They Hated Me in My First Life, But Now I Have the Love System
Chapter 319: Close Calls

Chapter 319: Close Calls

This job… this is not what I signed up for.

And just like that, he vanished around the corner, walking off to make yet another painful call, knowing well it would be filled with yelling, accusations, and disappointment.

The elusive five were right under their noses yet they escaped again!

The crew settled quietly in Lumna as night fell. The city was dimly lit, buzzing just a little, but nothing compared to the intensity of the escape they had just pulled off. Now, the focus had shifted to preparing for the next dangerous phase, entering the Black Forest.

First, they planned to exchange some of their Lionara currency for Lumna’s.

It was not a simple task, but Lumna was more open to foreign currency exchange than most neighboring countries. As a business hub, where goods were bought and sold by people from all over the world, Lumna had a well established system for handling currencies from different regions.

However, it still came with its own set of challenges and costs, and the crew had to know where to look and whom to trust to get the best rates. It had to be done right.

They needed supplies, food, water, protective gear, everything they could afford.

Abuchi had finally begun to forgive himself for what he considered his reckless mistake earlier. If only he knew the bigger mistake he had made. One that still lingered, quietly dangerous.

The letter Ruth had sent him, the very last piece of her, he had not been able to destroy it when she told him to. He had held on to it, telling himself he would burn it before they left Lionara. It was the only thing of hers he had. And when the time came, he did try to burn it… but in his rush, he had not checked it properly.

The paper had not turned to ash completely. A piece had survived. A piece with just enough information to be dangerous.

A mistake that almost cost them everything.

But Nnenna had unknowingly saved them all from it. None of them, not even Abuchi, knew the full weight of that moment. Not yet.

—

Meanwhile, in her room, Nnenna sat on the edge of her bed, still drying her hair with a towel. Her mind replayed everything. The chase. The near capture. The man in black talking to the cargo driver.

She frowned.

Those were close calls.

Too close.

“Love System,” she called out silently in her mind.

“Yes, Nnenna?”

“We almost got caught today. I thought you were supposed to help us?”

The system responded in its usual calm, neutral tone.

“Well, back when you were still in the hospital, you told me not to do anything unless you asked me first and gave clear consent.”

Nnenna blinked.

She had said that. She remembered now, back when she was hooked to wires and machines and overwhelmed by too much information and thoughts. She didn’t want the system to act on its own. She wanted to stay in control.

“I guess I’ll need to rethink that,” she muttered, rubbing her temples.

“So… even though you knew I was in danger, you just stayed silent?” Nnenna still asked, wrapping her arms around her knees.

“That’s correct,” the Love System answered calmly. “You told me not to act without your clear consent, no matter the situation.”

She sighed. “Alright. Then let me ask now. Do you think I should change that setting, allow you to help when you detect danger?”

The Love System paused.

“If you want me to act automatically, yes, I can. But…”

“But what?” she pressed.

“You’ll spend good points like water,” she said bluntly. “Technically, the cost will be quite high because danger is always around you now. Every intervention will deduct points. At this stage, I advise against turning the function on unless you have a solid point stream.”

Nnenna frowned slightly. “So how do I get more good points?”

“Like I said before… By helping more people. The more lives you impact, the more good points you generate. Eventually, those people will even generate good points for you passively, when they help others, or grow because of you. Think of it as a ripple effect.”

Nnenna considered this in silence.

“Fine,” she said finally. “Since you’re saying I’ll burn through points like a leaking bucket, I won’t activate the auto function. Not yet. But…”

“Yes?”

“If something like what happened today happens again, at least warn me. That’s allowed, right?”

“Absolutely, at the cost of fewer good points,” the system replied. “And to be fair… your instincts saved you all today. That’s part of the journey too. This isn’t just about me helping you, it’s about you growing. Imagine if you had ignored that gut feeling. What would have happened then?”

Nnenna didn’t need to imagine it.

She had already seen how close they came to being caught.

“Imagine if you became a better version of yourself every single day,” the Love System said, her voice calm and firm in Nnenna’s mind.

“Imagine if you grew stronger, sharpened your skills, and didn’t stop where Lady Rose’s training ended. Imagine that. You would become a force to be reckoned with, Nnenna. And then, you would only need me when it’s truly necessary.”

Nnenna paused, arms crossed, her thoughts spinning. She could picture it, a version of herself that didn’t hesitate, didn’t second guess her instincts. A version of herself that could protect her team without relying too much on anyone, even the system.

“You’re right,” she said finally, her voice quiet but steady. “We’re about to enter the Black Forest… This is the perfect chance to improve. I mean, it’s either improve or… someone dies. And that someone could be me. For the sake of myself and those around me… I have to get better.”

A light ding echoed in her mind.

“Do I have enough good points to get me through the Black Forest once the new month starts?” she asked.

———————————-

How’s it going guys? I’m sure you’re enjoying the novel and I see your support every day, thank you 😊