Two hours later, Alex sat in the campus coffee shop, nursing his third espresso and staring at students who had no idea they were surrounded by a dead man with a supernatural extortion system in his head.
*TIME REMAINING: 21 HOURS, 15 MINUTES*
The countdown was getting harder to ignore. Every time he tried to focus on something else, the timer pulsed red in his peripheral vision.
"There has to be a loophole," he muttered. "Some way to game this system without actually hurting anyone."
That's when he noticed her.
Jessica Park sat three tables away, completely absorbed in her laptop. She was everything Alex wasn't—confident, popular, and currently wearing headphones that probably cost more than his monthly food budget.
More importantly, she'd left her designer handbag sitting on the chair next to her, completely unguarded.
*OPPORTUNITY DETECTED*
*TARGET: EXPENSIVE HANDBAG*
*ESTIMATED VILLAIN POINTS: +25*
*RECOMMENDED ACTION: THEFT*
"No way," Alex whispered. "I'm not stealing from Jessica Park."
*SHE CALLED YOU 'PATHETIC LOSER ALEX' LAST SEMESTER*
*SHE LAUGHED WHEN YOU TRIPPED IN THE CAFETERIA*
*TIME REMAINING: 21 HOURS, 3 MINUTES*
Alex looked around the coffee shop. No security cameras pointed at Jessica's table. She was completely engrossed in her work.
Survival instinct began overriding moral objections.
He walked casually toward the exit, timing his path to pass directly behind Jessica's chair. In one smooth motion, Alex grabbed the handbag and kept walking.
*THEFT SUCCESSFUL*
*+25 VILLAIN POINTS*
*TOTAL: 25/100*
*PHYSICAL ENHANCEMENT UNLOCKED*
*+10% STRENGTH, SPEED, REFLEXES*
Alex felt a strange tingling sensation throughout his body. When he flexed his hand, it felt stronger somehow.
"This is actually working," he breathed, ducking behind a tree to examine the bag's contents. Inside was about $300 in cash and credit cards.
His phone buzzed with a text from an unknown number: "Nice work. But you're still thinking too small. Meet me at the old library basement in one hour. Come alone. -A Friend"
The message included a photo of him stealing Jessica's bag.
*OTHER SYSTEM USERS DETECTED*
*RECOMMENDATION: ACQUIRE WEAPONS*