I was so close. Had I known it would be canceled, I would have used my sword instead of my tongue .
Now all I could think of was her intoxicating taste and smell.
Suddenly, my eyelids grew heavy, and when I glanced at the window, night had already fallen.
"System, what's happening to me?"
[Host you use two Acting card in a short period of time increasing your mental fatigued. Please sleep now so you can recover.]
Hearing the system's words only made my drowsiness worse, so I closed my eyes, hoping I would see that Geisha woman in my dreams.
"She tasted so good..." I mumbled.
***
***
***
Sunlight came through the blinds, filling the room with lines of light and shadow.
It still reeked of disinfectant, making me sighed deeply the moment I woke up
But all of this was only temporary. Soon, I would finally get out of this godforsaken place and enjoy what life had to offer.
"Acting Card, activate."
My facial expression changed from ordinary to one of serene calmness—an aura that only those who had touched enlightenment in their lifetime could display.
"Breath in, breath out."
Following Kao Long's muscle memory, I began circulating the air through my body.
Little by little, I could sense faint traces of my meridians.
Many were blocked—especially the ones along my spinal cord, the very cause of my paralysis.
This was good news, because none of them were completely broken. If I circulated enough Ki repeatedly, I could dislodge the blockages and slowly recover.
I focused harder and slipped into a meditative state.
What took others years, I did in seconds. Their sweat and tears? Nothing but a punchline compared to the cheat of having a system.
"Inhale... Exhale..."
The blocked points along my spine resisted stubbornly, but the more I pressed on, the more I could feel them quiver.
Sweat rolled down my forehead. The disinfectant stench of the room faded into the background. All that existed was my breath, the flow of air, and the stubborn wall inside my body that I needed to shatter.
Time passed by without me noticing .
Each cycle grew smoother, the faint pulse of my meridians becoming clearer with every breath.
I gritted my teeth and pushed a little harder, willing the ki to break through.
For a second, I thought I felt something—a quiver in the blockage, like a locked door rattling against its hinges.
But pushing it too much came at a price. A throbbing pain spread through different parts of my head, snapping me out of my meditative state.
I took a deep breath and decided to rest for now, to let myself recover.
"Hey, System, say something. I'm getting bored here."
There was no response, so I had no choice but to spend my time staring at the ceiling.
Fortunately, Claire visited me.
She closed the door with a clipboard clutched to her chest.
"Good afternoon, Mr. Ace. How are you feeling ?"
One look at her face told me she hadn't slept well. Her makeup couldn't even hide the shadows beneath her eyes.
She probably spent all that time feeling guilty about cheating on her boyfriend.
"Better now that you're here," I responded, watching the way her fingers fidgeted with the clipboard.
"I, uh... just came to check your vitals," She avoided meeting my gazed.
"Of course. You're just doing your job, right?"
Her lips parted slightly, but the words never came. She was too flustered to speak.
"Claire, could you hang out with me for a minute? It gets lonely when everyone leaves."
She hesitated, glancing at the door. "I really shouldn't. I have other patients—"
"Will you really refuse me such a small favor, when I've kept your secret safe in order to protect your job, your reputation, even your love life?"
"You… you're blackmailing me,"
I smiled, just enough to make my point.
"Don't get the wrong idea. I never promised to spill everything. So? Sit and talk with me, won't you?"
"Okay." She gave in to the pressure.
"Sit closer to me."
After a brief pause, she followed my orders.
The sweet lemon scent of her perfume filled the air, and it pulled me straight back to the memory of my first kiss.
Guilt stirred in my chest. She didn't deserve to get tangled in my own problem, so I told myself that I would no longer take advantage of her kindness.
[DING!]
[MISSION: MAKE CLAIRE FALL IN LOVE WITH YOU]
…Never mind. Who needs conscience anyway? What I want were girls—lots of them.
"Ahem." I cleared my throat before activating my Francis Card.
"How's your boyfriend ?" I inquired, keeping my tone light.
"I don't want to talk about my personal life." she avoid the question.
Looks like individuals who shook off my influence before gain more resistance.
"No need to be so guarded. I just wanna know what kind of guy ends up with an amazing woman like you. I'm stuck in here all the time, so yeah… I get a little nosy."
As the words left my lips, her defenses began to crumble. She gave in, her eyes softening as they met mine.
"He's doing fine. Been working a ton of overtime as staff. He joined one of the guilds — nothing big, but the pay's better than what he got here."
With Francis's Card, I caught details I used to overlook.
As she spoke of her boyfriend, her eyes dilated and her lips curled without her noticing, undeniable signs of the depth of her love for him.
Loyal women like her were rare, almost impossible to find. And that rarity made me want her even more. To taint her purity and bind her to me alone.
I couldn't help but wonder what her face would look like if they got separated due to infidelity.
Not good. I am enjoying this far too much.