David got up and went to his bed.
No matter how hard David closes his eyes. David still couldn't fall asleep; his stress continued to surge.
Especially considering Clara who was furious with him,
"Reality? This is all reality!"
David murmured, he gazed at the ceiling of the room. "Fool!" David cursed.
David remembered the moment he turned down his uncle and aunt who offered their help.
"Such a know-it-all! Acting so mature!" David is mocking himself.
David feels low, the David who used to act brave, idealistic, and responsible. Now he realizes he is just a foolish man consumed by his own ego.
"Forgive me, Clara!"
"Forgive me, Layla!"
"I brought you into this suffering!"
After David kept complaining and blaming himself, several hours have passed.
David began to doze off.
David jolted awake in a dark void, sitting on a wooden chair, a light resembling a lamp illuminating him from above.
"Where am I?" David looked around in various directions.
He tried to find another source of light, apart from the bright lamp shining above his head.
**DING** A sound was heard.
[ Welcome to the Shadow Realm ]
A robotic woman's voice echoed in Ethan's ears.
"Huh? Who is that?" David turned to look in all directions again.
David found no one there, except for the area illuminated by the lights from above. Other areas appeared very dark and pitch black.
A holographic screen appeared in front of David's face.
"What is this?" David tried to tap the screen, but his hand passed right through the holographic display.
[ Congratulations, You Have Been Chosen as the Host of the Dark Triad System ]
The screen displayed the sentence accompanied by a robotic female voice.
"Dark Tri-"
**DING**
Before David could question the meaning of the dark triad, another notification sound was heard.
[ This System Will Help Your Life ]
"Huh? Help?" What do you mean? What is this? "Dream?" Davidasked in surprise.
[ The System Will Help You Escape Your Life's Suffering ]
[ Are You Willing to Become the Host of the Dark Triad System? ]
[ Yes/No ]
A choice appeared before David, and he did not understand what was happening. Every time David tried to stand up, his body would always sit back down by itself.
[ You Will Not Be Able to Leave the Shadow Realm Until You Make a Choice ]
"Huh? What does that mean? I just refuse!" When David was about to press the [No] option, the system displayed a message again,
\[ If you refuse, your life will remain trapped in poverty and suffering \]
\[ Not only will you suffer, your family will continue to suffer! \]
David was shocked, all the memories of his suffering life flooded his mind. Nevertheless, David loved his family, especially since only Clara and Layla remained.
David pressed the option [ Yes ]
[ Congratulations,You Have Become the Host of the Dark Triad System ]
[ The System Will Possess Your Body ]
[ 10% ... 20% ... 30%... ]
As the holographic screen displayed the loading bar, David could only stare at it. Until the loading was almost complete, David felt his eyes becoming very heavy. Slowly, David's eyes began to close.
"Hwagghh....." David woke up, "Is it morning already?" David looked out the window. "Ah... I need to prepare breakfast.." David got out of bed.
The clock showed 6:45, "Ah damn, I'm late..." David opened his bedroom door and went down to the living room.
There, Clara and Layla are wearing shoes.
"Have you not had breakfast?" David asked.
"Not yet," Layla replied kindly.
"Breakfast? With what!? An air!?" Clara was angry.
David just remained silent and stared at his two younger sisters.
Their school uniforms are already worn out and have turned a yellowish color, their shoes are damaged with glue decorations between the sides.
David sighed,
"I'm leaving now!" Layla said goodbye with a cheerful face, while Clara was still frowning.
After his two younger siblings left, David went to get a glass of water.
"I had a strange dream last night," David murmured.
"But that's not important; I need to find a new job." David said.
**Drtt.... Drttt.... Drtt....**
Ethan's phone rang,
"Hello?"
"David, grab your severance pay quickly!" The sound from the phone made David a little happy. "Thank goodness!" Once the phone call ended, Davidimmediately headed to the bathroom.
[ DING! ]
[ Daily Quest: Strengthen Your Body! ]
[ Push Up 100x ]
[ Pull Up 100x ]
[ Squat 100x ]
[ 30 Minutes of Walking ]
A holographic screen and a robotic woman's voice startled David again, "Huh, what is this?" David tried again to tap the holographic screen. A few seconds later, the holographic screen disappeared.
"It seems like I have too many thoughts!" David's whisper.
David cleaned himself up and headed to his workplace first.
David took his severance pay and was about to go home.
Before heading home, David tried to look for another job; he took a stroll to a mall. By shedding his embarrassment, he asked at every coffee shop and food stall.
"Are there any job openings available?"
"Sorry, there are none."
Before he knew it, David had been walking for a long time, and every shop had no job openings. David sat on a bench in a park.
"The severance pay won't be enough for a month; Clara and Layla need new uniforms and shoes."
David feeling pity for his two younger sisters who were wearing tattered uniforms and shoes that were torn.
"What now?" David murmured.
Time has passed quickly, and David has been daydreaming for quite a while.
David decided to look for a job only online.
David uses public transportation; he doesn't have a personal vehicle. All his money has never been enough to save up for a personal vehicle.
After getting off public transport, David had to walk home.
As he walked, he saw Layla in the distance.
They walked to the house and opened the door. David saw Clara sitting on the sofa, playing with her phone. He walked in, and just as he reached the back of the sofa where Clara was sitting, he was taken aback. He saw Clara filling out personal information to register on a site called OnlySlave.
"CLARA!" David shouted, snatching Clara's smartphone away. "What on earth is this!!!??" He couldn't contain his anger.
"Huh!!??"
David's fury intensified as he noticed the chat notifications popping up on Clara's phone. He opened them and saw something disgusting: an account on a messaging platform with a green background, featuring the profile icon of a middle-aged man, was sending repulsive messages to his younger sister.
"Are you crazy?" David asked angrily.
"Crazy!? I want money, I'm fed up with living in poverty! I'm tired of suffering!" Clara cried. "Give me back my phone!!" Clara tried to grab the phone that David was holding.
"No, i won't let you do that!" David said.
Clara shouted, "You coward! You only dare to confront your little sister!!"
Clara walked quickly to her room,
***Bang..***
The sound of the door slamming could be heard from Clara's room.