Aiden carried Emma all the way home, refusing to take a single break.
The city's bustling noise faded into a distant hum behind him; his only focus was the faint rise and fall of his sister's breathing against his back. Her arms were light—too light—and the guilt pressing against his chest felt heavier than anything he had ever lifted.
When they finally reached the apartment, Aiden gently laid her onto the small mattress. Her eyelids fluttered, still exhausted, her voice soft as tissue paper.
"Aiden… I didn't mean to make you worried."
He brushed her hair out of her face. "Emma, you didn't do anything wrong. Not one thing."
"But I don't want to trouble you…" she whispered, struggling to keep her eyes open. "I—I know we don't have enough food… so I thought if I eat less—"
Aiden's breath caught.
She was starving herself.
Because she didn't want to burden him.
He lowered his head, forehead against hers, voice trembling.
"You should never go hungry for me. Do you understand? Never."
Emma nodded weakly. "…Okay."
Her eyelids finally closed, and she fell into a deep sleep.
Aiden stood there in silence, fists tightening.
This… this was the real cost of poverty.
Not the empty fridge.
Not the overdue rent.
Not the worn-out clothes.
It was watching a child he loved more than anything try to carry a burden that should never have been hers.
He couldn't let this continue.
Not for one more day.
⸻
The System Reacts
A soft chime echoed in the air—inaudible to anyone but him.
[Emotional Surge Detected]
[Primary Focus: Protection / Survival / Family]
Lines of blue text materialized in front of Aiden's eyes like glowing threads weaving themselves across reality.
[Belief-Based System Enhancement Unlocked]
[Emma Cross's implicit belief: "My brother can take care of me no matter what."]
[New Core Ability: Provident Instinct]
— Aiden gains intuitive clarity on decisions that lead to long-term survival and prosperity for himself and Emma.
[Passive Ability Strengthened: Unyielding Resolve]
— Physical and mental stamina increased.
A warm current pulsed inside his chest. His breath steadied.
He wasn't just getting stronger because Emma believed in him.
He was becoming the person she believed he already was.
A person who could protect her.
A person who could change their fate.
A person who could win.
Aiden rose slowly.
"It's my turn now," he whispered.
⸻
A New Beginning Starts at Night
Emma slept peacefully, her breathing slow and steady. Aiden draped the blanket over her and stepped into the kitchen.
He opened the cabinet.
Empty.
The fridge?
Also nearly empty—just a bottle of soy sauce, two eggs, and half a wilted cabbage.
He stared at the fridge door for a long moment, then closed it.
"No more," he murmured. "We're done living like this."
With his new cognitive abilities, job hunting wouldn't be enough.
He needed something better.
Something bigger.
Something fast.
He pulled out the notebook he had filled earlier that morning—the one covered in calculations from when his brain processed information like a supercomputer.
Aiden flipped through the pages:
– Market gaps
– Statistical predictions
– Small business opportunities
– Freelancing routes
– Resale strategies with nearly guaranteed profit margins
He had written all this in under an hour.
Looking at it with normal eyes now, the content felt almost unreal—sharp, efficient, and eerily accurate.
Thanks to the system, he didn't just have intelligence.
He had direction.
And with Emma's new belief-activated ability Provident Instinct, the right path practically glowed in his mind.
He circled one word on the page:
Arbitrage.
Buying low, selling high.
Minimum investment, maximum return.
With the remaining RM60 in his pocket, it was risky—
But they were already past the point of safety.
⸻
Night Market, New Life
The night market near the river was crowded, noisy, and alive with the smell of grilled meat and spices. Lanterns swayed gently above the crowd, painting everything in warm gold.
Aiden moved through the crowd with purpose.
His eyes scanned stalls with almost inhuman precision—calculating prices, comparing values, analyzing supply and demand. Normal buyers saw products. Aiden saw opportunity.
Disposable vape refills were overpriced today → No profit.
Second-hand phone accessories → Oversupplied.
Cheap imported keychains → Zero resale margin.
Fake branded shirts → Too risky.
Then—
He saw it.
A stall selling used tech items: earphones, Bluetooth speakers, old power banks. Most were scratched, dusty, or missing packaging. Customers passed them by without interest.
The vendor, an older man with tired eyes, looked ready to pack up for the night.
And that meant one thing:
He wanted to clear stock.
Aiden approached. "Uncle, how much for the entire crate of Bluetooth speakers?"
The man blinked. "All? There are twelve pieces. RM15 each."
Aiden shook his head. "RM80 for the whole crate."
The vendor laughed. "Impossible. They work, you know."
Aiden lifted one, pressed the power button, and listened to the crackle. "Half of these have weak batteries. Two don't turn on at all. You know you'll bring most of them home unsold."
The man's smile faded. "…RM100."
"RM90," Aiden said calmly. "Cash. Now."
Silence.
Then the man sighed. "Take it."
Aiden handed over the last of his money and lifted the crate. It was heavy but manageable—especially with his enhanced recovery ability.
He walked home fast, mind blazing with plans.
Once cleaned, tested, and photographed properly, these could resell online for RM20–40 each. Some even RM60 if they functioned well.
He didn't need miracles for this.
Just intelligence.
Just effort.
Just Aiden being Aiden.
But then—
His phone buzzed.
A system alert.
[Provident Instinct Activated]
[Path of Prosperity Adjustment]
Recommended Action: Return via Green Street, not Riverside Lane
His brows furrowed.
A warning?
Why?
Without hesitation, he turned toward Green Street.
And five minutes later—
He heard it.
The sound of shouting.
The slam of metal against metal.
A teenage gang chasing someone down Riverside Lane.
If he had walked there carrying a crate…
He would've been the perfect target.
Aiden's heartbeat steadied.
"So this ability really… guides me."
But the relief was short-lived.
Because the system wasn't done.
[New Threat Detected]
[Potential Influence Target: Emma Cross]
[Someone is asking about her at school]
Aiden froze.
Cold fear stabbed his spine.
Who?
Why?
What did they want with Emma?
He gripped the crate tighter.
"No one touches her."
⸻
The Mansion Problem Returns
When Aiden reached the apartment building, he saw something that made his breath halt.
The same suited man from that morning—
The one who delivered the inheritance documents.
He was climbing the stairs, holding a stack of new papers.
Aiden's blood turned cold.
Not now.
Not tonight.
Emma couldn't handle another reality shift.
The man spotted him.
"Mr. Cross," he said with a polite bow. "Perfect timing. There are additional documents regarding your late grandfather's estate. Several assets were recently unlocked—"
Aiden cut him off. "Wait. It's late. My sister is sleeping. This isn't a good time—"
"I understand," the man said. "I only need a few minutes. Mr. Vaughn's lawyers insist everything be processed quickly."
Aiden forced a breath.
He needed to buy time.
He needed to prevent this stranger from triggering more changes.
"What assets?" he asked carefully.
The man opened the folder.
"A private investment fund, a condominium unit, and several… unusual items. The law firm found inconsistencies that require immediate verification."
Aiden swallowed.
Inconsistencies.
The system was rewriting the world faster than anyone realized.
This man wasn't dangerous—
But he represented a danger.
A danger of discovery.
A danger of Emma's power being exposed.
Aiden stepped back, blocking the stairway.
"I'll come to the office tomorrow morning," he said firmly. "Alone. Don't come here again at night."
The man hesitated, then nodded. "Very well, Mr. Cross. Tomorrow at nine."
He turned and left down the stairs.
Aiden waited until the man disappeared from sight before letting out a shaky breath.
He entered the apartment quietly.
Emma was still asleep.
Aiden set the crate down gently and knelt beside her.
"Emma… I'll protect you," he whispered.
"No matter what reality becomes."
⸻
The Night Ends with a Vision of Tomorrow
He cleaned the speakers, tested each one, sorted them into piles.
Ten were fixable.
Two were dead.
Not bad for RM90.
He drafted listing descriptions with precision.
Took photos using the best lighting angle near the window.
Uploaded each listing onto online marketplaces.
Whatever happened with the mansion—
Whatever inheritance the system created—
Whatever impossible power Emma unknowingly carried—
They still needed practical steps.
Real money.
Real food.
Real stability.
Aiden worked until past midnight.
When he finally lay down beside Emma, exhaustion settling in, the system pulsed again softly.
[Daily Synchronization Completed]
[Emma's belief remains strong]
[Abilities stable]
[Warning Level: Yellow — External Attention Increasing]
Aiden exhaled slowly.
"Tomorrow," he whispered into the dark.
"I'll start fixing everything."
And for the first time in years—
He believed he could.