Obedience

Only a daring man would walk around hiding a fruit knife in their sweatpants. I wasn't one of them. Back in the kitchen, I placed all the kitchen Knives in the storage bag, stored in the T-system Inventory. When I pulled out the fruit knife from my sweatpants, I actually pulled it out from the storage bag. And then I stabbed Stan under his left rib cage with the kitchen knife four consecutive times mercilessly. 

Did I not care if he died? Not really. 

But as much as I wanted to punish these people for what they have put Ryan through, I didn't want to be charged with murder. Yet, I stabbed Stan mortally because of the health potions. As long as he had one health point left, I could heal him back with health potions. 

Stan had let go of my neck from his chokehold with the first stab, yet I stabbed him three more times because I didn't want to take chances with him. He had a freaking skill. 

Covered in Stan's blood, I got up from the floor. Blood dripped from the knifepoint as I tightened my grip on the bloody fruit knife. Standing on the blood-stained floor, I looked down at Stan. He had stopped moaning in pain. Instead, his gaze focused on the empty space as he muttered the command, "T-commerce." 

Stan's actions were clear. He had accessed the T-system to buy a health potion. 

*Poof!*

A small glass flask containing red liquid magically appeared in Stan's hand out of thin air. Stan tried to remove the cork covering the flask's mouth, but I snatched the health potion from his hand. Our gazes met, and I could see the despair in his eyes. Pretending to pocket the health potion, I stored it in the storage bag. And then pinning Stan's hands to the floor—

*Thuk* *Thuk* 

"AARRRGGH!" Stan screamed in pain as I stabbed both of his palms so he couldn't use his hands to buy and use another health potion while I handled his ex-wife. 

One down, another to go.  

I found Amber at the main door. Trying to escape. I was in no hurry to stop her because I knew the doorknob was faulty and would get jammed when locked. I faced the same problem on my first day here. So I stopped using it. Instead, used the aldrop bolt to lock from outside using a padlock and the tower bolt to lock from inside. Like late Ryan used to. The ex-couple were last to enter the house and locked the doorknob out of habit. 

*Rattle* *Bam!* *Bam!* *Bam!*

Finding the doorknob jammed, Amber started banging on the door. If she was trying to attract neighbors for help, she could forget it as the loud music playing in the room had masked all the disturbance. 

'To put an ax on your own foot.' Amber reminded me of these words. Leaving a trail of bloody footprints on the flood, I neared Amber. Feeling a presence behind her, she turned around to find me holding a bloody knife and screamed in fright, " AAAAH!" 

*Bam!* *Bam!*

Scared for her life, Amber returned to banging on the door, yelling, "Don't come near me, stay away from me."

As if that was going to work. Hasn't she seen any horror movies? 

*Thud*

"AAAAH!" I grabbed Amber by her hair and pulled. She fell on her ass. Ignoring her screams and struggle, I dragged her toward the living room. 

*Boom!* *Crash!* *Bang!* 

"Let go of me, you monster!" Amber shouted while throwing everything she could get her hands on at me.

*Thuk* *Splurt*

"AAAH!" she screamed in pain as I stabbed her in the right shoulder. Blood gushed from the stab wound, staining Amber's white sleeveless collared shirt red. 

"Shut up and stop struggling. If you don't want me to stab you in your throat next." I threatened Amber. Fun fact about threats, they work like a charm when made while holding a bloody Knife. 

I dragged Amber next to Stan's barely conscious body. Amber looked at him and screamed, "you killed him, you- you murderer—" 

*Smack!* 

I slapped Amber, shutting her up. And warned her, "Don't force me to kill you too." 

I knew Stan wouldn't die, nor would I kill Amber unless they gave me a reason. But I spoke those words to make Amber obedient and to give her hope that if she behaved, there was a chance of me letting her go. It worked. 

"Son, this is not your fault. You were trying to defend yourself. So call 911 before your father and I bleed to death. There is still time, hurry." Fearing that even if her son did not kill her, she could bleed to death, Amber hoped to persuade me into calling for help. 

"I have a better idea. Ask him to buy two health potions, one for him and another for you. This way is faster." I suggested to Amber, pointing at Stan, who could barely stay conscious.

"Yes," Amber has heard about miraculous health potions sold on T-commerce, so she followed her son's brilliant advice, "Stan- Stan, buy two health potions I will help you heal. Hurry before you lose consciousness." 

*Poof* 

Six health potions magically appeared next to Stan out of thin air. He seemed to have followed his ex-wife's suggestion. But he bought half a dozen instead of two, maybe because he felt light-headed due to the blood loss.  

"What are you doing?" Before Amber could reach for the health potions, I grabbed all the six potions and placed five of them on the top shelf of the tv cupboard. 

"Don't forget I am holding the bloody knife," I reminded Amber, pointing the fruit knife at her throat. Then I used the T-system to check the health potion's info. 

[Item: Health Potion (Common)

 Durability: Consumable (100%)

 Effect: The user recovers 100 Hp upon consuming the entire potion.

 Note: Total quantity 150 ml. Recover 10Hp upon drinking 15ml of the potion.

 Cost: 10 T-coins]

Stan bought seven of these health potions in total, which means he had approx 70 T-coins on him. He did complain that the tower didn't award him enough coins to buy a Soldier King Serum worth 100 T-coins. So my calculations should be about correct.

"Stan, wake up, wake up!" Amber cried suddenly, shaking Stan's body.