Vengeance System A Bullied Man

Chapter 3

"What should I do with this box?"

Currently, Alex is still confused whether to bring the box into his apartment or just throw it in his trash bin.

"But, upon closer inspection, this doesn't look like a package from a regular courier service. Could it be a gift from someone back in my hometown? Maybe they've sent me a message, but I forgot to check my chat."

Alex nods his head several times, trying to maintain a positive outlook on the mysterious box he just found.

"Alright, I'll bring it inside."

Alex then carries the mysterious box into his room, making sure to lock the apartment door.

"What an exhausting day," Alex mutters while stretching his body.

Before uttering those words, Alex had already placed the mysterious box he received earlier on a table in the middle of his apartment.

Alex walks towards his desk, not far from his bed where he usually sits. He stares intently at the papers pinned to the wall using a bulletin board.

"Everything just happened all at once. What's right and what's wrong? I can't seem to differentiate anymore."

Alex rubs his face with both hands. For a few seconds, he messes up his hair out of frustration.

Alex then folds his hands on the table, burying his face in between them for some time.

Alex tries to find the much-needed peace to prevent himself from considering suicide as a last resort.

"Why does everything feel so unfair, God?!"

Alex slams the innocent desk. His mind is in turmoil, making it difficult for him to accept everything after months of enduring a difficult life.

It was never in Alex's wildest dreams that his life would become this challenging.

Living each day as best as possible without experiencing bullying would be the dream of all human beings on this earth.

Alex once imagined such a beautiful life, greeting his colleagues at the office and coming home to a peaceful sleep.

However, all those dreams vanished when he first set foot in his current workplace.

Everyone seemed cruel, and no one wanted to understand him. They were only interested in making Alex their daily free entertainment.

Alex is tired. Alex is exhausted.

He can no longer hold himself back from facing it all.

Soon, the sound of Alex's resigned sigh fills the room.

He reaches out his hand and picks up one of the books piled up in front of him.

Diary.

Regardless of whether it is true or not that Alex uses a diary, one thing he always remembers is that it is through that diary that he can pour out and express everything.

Although Alex is well aware that diaries are typically used by women, it doesn't feel wrong for him to write in it just like any other woman would.

Because it is only through the diary that Alex can find peace, often.

Alex takes his black ink, writing word by word, pouring out all the emotions he has felt throughout the day.

Often, Alex's eyes turn red, trying to hold back the tears that want to escape from his eyelids.

Test!

Each drop that falls from his eyelids is quickly wiped away by him.

At least Alex doesn't want to appear too weak. He believes that he can be stronger than he imagines himself to be.

After 5 minutes, the diary is closed again by Alex.

This time, the burden on Alex feels lighter. His heart feels calmer than before.

"At least, regardless of how much time is left, I have to try to keep up appearances. Starting with small things, cleaning myself up and keeping busy by focusing on tidying up this messy room." Alex murmurs, trying to convince himself that the days ahead can be better.

Alex then straightens his body, walking towards his blue towel hanging right behind the door of his apartment room.

"I hope that with a shower, everything will return to normal and feel much better."

Relentlessly, those suggestive words keep coming out of his mouth. Hoping that with them, Alex's feelings will become much calmer.

Alex drapes his blue towel over his shoulder and walks back to the bathroom to clean himself up.

Sigh.

Again and again, Alex continues to sigh, his tone sounding resigned. His gaze now shifts towards the bathtub, which he intentionally left filled with running tap water.

Alex sits on the floor of his bathroom, staring at the flowing water filling the tub.

"Why can't life be as easy as the flowing water from this faucet? I wish I could be in the position of this water."

Alex contemplates, resting his hand beneath his chin.

Even for an inanimate object like water, he feels an intense sense of envy. Yet, it's clear that water has no life of its own.

"Life is indeed not easy, especially when far from one's parents. If I could turn back time, I would choose to stay with my Mom and Dad."

Alex ponders silently in his heart.

However, it's like the rice that has already turned into porridge.

No matter how much one hopes, the outcome will still be the same. In the end, Alex will indeed be sent to the city since there are far better job opportunities there, vastly different from those in the village.

However, if given the choice, Alex would still prefer to work in the village. At least there, his mental and psychological well-being wouldn't be disturbed, considering how friendly and respectful the people in the village are.

Perhaps there would only be one or two individuals who harbor ill will towards him, unlike in the city where he currently resides, where he is disliked by all his coworkers.

Not a single one of them has ever shown any compassion towards Alex. They only think about themselves and consider someone vulnerable like Alex deserving of such treatment.

Alex closes his eyes for quite a while, letting the sound of the running tap water further calm him down.

He slowly opens his eyes, accompanied by a long sigh.

His hand then reaches out to grab the dipper in the bathroom tub.

"Farewell to the wounds that should not exist within me!"

Alex pours the water over his body, using several scoops filled with water.

The stinging sensation of the wounds that he has yet to heal seems to be disregarded by Alex.

Along with the desire for inner peace and tranquility within Alex's soul, the pain of those wounds seems to disappear.

Alex continues to pour water over his body for quite some time before finally rising and drying himself with the towel he had hung earlier.

When a gust of air from the room's AC touches his body, a slight sting is felt around the gaping wound on Alex's body.

"I thought it wouldn't hurt. But it's actually quite painful."

Alex murmurs in his heart. He then guides his steps towards his wardrobe.

"Comfortable casual clothes seem more fitting. Besides, I don't have any plans for tonight."

Alex takes the clothes hanging in the wardrobe.

After putting on clothes to cover his freshly bathed body, Alex turns around and looks at every corner of his room, which appears far from being called tidy.

"I never knew when my room would become this messy."

Alex sighs. Regardless, he is the only one living in that apartment, so it's clear that he is responsible for cleaning up the room that looks like a shipwreck.

"Cheer up! Living alone is more enjoyable!" Alex suggests to himself.

Alex smiles before starting to clean his room.

At first, he gathers all his scattered belongings from the floor. Multiple times, Alex crumples up papers and puts them into a large plastic bag for easier disposal later.

Not forgetting, Alex also tidies up his bed, which at that moment cannot be described properly anymore.

After ensuring that there are no more used items scattered on the floor, Alex picks up the broom from the corner of his room.

With agility, Alex starts sweeping the floor of his room. In every corner, he pays close attention to ensure no dust is left behind.

Alex wipes the sweat dripping from his forehead.

He also takes care of other household chores, washing the dishes he used and mopping the floor of his apartment room.

After approximately 45 minutes of cleaning, Alex's room now looks much better, from one end to the other. There is no trace of the shipwreck-like appearance; instead, it appears like a tidy museum with everything placed in its proper position.

"Everything can be sorted out. Finally! Finished!"

Alex then lies down on the neatly made bed, which he just tidied up himself.

"If you have any wounds, don't forget to treat them, my dear. Don't let the wounds linger like this. Watch out if Mom finds out, she will give you a scolding!"

As Alex lay there, looking up at the ceiling, suddenly his mother's voice starts to echo in his ears.

In a hurry, he quickly gets up from his bed. Alex crawls towards the nightstand near his bed.

He opens one of the drawers and takes out the first aid kit box that has been there since he first moved into the apartment.

"I must always remember my mother's advice. I shouldn't make her worry about my well-being here."

Alex murmurs in his thoughts. He then opens the first aid kit box.

He pours the red medicine onto the available cotton in the first aid kit box.

Alex slowly applies the cotton mixed with the red medicine. Occasionally, a small wince escapes his mouth as the red medicine touches his wound.

"If only Mom were here. She would scold me while taking care of my wounds. I really miss her. I wonder how she's doing back in the village. It's been a while since I last contacted her."

Once he finishes treating his wound, Alex takes his laptop to contact his parents who are far away in the village.

Alex got so caught up in cleaning his room and his longing for his parents that he forgot about the box lying on his table.

"Assalamualaikum, my child!"

A smile spreads across Alex's face as his mother's face appears on the laptop screen.

"Wa'alaikumsalam, Mom. How are you doing? Is everything okay?" Alex begins the small talk.

His mother nods her head. It is evident that the interaction between Alex and his mother reflects how much they miss each other but are separated by a considerable distance.

They continue to chat, mainly discussing trivial matters.

"How is your work, my child? Is everything going well?"

Alex falls silent for a while. He doesn't know what to say at this moment.

"Alhamdulillah, everything is fine, Mom. It's all thanks to your prayers as well."

Alex is forced to lie, not wanting to cause any worries within his mother.

Unable to bear looking at his mother's face after his lie, Alex decides to end the call.

"I still have more work to do, Mom. Please turn off the phone, Mom. When I have free time, I will definitely call you again. Take care, Mom, and Dad, back in the village. I'll transfer money for you when my salary comes. Bye."

Alex smiles and ends the phone call.

He closes his eyes and lets out a long sigh. For the first time in his life, Alex had to lie to his mother.

"I don't have any other choice," Alex mutters with a weak tone.

As Alex is about to close his eyes, the box that he had forgotten suddenly makes a sound, capturing his attention.

Alex walks over to the box, filled with curiosity.

"Is that sound coming from this box?" Alex wonders to himself.

Not wanting to prolong his curiosity, Alex opens the box.

As soon as the box is opened, he finds a futuristic gadget that looks unfamiliar to him.

Not only that, but there is also a piece of paper inside.

Alex takes the paper and reads it with a furrowed brow, feeling puzzled.

[System that will grant any power to its chosen individual]