Minh Truong didn't sleep that night.
Every time he closed his eyes, the number appeared—bright, silent, absolute.
72 years, 183 days.
One day had already passed.
Not because of an accident.
Not because of illness.
Just because time moved.
For the first time in his life, Minh Truong truly felt time slipping away.
The next morning, the system spoke again.
Not as a message.
Not as a notification.
But as a prompt.
[Daily Choice Available]
[Select an action that will define today's lifespan outcome.]
Below it, three options appeared.
A. Ignore a classmate being bullied.
Reward: No change
B. Intervene verbally, no physical conflict.
Reward: +7 days
C. Intervene physically, accept possible consequences.
Reward: +1 year
Risk: Injury, punishment, unknown variables
Minh Truong's fingers trembled.
So this was how it worked.
Not just reacting anymore.
Now he had to choose.
At school, the situation unfolded exactly as the system predicted.
A quiet boy from another class was cornered near the stairs. Three older students laughed, shoved him lightly, just enough to humiliate—not enough to draw attention.
People walked past.
Some noticed.
Most didn't care.
Minh Truong stood still.
Option A was easy.
Do nothing. Lose nothing.
Option B felt safe.
Say something. Act righteous. Walk away.
Option C…
One year.
A full year of life.
His heart beat faster.
He wasn't brave.
He wasn't strong.
He wasn't a hero.
But he wanted to live.
He stepped forward.
"Enough," Minh Truong said, his voice sharper than he expected. "You're not funny."
The bullies turned.
One laughed. "Who are you?"
Minh Truong swallowed.
This was the moment of no return.
He clenched his fists.
"I said—stop."
A shove came suddenly. Not hard, but enough to push him back.
The system didn't interrupt.
It waited.
Minh Truong stepped forward again.
Then everything happened fast.
A punch missed.
Someone slipped.
A teacher shouted.
Chaos lasted less than a minute.
In the end, Minh Truong sat in the disciplinary office with a split lip and shaking hands.
The bullies were punished lightly.
He received a warning.
Nothing heroic.
Nothing cinematic.
Just pain, fear, and consequences.
Then the system updated.
[Action Confirmed]
[Lifespan Remaining: +1 year]
[Current Lifespan: 73 years, 182 days]
Minh Truong stared at the number.
One year.
It felt unreal.
Worth it?
He didn't know.
But one thing became clear.
The system didn't care about intent.
It only cared about risk.
Greater risk.
Greater reward.
As he left the office, lip throbbing, heart racing, Minh Truong finally understood the truth behind the system.
This wasn't a blessing.
It was a test.
And from now on, every day would force him to choose between:
Safety…
or more time to live.