100,000 Coins Reality Broadcast

In the corner of the police station's detention area, Drake sat in silence. His lawyer and Aunt Beck were there, handling all the necessary paperwork and legal proceedings on his behalf. He felt utterly helpless, still reeling from the shock and adrenaline of the situation.

The police station was a chaotic scene, swarming with reporters, camera crews, and curious onlookers. The air was filled with a cacophony of voices, camera shutters clicking, and news vans parked outside. Drake's photo, superimposed over headlines that read "DearBeck Co. owner accused of embezzlement," dominated the news coverage. It was a stark and unwelcome contrast to the successful businessman he had been just hours ago.

"Drake, are you alright?" Aunt Beck asked, her concern evident.

"Aunt, I'm sorry," Drake replied with a trembling voice. "Because of me, your company's name has been ruined."

"What name? DearBeck was nothing before your investment, so don't blame yourself," Aunt Beck reassured him.

"But, Aunt, because of me... I never stole anything. All the money I have comes from my hard work, aside from the funds I received from the system."

"I know, I know. So, keep yourself together. We can get through this."

Despite Aunt Beck's words of encouragement, as time passed, more accusations were thrown at Drake. DearBeck's reputation continued to plummet. The hundred million coins he provided for the company slowly dwindled as business partners pressed charges and customers boycotted them, leading to severe public humiliation.

"Drake, can you please stop drinking?" Eleanor asked in a soft and caring tone.

"Oh, Ely," Drake replied, wiping his mouth. "I'm sorry for drinking as soon as I got home."

"No, Drake. I know you're going through a tough time," Eleanor said, looking at her brother's weary eyes. "But please, take care of your health."

"Yes, I will. I'm sorry for worrying you," Drake responded, feeling flustered. "It's late, Ely. Please, go rest too. I'll clean this up and then get some rest."

"Okay. Goodnight, Drake," Eleanor said, still concerned.

"Goodnight, Ely."

Drake watched as Eleanor left the kitchen, but as soon as she was out of sight, he reached for the unfinished bottle of whiskey and left home, breaking his promise to rest.

"System, what have I done wrong?" Drake asked, taking a swig straight from the bottle as he walked through the street.

"You still have plenty of coins at your disposal. You can use your wealth strategically," the system replied.

"Hey, I can't reveal the tribute system as my source of funds. They'll accuse me even more if I display more wealth than I can actually generate," Drake grumbled. "Is there anything the system can do to help me?"

"You can purchase an item from the marketplace—something that can help prove your innocence," the system suggested.

"Really?" Drake exclaimed, momentarily jolted from his despondency. "There's something like that in the system?"

"Yes, but you'll have to offer a tribute first," the system replied.

Drake frowned deeply.

"Tribute! Tribute! I can't even remember where that temple is! How am I supposed to offer a tribute?" he yelled out of frustration, causing passersby on the street to turn their heads, but he didn't care.

"System, I am grateful. Truly grateful. You helped my sister survive her illness, and you helped us escape poverty. But can't you help me escape humiliation? Can't I regain my dignity? Is this the way the world works?" Drake cried out.

The system fell silent, leaving Drake to continue his walk in misery.

He looked up at the night sky when he suddenly felt a drizzle.

"Woah, even the sky is crying for me," he mumbled. But then his gaze shifted to the top of a building.

"What is that? It looks familiar," Drake said, squinting his eyes as he felt like he had seen the light at the top of the building before.

"Hey, system, let me purchase the Otherworld CCTV feature," Drake requested. The system immediately granted him access to the feature that allowed him to closely monitor something from a distance.

"The miniature temple!" he exclaimed, recognizing it. His feet began to sprint as soon as he realized that the temple, which had given him miracles and hope, was within reach.

Fortunately, the building's security was weak, and Drake was able to sneak onto the roof and reunite with the miniature temple.

"Oh, Lord! Thank you! I finally found you!" he exclaimed in joy. However, doubt crept in, and he took a step back. "Wait, is this the same miniature temple? Did I climb up to this building while drunk?"

Drake became skeptical as he tried to recall his first encounter with the temple. The tribute system remained silent, so he cautiously approached the temple once more.

The miniature temple was positioned right at the edge of the building, and Drake had no choice but to climb the railing and cautiously crawl closer to it.

"Shit, this is so scary," he muttered while looking down. "No, just focus on your goal, Drake Chwe!" he encouraged himself.

Drake fixed his gaze on the miniature temple standing at the very edge of the building and felt the same pull he had experienced during his first encounter.

"Lord, deity, whoever you are, thank you so much for granting me vast wealth," Drake said, closing his eyes and clasping his hands together. "Please forgive me for asking for more. Please allow me to use the system more freely."

Drake reached for his wallet, about to offer money as a tribute, but then hesitated and put it back in his pocket. He began patting his body, searching for something else to offer.

"Is it disrespectful to offer something from the tribute system?" he mumbled. He decided to remove his watch and place it on the miniature altar.

"This is the watch my dad gave me. He abandoned us for another woman. I hate him, but I guess I didn't hate him that much. I still wear this watch," Drake shared. "I hope this watch can be a good tribute. It carries the hope that my dad will care for us again."

Drake clasped his hands together again and prayed more sincerely.

The miniature temple began to slowly glow with a holy light, and Drake watched in awe as it reacted to his prayers. It then burst forth with a blinding light, momentarily disorienting him.

"W-where did it go?" Drake panicked, looking around, but the miniature temple was no longer at the edge of the building.

"Congratulations!" the system's holographic screen suddenly appeared. "You have unlocked new features from the tribute system."

"I did? Really?" Drake said in relief.

"Yes, thank you for your tribute," the system responded. "You can now withdraw your coins in bills, and more items have been unlocked in the marketplace!"

"Really? Thank you very much!"

Drake's eyes sparkled with newfound hope, and the weariness that had weighed on his body disappeared as soon as he heard the good news. His fingers moved swiftly as he tapped on the system screen.

"Please, system, show me the item that can clear my name!"

"Sure!" the system replied with enthusiasm.

The screen shifted automatically to the marketplace, and it displayed an item with the title "Reality Broadcast Live." The item's description read, "A one-time-use item. The user can only gain access to the feature once in a lifetime. RBL will create an online broadcast of anything the user desires. It costs 100,000 coins if the live broadcast is based on facts and 1,000,000 coins if it's about an altered reality."

Drake bit his lip in hesitation, not because of the cost but because he could only use it once in a lifetime. He thought, "What if I need it again in the future?"

After a moment of internal debate, he shook his head and pressed the purchase button, disregarding his hesitation. "What matters is now. I need to restore my reputation. I don't care about anything else. I don't want to be humiliated anymore," he told himself.

"Thank you for your purchase," the system said. "You have chosen the Reality Broadcast, which costs 100,000 coins. Please input the subject of your broadcast."

"Broadcast all the crimes of Marcus Lee and his accomplices," Drake stated firmly.

"Okay! Now broadcasting!" the system announced.

Drake looked at his phone and was amazed to see that the system had indeed started a live broadcast about Marcus Lee on all major online streaming platforms and websites. The number of viewers began to grow.

"You deserve this!" Drake exclaimed as he saw the public's sympathy returning to him.

Then, a new notification appeared on his phone, and his eyes widened as he read the message: "LIVE on ABC news! Owner of DearBeck Co. spotted on top of a building... Authorities are now trying to save the innocent businessman accused of embezzlement."

Drake looked down from the building and noticed a massive airbag setup beneath him. And as he looked at his back, he noticed a group of rescuers was cautiously approaching.

"Wait. Wait. It's not what you think," he called out, desperately hoping to explain the situation before any rash actions were taken.