’Not bad! Not bad, at all!’ Noah could only express his happiness inwardly as he looked at his system panel.
...
[Congratulations, Noah Morgan! For investing in Starlix Inc.]
[Unlocked Benefits:]
[1. Unlock Mind Reading Skill, Level 1]
[2. You received a reward of $1,000,000.]
[3. You gain Skill Points +50]
[4. You gain Personnel Points +50]
...
But,
When he checked his status profile to see his progress toward leveling up, his happiness immediately faded as he realized how far he still was from achieving his goal.
[Experience: 367 / 1,000]
He still needed to accomplish a lot more before reaching 1,000 experience.
’For the love of God, Zoe! Can you please show me some mercy? Just give me a lot of experience without me having to do so many things for once? Or, can you let me just buy those experiences with money...? I have loads of money sitting idly right now!’
Noah bombarded Zoe with questions, even though he knew he wouldn’t get an answer.
But just like that... Zoe kept silent.
Sigh!
As his annoyance compounded, Noah decided not to stay here long.
After a quick discussion with Alexis about the company’s future, he excused himself. He left with Alexis’ apparent objection because he ignored her invitation to celebrate at a nearby restaurant.
And...
Driving alone was pretty dull, but it didn’t last long. He had a feeling something was off—he noticed two black cars had been tailing him since he left Alexis’s office.
Instead of being afraid, he felt excited. This was an opportunity to gain more experience. He could sense his adrenaline surge.
He sped up to shake them, testing if his suspicion was wrong. But when he looked in the rearview mirror, they were still there, tailing him.
His mind began to strategize how to handle them, but he realized he couldn’t do it in the city center. Gently, he drove his car onto a quiet street, hoping to lure them into his trap.
And suddenly, something struck him.
’Zoe, which team is guarding me now?’
’Yellow team...’
This was his chance to take them down and gain experience. It would be a pain in the ass if Seven and his team swooped in and stole the opportunity from him. Right!
He hurriedly told Zoe, ’Stop Seven from intervening. I’ll handle them myself!’
The last thing Noah wants to happen right now is that he misses this opportunity because Seven and his team help him.
’Are you sure? They are more powerful than the ones you fought in the warehouse, and they also have firearms.’
A gentle smile confidently formed on Noah’s lips. Zoe’s words revealed concern, though her tone stayed casual. He understood she trusted him—and was subtly testing him.
’Well, I don’t need Seven and his team right now. Just you as my backup. That’s enough for me...’ he said confidently.
Just as Noah was thinking, a sudden laugh echoed in his mind. ’I like your confidence, sir... still, you need to be careful!’
’Sure—’
Noah casually drove toward the secluded spot after getting the new GPS map on his car dashboard from Zoe.
He tried not to be obvious about his plan, worried that if his pursuers figured it out, they would run away instead of falling into his trap.
Not long after, Noah finally arrived at the location: an empty gravel road leading to the secluded mountain.
After driving for forty minutes from his last position, he didn’t pass a single vehicle.
He took another turn onto the single-lane street, and after a few more minutes, Noah stopped. His plan was simple enough: confront those people directly.
Before he could get out of the car, a series of notifications kept sounding repeatedly in his mind.
[SYSTEM ALERT – THREAT DETECTED]
[SYSTEM ALERT – THREAT DETECTED]
[SYSTEM ALERT – THREAT DETECTED]
Noah was instantly reminded of a similar notification—the one he’d received when his mother died. The system had revealed the truth behind her death back then, and now, it was happening again.
His eyes scanned the alert, and shock twisted in his chest as more data rolled in.
It wasn’t just a warning.
The notification listed the number of people in the two cars behind him, along with their weapons and intentions.
Their plan. Their objective. Everything was there.
They were here to kill him.
But strangely, the system offered no clue about who had sent them. That part remained blank.
A dark, sinister chuckle slipped past his lips as he read the word: "KILL."
’Damn! Twelve people share the same goal: to kill me? Isn’t that awesome, Zoe?’
Noah chuckled under his breath, glancing at the rearview mirror just as the two black cars came into view. They stopped a few meters behind him.
’You are lucky, sir...’
’Indeed!’
This—this was precisely what he had been waiting for. Their plan to kill him was the perfect trigger.
If he responded with the same mindset, maybe—just maybe—it would finally trigger his system’s hidden skill: Ultimate Revenge.
He stepped out of the car, pretending there was a mechanical problem, and calmly lifted the hood. He paid no attention to the two vehicles behind him, even though he could feel their drivers watching him. Waiting!
Waiting for him to make a move.
Then came the sound of a car door opening. Footsteps followed. Multiple sets—slow, deliberate, heavy.
Noah didn’t react. He remained bent over the engine, pretending to check something, while his senses sharpened, tracking their every step.
Soon, three men entered his line of sight.
Just one glance at their expressions—harsh, merciless, eyes full of evil intent—was enough. Thugs. Cold-blooded ones.
"Young man, got car trouble?" one of them asked, his tone anything but helpful. Now they are all standing behind him.
He turned to face them, and another man asked, "Need a hand?" his voice mocking.
"Yeah, we can help you get... outta this mess," the third said, cracking his knuckles.
Their words were a joke. A twisted form of prelude to violence. It wasn’t a help they were offering—it was a warning.