Zero to the Greatest and Richest

Chapter 2

In the muted confines of the school office, I stood before my classroom teacher, his eyes a blend of concern and disappointment.

"Alex, what's gotten into you?" he asked, his voice tinged with disbelief. "You're always the polite one, the brightest in class. Why would you hit Roger?"

He leaned forward, earnestly trying to reach me through his words.

‘Who are you? A poor teacher from a small city with a low salary, always complaining about the low income, and experiencing the hardships of frugal life, yet daring to criticize this amazing Marshal?’

‘Because I listened to you too much in my past life, I grew up poor like you.’

I clenched my fists, feeling a surge of frustration. "Roger has been bullying me and extorting money for two years," I said, my voice a low growl. "I just couldn't take it anymore."

My teacher sighed deeply, his gaze softening. "Since this is your first offense, I'll only give you a warning this time. But don't let it happen again. We'll have to call both your parents."

He gestured towards the door. "Now, go back to class."

As I trudged back to my classroom, I could feel the weight of every gaze upon me.

The younger people were seeing me, an old man, a merciless general.

“What are you looking at!” I screamed at a group of boys, and their faces twisted with fear.

‘I liked the taste of that fear; it gave me power.’

The whispers of rumors that I dared to hit Roger, the bully, filled the air, and it made my small heart feel proud and arrogant.

I found my seat in the classroom, which was really small, and felt like an outsider in a world that was once familiar. No. I felt like an old man suddenly seated between middle school students.

It was kind of funny and strange.

The classroom buzzed with hushed murmurs, which ceased abruptly as the teacher entered. I opened my book, trying to lose myself in its pages, but my thoughts raced.

‘Did I really go back?’ I whispered to myself. Now, it was supposed to be the end of 1997, just a few months before I'd move to the big city for high school.

Is this the real world, or is it just part of my dream, an illusion world that the devil trapped me within?

Just to exploit my desires and emotions. Not a real world. I've heard that if your soul is kidnapped by the devil, you will keep dreaming without being able to find a way out.

[System: You have been granted a system by an angel. Use it wisely and do not succumb to the temptations of darkness.]

‘A line of sentences floating in the air.’

"System?" The word slipped from my lips, a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

Suddenly, a blue transparent screen materialized before me, stark and unyielding in its sudden appearance.

[Welcome to your first use of the KARMA System. Here’s how it works:

Good deeds earn you good karma, granting you karma coins and luck. These coins can be exchanged for real money. However, bad actions result in negative coins and bad luck.

Popularity boosts your karma network. The more people connect with you, the more threads of karma are applied to you, and using its points exchange, you can receive random rewards that you may need from the system.

Start by making your girlfriend—the person who loves you—happy. She can become your additional karma energy generator, leading to more points and more system rewards.

Health is crucial. Completing daily quests improves both physical and spiritual well-being, offering health benefits and training rewards. Once you are fit enough, the system will transition into a cultivation system.

Your current account details:

Karma Coins: For bravely stopping a bully, earn 200 good karma coins. Hitting someone is bad karma, minus 180 coins. Net balance: 20 coins (equivalent to $0.2).

Popularity Points: Your intervention against the bully is known to 55 people, earning you their approval and 55 points. These can be exchanged for a healing candy or saved for future exchange rewards.

Girlfriend Points: While some are interested in you, your lack of engagement has left this path unexplored.

Health training Quest #1

Walk or run 3 miles

Push up 50 times

Sit up 50 times

Get your first reward. ]

I stared at the screen, trying to comprehend this bizarre fusion of reality and system. Coins, popularity, harem, and cultivation – it was like a game, yet it felt unnervingly real. The notion of earning rewards for good behavior was tempting.

‘But I hope I get the devil system or GTA system in real life where I can hit people and still get money or fuck women and get more money.’

As the school bell signaled the start of the twenty-minute break before the end of the day, I remained seated, observing my classmates.

I found myself looking at Nina, the new student from the big city, who had joined us six months ago. Initially, her interest in me was intriguing. She made several attempts to get close and even touched my body a few times.

However, given my inexperience in relationships and my limited knowledge, I was unaccustomed to the world of urban romance and desire, even though it ignited my own desires.

Fear proved to be more powerful, restraining me and leading me to retreat to my comfort zone, ultimately severing our budding connection.

Nonetheless, the yearning in her eyes indicated that her feelings had not faded.

She was a bold girl who had embraced an unrestrained lifestyle in the bustling city. Scanning the classroom, I observed the female students at various stages of maturity.

They had already reached menstruation. I recall some students even experiencing unwanted pregnancies. It was as if biology had blessed them with the power to attract male attention and pleasure.

They sought sexual pleasure but were too stupid to understand about safety, as we lacked sexual education.

While a few had developed quite appealingly and sparked my interest, most were still too young for me, lacking the allure in their faces or bodies. Perhaps in the coming years, things would change.

‘And I am still young and innocent.’

‘Maybe when I enter high school, I can start thinking about how to fuck all the female students in my class. Good Idea, I will put it into my bucket list.’

"I will set a target of 1000, just like the legendary King Solomon, who was known for his wisdom and accomplishments among all men. One must dream as high as they can. I won't die before I sleep with 1000 women!"

Out of the corner of my eye, I noticed Roger, his nose bearing marks from our earlier encounter, flanked by his usual entourage. He approached me with a threatening gait. "After school, don't you dare run," he growled.

I rose to meet his challenge, staring him down. "What will you do?"

"I will pay back and give you hell," he snarled.

I smirked, unafraid. "Then don't wait until after school."

In a swift motion, fueled by a mix of anger and resolve, I struck his chin, sending him to the floor.

He lay there unconscious, causing shock in the classroom, and some girls screamed in fear. His followers froze.

"What, do you want to be hit too? Go take him away." They hurriedly carried him away.

The classroom erupted into murmurs and gasps. I could almost hear my popularity points ticking up within the Karma System.

Turning away from the scene, I walked over to Nina's table. "I need to talk to you," I said, trying to sound more confident than I felt. "Can you come with me?"

Two of her best friends on her side looked at me and my bravery in awe. And I walked out of the class followed by Nina, about three or four steps behind. I took a step into the quiet area of the school's back, near the cafeteria's rear.

A place that only a few people knew about, and surely not good people. Nina seemed uncertain, her emotions flickering across her face like a candle in the wind. "What do you want, Alex?" she asked, a tremor in her voice.

"I just want to ask you directly, do you like me?" I inquired. Though it wasn't considered polite at the time.

Traditionally, it involved exchanging love letters, composing sweet poetry, and engaging in exciting but ultimately inconsequential romantic gestures. After several such encounters, a relationship might develop, eventually leading to making love.

But as an adult, I recognize that these rituals are largely unnecessary. We have invented concepts like One-Night Stands, which are simpler and less time-consuming.

Nina's cheeks turned a delicate shade of pink, her words faltering. "I...I..."

She opened and closed her mouth, struggling for words. Noticing her pink lips, I leaned in closer, placing my hands gently on either side of her head. "You don't love me anymore?"

Gradually, I brought my face closer to hers. Overcome with shyness, she shut her eyes but tentatively puckered her lips. Our lips met gently. Slowly gaining courage, she reciprocated the kiss.

The kiss deepened, lingering for a while, exchanging sweet saliva as our tongues danced a tango. Our breathing grew heavy, and warm fluid filled my little pants. Suddenly, the bell rang, pulling us apart.

My heart raced wildly. I had thought my first kiss would be three years from now, yet here I was, experiencing it already.

“Let’s return to class.” I began walking towards the class, and she followed behind, her face flushed red and her gaze lowered. Yet, her fingers clung to the edge of my clothes, a subtle sign that she would continue to follow me.

[You have gained 10 girlfriend affection points out of 100.]

We returned to the class and followed the next lesson. As I recall, there were three or four girls who liked me in middle school because I was handsome and smart, yet I lacked bravery.

Previously, I had been too shy to embrace such great opportunities.

‘Starting now, I will change. I'll take everything I'm supposed to have.’

Nina doesn't dare to look at me and remains quiet, turning her face away each time, I look at her. When the final bell rang, I went to the school garden, grabbed a wooden fence post, and broke off two short sticks.

They were enough to serve as weapons for me to confront the bullies. Everyone must remember my face.

For I, Alex, have just returned from hell.

And to make my heaven on this world.

Even if this life is hell, but if you are the king of hell, you will still feel like you're in heaven.