NOVEL NEXT Chapter 255: Deadline Problem!
Hugo was pacing back and forth in his room like a madman, his hands on his head, his eyes wide with pure, unfiltered panic.
His feet stomped across the floor so fast that if he kept it up, he was going to wear a hole straight through the carpet.
His breathing was erratic, his thoughts were all over the place, and the only sound filling the room was his own desperate rambling.
'Oh, I knew it… I knew it! The system was too quiet! Too well-behaved! That damned thing was scheming in the shadows like a final boss waiting for the right moment to destroy me!'
He stopped in place, spun around, and pointed at the air like he was yelling at an invisible enemy.
"This is why I don't trust you, System! This is why! Every time I think things are going okay, you drop a mission that throws my entire life into chaos!"
His breath hitched, and he clutched his chest dramatically like a man who had just realized he was standing on the edge of a cliff.
'If I fail this mission… I'm finished. Socially, romantically, and physically. Even Lisa won't be able to stand me if I walk around smelling like a decomposing corpse!'
The more he thought about it, the worse it got. His mind spiraled into a dark pit of horror, painting images of his future if he failed.
His classmates covering their noses and gagging the moment he walked into the lecture hall!
Girls running away from him, their eyes filled with pure terror!
Waiters refusing to serve him at restaurants because his stench was a biohazard!
Hugo shuddered violently.
'No, no, no, no. This… this is even worse than death! I'd rather take the three-month death mission straight to the grave than live the rest of my days as a walking landfill!'
Then another terrifying thought slammed into his mind like a truck.
If he failed this mission, that meant he would have to complete the three-month death mission while reeking like a rotten corpse!
His eyes bulged.
Not only would he die, but he would die stinking!
He could already see it now—death plugging his nose and asking, "Bro, is it even worth killing you? You're already suffering enough."
Hugo felt like fainting.
'Okay, okay, I need to calm down. Think. Plan. Eat.'
Yes. Food. That was the answer.
His brain worked best when his belly was full. He had read somewhere that great strategists never plotted on an empty stomach.
Right now, he needed to be at peak intelligence to figure out how to survive this insanity.
Without another thought, he rushed out of his dorm like a man on a mission.
30 Minutes Later…
Hugo kicked open the door to his dorm room like a victorious hunter returning from the wild.
In his arms? Three gigantic buckets of fried chicken.
That's right.
He wasn't playing around. If he was going to drown in stress, he was going to drown in grease, salt, and crispy golden goodness first.
With a deep breath, he set the buckets on his desk, sat down, and mentally prepared himself for what was about to come. Stay connected via My Virtual Library Empire
"Alright, first step—devour this feast. Second step—figure out how the hell I'm going to complete this mission before I lose my ability to interact with human society forever."
Without wasting another second, he ripped open the first bucket, grabbed a drumstick, and took a massive bite.
CRUNCH.
He sighed.
The stress was still there, but at least it tasted like heaven.
For the next twenty glorious minutes, Hugo did nothing but focus on the masterpiece before him.
Every bite, every chew, every crispy, juicy, tender piece of fried perfection soothed his soul just a little bit.
But of course… reality wasn't that kind.
The moment he leaned back, let out a satisfied burp, and wiped his greasy fingers on a napkin, his problems came crashing back in full force.
Hugo groaned loudly and slapped his forehead.
'Damn it. I almost forgot I'm in crisis mode!'
Alright. No more distractions. It was time to strategize.
Step one—Identify the candidates.
He needed two willing participants.
That meant he had to think of the girls he knew and figure out if they were open-minded enough for this insane mission.
The first candidates that came to mind?
Lily and Tily—the twins.
Hugo immediately shook his head. Nope.
Sure, Lily was fun, and Tily was definitely a freak, but Tily was also Collins' babe.
If he even thought about that option, he was asking for an early death. Collins wouldn't just beat him up, he'd bury him alive.
Alright. Next!
Luna, the yoga instructor?
Jessica?
He thought about it for a few seconds before shaking his head again.
"Luna's way too scary for this madness. And Jessica? Nah, she's not that kind of girl."
Okay… that left…
Hugo's eyes suddenly lit up.
Erica and Celine!
Now that was a possibility.
Erica was a wild card—she was unpredictable, dangerous, and absolutely insane. But most importantly… she was freaky.
Celine? Also freaky.
If there was any hope for this mission, it was through those two!
There was just one tiny problem. He had no way to contact Celine.
And even if he did, how was he supposed to bring both girls together at the same time without looking like a complete idiot?
Hugo groaned and buried his face in his hands.
'I'm so not ready for this. I wasn't built for these kinds of deadline problems! This is exactly how I felt last month when the system dropped the death mission on me!'
He slumped back in his chair, looking like a man who had just aged ten years in a single evening.
But then, his expression changed.
The punishment flashed through his mind again. Permanent, repulsing body odor. For the rest of his life.
A shiver ran down his spine. His body stiffened. And then his entire being filled with renewed motivation.
"NO! I CAN'T FAIL THIS!"
Hugo slammed his fist onto the desk, eyes burning with determination.
He didn't care if this mission was difficult. He didn't care if it was tough. He would not fail.
Because if he did… his life would be over!
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Power stone Goal!
50 PS - 1 Bonus chapter
100 PS - 2 Bonus chapter
200 PS (Quite an achievement as of now) - 3 Bonus chapters.
Castle - 20 Bonus Chapters!