Chapter 16
Solomon's hand trembled as the system's voice echoed in his mind. He had been caught. Even though the system couldn't peer directly into his thoughts, it monitored every fluctuation within his system wallet with absolute precision.
The man behind the desk continued to stare at him, his eyes expectant, waiting for another flood of cash. Solomon simply sighed and met his gaze. He kept his tone neutral, masking the frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
"I'm done here. Use this money well—build up the orphanage and make sure those kids are taken care of."
The man offered an awkward smile. He was clearly disappointed that the fountain of wealth had suddenly run dry, but he remained profoundly grateful. "Young man, thank you. Truly. You have a long way to go in life."
A long way to go. Was that a prophecy? Solomon felt on the verge of giving up, yet here was this man telling him his road was just beginning.
"Thank you," Solomon replied. He wasn't sure why he said it, but the words felt necessary.
The man nodded, and the meeting ended in peace. Solomon walked out of the orphanage, feeling a strange, renewed sense of clarity.
Once back at the subway station, Solomon decided to pull up his system dashboard. The translucent screen shimmered into existence, visible only to his eyes.
[System Tier: Level Two]
[Total Spent Since Activation: $4,200,000]
[Total Cashback Received: $49,800,000]
[Wallet Balance: $50,000,000]
[Soul Coins: 10,000]
Soul coins were the real challenge. Fifty million dollars meant nothing if the enemies he eventually faced ran on soul energy. One soul coin was worth approximately a thousand times its dollar equivalent in terms of combat energy and system power. While his 10,000 soul coins would outweigh fifty million dollars in a real fight, they wouldn't buy him a single item at a grocery store.
The system's warning remained etched in the back of his mind: no more repeated purchases. He had to find a new way to spend—and fast. He checked his watch.
"8:40 AM."
It was time for school.
As he boarded the train, Solomon resolved to use the commute to brainstorm. The train sped off, leaving the station behind in a rush of wind and a heavy, swirling breeze.
The atmosphere at the academy was peaceful. "Peaceful" wasn't quite the right word, but it felt normal compared to the chaos of the casino. Solomon had barely stepped onto the grounds when Cassy bumped into him.
Solomon furrowed his brow and pursed his lips, staring down at the girl standing in his path. He gave her a brief, dismissive glance and prepared to walk past, but her hand snapped out, catching his wrist.
"Solomon, I'm so sorry. Please… take me back."
Take her back? Solomon almost laughed. He turned and finally gave her a proper look.
She still looked clean and beautiful—he couldn't deny her looks—but she had clearly lost weight. A cold, vague thought crossed his mind.
"I should take you back, Cass?" Solomon let out a sharp, sarcastic laugh laced with biting irony. "I won't take you back, Cassy… but I will take something back from you."
Cassy's eyes trembled. She took a reflexive step back, unable to meet his gaze or find the courage to move closer.
"You've been dumb, haven't you, Cassy?" he asked. It was a rhetorical question; he didn't need her answer. Kept women never lasted. Or perhaps it was just karma catching up to her.
She had made her choice, and her eyes widened as if Solomon were reading her very soul. She looked pathetic now. To her, Solomon was probably a monster for refusing to forgive her so easily.
"Solomon, I'm so sorry, darling. I love you," she pleaded. "It was just a text—I made the whole thing up! I was only testing your loyalty. I was with that asshole just to make you jealous."
Solomon stared at her, carefully guarding his heart against the sway of her words. Her presence was revealing a side of her he had never seen before—a desperation that felt oily and false. Was this really the girl he once thought he could spend his life with? The one he hoped could heal his broken spirit and the darkness hidden inside him?
"Enough of this, Cassy," Solomon said, his voice dropping to a dangerously cold level. He stepped closer. She instinctively recoiled, frightened by the predatory aura radiating from him.
She had clearly expected the old Solomon—the one with the soft heart who would fold the moment the wealthy man discarded her.
Instead, she was met with icy detachment.
He wasn't that stupid. He sneered at her expression. Did she really think he was blind? A fool? Did she think he wouldn't make her pay for the betrayal?
"You say you want to get back with me—so why are you backing away, Cassy?" He took another step forward. "I'm not a monster. I won't eat you."
Then, Solomon's hand shot out, catching her wrist to stop her from escaping. "How does it feel," he whispered, his free hand trailing along her side, stopping just above her abdomen, "to still have a part of me inside you?"
Cassy gasped, her eyes trembling with fear. "Please… forgive me," she stammered.
"I haven't even done anything yet, and you're already begging." Solomon chuckled darkly. He let go of her wrist as if it were something filthy. Without another word, he walked away, leaving Cassy frozen in place, her lips quivering from the shock.
[9,000 Soul Coins earned. Good job teaching that woman her place.]
Solomon ignored the system message. He had been abusing the rebate function by cycling money through the same source, and the system hadn't lifted a finger until he'd reached this level. I still haven't studied this system well enough, he thought. There was clearly a vast amount of fine print he didn't understand.
Dust blew across the school grounds, a small whirlwind forming briefly as the wind shifted. Solomon sat under the shade of a tree, buried in an engineering textbook filled with complex physics calculations. But despite the difficulty of the material, his mind was elsewhere.
The mission… where else could he spend money to trigger a massive rebate? The task hovered over him like a heavy iron chain.
With a sigh, Solomon closed the book and leaned back against the trunk.
As he opened his eyes, they landed on a girl nearby. She was arguing animatedly with a boy, her gestures wide and frantic. She looked excited, demanding the boy get her something, but he was flatly refusing.
Judging by her appearance—the expensive accessories and high-maintenance look—she was the kind of girl who required a significant investment.
Solomon narrowed his eyes, watching the scene unfold. Then, without hesitation, he stood up and brushed the dust from his pants. He walked toward the bickering couple, completely unbothered by the intrusion.
"Do you want it? I can get it for you," he said, his voice as calm as a winter breeze.
The girl, who was noticeably shorter than him, was forced to tilt her head back to look up at the tall, confident man standing before her.