$22,480.50.
The number had sat in Mason's bank account for nearly a day, yet it still held an unreal glow. He sat on a plastic chair in the convenience store break room, the eternal river of LA traffic flowing beyond the window. Late afternoon sun slanted in, casting mottled shadows on the grease-stained table.
Mr. Miller's yelling seemed to seep through the door—complaints about messy shelves, too many returns, veiled accusations of slacking off. But today, to Mason's ears, the noise felt like static from a distant world, stripped of its usual sharpness that could easily pierce his nerves.
He took a sip of cheap coffee, bitterness spreading on his tongue, but his mind was strangely calm.
The compensation threat was gone. Yesterday afternoon, he'd transferred $700 to each of the two women. In the memo field, he'd simply written "Settlement." No apology, no explanation. A reply text came quickly from one: "Received." The other went unanswered. It was over. The heavy shackles that had bound him for days had quietly fallen away.
He'd even settled the $1,000 loan shark debt. Handing the cash over to the man with the predatory eyes had drawn a flicker of surprise, followed by undisguised greed and a hint that "help" was always available. Mason just nodded expressionlessly and walked away. Stepping out of that dim basement office, breathing in the street air thick with exhaust and cooking smells, he felt an unprecedented lightness.
The remaining money was a windfall, but also a heavy responsibility. He could no longer struggle merely to survive. He needed a plan. He needed to think about how to make this money work for him, or rather, how to use it to buy himself more room to maneuver, to better understand and utilize the System that had altered his fate.
Yet, a deeper unease began to replace the brief relief of solving his financial crisis.
The source of it all was the mysterious System and the seemingly cursed ability, CanNeverBuyAuthentic.
The ability's third and final use still sat there, like an undetonated bomb or an unplayed trump card. He dared not use it lightly. His last success had been a mix of luck and non-replicable specifics—a reputation-conscious store with an explicit "tenfold compensation" policy. Where was the next target? Could it ever be that smooth?
More importantly, his understanding of the System's basic rules remained pitifully thin.
How long did abilities last? A strict 24 hours? Starting from when? The moment of acquisition, or the first use?
"One ability per day"—how was "day" defined? A calendar day from midnight to midnight, or starting the count after the previous ability expired?
Beyond the "rip stockings + snap fingers" trigger, were there other hidden rules?
If he failed to acquire an ability on a given day, what then? Just a missed chance, or a penalty?
These uncertainties hung over him like fog, making each step feel treacherous. He couldn't rely on luck and improvisation forever. He needed a map, a guide, an understanding of this "game's" foundational laws.
He needed an answer. A clear, definitive answer from the System itself.
The thought, once formed, became an irresistible pull. He glanced at his phone: 3:10 PM. The icon for CanNeverBuyAuthentic was still visible in his mind's eye, but its color seemed faded, with a faint, almost imperceptible hourglass-like phantom beside it.
He focused, trying to mentally "touch" that phantom.
Without warning, a stream of cold, mechanical, utterly emotionless information flooded his consciousness:
[Ability Status Check]
Current Held Ability: [Can Never Buy Authentic]
Ability Type: Passive/Persistent (Active upon acquisition, no manual trigger required)
Remaining Uses: 1/3
Ability Dissipation Countdown: 00h 10m (Based on acquisition time. Will auto-dissipate after 24-hour cycle.)
! Note: This ability will dissipate in ten minutes. New ability acquisition process can be initiated afterthe old ability dissipates via 'ripping stockings on a woman's leg + snapping fingers' to trigger random superpower. 24-hour countdown for new ability starts upon successful acquisition.
The information flashed by, but it made Mason hold his breath!
It wasn't a calendar-day reset! It was a precise 24-hour count from the moment of acquisition!
Afterthe old ability dissipates, he could immediately start a new random ability by ripping a stranger's stockings and snapping fingers—no "wait until the next day" restriction!
The System couldbe "queried"! At least for status!
As he digested this, the ability icon in his mind flickered like a faulty bulb, then winked out and vanished completely. The sensation of CanNeverBuyAuthentic was gone.
Almost simultaneously, that familiar, icy System prompt chimed clearly in his mind again. But this time, it wasn't a vague nudge; it was a far more detailed rule set:
[Comprehensive System Rules Revealed]
1. Ability Acquisition Mechanism:
Trigger Condition: Successfully rip the stockings on a strangerwoman's leg and immediately snap fingers. Actions must be consecutive, intent clear. A new acquisition process cannot be initiated while a previous superpower is active.
Trigger Window: No fixed calendar-day restriction. Once a previous superpower dissipates (due to any reason: use depletion or 24-hour expiry), a new acquisition process can be initiated immediately.
Limitation: Only one random superpower can be acquired per successful process. If the process is interrupted or fails, a one-hour cooldown is required before another attempt.
2. Ability Usage Rules:
Usage Count: Each superpower has 3 uses during its active lifetime.
Activation Method:
Active-Type Abilities: Each use must be confirmed/activated by snapping fingers.
Passive/Persistent-Type Abilities (e.g., [Can Never Buy Authentic]): Active upon acquisition, effects persist throughout the lifetime. Cannot be activated or deactivated via finger snap.
Use Calculation: Regardless of whether the effect is fully or partially achieved, successful activation (for active types) or being in an active state (for passive types, calculated per 24-hour cycle) counts as one use. Ability dissipates immediately upon use depletion.
3. Ability Lifetime:
Duration: All superpowers have a fixed 24-hour lifetime, starting from the moment of successful acquisition.
Dissipation: After 24 hours, the ability auto-dissipates regardless of remaining uses.
Countdown Alert: The System provides a visual/perceptual alert (e.g., hourglass icon) during the final ten minutes of the ability's lifetime.
4. Ability Effect Principles:
Randomness: The effect of each acquired ability is completely random, unpredictable, and unchoosable.
Independence: Each superpower's effects, usage, and dissipation operate independently and do not interfere with each other.
Rule Supremacy: Ability effects will manifest to their maximum potential within the logical framework of their description, but their operation must adhere to basic real-world logic and physical laws.
[Hint: Rules are both containers for power and touchstones for wisdom. Plan each snap with care.]
The information flow ceased.
Mason sat motionless for a long time. The old refrigerator's compressor hummed loudly; car horns blared outside intermittently. But the sounds felt separated by an invisible barrier.
His mind raced, digesting, analyzing the torrent of information.
The shape of the rules was finally clear!
The most crucial point: Ability acquisition was "cooldown-based," not "calendar-based!" This meant he didn't have to waste long waiting periods. With careful planning, he could achieve seamless ability transitions, maximizing utility. This significantly expanded his operational space and error margin.
Second, the strict 24-hour count from acquisition. This meant he needed to time acquisitions more precisely, ideally at moments when he could immediately utilize the ability, avoiding wasting precious active time during sleep or inactivity.
Also, the distinction between passive and active types. It explained why CanNeverBuyAuthentic worked without a snap. It also reminded him that future active-type abilities would require a snap to activate.
The clarity of the rules didn't feel restrictive; instead, it brought a strange sense of security. The unknown was the greatest fear. Once defined by clear boundaries and terms, it transformed from an uncontrollable threat into a tool to be studied and exploited.
He looked inward again. CanNeverBuyAuthentic was gone, but the memory of it and the sense of a "lost" final use lingered. No, not an inheritance—that final chance had vanished forever with time's passage. A faint pang of waste stabbed him, but it solidified his resolve: Every future ability must be utilized to its fullest. All three uses must be squeezed for maximum value within 24 hours.
"Seamless transition…" he murmured. When should he acquire the next ability? Now? Or wait for a more opportune moment, when he had a clear target or plan?
He stood up and walked to the break room's narrow window, looking out at the street. Pedestrians flowed past—women in business attire, hurrying students, leisurely tourists… His gaze, almost involuntarily, landed on the legs of women wearing skirts and stockings.
Stockings… that absurd-seeming trigger condition.
Before, the first time was an accident, the second a desperate act of survival. Now, faced with the need to perform the act proactively, with premeditation, a wave of intense awkwardness, shame, and moral discomfort washed over him.
It was borderline… harassment. An invasion of another's personal space and property for personal gain.
Even if he could rationalize it—a weird key to activate a random tool, no personal malice intended—the nature of the act itself made him squirm.
Is this necessary?he asked himself. The System rules were clear. It was the only path. No alternatives.
He thought of the Hemingway quote, of being backed against the wall, of the golden symbol that had faded from his wrist but was undeniably real. He thought of the brief respite $22,000 had bought and the deeper responsibility that followed.
To master power, one must first understand and accept its rules, however irrational they seem. To escape a fate of being overlooked and manipulated, one must possess the power and courage to change it. And the starting point for all of it might just be shedding pointless shame to complete that absurd ritual.
His expression gradually hardened. The awkwardness and discomfort remained, but they were no longer insurmountable barriers—they were costs to be paid.
He needed a suitable location, a suitable target. Not too conspicuous, requiring some cover, yet not a completely closed private space—too risky. Timing was key—a moment of low awareness, unlikely to cause a major scene.
It was a test in itself.
He took a deep breath, pushed open the break room door, and walked out. Mr. Miller was yelling at a delivery guy, oblivious. Mason headed straight for the store entrance, his eyes scanning the small shopping mall entrance and pedestrian overpass across the street.
Busy, open sightlines, enough space to approach and retreat quickly.
That was it.
He touched the loose change in his pocket—a habitual carry. Maybe he could pretend to drop some, creating an opportunity while bending down to pick it up? Or…
His mind began rapidly constructing a detailed action plan, considering every detail, every possible mishap and countermeasure. His heart beat a little faster—not from fear, but from the thrill and tension of stepping into the unknown once more.
The shape of the rules was now clear. A glimmer of the future flickered ahead. And the path to the next possibility began across the street, on a stranger's leg, with a pair of intact stockings.
He knew the second, proactive "ritual" was about to begin.