The doorknob rattled.
"Jayden! Rent! Open the door, now!"
Jayden's stomach flipped. His landlord, Mr. Briggs, was a bulldog in human form — big belly, thick arms, and a voice that could scare a lion.
His phone buzzed again.
---
[Sun Tzu]: Delay the enemy. Time is your greatest weapon. Stall him, then negotiate.
[Alexander the Great]: Nonsense! Strike first! Assert dominance before he crushes you.
[Joan of Arc]: Stand tall, Jayden! Speak honestly and with courage. Truth has power.
[Loki]: Or fake a coughing fit and pretend you have a deadly plague. That'll clear him out, ha!
[Einstein]: Hm… statistically, offering partial payment has a 42% chance of buying you time. Fascinating!
[Cleopatra]: Men are weak to flattery. Compliment him, smile, soften his anger.
---
Jayden wiped sweat from his forehead. "You guys aren't helping!" he whispered.
Another ding!
[System Notification]: Choose an approach.
(A) Sun Tzu – Negotiate calmly.
(B) Alexander – Confront boldly.
(C) Joan – Honest explanation.
(D) Loki – Trickery.
(E) Cleopatra – Flattery.
Jayden gulped. His rent was overdue, his wallet was empty, and Mr. Briggs was seconds away from kicking the door down.
"Alright…" He clenched his jaw. "Let's try option A. If I get punched, I'm blaming Sun Tzu."
---
He opened the door.
Mr. Briggs glared at him, his huge shadow filling the hallway. "Cole! You owe me two months' rent. Pay up or pack up!"
Jayden forced a calm smile. "Mr. Briggs, I understand you're upset. But think about it — if you evict me tonight, the room stays empty. That means zero income. However… if you give me just one more week, you'll definitely get your money. Isn't that a smarter strategy?"
Briggs squinted, clearly thrown off. "Strategy? What are you talking about, boy?"
Jayden pushed on, channeling Sun Tzu's voice in his head.
"By letting me stay, you minimize your losses and ensure long-term gain. Isn't that better than an empty room?"
For a moment, the landlord's face softened. He scratched his chin. "Hmph. You sound like one of those bookworms. But…" His glare returned. "Talk is cheap. Where's my money?"
Jayden's phone buzzed again.
[Alexander]: See? Words failed! Punch him! Punch!
[Joan]: Don't listen to Alexander! Stand firm but don't lose your temper.
[Loki]: Or cry. Men hate it when boys cry. Instant guilt trip, trust me.
[Cleopatra]: Touch his ego. Say he's wise, reliable. Men eat that up."
Jayden bit his lip. "Screw it, let's try Cleopatra."
He clasped his hands together. "Mr. Briggs, you're honestly one of the fairest, most reliable landlords I've ever seen. I know you'll make the right decision because you're not just a man after money… you're a man of principle."
The landlord blinked, stunned. Then his face twitched.
"...Are you buttering me up?"
Jayden gave his best "innocent puppy eyes."
"Yes?"
There was a long silence. Then… Mr. Briggs burst out laughing.
"You little rascal! Hah! Fine, one week. But if I don't see the money, I'm tossing you and your noodles out the window!"
Jayden's heart nearly exploded with relief. "Thank you, sir! You won't regret it!"
The door slammed shut behind Briggs. Jayden collapsed on the floor, panting.
"Holy crap… it actually worked."
---
[System Notification]: Mission Complete!
Reward: +5 Strength, $100 Cash Card
Bonus (for using Cleopatra's path): +1 Charisma
[System]: Status updated.
Jayden opened his phone, and the group chat was already going wild.
[Alexander]: Hmph! Weak. But you survived. Barely.
[Sun Tzu]: A clever negotiation. I approve.
[Cleopatra]: Oh, my dear Jayden, you handled it quite well. Keep listening to me, and you'll go far. 😉
[Loki]: Boring! I wanted tears or punches! Next time, pick me.
[Einstein]: Fascinating outcome. I must write equations for this probability…"
Jayden smirked. For the first time, he felt hope.
"If I can survive my landlord with these guys… maybe I can survive anything."
⚡ All-Eras Chat System – Status Screen ⚡
[Host]: Jayden Cole
[Level]: 1 – Newbie of All-Eras Chat
[Reputation Rank]: F → F+ (The group acknowledges your effort)
---
📊 Stats
Strength: 6 (+5)
Intelligence: 2
Charisma: 2 (+1)
Luck: 0
---
🎁 Inventory
Cracked Phone (System device)
$0.75 in wallet
1 pack of instant noodles
$100 Cash Card
---
🏅 Skills
None unlocked
---
🌍 Chat Members
Sun Tzu (Neutral → Slightly Interested)
Alexander the Great (Impatient → Begrudging respect)
Joan of Arc (Supportive)
Einstein (Curious)
Loki (Playful, disappointed)
Cleopatra (Amused → Pleased)
---
🔔 Next Mission:
Pending…