CHAPTER 4 : The First Payback
552 Words
The system screen was still glowing in my vision.
Financial Insight Lv.1 Activated
Everything looked different now.
Numbers. People. Opportunities.
All of them… readable.
I walked through East Manila without hesitation.
My target was clear.
Money.
More money.
Faster money.
Then I saw him.
A familiar face.
Raka.
He was laughing with a group of students.
Same arrogant smile.
Same mocking tone.
“Hey!” he called out when he saw me.
“You’re still alive after yesterday’s lucky win?”
His friends laughed.
I stopped.
Slowly.
Lucky?
That word felt… irritating.
I looked at him.
Quietly.
Analyzing.
[System Analysis] Emotional weakness detected
Overconfidence level: High
Risk of humiliation: Medium
Interesting.
I walked closer.
Step by step.
“You think it was luck?” I asked calmly.
Raka smirked.
“Obviously. Don’t tell me you believe you’re some kind of genius now.”
I didn’t answer immediately.
Instead—
I looked at the small group behind him.
They were betting again.
Money on the table.
Small gambling game.
Perfect.
I pointed at the table.
“I’ll play.”
Silence.
Then laughter.
“You? You don’t even have money.”
I reached into my pocket.
$850.
All of it.
“I’m all in.”
The atmosphere changed instantly.
Raka frowned.
“…Are you serious?”
I nodded.
Calm.
Cold.
“Let’s see if it was luck.”
The game started.
Simple card draw.
Pure probability.
But I already knew the outcome.
Financial Insight was whispering everything.
First round.
I won.
Second round.
I won again.
The laughter disappeared.
Raka’s expression changed.
“What the hell…?”
Final round.
I looked at him.
For the first time—
He looked uncertain.
I flipped the card.
Win.
Silence.
[Profit Acquired] +$1,700
I collected the money slowly.
Without emotion.
Then I leaned slightly toward Raka.
“Still think it’s luck?”
He didn’t answer.
I turned away.
Not wasting another second.
But then—
A voice stopped me.
Soft.
Clear.
Female.
“Interesting.”
I turned.
A girl stood near the crowd.
Long dark hair.
Calm eyes.
Different from everyone else here.
She was watching me.
Not with fear.
Not with admiration.
But curiosity.
She walked closer.
“You’re not normal.”
I narrowed my eyes.
“Neither are you.”
She smiled slightly.
That was the first time.
“I saw how you played,” she said.
“You weren’t guessing.”
“You were calculating everything.”
I stayed silent.
She tilted her head.
“My name is Elina.”
A pause.
Then—
“I think… you just changed my plans.”
Something about her tone felt dangerous.
Not weak.
Not ordinary.
My system flickered.
[Warning] Unknown variable detected
Emotional interference risk: High
I frowned slightly.
This was the first time it reacted like this.
Elina looked at the money in my hand.
Then back at me.
“You’re going to get very rich,” she said calmly.
“But the question is…”
She stepped closer.
“Will you survive it?”
For the first time—
I felt something unfamiliar.
Not fear.
Not excitement.
Interest.
I smirked slightly.
“Try me.”
The wind passed between us.
Silence followed.
And in that moment—
I knew.
This world was no longer simple.
And she—
Was not just a random girl.
- Writer
