Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!

Chapter 48 Heroes—Another Appears

As Parker stepped out of his room, he couldn't help but think about the money he'd dropped in the system shop. Eighty-one freaking million. Not a single rebate. Not even a "Hey, here's a coupon!" But it was what it was. It stung, sure, but it made sense.

"Whatever," he muttered to himself. He was building something bigger than a bank account.

And then, as if the universe—or the system—wanted to slap a band-aid over that wound, the familiar ding rang out.

[Ding! Host has received 100 Random Spins!]

Parker froze mid-step, his brain struggling to process what he'd just heard. "Wait... what? One hundred spins?!" He almost tripped over his own feet. That was huge.

"System," he said, half-laughing, half-glaring, "do I get random spins every time I drop cash in the shop? Or is this just a one-time thing?" His tone was playful, but anyone could tell the kid was pushing his luck.

[No, Host. You received the spins as a bonus for your first purchase. Since it was a significant one, the system granted 100 Random Spins. This is a one-time reward.]

Parker rolled his eyes. "Wow, so generous. No, actually, you're stingy as hell, system."

By the time he made it to the kitchen, his stomach was growling loud enough to echo. Tessa was already there, sitting at the counter with her phone, her face glowing in the screen's light. She glanced up and smiled.

"Morning, sleepyhead," she teased, setting her phone down.

"Should've eaten without me," Parker said, opening the fridge to grab some juice.

Tessa shrugged, still smiling. "Nah. I was waiting for my master," she said, throwing an exaggerated bow into the mix.

Parker scoffed, rolling his eyes but failing to hide the small smirk creeping onto his face. They sat down to eat, the air light and easy.

Halfway through breakfast, Tessa's tone shifted. "Oh, by the way, another hero showed up."

That got Parker's attention. He paused mid-bite, his fork hovering over his plate. "Another hero? Who? Show me!"

Tessa unlocked her phone, leaning across the table to show him. "This guy," she said, pulling up a video.

The clip started shaky, someone recording a news report off their TV. In the footage, a massive train was barreling toward disaster—a bridge collapsing ahead of it. Screams filled the air, the camera zooming in as a figure jumped onto the tracks.

Parker leaned closer, his brows furrowing. The guy was tall, ripped like he lived in the gym, and his messy hair blew wildly in the wind. The dude wore no mask, no flashy costume. Just raw strength and presence.

He didn't slow the train; he stopped it. Bare hands on steel, heels digging into the tracks, muscles rippling under the strain. Sparks flew everywhere as the train screeched to a halt, inches from the broken bridge.

Tessa glanced at Parker as the video looped again. "He's in Canada. Just showed up, no intro, no explanation. People are freaking out."

Parker didn't answer immediately, his gaze fixed on the screen. The guy's strength wasn't normal. Not even for powered individuals. This wasn't just some rookie stumbling into the game—this was big.

Tessa leaned closer, and for a second, Parker caught the faint scent of her perfume. It was light, floral, and… nice. He blinked, forcing himself to focus. 'Focus, dumbass.'

"Interesting," he finally said, leaning back in his chair. "But I'm betting there's more to this guy than just hero work."

Tessa smirked. "Jealous?"

Parker snorted, shaking his head. "Nah. Just curious."

They finished breakfast in relative silence, but Parker's mind was already racing. Whoever this guy was, he'd just put himself on the map.

Parker paused mid-bite, his fork hanging in the air, as his mind wandered to everything that had gone down lately. It was surreal, like a fever dream he hadn't woken up from. One day he was just a normal kid—well, rich as hell, sure—but still normal. Then the system happened, and now his life was a mix of magic, telekinesis, heroes, and high-stakes insanity.

He glanced at Tessa, who was scrolling through her phone while nibbling on a piece of toast. A soft smile crept onto his face. For all the chaos, there was a weird comfort in having her around. She wasn't family, not like the Blackwoods who were there out of obligation.

Tessa was...different. They'd come together in the strangest way possible, but there was a warmth there, an unspoken understanding.

He couldn't imagine being in this shiny penthouse alone, even with all the money and power in the world now that he had tasted the warmth of having someone around.

"Ugh, I'm getting sentimental," he muttered under his breath, shaking his head.

Tessa glanced up from her phone. "Huh? Did you say something, boss?"

"Nah, keep eating," he said quickly, waving her off as if the moment hadn't happened.

The truth was, for all his cynicism, Parker was glad he wasn't completely alone. Even if their bond came with layers of weirdness, it beat solitude by a long shot.

But then there was the world outside. The craziness wasn't slowing down.

First, there'd been that golden-haired, golden-eyed guy saving people from a burning building. Then, another one he stopped not a runaway bus—no, a fucking speeding train.

Parker leaned back, fork forgotten. "That Herculean strength…"he mumbled, then paused. His mind churned. 'Wait, Hercules. Shit, if myths are real—if the gods are real—Hercules could definitely be here. Right?'

He wanted to laugh it off, to call himself crazy, but the thought felt…right. The guy in the video looked like someone plucked straight out of a myth. A black haired teen, muscles not excessive like a damn bodybuilder, and the confidence to match.

The dude stoped a train?

"This world's about to get crowded," Parker thought, frowning. "Heroes showing up left and right, probably with their shiny ideals and capes. More trouble for us normal folk. Or...not-so-normal folk."

He had a gut feeling they weren't just here to save kittens from trees. No way. The gods had to be up to something, pulling strings in the background.

"Not my problem," he whispered to himself, picking up his fork again. "They can keep their divine drama. I've got my own plans."

And those plans didn't involve getting caught in some mythological turf war. He was going to stay rich, and live his best damn life. Trouble could knock all it wanted, but unless it broke his door down—

"Don't jinx it, Parker," he muttered, shaking his head.

Tessa looked up again, this time frowning. "You keep talking to yourself, you know that, right? Everything okay?"

"Yeah, yeah," he said, brushing it off with a wave.

****

After breakfast—which dragged out longer than expected—Parker made his way to the parking lot. The elevator ride down felt slower than usual, giving him too much time to think. His steps were smooth, deliberate, as if the universe itself danced to his rhythm.

"This energy I absorbed," he murmured. "The system said it wasn't much, barely 0.05%, of what my current "weak" body could take... but…damn, I feel it. The world feels alive."

Finally, he reached the far end of the parking lot, where his cars waited. Three McLaren Speedtails sat gleaming under the artificial lights, their sleek black, red, and green bodies shining like something out of a dream.

Parker stopped a few steps away, staring. His breath caught in his throat.

"This is my reality," he thought. "My life now."

But for some reason, he couldn't take another step. It felt too surreal, too much like stepping into a life that wasn't his.

"You getting sentimental again? What's wrong today?"

The voice behind him snapped him out of his thoughts, and he turned sharply.

*****

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