The following morning, at the earliest light, his friends called again. This time, their tone was different; not to discuss his problems any longer.
Yet, it could not be said that there were no troubles. In their faculty's group chat, fresh rumors about Noah were spreading. The source was unknown, but the current message read:
"Ducks and Swans." Accompanied by a photo of Noah walking hand in hand with a girl.
When Noah saw it, his mood instantly darkened. Perhaps this was Greg's doing, maybe not. Regardless, the news seemed designed to belittle him.
"I won't let anyone demean me again with such cheap tactics," Noah fumed.
With urgency, he got ready and left the hotel he regularly stayed at. His heart was set on retaliation against whoever sought to pull him down. He needed to gain influence and power in this world, and quickly.
Outside, while waiting for a taxi, a car had just pulled out of the hotel's parking lot.
He hadn't paid it much mind before, but the car stopped not far from him.
Lucy had just exited the vehicle and was heading towards the bus stop where he was standing.
"Great, why is she coming this way?"
Noah hoped for a quick taxi arrival, but his hopes were dashed. Now, his ex-girlfriend was there at the stop.
"Noah, you're here?"
Lately, Noah hardly gave Lucy another thought. Besides, he didn't entirely blame the girl. The words from the old man who gave him the system still echoed in his head.
Back then, he was desperately poor. If Lucy left him, he felt as a man he shouldn't blame her too heavily.
However, her being with Greg irked him. That man was simply exploiting the girl he had once dearly loved.
"Lucy, I'm not following you. You're the one who walked over here."
"I know. You don't have to explain."
Noah noticed Lucy's eyes were slightly red. He wanted to inquire, but held back. After all, it was no longer his concern.
"Greg suddenly got a call from his father; he couldn't drive me to campus. So I'm waiting for a taxi here. You know, his dad just bought him a new car."
Noah glanced at Lucy briefly before looking away again.
"Lucy, I don't care about you and Greg. That's no longer any of my business."
"I just wanted you to know. Greg didn't tell me to get out or anything. We didn't argue."
Noah sighed deeply and turned to face her.
Despite being quite clever, it was Lucy's guileless nature that had always made Noah cherish her.
Lucy couldn't lie. If she did, she would become very nervous and try to explain, even when no one asked.
Once, this trait had delighted Noah. But now, it only made him pity Lucy.
"Lucy, what's happened to you? Why are you like this?"
"I... Noah..." Lucy began to sob.
It pained Noah's heart. But the old man's words flashed through his mind again.
'This world is cruel, if you want to survive, you must be crueller than the world itself.'
"Lucy, you don't need to say anything. You've chosen your path. And I've got a different goal in my life now."
Just then, the long-awaited taxi arrived and stopped when Noah hailed it. Though sharing a destination, without a word, he left her there.
Noah knew what would happen next. And just like he suspected, the girl began to cry.
Had he stayed, he might have hugged and comforted Lucy.
"Sorry, Lucy... I'm no longer the Noah you once knew."
Noah had decided to become a ruler. He wouldn't let anyone or anything stand in his way.
He knew that his feelings for Lucy were no longer love, but rather a pity born from former intimacy.
"Foolishness is a sin!" he declared, affirming his resolve.
"Ding!"
A chime sounded in his head abruptly.
"Level?"
Perusing his system panel, his Experience and Mentality bars had increased by ten levels.
With such a steep rise in levels, he was astonished.
"Is letting someone go worth so much experience?"
Noah quickly understood why his Experience and Mentality levels had soared. He was beginning to grasp how his system worked.
The Experience and Mentality bars would rise whenever something significant affected him, system-related or not.
"This system has truly become a part of me."
On his way to campus, Noah passed several car showrooms. A smile crept onto his face as an idea struck him.
"Maybe it's time for me to have a vehicle of my own."
Noah stopped in front of a luxury sports car showroom. He swallowed hard as he surveyed the displayed cars, standing before a high-end sports car dealership.
"Isn't this a bit excessive?"
That was Noah's thought as he admired the sleek sports cars lining the vast showroom.
"Good afternoon, Sir. Are you interested in buying a car?"
While Noah seemed undecided, a saleswoman approached him.
"Yes, I'm just browsing and finding out if there's a car inside that suits me."
"Very well, Sir. I am Laura Fanes. Please, follow me and I'll show you some of our collection that might pique your interest."
Laura Fanes had been working here for nearly three months. Despite promising high incentives, she had yet to make a sale.
This had led to several warnings from her manager for not being productive enough.
So, seeing a young man enter the showroom sparked her enthusiasm.
"Thank you, Miss Fanes."
Noah was pleased with her friendly approach. Other saleswomen had ignored him since his entrance.
"Don't be shy, please."
Following Laura, she gave Noah a brief tour, enthusiastically detailing the various car models, their features, and advantages.
Inspired by Laura's explanations, Noah resolved to buy one.
At least, it would be a token of gratitude for Laura's hospitality. Besides, money was no longer an issue for him.
However, while Laura was presenting another luxury sports car, someone interrupted them.
"Laura, what are you doing?"
"Oh, Ethel. This gentleman is browsing and considering a purchase if he finds a fitting car," explained Laura.
"Figures you haven't made any sales. You can't even distinguish who can actually afford to buy from those just window-shopping. Hahaha."
The newcomer's words slightly offended Noah.
"Miss, what do you mean?"
Ethel smirked condescendingly. "Sir, this girl might be pretty, but if you're here pretending to buy a car just to impress her, you needn't go to such lengths. Do you know what kind of car this is, or its price?"
Noah was bemused by the saleswoman's question. "Of course I don't know, that's why I'm asking."
"See, Laura? He doesn't even know what car you're showing him."
"Ethel, please don't be rude to my customer."
Ignoring Laura's reprimand, Ethel continued to taunt Noah. "Sir, this is the Lamborghini Aventador LP 700-4. One of the most sought-after types in the world. You didn't even know that. You'd be shocked at the price."
"Ethel, what's wrong with you?" Laura couldn't tolerate her colleague's behavior any longer.
"Miss, just tell me the price, and I'll pay it right now."
"What?! ..."
Laura and Ethel exclaimed in unison.
"Yes, mention the price and I'll pay it immediately," Noah insisted firmly.
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Comments
Sourabh Goel
awesome 👍😎
2024-06-13
1