Episode 17

[Ring! Congratulations! You have completed a system task! You have been awarded 5 system points, 1 charm point, and $5,000,000 in cash!] the System's voice announced in his mind.

A grin spread across Ryan's face upon hearing the system notification. Still, he couldn't help but heave deep breaths trying to calm his racing heart.

It wasn't just Ryan who sighed in relief, those who had witnessed the event shared in the sentiment. They all knew that without Ryan, the child would have likely met a ghastly fate.

The driver of the yellow truck, realizing he had nearly caused a disaster and wanting to avoid any trouble, floored the gas pedal and sped away from the scene of the incident.

Meanwhile, Ryan held the child like one might carry a jug of water, their faces nearly level. This was an easy feat for Ryan, given his superhuman strength.

"Are you okay?" Ryan asked softly.

"I-I'm okay!" the boy replied, shaking his head vigorously.

"Good! In the future, be ca--.."

"Monster! What are you doing with my child? Help! There's a monster!"

Before Ryan could finish his sentence, a woman's scream sliced through the air from across the street. It was the voice of the boy's mother, who had nearly been hit.

'Dammit!' Ryan cursed internally.

The woman ran straight toward Ryan, who was still holding her son.

"You... You monster! What have you done with my child! Release him! Help.. There's a monster trying to kidnap my son!" she yelled at the top of her lungs.

People who had seen the whole ordeal where Ryan saved the boy just scoffed and whispered among themselves.

"Is that woman really that stupid? She's accusing the guy who saved her child of being a monster!" one woman said.

"Exactly! That woman isn't just stupid, she's ungrateful!" her friend added.

"Tch! If I'd known, I would've just let her child get hit by that truck!"

"Quiet! That's someone's life at stake!"

"But that woman is really going too far!"

"I really want to scratch her face!"

"Enough! Let's just see what that young man does!"

"Right!"

The crowd continued to murmur and criticize the mother for her ingratitude and foolishness. They saw the true monster not in Ryan, but in the mother herself.

"Why? Why are you all just standing there? Help my child! A monster wants to kidnap my boy!" the woman screamed again.

Yet again, everyone remained silent. Even those near Ryan stood mutely, looking on with bemusement. As for Ryan, he simply stared blankly at the woman, wishing he could slap some sense into her.

Suddenly, a middle-aged man approached the mother and snatched her phone from her grasp, smashing it on the ground before everyone.

"You'd be better off childless than negligent in watching him! You know, if it weren't for the young man's intervention, your son could have been lying here dismembered!" the man yelled angrily, then simply walked away, leaving the shocked mother behind.

Ryan smirked at the scene. At least someone had expressed the irritation he felt toward the mother. He gently set the boy down and affectionately ruffled his hair.

"From now on, you have to be careful on roads like this, don't just run around! Okay?" he said kindly.

"O-okay, big brother! I will be more careful!" the boy replied with certainty.

"Good! Now go back to your mother," Ryan said.

"Okay..." The boy nodded and ran back to his still-shocked mother.

Ryan only shook his head and departed just like the man before him. The onlookers dispelled with satisfied expressions.

Indeed! They were satisfied on two counts. Firstly, with Ryan's extraordinary heroism and secondly, with the unidentified man's actions chastising the mother to be more attentive to her son.

Ryan sped away on his Suprapto ninja motorcycle, ignoring the mother who watched him with a vacant stare. She looked as though she wanted to say something but was too ashamed for falsely accusing Ryan.

Along the way, Ryan chatted casually with the System.

[How was that, Sir? Did your heart get enough exercise today?] the System asked with a chuckle.

"Tch! Damned System! That was hardly a workout for the heart! It felt more like it was about to burst!" Ryan retorted with annoyance.

[Hahaha.. Sir! That was very beneficial for someone who rarely exercises!] the System laughed heartily.

"Oh really, Syste-.." Ryan began, but before he could finish, a new system task appeared.

[Ring! A low-level or silly system task has been triggered! Cause the casino house ahead to go bankrupt! You will win all the money inside as a reward!]

"Eh?"

Ryan furrowed his brow. This task was truly absurd. The System was saying he had to bankrupt a casino right at the junction ahead? With no penalty for failure? Wasn't that odd?

"System!" said Ryan.

[Yes, Sir! What is it?] the System responded.

"Why is there no penalty for failure? Isn't that strange? Not to mention, usually, when you go into a place of gambling, you come out defeated and exhausted from losing bets!" Ryan remarked.

He vividly recalled a popular old song about gambling that claimed while gambling promises victory, even the wealthy could become destitute, so what about someone poor like him.

[Ahaha.. Sir, no worries! You will not lose or fail this mission! The System will assist you until they are all bankrupt and out of business!] the System assured with confidence.

"Alright then.. If you're sure about it, I have no doubts!" declared Ryan, accelerating his motorcycle to go even faster.

Two minutes later, Ryan arrived and parked in front of a grand and opulent building. He parked his bike and strode into the building.

"Welcome to the house of fortune and misfortune, Sir!" declared one of the burly door guards, opening the door wide for Ryan to enter.

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