanor’s bodyguards, and make sure no one can approach her, especially Linda Chwe,” he ordered.He leaned back on the couch, deeply worried about Eleanor's meeting with their mother, his eyes fixed on the screen, monitoring the events at the funeral as Eleanor was still on her way.“Is she serious? Is she really going to confront Mom?” she wondered, anticipating the interaction. “I hope she won’t hurt herself instead.”Meanwhile, in the car, Eleanor sat with rage in her eyes, gazing out the window as they passed b
Drake's hands were sweaty, and his eyes remained glued to his phone. He messaged his men for the fifth time, anxiously checking their location."Any updates?" he asked."We're still on the move, sir," his hired men replied.Drake clicked his tongue, his patience running thin. He desperately wanted to keep an eye on them using the "Otherworldly CCTV" item on the tribute system, but it required specific location details to function."Why are they taking so long? Should I go out too?" he wondered, but the memory of the danger he faced at the Navi hotel kept him in his penthouse."Boss, they've booked a flight," his men reported."To where?”"Canman."Drake scowled. The only people he knew who might want him dead were the folks at Bellrox Corp. Besides them, he couldn't think of anyone holding a grudge against him or wishing him harm."Merlyn definitely can't afford to hire someone to kill me, and the one who escaped the trial couldn't either. Also, Marcus is in prison now. Who? Who would