I stepped out of the shop and walked down the street, scanning every corner for the smallest possible store—something cheap enough that I could buy out the entire inventory and finally test my theory.
After a few minutes of searching, I spotted it: a tiny grocery shop, smaller than my modern house but still a bit bigger than a small shelter.
Perfect.
Exactly the size I needed.
I slipped inside. The shelves were basic but stocked just enough for someone like me. Everything here could be bought without straining my coin count. That was all I needed.
Once I confirmed the quality and quantity were manageable, I headed back home, my mind already spinning through the next phase.
Inside the house, I began planning.
The Shadow Walker appeared at midnight.
If he had shown up randomly at different hours, I would've been forced to observe him for days. But appearing exactly at midnight… that meant something.
It suggested he only moved at that specific time.
Twelve o'clock.
A fixed pattern.
A predictable window.
Which meant—
I had to purchase everything before he showed up.
The door clicked open just then. Kyle returned from his scouting, dust on his shoes, eyes sharp.
"You can sit," I said without looking up.
He dropped onto the sofa obediently.
I shifted my attention to him.
"Report," I said.
He nodded once and began speaking, his voice steady as he delivered everything he had observed.
Kyle straightened a little before speaking, like a soldier reporting to his commander.
Honestly… I didn't mind it.
"There are fewer people wandering " he said. "Most of them bought houses after yesterday's incident. Only the ones who couldn't afford anything were outside."
"Expected," I murmured.
He continued, "Shops in the east zone are almost empty. People grabbed whatever they could before night. And… there's talk. Rumors. They say the Shadow Walker killed five people near the main road."
I paused, my fingers lightly tapping the arm of the chair.
Five.
Predictable.
The weak always fall first.
"And the Walker's pattern?" I asked.
Kyle shook his head. "Silence until midnight. Then the system message. Walls turned transparent for the owners. Those outside…" He exhaled slowly, jaw tight. "They didn't stand a chance."
Good.
That meant my assumption was correct.
"So midnight is fixed," I said quietly, more to myself than to him. My mind was already running ahead, building pathways, visualizing outcomes, adjusting probabilities. "I have less than twelve hours to prepare everything."
Kyle watched me with that look again—a mixture of awe and confusion, like he still couldn't figure out how my brain worked.
"Anything else?" I asked.
He hesitated. "Just one thing. People are starting to notice you."
I raised a brow. "Notice what?"
"That you're… different."
His voice dropped slightly. "Smarter. Faster. They think you know something they don't."
A small smile tugged at my lips.
"Well," I said, leaning back, "they're not wrong."
Kyle blinked, then cracked the smallest smile, like he couldn't stop himself even if he tried.
"Good work," I told him. "Get some rest. Tomorrow, we start reshaping the city."
His smile faded into something softer—trusting, steady.
Kyle leaned back on the sofa.
"What about you?" he asked. "Did you notice anything in the market?"
"Yeah," I replied casually, flipping through my notes. "Shops have a restocking function. That's why they can't be bought."
"Oh. Expected," he muttered, nodding as if the world made sense again.
I didn't correct him.
I didn't tell him the real part—the part that mattered.
I didn't tell him I was planning to test that rule tonight. To try buying a shop outright. To see if the system's logic could be twisted… or broken.
There was no point telling him.
He couldn't fight the Shadow Walker.
He couldn't distract it.
If the thing even glanced at him, he'd be dead before he could finish blinking.
And the last thing I needed was unnecessary noise in my calculations.
A plan like mine required silence. Precision. Zero variables.
I had already mapped out everything.
Every second. Every possible outcome.
Timing was everything—
and now all I had to do was wait for the right moment.
Just a few more hours.
Then the real test would begin.
__________
11:55 PM.
The city was dead quiet—like it was holding its breath for the monster about to wake.
Perfect time for a little crime.
I slipped out of my modern house, door sealing behind me with a soft click. Kyle was asleep on the sofa; no point dragging him into this experiment. This was my play.
The grocery shop glowed faint blue across the street, its shelves flickering with endless stock.
Not for long.
I walked in, grabbed a basket, and started clearing every shelf like a polite hurricane. Cheap items, expensive items, pointless items—mine, mine, mine. Each time something left a shelf, the faint blue glow died.
Good.
By the time I finished, the entire shop looked… mortal. Vulnerable.
Like a normal building, not an infinite warehouse.
Exactly what I needed.
[Coins spent: 1000]
My bracelet hummed as it processed the carnage.
Tch. Worth it.
11:58 PM.
Two minutes until the monster clocked in for his night shift.
I stepped out and jogged back to my house. The door locked behind me just as the sky dimmed.
Midnight hit like a blade.
And then he came.
Shadow Walker drifted down the street, tall, silent, all-black smoke and broken limbs. Anyone outside was snatched, crushed, torn—quick but not painless. A cleanup crew from hell.
I watched through transparent walls. My house had auto-triggered System Protocol, turning everything see-through.
Even the air felt colder.
Shadow Walker paused in front of my house.
I held my breath.
Not because I was scared—
but because I wanted to see if he sensed the trick I pulled.
He didn't.
He kept walking.
I checked my map—clear.
Canceled the protocol.
The house turned solid again, blue glow fading away as if nothing had happened.
Good.
Time to claim my prize.
I slipped out again, steps silent, and headed to the shop.
It was glowing faint blue—just like a house before purchase.
My pulse quickened.
My theory worked.
I walked closer. The system chimed.
---
[Item – House]
[Price – 500 coin]
Do you want to buy? (Yes/No)
---
A soft laugh escaped me.
"Yes."
---
[Purchase successful]
[Remaining coins – 45]
[House #0]
[Owner – Alice]
---
I exhaled through my nose, amused.
If anyone else learned about this trick, the whole economy would collapse.
Fortunately, I was the only genius awake at midnight.
A slow smile pulled at my lips.
I just bought the one building that wasn't supposed to be buyable.
A glitch?
A loophole?
A gift from the gods?
Doesn't matter.
It belonged to me now.
Shadow Walker's screams echoed faintly down the street, reminding me the night wasn't over.
I turned, cloak brushing the cold air, and headed back to my house.
I'll explore my new "shop-house" tomorrow.
For now?
Survival comes first.
And I always survive.