As I stepped out of the detective agency, the cold night air hit my face. The streets were quieter now, the rush of the day fading into the distant hum of passing cars and flickering neon lights.
I pulled out a cigarette, lighting it lazily as I processed everything that had happened today.
"Not bad for my first case," I muttered to myself, smirking.
Then, suddenly, a familiar blue screen flashed before my eyes.
[SYSTEM UPDATE: STATUS CHECK]
I raised an eyebrow. "Finally showing me something useful, huh?"
The screen displayed my current stats:
[Player Status]
Name: Samuel Gebb
Possessed By: Heavenly Demon
Level: 5 (Increased after defeating Nightcreatures & Solving First Case)
Strength: 85 (+20 from Martial Arts Knowledge)
Agility: 80
Endurance: 75
Intelligence: 95
Charisma: 90
Abilities Unlocked:
Ashura Martial Arts (Intermediate Level)
Enhanced Perception (Allows reading micro-expressions, noticing minute details others miss)
Combat Adaptation (Increases in real-time against stronger opponents)
Shadow Walk (A stealth ability allowing silent movements in low-light environments)
New Quest: Defeat the High-Rank Demon (Morgrath) – 5 Days Remaining
I smirked. "So I leveled up, huh? Looks like solving cases does more than just pay the bills."
The system chimed in.
[You have unlocked new abilities. As your strength grows, so does the level of your adversaries.]
I took a slow drag from my cigarette, exhaling thoughtfully. "Right. So basically, the more I push myself, the stronger the enemies I'll have to face. Sounds like fun."
Then, I noticed the new ability—Shadow Walk.
I tested it out immediately, taking a step into a dark alleyway. My footsteps became completely silent, blending into the shadows like I was part of them.
"Not bad."
As I deactivated the ability, the system spoke again.
[Warning: The High-Rank Demon, Morgrath, has started influencing the city. You have 5 days to eliminate him before corruption spreads.]
I chuckled. "Morgrath, huh? Looks like I won't be getting much sleep."
I flicked the cigarette to the ground, stepping on it as I stretched my arms.
"A demon hunt and detective work… This is turning out to be one hell of a life."
I looked up at the sky, my smirk widening.
"Alright, Morgrath. Let's see what you've got."
As I walked down the dimly lit streets, I couldn't help but smirk at how my life had taken such an interesting turn.
Solving cases and hunting Nightcreatures? If someone had told me this would be my reality, I would have laughed in their face.
I slid my hands into my pockets and looked at the floating blue screen in front of me.
"System, show me Sub-Quests."
The system responded instantly.
[Displaying Sub-Quests]
[Sub-Quests List]
1. The Missing Heirloom – A wealthy collector has reported that a priceless artifact has been stolen. Solve the case and retrieve the heirloom. (Reward: +5 Intelligence, +1 Random Ability)
2. Phantom Stalker – Several people have reported seeing a shadowy figure following them at night. Find out if it's a human… or something else. (Reward: Shadow Walk Upgrade, +3 Agility)
3. The Whispering Corpse – A morgue has reported strange noises coming from one of the bodies. Investigate the case before the corpse walks on its own. (Reward: +7 Strength, Combat Adaptation Upgrade)
4. Eliminate Lesser Nightcreatures – Track and defeat at least 10 Nightcreatures roaming the city. (Reward: +10 Strength, +10 Endurance, Hidden Skill Unlock)
5. The Underground Arena – A secret fight club in the slums is rumored to be a front for something much darker. Enter, fight, and uncover the truth. (Reward: Special Martial Arts Technique, +5 Strength, +5 Charisma)
I let out a low whistle. "Damn, this world really is glitching if corpses are waking up."
The system chimed in. [Due to the technical error in this world, various anomalies are appearing. Completing these Sub-Quests will help restore balance and increase your strength.]
I cracked my neck, feeling the excitement rush through me. "Alright then. I'm already dealing with Nightcreatures, might as well tackle some side quests while I'm at it."
I glanced at the list again, my eyes narrowing at one in particular.
"Phantom Stalker, huh?"
The idea of some shadowy figure roaming the city at night intrigued me. It could be human… or it could be something else entirely. Either way, it sounded like a good warm-up.
"System, set 'Phantom Stalker' as my current Sub-Quest."
[Sub-Quest Activated: Phantom Stalker]
As soon as I selected it, a new notification appeared.
[Last reported sighting: West District, near the old train station. Proceed with caution.]
I grinned, turning on my heel. "Well then, let's go see what's lurking in the shadows tonight."
With that, I disappeared into the dark streets, ready to hunt.
Abigail's POV:
Abigail sat in her luxurious office, tapping her manicured nails against the polished mahogany desk. The city skyline stretched out beyond the floor-to-ceiling windows, but she barely noticed it. Her mind was elsewhere—completely consumed by one man.
Samuel.
She clenched her jaw, her frustration mounting. Everything about him had changed. The weak, obedient husband she once controlled was gone.
No, not just gone—he had turned into something she couldn't manipulate anymore.
She gritted her teeth as flashes of the past few days ran through her mind.
The way he smirked at her in their own home, throwing condoms at her like she was the one at his mercy. The way he humiliated her at the banquet, stealing the spotlight she had carefully set up for Joshua. The coldness in his eyes when he spoke to her, as if she was nothing but a stranger to him.
And worst of all—that woman.
The mere thought of Gina moaning Samuel's name made her stomach churn. The way he looked so unbothered, as if Abigail's presence didn't matter anymore, drove her insane.
With an irritated sigh, she grabbed her glass of wine and took a sip, trying to calm herself. But it wasn't working. The anger, the confusion, the hatred—it was suffocating her.
Just then, her assistant, Sophia, knocked before stepping inside.
"Ms. Bardot, the board is waiting for your approval on the new expansion project—"
"Not now," Abigail snapped, rubbing her temple.
Sophia hesitated, eyeing her cautiously. "Ms. Bardot… is everything alright?"
Abigail scoffed, swirling the wine in her glass. "No, Sophia. Everything is not alright."
Sophia remained silent, sensing that Abigail wasn't done talking.
Abigail leaned back in her chair, her voice laced with frustration. "Tell me, Sophia. How does a man change so much in just a few days? How does someone who was weak and pathetic suddenly act like he owns the world?"
Sophia blinked, slightly taken aback. "…You're talking about Mr. Gebb, aren't you?"
Abigail's grip on her glass tightened. "Who else?"
Sophia hesitated before speaking carefully. "Maybe… he just finally had enough, Ms. Bardot. Maybe he stopped letting you control him."
The words stung. Abigail's eyes flickered with something unreadable.
She let out a bitter laugh. "Control? Oh no, Sophia, this is beyond that. He's not just 'standing up for himself'—he's making a fool out of me."
Sophia remained silent, not daring to challenge her boss further.
Abigail set her glass down with a sharp clink. "He's playing a game with me. A game I never thought he had the guts to start."
Sophia hesitated before asking, "And… do you think he's winning?"
Abigail's hands balled into fists.
Yes.
She didn't say it out loud, but deep down, she knew. He was winning.
For the first time, Abigail Bardot was no longer in control. And she hated it.