Chapter 19
"A piece of trash like you—a low D-Class bottom-feeder—deserves nothing in this place."
Before Solomon could even process the insult, a punch was already whistling toward his head. He dodged it effortlessly, tilting his head and shifting his shoulder just in time.
The boy's fist met nothing but empty air.
Still, the bully refused to back down. He lunged again, aiming a second strike straight at Solomon's face. Once more, Solomon evaded the blow with a fluid, instinctive motion.
The bully's face twisted in a mask of rage, though a cruel, jagged grin remained as he glared with eyes full of fury. Solomon, by contrast, remained entirely still—his expression cool and composed. His only real thought was: When will this mission finally be over?
He hadn't expected a group of low-level thugs to show up and disrupt his peace. He was busy calculating figures in his head, waiting for the distinct ding of the system notification. Instead, he had to deal with this idiot ruining his mood.
Grinding his teeth, the bully shouted, "Solomon, stand still and let me hit you!"
Solomon finally spoke, his voice dry. "Am I stupid enough to just stand here and let you punch me? Do I look like someone who doesn't have the sense to move? Do I look like someone whose brain is in his ass?"
The bully's jaw clenched so hard it looked like it might crack, clearly stung by the sarcasm. He began throwing a desperate flurry of punches, one after another, fueled by pure frustration. Solomon dodged them all with clinical ease.
The girl who had fallen on Solomon earlier saw her opening and scrambled away.
Solomon caught her fleeing figure from the corner of his eye but didn't care. She was irrelevant. His only concern was the persistent nuisance in front of him.
For several minutes, the bully attacked non-stop while Solomon remained untouched.
Finally, the boy changed his tactics. He stopped swinging for Solomon's face and chest, instead aiming a sudden, low strike directly at his abdomen.
Solomon's expression turned dangerously cold. He finally moved to counter—snapping his hand out and catching the bully's fist in mid-air. Without a moment's hesitation, he drove a powerful punch straight into the center of the bully's face.
Blood instantly gushed from the boy's nose.
The moment Solomon released his grip, the bully collapsed to the ground in a heap.
"Try hitting me now," Solomon said, his voice like ice.
The minions, seeing their leader bleeding and broken on the floor, were struck with sudden terror. Shaken and powerless, they turned tail and fled the store.
Just as the silence returned, Solomon heard the familiar chime of the system:
[Mission successfully completed.]
[The Host has successfully gained $100,000,000 — One hundred million dollars.]
[The Host has also received a bonus reward of $1,000,000.]
[Hidden Quest Unlocked > The Host has received a side gift: Three Blind Boxes.]
[The Host is to choose one of the Blind Boxes to claim its reward.]
Solomon scanned the store, looking for a way to access the new system settings and absorb the rewards without being watched.
As he raised his head, he spotted a CCTV camera mounted high on the ceiling.
He furrowed his brow and crouched down, his fingers finding a small, sharp pebble lying on the floor—likely a stone knocked loose from a decorative display during the chaos. He picked up the object, flicked his wrist, and sent it flying toward the lens.
Crack.
The camera was dead. There were likely others hidden throughout the mall, but at least that one was handled. Solomon needed a safe, private place to access the system gifts. Without another word, he exited the area, leaving behind the panicked students and the remaining shoppers.
By the time he reached a narrow side lane behind the mall, the weather had turned stormy. A steady drizzle began to coat the pavement, the sound of the rain masking his footsteps. The wet ground reflected a faint, mirror-like image of Solomon as he walked.
Reaching a dark corner, he checked over his shoulder to ensure he was truly alone. Once confident, he summoned the system screen. Instantly, the three Blind Boxes appeared, floating in the air before him.
They looked like physical gift boxes, but they glowed with a deep blue, ethereal energy.
Streams of light, resembling glowing lines of code, merged to form the bodies of the boxes, each topped with a shimmering ribbon.
Solomon stared at them. What's inside? Is it helpful... or dangerous?
The system, sensing his hesitation, responded:
[Host, you may choose. I assure you—the reward is beneficial. You have performed well.]
Solomon studied the three options. One in the middle, one on the left, and one on the right.
Which one should I choose? If I pick the one on the right, will I lose something? If I go with the middle, will I gain something? Is the left one better?
The questions circled in his mind, making a simple choice feel unexpectedly heavy. He stood before the glowing boxes, his mind clouded with indecision.
Eventually, Solomon took a breath and regained control of himself. He decided not to open them—not yet. His mind was too chaotic from the fight and the rush of the mission. One of the best pieces of advice he had ever followed was: "When your mind is unsettled and you can't make a clear decision, it's better to walk away and return later—especially if the matter isn't urgent."
The system hadn't mentioned a time limit, so Solomon knew the boxes would wait until he was truly ready.