3 Chapter-3 (Robbers)

After the successful heist at Weber's, Ethan was looking for a secluded place for absorbing the pearl as he found out during his first attempt at the pearl that the process of absorbing the pearl takes a lot of time that being the reason why he couldn't absorb the whole pearl in the first attempt.

By the time Ethan had absorbed a part of the pearl, Jamie had already become aware of the changes in the pearl, unbelievably caused by a fly sitting on it. Then what happened next become the most humiliating day of Jamie's life only to be ever topped by meeting Ethan for their second and last confrontation.

After a conversation with the sentience in the system, he found out that the pearl or any life source can't directly trade for liveable days. He had to first absorb the life essence from the life source and then trade it. How is he supposed to absorb a solid pearl, you ask? Well according to the Sentience, he has been gifted with really corrosive saliva like enzyme which can pretty much dissolve anything given sufficient time. So, he has to first bring out his retractable mouth, spill some enzyme on the object and wait for it to dissolve, and finally absorb the now easily available life essence.

{Well don't feel down about the whole 'eating an object smeared in your own saliva' thing} Sentience.

And there goes my hope of making at least my brain believe that the process is not as disgusting as it looks. Can't he just shut up? Didn't I tell him if he keeps yapping I would do double suicide with him? But it doesn't matter; small things like this won't stop me from getting a longer life in a human body.

{So, after exchanging the essence of this pearl I would get 30 days, deducting the 2 days spent in acquiring this and adding the already remaining time I have about 38 days of life. Looks like I have to find another target and one which can give me a larger essence.} Ethan.

{But you sure are ruthless, you left that poor kid mentally scarred for life. He, who was once feared, is now a joke in his classmate's eyes. Let alone the dignity lost in the family. I truly fear what will become of your future targets.} Sentience.

{How did I do anything bad? I, Ethan am not a bad person. Jamie was a bully, it is my duty as much as it is the duty of any working member of the society, to bring him back to the correct path and make him live his life as a respectable human.} Ethan.

For a second even sentience thought, what a good person Ethan was and how great his thoughts were for fellow humans, but wait, fellow humans? Bastard, you are a freakin' fly and you just stole a student's item while mentally scarring him for life. What the hell do you think you are doing making black into white and white into black? If this bastard actually believes this bullshit logic in his head, just how alarmingly messed up his head is?

While searching for a secluded place for some time, Ethan suddenly heard a piece of very delightful information coming from the shop in front of him.

"Bringing the latest report from the scene. It has been confirmed that 3 police officers and 2 civilians have died in open gunfire between robbers and police."

"When the police cornered a group of robbers who had just robbed jewelry shop, open gunfire between parties ensued due to failed negotiation, killing a total of 5 innocents and injuring 7 people."

"After open firing, the robbers fled in their vehicle but police have been successful in gunning down 2 of the original 7 robbers and are in the trail behind robbers."

"But the robbers still haven't released 2 of the hostages from the shop, it is estimated the robbers are planning to use them as bargaining chips. If they are successful in this act it can be said they have made a clear hit of about 5 million dollars worth of jewelry."

Watching the broadcast on the Television, Ethan's front pair of hands automatically started rubbing themselves. He was elated by the news, he couldn't care less about the injured or the dead, but what he did care about was, the robbers, the blemishes in the ranks of working adult society, the bad guy, or simply the next targets.

Being the self-centered guy Ethan was, he had no problem in exchanging 10 people's life for an addition of 10 years in his own life. What he needed now was a plan and a backup plan for taking the stolen items from the robbers and one more thing he needed was the strength for the time everything goes shit.

{Sentience, how long will it take for the pearl to be absorbed? Will the reward and living days be provided too? And finally, how many years for 5 mil worth of precious stones?} Ethan.

{Absorption would take at least take half an hour, rewards and days would be rewarded simultaneously. As for how many years or DAYS, you will get, that depends on the system's assessment.} Sentience.

Hearing this, Ethan quickly made his way towards the top a roof near him, since the temperature was rather high flying to the roof was quite easy. Positioning himself in an inconspicuous corner he started to absorb and assimilate the pearl. Finally, after half an hour later he had completely absorbed the life essence.

[Congratulations, you have completed the quest.

Rewards: Stats visibility, 5 stat points, all human and animal language capability, one-time selection between 10 times faster visual information possessing and reduction of saliva corrosion by half, 1 cubic meter of inventory space, 1 wish coupon(Based on present privilege level) and +30 day life expansion]

[Alert: You have no privileges now, 5 years life essence till privilege level 1.]

That's a lot of good stuff. Even though the sudden arrival of all these flashing, beeping screens is annoying but at least most of them bring good news. Stat visibility....huh? Oh, I just need to think about what I want to see and it shows. Let's see how I compare to a normal human after adding the 5 stats point.

Name: Ethan Stalin.

Privilege level: None

Strength: 1.6 (Human average is 5)

Vision: 7.6 times the average human. (Pending reward decision)

Flight: 30 miles per hour. (Normal speed is 5 miles per hour)

Saliva corrosion: 30 minutes per centimetre. (Pending reward decision)

Life: 38 days

Inventory: 1 wish coupon. (0% used space)

"This cubic meter of space is a real steal and while the strength is quite disappointing but it can be increased."

"As for the one-time selection between vision and saliva, 10 times faster vision seems like quite the catch but I already have 7.6 times so a 2.4 increase won't be much. Than saliva is it."

[Alert: Host now has a saliva corrosion speed of 15 minutes per centimeter.]

{Good choices, I guess. So, how are you going to handle the robbers? Do you have a plan?} Sentience.

{Plan, I always have a plan and a back for that plan and a backup for the backup. Believe me, I have a ready to go plan even for world domination. And for such trashes of the working society, as a respectable person I have to bring them towards the light away from the dark. Taking away there "sin" from them as a necessary evil'] Ethan.

{Sin huh, sure take away their sin, Make them a respectable human, you hypocrite.} Sentience.

{Did you just call me a hypocrite? Why do I have this sudden urge to do double suicide with a certain sentience residing in a system?} Ethan.

Ignoring the Sentience after saying his piece, Ethan once again came down to see what the present situation looked like.

"It had been 45 minutes since the robbers have taken over this warehouse, in addition to the hostages from the shop, they now have an additional 3 hostages captured from the warehouse."

"The police captain said they have the perimeter closed and the situation is under control. But with the increasing number of hostages with the robbers, are we really close to an arrest?"

Having understood the situation, Ethan thought about making his way towards the warehouse to take some sin away. But at that time something happened which completely stunned Ethan.

On the road, in front of him stood a very good looking human, so good looking that it was not humanly possible. What was even more stunning was that he was staring straight at Ethan. He didn't seem like to care that he was staring at a fly.

"Mr. Fly or should I say, Mr. Ethan, your presence in this world is really crowding this place. Reincarnators dropping in as every Monday has really become a sore thing for my organization. And with either those systems or the cheats you get killing you people becomes a very hard task." He said while showing a very honest smile.

"Now, Mr. Ethan you have to choose between joining us or getting your system removed from you which will the same as death. I know you are capable of human speech so I expect and answer at this moment."

This quite stunned Ethan, wasn't he supposed to be the protagonist of the story. With only him having a system and by using it reach the peak of this world. So, what the hell is this secret organization? Am I in the wrong world? One where I have to reject their proposal and fight the "evil organization"?.

"Mr. Ethan you are no protagonist, people with system and cheats are abundant in this world, who eighter get killed by us or join us. This is no story setting where you fight the evil organization planning to take over the world." He said as if he can read my thoughts.

Well, that was surprising. I couldn't really find the situation I am in any stories that I have read. But if I am really part of some story I must be one hell of a clever and op protagonist because:

"Whew, man you really caught me by surprise for a moment. But the good thing is I always keep backup plans for my backup plans....

BANG BANG BANG

Without saying anything the handsome man pulled a gun out and shot at Ethan at approx point-blank range.

"I have always hated schemer fucks like you, constantly thinking that they have everything under control. See, this is not a situation under control. Do you think only you have a system and brains?" the guy sneered and walked away.

He took one last look at Ethan, who now was nothing more than a dark spot on the road and dead for sure. As he was walking away, something happened, the dark spot on the ground now had one clear spot on it as if something covering the spot has just left.