The hospital discharged me faster than I expected — which honestly said more about their bed availability than my well-being. A nurse handed me a small plastic bag with meds inside.
She smiled gently. "Please make sure to take two after meals, Mr. Holt."
But then her real voice — the one from inside her head — slipped through:
"He looks worse than the tile he hit…"
Yeah. Amazing.
DES had gifted me the premium DLC nobody asked for: hearing people's unfiltered thoughts.
I forced a weak smile. "Thanks."
She nodded and walked away, still projecting:
"Poor guy. Hope he doesn't sue."
Me? Sue? I couldn't even afford breakfast that didn't come in a nylon bag.
I limped out of the hospital, meds rattling in the bag like a reminder of my life choices, and headed toward the bus stop.
I got on the bus, tapped my card, and walked down the aisle, looking for a seat. I wasn't thinking about anyone — I was too busy trying to process the floating HUD still blinking faintly in my vision.
Without realizing it, I must've been staring at a guy sitting by the window. Tall. Muscular. The kind of dude who looked like he bench-pressed his problems while mine bench-pressed me.
He glared at me.
"What you looking at?" he said.
I snapped out of it. "N-nothing."
He looked away, but that wasn't the end of it.
"Weirdo."
The word hit my mind like a slap.
My jaw clenched. Not because he insulted me — that was pretty standard — but because… I didn't see his lips move.
No. It was his thought.
I sat down quickly and stared at my hands, heart racing.
What… what were the limits of this thing?
I glanced around the bus, testing it. Some passengers were zoned out. Some staring outside. Some scrolling on their phones.
Silence.
Then, from a girl staring directly at me: "…ugh, what a creep… total perv…"
Her lips didn't move. She wasn't saying it out loud. And yet, it landed in my brain like a gut punch.
I froze. Cheeks flaming. Hands gripping the seat like I could disappear into it.
So it wasn't all thoughts. Not even most. Only thoughts that were about me or directed at me somehow.
A very specific superpower.
A very annoying one.
---
By the time I reached my stop, the sun was already dipping, like even the sky was sick of me.
I walked the familiar path to my apartment — a two-room shoebox with walls the exact color of depression. The kind of place landlords described as "cozy" because "mold-infested death cube" didn't sell as well.
I unlocked the door, entered, and flicked on the light.
The bulb buzzed weakly, as if struggling to stay alive in my presence.
Same bed. Same table. Same fan that rattled like it was haunted.
And then the HUD in my vision brightened. Floating text unfolded like golden code across my sight.
[DES Online – Full System Sync Complete]
User Status Ready.
Displaying Core Stats…
I exhaled slowly, heart thumping.
This was it. My new life. My new system. My stats.
I stood completely still, waiting for the numbers, waiting to see just how "Desirable" the universe thought I was.
A golden line blinked in front of my eyes:
[Desirability Score: 0.5 / 100]
I choked. 0.5? Out of 100?
I… I was basically negative-hot.
A HUD shifted and a new line of text appeared:
> "User Terrence Holt: the following attributes are baseline. All values marked with potential are improvable through effort, system-guided training, or situational application."
And then the stats started streaming, each one a brutal reminder that I was, in every way, underwhelming:
> Height: 5'7"
Weight: 145 lbs (slightly underdeveloped)
Strength: 2/10
Agility: 3/10
Endurance: 2/10
Voice Depth: 2/10
Facial Attractiveness: 15/100
Posture: 4/10
Charm: 3/100
Confidence: 0/100
Social Skills: 0.5/100
Sex Appeal: 0.5/100
Dick Size: 3 inches (can be improved)
I froze.
I mean… what?
"Can… can be improved?"
My brain short-circuited. My cheeks heated up. My hands gripped the edge of the bed like it was a lifeline.
DES had… literally just told me I was undersized… and that somehow I could… get bigger?
I couldn't even form words.
"Wait… what kind of system is this? Is this legal? How does this work? Am I… supposed to… train it?"
Every thought I had screamed: I can't believe this is happening.
And yet, the HUD blinked calmly at me, entirely unfazed by my mortification, ready to continue listing my other painfully obvious deficiencies.
I wanted to look away. I needed to look away.
But I also couldn't stop staring.
The HUD continued:
> Potential Growth Available: 100%
Areas for Improvement: Physical Attributes, Social Skills, Voice, Confidence, Sexual Appeal, Charisma, Financial Status, Influence, Style, Posture, Body Language
And then…
> Pending Missions: Initial Activation Quest Loading…
Objective: Survive first social challenge. Obtain first certificate. Unlock daily income. Begin Desirability Enhancement.
I stared at the words. Unlock daily income.
My brain immediately zeroed in. …wait, daily income? Like… money? For real?
I hadn't even eaten lunch in two days because I couldn't justify ordering anything beyond instant noodles. And now, right in front of me, the system was offering… actual cash? Daily?
A mix of disbelief and panic washed over me. This wasn't just a system. This was a… a lifeline.
Every other objective — certificates, social challenges, desirability — seemed distant. But this? This I could feel. Tangible. Immediate.
And just like that, I realized my life wasn't going to be boring anymore.
---
To be continued...