Drake Chwe did his best to search in and out of the city for the miniature temple, but to his dismay, he never found a trace of it. It felt as though time passed both quickly and slowly, the gradual approach of despair over losing his sister weighing heavily on his heart."Why are you here? The month isn't due yet," Drake said, crossing his arms. He regarded Linda Chwe with disdain, noticing that she had gained even more weight since their last meeting."I... I couldn't find a way to come up with the money to repay you," Linda replied weakly."You can't find the money, but you look quite healthy," Drake remarked."Of course, I have to stay well so that I can earn well," she reasoned."So, what brings you here? If you're asking for an extension, the answer is no.""No, I'm not asking for an extension."Drake was taken aback by the maniacal gleam in Linda's eyes as she smiled.He asked, "What, then?""Can you lend me more money? I'm confident I'll win this time and can definitely pay yo
Drake Chwe, despite being numb from all the tragic events that happened to him, held onto a tiny glimmer of hope in his heart – a hope embodied by the miniature temple."Ely's death was so sudden. This can't be the end," he thought as he boarded a plane headed for Canman City. He also knew of three people who were aware of the system, so he believed that by tracing Zack and his minions' path, he might have a chance to revisit the miniature temple."I'm not scared, not at all," he tried to convince himself, but his body betrayed him with involuntary shivers at the mere thought of stepping back into the city where he came close to death, surrounded by killers.If only his system allowed him to purchase items for added protection. But his restrictions were still in place, and he have to wait for two more days before he could access anything in the system. However, he couldn't afford to stay idle."I'll be fine. They don't know I'm alive," Drake reassured himself.Drake chose to stay at t
At the hotel, Drake Chwe eagerly watched the countdown on the system, moments away from having his new restriction lifted. He had been looking forward to this, eager to take further action against those he sought revenge on."Congratulations, your restriction has been lifted. Do you need to make any transactions?" the system asked.He nodded and tapped "yes" on his holographic screen. "I'd like to learn more about Zack White," he requested."You've already purchased Zack White's information. Could you please specify the type of information you're looking for?" the system replied.Drake frowned, remembering the extensive and detailed summary he had received. It had been helpful for examining Zack's business transactions, but less so for uncovering Zack's connections with Zanjo and Grace Stone, especially without a clear direction on where to look and which timeline to investigate. "I need a more direct answer about what I should focus on," he insisted."The Tribute system doesn't curre
Inside the car, Drake Chwe cried helplessly as a nightmare unfolded before his eyes. He couldn't tear his gaze away from Rebecca Luansing, who had unconditionally protected him.Despite her blurry vision, Aunt Beck could see the terror in Drake's face. Coughing blood, she asked, "Drake, is that the temple you're referring to?" as she pointed at the holy glow slowly emerging on the sidewalk. Drake glanced at it for a moment, confirming that the miniature temple only appeared when someone was near death."Yes, that's it. Try to pray at it. Offer anything while I'll heal you! You'll be fine!" he exclaimed. He hurriedly purchased tons of potions and began to heal Aunt Beck. But just as she was not yet fully recovered, another bullet was fired at their car, and this time, it struck Aunt Beck's temple."No, no!" Drake rushed to pour more potions on her, but they had no effect."System! Stop giving me defective items!" he yelled."User Drake, the potion you purchased is not defective. Potion
Waking up at Merlyn's apartment after his harrowing encounter with his gunmen, Drake found himself in what felt like another nightmarish scenario. He was gearing up to confront Merlyn about the ridiculous conversation he overheard on the balcony, but something even more unsettling caught his attention: his own reflection."Why do I look like this?" he wondered aloud, baffled by his own image. His eyes were weary, adorned with dark circles underneath, making him resemble a tired panda. His skin appeared parched and pallid, as if it had never known hydration, and his hair was a mess. Unkempt facial hair concealed Drake's normally handsome features, a consequence of the exhausting life he had endured.It was as if he was peering at his former self in the mirror, serving as a stark reminder of the wretched existence he had before."Congratulations! You have returned to the past!" Drake reread the notification he had received a while ago. Standing just outside Merlyn's door, he was more fo
In the bustling city of Magrao, where skyscrapers towered like giants, Monday arrives with all the subtlety of a sledgehammer.For the office workers at BellRox Corporation, it was a day that unfolded like an unwelcome neighbor, bringing with it the cacophony of blaring alarms and hurried sips of lukewarm coffee.Monday, with its endless meetings, labyrinthine spreadsheets, and relentless deadlines, was a collective sigh that resonated through the cubicles, where life felt trapped in a repetitive cycle.However, BellRox had a unique event that set it apart from other companies.Every Monday, their manager's voice echoed loudly, a weird sense of authority as he berated someone. The employees hunched over their computers, avoiding Marcus Lee, for none of them wished to experience what they referred to as the "Monday Punch." It was a common occurrence for Marcus Lee to yell and bully one of the employees, and his favorite target for berating was Drake Chwe."Drake Chwe!" Marcus yelled li
"You've gone crazy!" Marcus exclaimed, determined to subdue the employee he'd been taming. He clenched his chubby fist, aiming to punch Drake in the face. As he lunged forward, something unexpected occurred.Drake, quicker than anyone had anticipated, blocked Marcus's fist with his hand and delivered a powerful blow to Marcus's gut.Marcus's eyes widened in shock as the air was knocked out of him, and he crumpled to the ground, landing on his butt."How dare you!" he yelled again.The other employees and auditors couldn't help but stop what they were doing and simply watch the action in front of them."Hey, stop them," one employee said."Nah, let them be."Their faces reflected a mixture of surprise and satisfaction. For once, someone had put Marcus in his place.Drake stood over Marcus, his eyes calm but cold. He didn't say a word; he just glared down at the fallen bully. His fists were clenched, and he aimed to continue his assault, as finally, he had the chance to personally punis
Another week passed, and the BellRox Corporation once again proved its resilience, as it wasn't greatly affected by the chaos caused by Marcus Lee.Marcus Lee was proven guilty, and unlike the future Drake had come from, David Cheng, Harold Steal, and Linsey Clare were also convicted, losing any chance of escape.The sales and operations department were still in the process of recovery, but there was no sign of breaking.As the clock neared the time for the daily staff meeting, tension grew. Then, as the office door swung open, all eyes turned toward the entrance. The collective gasp that followed was audible."Who's that?" one employee wondered."Maybe our new manager?" someone responded."Isn't that Drake Chwe?" another commented with a squint.The latter was correct; Drake Chwe returned after a week of recovery. The last time they saw him, his face was adorned with bruises from the fight with Marcus Lee. But now, the scars were gone, and his countenance was remarkably different."I