Villain Raiders

Chapter2

[System: What did you say?]

Karl: "...I said you're a little fairy."

[System: I'm touched that I've made such a good impression on you so quickly. Then I'll be called Alexa.]

Karl: ...

After reluctantly accepting his new reality, Karl sat on the sofa for a while, grateful that at least he had a place to live. Looking

around the messy room, he decided to clean up first. Otherwise, he wouldn't even have a place to stand.

Karl searched the apartment for cleaning supplies but only found a toilet plunger.

[System: Young man, what are you planning to do?]

Karl rolled up his sleeves. "Clean up."

[System: I can help you if you complete an antagonist task right now.]

Looking at the plunger in his hand, Karl bit his lip, clearly tempted. Although he wasn't a stranger to housework, this apartment was

practically indistinguishable from a landfill.

After some internal debate, he asked, "What's the task?"

[System: Antagonist Task 1: Dump garbage in front of your neighbor's door. Completion increases your Antagonist Value by 1, and

you'll be rewarded with a clean apartment.]

Karl's face remained expressionless.

[System: The first task is usually easier, with no penalties for failure. I believe in you, young man.]

However, as soon as the system finished speaking, it saw Karl start cleaning with the plunger.

[System: Hey! Why are you cleaning?]

Karl: "I just realized something."

[System: What's that?]

Karl: "It's better to rely on yourself than others."

[System: I'm not human.]

Karl: "...I won't do this task."

Despite the tempting reward, Karl still had his morals, and he lacked the courage anyway.

Alexa was confused. [Why not?]

Karl: "Because I'm a member of the Youth League."

"..."

The system persisted, [Are you scared?]

Karl's hand, holding an instant noodle cup, paused.

[System: What are you afraid of with Alexa here? Even if you're caught doing the task and the neighbor wants to fight, I'll help you.]

Karl put the noodle cup in a garbage bag, asking halfheartedly, "How would you help?"

[System: I'll cheer you on.]

Karl: ...

Some help that would be.

He once again strongly refused the system's suggestion.

[System: My host is a stubborn and timid human.]

Karl: "What are you doing?"

[System: Writing in my human observation diary.]

Karl: "Why are you writing that?"

[System: To better understand human thoughts, of course. To maximize the system's business and responsibilities. These are all

essential for an excellent system.]

Karl: "Oh, homework."

[...]

Karl hummed as he cleaned the room, unsure if coming to this world was fortunate or not.

"Alexa."

[System: I'm here.]

That d*mn familiar feeling.

"Will I definitely end up sleeping on the streets in this world?"

[System: There's a 99.99% chance you will.]

Karl sighed dejectedly upon hearing this.

[System: Don't sigh! There's still a 0.01% chance you won't.]

Seeing Karl's low spirits, the system tried to comfort him: [I once had a host who was part of that 0.01%.]

Karl's previously dim eyes suddenly lit up.

"Really?"

[System: Of course. His original fate was to end up in a mental hospital.]

Karl: "So where did he end up instead?"

[System: In prison.]

Karl: ...

"Thanks for the comfort."

[System: You're welcome.]

After that, Karl didn't chat much with the system and focused on cleaning the apartment.

He started with the bedroom and bathroom, then moved to the living room.

Karl found a pair of rubber gloves in the bathroom cabinet and began throwing the rotten food and fruit from the coffee table into

garbage bags.

After tidying up, he turned his attention to the pile of garbage. Just as he was about to pick up a trash bag that had been sitting on the

floor for weeks, he heard a rustling sound.

Karl's scalp tingled.

Looking closely, he saw the bottom of the black garbage bag slightly trembling.

He swallowed hard and took a few deep breaths.

Crouching down, he suddenly lifted the bag, and a swarm of cockroaches scattered in all directions.

Karl: "Aaaahhhhh!!!"

The young man jumped up, raised his leg, and began stomping frantically, screaming all the while.

The system, unsure what to make of this puzzling human behavior, silently added it to its observation diary.

Karl didn't know how many escaped, but when he felt nothing more under his feet, he stood there looking weathered.

[System: What were you doing just now?]

Karl, unwilling to recall: "...Driving away small animals."

The system let out a surprised "Oh~" [I didn't expect the original host, being so sleazy, to be kind enough to keep pets at home.]

Karl: ...

[System: Then why did you drive them away?]

Karl: "Because I'm not kind-hearted."

[...]

The system added "not kind-hearted" after "timid" in its notes.

After clearing a few more cockroach nests, Karl collapsed on the sofa, exhausted both physically and mentally.

He would never be happy again.

Karl picked up a throw pillow and hugged it. His eyes casually swept over the spot where the pillow had been, and he noticed

something in the crevice of the sofa.

Remembering the cockroach nests, he swallowed hard.

He got up to look and saw a small corner of what looked like a thin piece of paper peeking out from the tight crevice.

Karl sat there for a long time, staring. In this apartment, even the tiniest corner could hold infinite possibilities.

[System: What are you doing?]

Karl: "I'm observing."

[System: Do humans have X-ray vision?]

Karl: "No, but I feel this isn't just a small piece of paper."

[System: What's your basis for that?]

Karl, with a serious face: "Sixth sense."

[...]

Karl put the rubber gloves back on and, with lightning speed, pulled out the corner.

The young man's pupils dilated in shock.

This red, thin paper with a benevolent face printed on it.

What else could it be but money?!

Karl instinctively clutched it in his hand, not letting even a corner show.

[System: What did you find?]

Karl grinned foolishly, "I found a treasure."

He unfolded the money in his hand - a whole hundred dollars.

The system was also surprised, [You're lucky. That's enough for me to deduct twice.]

Hearing this, Karl quickly stuffed the hundred dollars into his pocket like a squirrel hoarding food.

By the time everything was cleaned up, it was already 7 PM. There was nothing in the fridge, and although he couldn't cook, he

could at least make instant noodles.

He found an unopened cup of beef-flavored instant noodles in the kitchen.

Karl started soaking the noodles and began to recall the memories he had acquired.

His current situation was similar to his previous life - both as second-year high school students with few friends. The only difference

was that in his previous life, Karl was invisible in class, while the original Karl in this world was a troublemaker, disliking everyone

except the popular girl and being disliked by everyone in return.

But regardless, he still had to go to school.

Then he suddenly realized something and checked the date on the phone he had found. It was Monday.

Karl had always been afraid of teachers, feeling uncomfortable and pressured whenever he encountered them. He had never skipped

school or even been late to class.

Karl muttered uneasily, "Surely missing one day of school won't be a big deal..."

[System: You haven't been to school for a week.]

Karl: ...

After finishing his noodles and cleaning up, Karl quickly packed his schoolbag and washed his uniform, hanging it on the balcony.

It was summer, so the clothes would dry overnight.

After taking a shower, he lay in bed ready to sleep.

"Alexa."

[System: I'm here.]

Although he was alone in this world, having the system for company reduced his anxiety a bit. "Good night."

The next day, Karl was awakened by his phone alarm. Yesterday's massive cleaning effort clearly made him reluctant to get up, and

he squirmed in bed for a while before finally rising.

The young man's voice was lazy, "Alexa."

...

No response.

Karl was startled, "Alexa!"

[System: What!]

Karl shyly said, "Good morning."

After a quick wash, Karl left with his schoolbag. He had wanted to take the bus but had no change, so he had to use his "number

eleven bus" (i.e., walk).

The summer morning brought a gentle breeze, and the sunlight wasn't as intense as it would be at noon, scattering across every

corner. The streets were lush with greenery, the air filled with a vibrant atmosphere.

As he approached the school, Karl's attention was drawn to a nearby stall.

The vendor was calling out, "Buns! Fresh, hot buns!"

Karl swallowed and felt the hundred-dollar bill in his pocket.

[System: If you want to spend it, go ahead. You'll earn more when you do tasks later.]

Thinking of the unethical nature of those tasks, Karl said quietly, "I won't do them."

[System: If you don't spend it, I'll deduct it all anyway.]

Hearing this, Karl promptly went to buy some buns. "M-Mister, h-how much are the buns?"

The vendor smiled, "Two dollars for meat, one for vegetable."

Karl held up three fingers, "T-Two meat and o-one vegetable, please."

It wasn't until he had walked a few steps away with the buns that he finally relaxed.

This bad habit had started after elementary school. He was always cautious about everything, even overthinking what to say to

people. He often changed schools and was quiet by nature, so he had few friends. Over time, he became nervous and started to stutter

when talking to others.

He only spoke fluently when he was anxious.

[System: Why were you stuttering just now?]

Karl, holding the plump white buns, said, "I get nervous talking to people."

[System: You don't seem nervous talking to me.]

Karl: "You're not human."

[...]

Great.

The school was just ahead, and he planned to save the buns for after the morning self-study period.

However, after walking a few steps, he heard discussions ahead.

"Arthur Welles! Arthur Welles!"

"Arthur Welles is here!"

"Where?"

Karl froze instantly. Wasn't Arthur Welles the name of the protagonist?!

A girl in front casually pointed, as if afraid of being caught.

Karl mixed in behind the group of girls, secretly looking in the direction they pointed. He saw a handsome young man with sharp

eyebrows and bright eyes riding an exquisitely assembled bicycle into the school grounds.

From his angle, Karl could only see his profile. Rather than focusing on the face that could be described as God's masterpiece, Karl's

attention was drawn more to the young man's muscular forearms.

So this was the person he was supposed to sabotage...

"Did you see him? Did you see him?" one girl asked excitedly.

Another girl replied, "I saw him!"

"What do you think?"

"He's so handsome!!!"

[System: Did you see him? Did you see him?]

Karl: "...I saw him."

[System: What do you think?]

Karl: "I think he could knock out two of me with one punch."