2023-06-24 15:52:28The silent beep of a machine woke Leonard up that evening. Squinting his eyes open, he was immediately blinded by the bright white light streaming from the chandelier of the room he was in. He groaned, trying to reach out but all he could feel was empty air.
''Its okay.'' a voice said.
Leonard didn't need to think twice to know that it was his mother's voice. How she had got here and how he had got here too was very strange to him.
''Mom?'' he asked.
''Yes honey.'' she sighed.
Finally, he managed to open his eyes and the first thing he noticed was how white the room was. He was momentarily confused when he saw some machines fixed on him.
''You're in the hospital, Leonard. You got severely hit by a thief.''
That was when everything came rushing back to him. The system's instructions… the women at the mart… the wait… tackling the thief to the ground and then finally receiving the blow to his head.
''The thief…''
''Oh don't worry about that honey, he's going to be in jail for a very very long time.'' she smiled.
Leonard heaved a sigh of relief, grateful that he was able to at least complete the task. Now, $2500 was guaranteed and as if confirming his thoughts, his phone made a small beep, indicating he had a new message.
Leonard panicked just from the thought that he was going to have tons of explaining to do.
The first would be how he got the phone.
''What was that?'' his mother asked.
At that point, Leonard knew that there was no point in hiding the phone anymore and so he reached for his bag lying just at the foot of the bed before pulling out the phone. In the next moment, his mother's expression was priceless.
There was a surprised look as well as a confused look in her eyes and he knew she was trying so hard to understand what she was looking at.
''Leonard. What in heaven's name?'' she asked.
''I know Mom,'' he said, scrolling through his phone and towards his message log.
Just as he had thought, his money was safely in his bank account. His face lit up the moment he saw his bank account and all pain he was feeling instantly vanished. This was all he was really after and getting it now felt like a dream come true for him.
''Leonard, I'm talking to you. Where did you get this phone and what's that smile on your face even when you're in pain.'' his mother said.
Leonard returned his phone back to the bag, this time placing it very close to him. He looked at his mother's confused face and thought about what to say.
''I won it in a bet.'' he lied effortlessly.
For some minutes, his mother had a confused expression on her face as she stared at him, trying to understand what he had just said.
''A bet?'' she asked.
''Yes. We had some math quiz… just between my friends and me. We had agreed that the winner would get a phone. As it happened, I won and got the phone.'' he said.
The lie was so easy to believe and he knew his mother would eat it up but still, he still saw the confused look on her face.
''Are you sure?'' she asked.
''Yes, Mom, I'm sure. There's nothing to worry about.'' he smiled.
He didn't want her worrying about it because he knew how well his mother could worry. There were many other things that he had his mind on and he wasn't going to bother himself on that.
''I feel stronger Mom I think we need to go,'' he said.
''No son, you need to get better and before I forget, I'm very proud of you and for what you did. Taking on someone older and even buffier than you had to take a whole lot of courage.'' she smiled.
Before he could respond to that, there was a slight knock on the door. His mother responded in the affirmative and soon, two women walked in, holding flowers.
Leonard recognized them as the women who almost had their purses stolen. They smiled at him as they walked further in.
''You're back.'' his mother smiled.
''Yes, and I can see that our young man here is awake. Hi Leonard, I'm Martha, and this is my sister Linda. We just came here to say a very big thank you for what you did. You are a very brave little boy, thank you.'' Martha, the slightly older one, said.
''It's my pleasure, ma'am. I couldn't just stand there and watch him get away with it. I just knew I had to do something and I'm quite glad that he's been arrested, that's what is most important.'' he smiled.
''Yes and to show our appreciation, we brought you these flowers and this little sum of money. Please, I hope it'll do.'' Linda smiled.
She had a dreamy look in her eyes, and Leonard found himself getting lost in her eyes until he snapped himself out of it. He remembered that she wasn't in his league and besides, he was too young for her.
''Oh no please… we can't possibly take this,'' Helene said, trying to refuse the gift.
''We insist, please,'' Martha said, placing the items on the bedside table.
''Thank you,'' Helene said, finally.
''Thank you,'' Leonard repeated his mother's words.
''Thank you too. We'll be on our way now, we wish you a speedy recovery Leonard and thank you once again.'' Martha said.
Just before they finally left, Linda walked up to him and placed a small kiss on his forehead. Leonard's cheeks turned a bright red as he tried to act unconcerned about the kiss when in reality he was dying from embarrassment within him.
Finally, they left and when they did, his mother sang their praises, telling him how lucky he had been to meet them even though it wasn't in a good way.
They counted the money they left for him and to their amazement, it was $3000 in cash. They had never seen that much money at once before and Leonard realized that this was the highest they had ever received.
Even the system has not given him this amount of money before.
''Wow! Mom, would you look at that.'' Leonard smiled, sitting up on the bed.
Already, all of the pains and aches he had felt prior to waking up had already vanished mysteriously. He was feeling much better now and just wanted to go home.
''We can live like kings for a while now… Thank the heavens. I'm so going to feed you a lot son.'' she smiled.
Leonard smiled back, happy that his mother was happy, and deep down, he knew that everything was going to be alright.
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World Domination System 13. Level Upgrade!
A few hours later, Leonard got discharged from the hospital, and deep within him, he was already feeling much better than how he was before. ''Thank you, nurse.'' Helene smiled at the nurse as they stepped out of the reception area of the hospital. Leonard's mind was already on the project work they were to do, he really hoped that Susan wasn't angry already because he knew that a lot of time had already gone. It was already dark outside and the only thing they could do was to get an Uber that could take them back home.''Mum, we need an Uber,'' he said.''An Uber would be too expensive darling, I'm sure we can get a bus that's going to our route,'' she said.Leonard stopped for a minute to think about what she had just said. He was quite confused because they were supposed to be going to Madame Diane's house but now she said they were going back to their own home which just confused him all the more.''We aren't going to Madame Diane's house?'' Leonard asked.There was a small paus
World Domination System 14. Danger In The School Grounds
The next morning, Leonard woke up in high spirits, ready to tackle the day ahead. He had made up his mind to confront Edgar and put an end to the torment once and for all. As the morning sun rose, Leonard got dressed quickly and headed to school, arriving earlier than usual.Walking through the school gates, Leonard couldn't help but notice the beautiful colors of the blooming flowers and the chirping birds in the nearby trees. The environment seemed to reflect his newfound optimism, filling him with a sense of happiness and confidence.Finding a quiet spot on the school lawn, Leonard took a moment to collect his thoughts. He reminded himself of his worth and the strength he possessed especially now that he had a power sitting deep within him. He repeated words of encouragement in his mind, standing on the belief that he didn't have to listen to Edgar's harsh words anymore just because he was a scholarship kid. Today was the day Leonard would stand up for himself and he would make
World Domination System 15. Let's Play, Edgar
The speed at which Leonard rushed out of the cafeteria was unlike anything Susan had ever seen in her life. One minute, they had been talking and the next minute, he was running like the wind.''What on earth?'' she murmured.She knew something was going on and she was determined to find out what it was but at that moment she couldn't because she had other pressing things to attend to.Meanwhile, Leonard who was halfway through the hallway raced towards a secluded part of the school, a part where he knew no one could find him. He needed to be alone with the system and better understand what they needed him to do because he had no idea what this next new task would be. They had given him nothing and he knew better than to ask any questions again because he knew that there would be no answers. Once the system had given him an instruction, it was left for him to follow through with it without fail.''But why the rush?'' Leonard asked as he got to the boy's locker room.He was smart an
World Domination System 16. Into The System
Still hiding behind the shrubs, Edgar looked around one more time before walking towards the laboratory. By this time, no one was around, he could easily gain access without any hindrance but Leonard was determined to stop him. He came out of hiding, staring straight ahead before walking towards the building, His strides were long and precise and Leonard had to keep up with him lest he loses him. He needed to know what he was after and he wasn't going to stop until he knew what he was up to. Soon, Edgar gained entrance into the building. Once in, Leonard walked further to where he had first seen him hiding. He quickly looked around, trying to see if he had dropped something, anything that could give him a hint as to why Edgar was roaming the school grounds when he should have been in class. The ground was free as it should be. Th
World Domination System 17. Escaped?
''What happened?'' Leonard asked. ''You don't remember that happened?'' the nurse asked. ''Just bits and pieces, that's all,'' he said. ''Well, that's not a surprise. Smoke inhalation has been known to cause memory loss but not to worry, you'll be alright in no time.'' she smiled. Leonard sighed, resting his head on his pillow. He couldn't deny the fact that he was very tired, tired of everything that had happened. It was one thing to attend school without any problems and another thing to encounter various problems even while schooling and Leonard hoped that the next task he undertook was relatively easier than this.
World Domination System 18. Favoring The Rich
''This is very terrible,'' Leonard said.He stood amidst the charred remains of the science lab, an emotion of sadness washing over him. The strong smell of smoke lingered in the air, and the once-vibrant room now lay in ruins.The sight of his most loved experiments destroyed and his hard work reduced to ashes left him with a profound sense of loss. In his spare time, he would always come here to meet the laboratory master and assist him in performing experiments.As Leonard surveyed the wreckage, his thoughts turned to Edgar. For as long as he could remember, Edgar had always made his life miserable, but this act of destruction had crossed a line.Anger swelled within Leonard's heart, fueling a n
World Domination System 19. Rifts
After the meeting with the principal, Leonard made his way back outside. He wanted to have a better look at the damage Edgar had caused and seeing the debris had his heart aching.''Why would he do this? What exactly did he hope to achieve from all of this?'' he sighed.He walked around the debris, examining everything that had fallen to the ground. What remained now was a charred mess of books, test tubes, and remains of the small prototypes they had used.[Reward granted!]Leonard jumped a bit. He had forgotten all about that and all that was on his mind now was what laid in front of him.''Thank you.'' Leonard sighed.
World Domination System 20. Beat Them Up!
For the rest of the day, Leonard was in a shitty mood and didn't know how he could snap out of it. It was one thing to handle school issues and another thing for his mother to be cross with him but the latter was worse. ''I feel like shit.'' he sighed. ''Hey, is everything alright?'' Leonard looked up to see that it was Susan walking towards him. He knew she meant well but at that moment, he just wasn't in the mood for any talks. All he wanted to do was to go back home and sleep away all of the stress and tiredness he was feeling at that moment. ''I guess so.'' he sighed. There was a confused look on her face, and Leonard knew that she wasn'
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201. A Long And Arduous Journey
Leonard and Daniel stood side by side, their nervous anticipation palpable as they approached the head of the education office in their city. They had endured countless hardships, from the relentless bullying by Edgar and his cohorts to the seemingly endless indifference of the school administration. But today was different. Today, they had taken a stand.As they entered the office, the man behind the desk looked up from his paperwork and smiled warmly at them. "You two have been very brave throughout all of this," he said, his voice filled with admiration. "I'm proud of you."Leonard and Daniel exchanged glances, their chests swelling with pride. They had faced their fears, and spoke up for themselves, and now they were finally being recognized for their courage.The man leaned forward, his expression growing serious. "I want you to know that this is the end of the road for both Edgar and his parents. We take issues of bullying very seriously, and your bravery in coming forward will
200. Shady Dealings
After a particularly grueling day at school, Leonard and Daniel decided it was finally time to confront their long-standing tormentor, Edgar once and for all. His relentless bullying had taken a toll on them both, and they couldn't endure it any longer. With newfound determination, they made their way to Andrew's house after school. When they arrived at Andrew's house, they found him sitting in his room, engrossed in a book. They exchanged greetings before Leonard hesitated, then took a deep breath and finally spoke up. "Andrew," he began, "we need your help with something."Daniel nodded in agreement, and together, they explained the ongoing nightmare they endured at the hands of Edgar, detailing the cruel taunts, the physical threats, and the constant anxiety they felt.Andrew listened attentively, his expression growing increasingly grave. After Leonard and Daniel had finished recounting their experiences, he sighed and said, "I've had my suspicions about Edgar for a while now. He
199. The End Of The Road
Leonard had always been resourceful when it came to finding quiet corners within the bustling school campus. Today was no exception. He wandered through the labyrinthine hallways until he stumbled upon a seldom-used storage room on the third floor of the engineering building. The room was dimly lit, with dusty shelves of forgotten equipment, and it was blessedly free of the usual chatter and footfalls echoing through the school's corridors.Taking a seat on an upturned crate, Leonard pulled out his sleek, portable computer. He had received an anonymous message, cryptic and enigmatic, urging him to come to this very place and log into the school's restricted system software. His curiosity had driven him to this obscure location, far from prying eyes.As he connected to the system, Leonard couldn't help but feel a shiver of anticipation. The instructions he found on the screen were unlike anything he had encountered before. They were written in a code only he and a few others could deci
198. Overboard
The next day at school, Leonard and Daniel found themselves sitting nervously in the uncomfortable plastic chairs outside the principal's office. They had been summoned, but neither of them had any idea why. Anxiety gnawed at them as they exchanged uncertain glances, wondering what could be so important.After what felt like an eternity, the door to the principal's office swung open, and they were ushered inside. The principal, always a stern and imposing figure, was sitting behind his desk with his hands folded, his eyes red and puffy. The sight of their usually composed principal on the verge of tears sent a shiver down their spines.As Leonard and Daniel took their seats, Principal Anderson cleared his throat, struggling to compose himself. His voice wavered as he began to speak, "I... I don't know where to begin. I owe both of you an immense debt of gratitude." His voice cracked as he continued, "You see, you exposed something that was far more sinister than I ever imagined."Leon
197. Uncertainty And Difficult Decisions
Leonard's footsteps echoed urgently down the dimly lit alley, his jacket billowing behind him like a cape. Daniel hurriedly chased after him, his voice strained with concern."Leonard! Wait up! Where are you off to in such a hurry?" Daniel called out as he finally caught up to Leonard, who was panting with a mix of worry and determination.Leonard glanced over at Daniel, his eyes filled with urgency. "We need to find Susan, and we need to find her fast," he replied, his voice tense. "I have this feeling that with Edgar being arrested, he might come after Susan and... and harm her. I can't let that happen."Daniel's eyes widened with realization as he processed Leonard's words. The threat to Susan's safety was real, and they both knew it. Without another word, they continued down the bustling city streets, their pace quickening as they embarked on a race against time to ensure their friend's safety.Later on, the boys finally stumbled upon her, standing at the edge of a small clearing,
196. The Assembly
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195. Trapped In A Web
As Daniel and Leonard hurriedly approached the main buildings of their school, the bell chimed its final warning, signaling that they were, once again, late for their first class. The sun had already risen high in the sky, casting long shadows on the pavement as they quickened their pace.Their footsteps echoed in the empty corridor as they reached the entrance, their heavy backpacks bouncing with every step. Just as they were about to step inside, the stern and imposing figure of the schoolkeeper, came into view. He was a tall, burly man with a perpetually furrowed brow, known for his strict adherence to school rules.The older man's eyes narrowed his eyes as he saw the two boys approaching. With a determined stride, he closed the gap between them and crossed his arms, blocking their path."Why are you two late again?" he barked, his voice filled with irritation.Leonard, who had been nervously glancing around, now stifled a chuckle. Daniel shot him a puzzled look, wondering why his
194. A Worse Fate
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193. Thrilling News
On that crisp Saturday afternoon in the cozy suburban neighborhood, Daniel pulled his car into Leonard's driveway. The vibrant autumn leaves painted a picturesque scene, as the two friends had planned to spend the day together. As Daniel approached Leonard's front door, he couldn't help but feel a sense of excitement, knowing he was about to share some thrilling news.With a warm smile, Leonard greeted his friend at the door and welcomed him inside. They settled into Leonard's cozy living room, surrounded by shelves filled with books and photographs that captured their shared memories over the years.As they caught up on life and exchanged stories, Daniel couldn't contain his excitement any longer. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone. "Hey, Leonard, guess what?" he exclaimed.Leonard looked curious. "What's got you so excited, Daniel?"With a mischievous grin, Daniel showed Leonard his phone. "Elsie just texted me!" he announced, his eyes shining with delight. "She sai
