Jeremy furrowed his brows, settling into a sophisticated cross-legged position now that his lap was finally Everly-free. The contrast was striking—him sitting like some refined gentleman versus Everly, who'd somehow transformed into a street thug mid-conversation. She sat with one knee raised, arm draped over it like she was about to demand protection money.
"I was actually thinking along the same lines... but since you mentioned many of people have that '!!!' status, now I'm second-guessing myself..."
Jeremy paused, tapping his fingers against his knee in thought.
"When System 009 first appeared, it claimed it was here to help me dodge some incoming bad luck. So if your system fed you the same line... do you really think everyone around us is about to get hit by simultaneous catastrophe? Obviously not. But it's entirely possible that some people with '!!!' status are system owners."
