Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 119

As the night deepened, the building grew quieter. The occasional creak of the walls and the faint hum of the electricity were the only sounds breaking the stillness. Karl sat on his bed, scrolling aimlessly through the group chat for the building’s residents. It was mostly mundane—a mix of complaints about rationing, someone looking for a lost pair of socks, and a heated debate about whether the generator should run all night.

Yet, Karl’s mind was elsewhere. His thoughts kept drifting back to Evelyn. The way her sharp eyes had scrutinized everything, her bold words in the meeting—they lingered in his memory. She had a commanding presence that was hard to ignore, and despite her bluntness, there was something oddly magnetic about her.

Karl shook his head, trying to dispel the thoughts. Focus, Karl. She’s just another resident. Nothing more.

But the harder he tried to push her out of his mind, the clearer her image became. Her stern expression softened into something more alluring in his imagination, and before he knew it, his body began to respond. He groaned in frustration, tossing his phone onto the bed.

"Get a grip, Karl," he muttered under his breath. "This is not the time for this."

In an attempt to distract himself, he glanced toward the living room, where Jane and Layla were fast asleep on the couch. Jane had curled up under one of Layla’s oversized blankets, her breathing steady and calm. Layla, on the other hand, was sprawled out, her arm hanging off the edge of the couch. They looked so peaceful, completely unaware of the chaotic storm brewing in Karl’s mind.

But instead of calming him, the sight only made things worse. His gaze lingered on Jane’s figure longer than it should have, his thoughts taking a dangerous turn. Her casual confidence and sharp wit had always made her stand out, but now, in the dim light, she seemed... different. Softer, almost vulnerable.

Karl clenched his fists, trying to suppress the wave of inappropriate thoughts flooding his mind. No, absolutely not. This is wrong.

He stood abruptly, pacing the small room. The last thing he needed was for his own mind to betray him like this. Yet, no matter how much he tried to focus on something—anything—else, the images wouldn’t go away. It was as if some part of him was determined to pull him deeper into his fantasies.

"Maybe some fresh air will help," he muttered, grabbing his jacket and heading toward the balcony. The cool night breeze hit his face as he stepped outside, and for a moment, he felt a sense of relief. The city lights in the distance flickered like tiny stars, and the noise of the world seemed far away.

But even the night couldn’t fully quiet his thoughts. Karl leaned against the railing, staring blankly into the distance. Why can’t I just shut this off? he wondered. Why do I have to make everything complicated?

A soft noise behind him snapped him out of his thoughts. He turned to see Layla standing in the doorway, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Karl? What are you doing out here?" she asked, her voice groggy.

"Couldn’t sleep," he replied quickly, hoping she wouldn’t notice anything unusual about his demeanor.

Layla yawned, leaning against the doorframe. "You should try. You look like you haven’t slept in days."

Karl forced a small smile. "Yeah, maybe you’re right."

Layla gave him a skeptical look but didn’t press further. "Alright, well, don’t stay out too long. It’s cold."

As she disappeared back inside, Karl let out a long sigh. The momentary distraction had helped, but only slightly. He knew he needed to get a grip before his thoughts spiraled further out of control. But for now, he stayed on the balcony, letting the cold air numb his senses and hoping that, eventually, his mind would quiet.

Karl stepped back into the apartment, closing the balcony door softly. The room was quiet except for the faint sound of Jane’s steady breathing and Layla’s occasional mumble in her sleep. He lingered near the door, his gaze drifting to the couch where they lay, completely unaware of his presence.

His thoughts began to spiral. The stress of the day, the tension with Evelyn, and the suppressed feelings he couldn’t fully understand—everything felt like it was closing in on him. As he watched Jane’s peaceful face, his mind began to wander down a darker path.

What if... I used it?

The thought was intrusive, unwelcome, but once it surfaced, it was impossible to ignore. Karl’s unique ability—the power to alter common sense—had always been his secret tool, a resource for survival and solving problems. But now, his mind entertained something else entirely: the possibility of bending Jane’s reality to fit his own desires.

He shook his head, trying to dispel the idea. "No," he muttered under his breath, as if saying it aloud could banish the thought. But the more he tried to suppress it, the more it took root.

It’s not like anyone would know, a voice in his mind whispered. It’s not permanent. Just... an experiment. Something small.

Karl clenched his fists, stepping away from the couch and pacing the room. He had always justified his actions with the excuse that he was doing it for the greater good—helping people, ensuring fairness, maintaining order. But this? This wasn’t about helping anyone. This was selfish, wrong, and he knew it.

And yet, the temptation lingered.

His gaze fell back on Jane. Her lips were slightly parted as she slept, her face relaxed and vulnerable. The idea of making her do something she would never willingly do danced in his mind. The power he held was intoxicating, a constant reminder that he could make people believe anything he wanted.

But then, another thought struck him: What kind of person does that make me?

The question hit hard, like a bucket of cold water. Karl stopped pacing and ran a hand through his hair, frustration bubbling to the surface. He wasn’t this person. He couldn’t be.

He took one last look at Jane and Layla before retreating to his room, slamming the door shut behind him. Sitting on the edge of his bed, he buried his face in his hands.

"I can’t do this," he whispered to himself. "I won’t."

But even as he tried to convince himself, the shadow of the idea lingered in the back of his mind, refusing to let go.

Karl sat on the edge of his bed, his head buried in his hands as the weight of his thoughts pressed down on him. He tried to shake off the intrusive ideas that had been swirling in his mind all night. The guilt and frustration were unbearable, like a storm he couldn’t escape.

He got up abruptly, pacing the room as if the movement could help clear his mind. It didn’t. His gaze flicked toward the door, where the faint sound of Layla’s and Jane’s soft breathing filtered through the still air.

"No," he muttered to himself, shaking his head. "I need to stop this. I need to clear my head." fгeewebnovёl.com

Without another thought, he headed to the bathroom, shutting and locking the door behind him. The small space was dimly lit, the faint hum of the apartment’s plumbing the only sound accompanying him. Karl leaned against the sink, staring at his reflection in the cracked mirror. His face looked haggard, his eyes tired but restless.

"This will help," he whispered to himself, his voice barely audible over the pounding of his heart. "Just... get it out of your system."

His hands trembled as he reached for his waistband, the shame already beginning to creep in. He tried to focus on anything else, telling himself that once he did this, the tension would go away. He’d feel normal again, calm, like himself.

But even as he tried to rationalize it, a part of him knew that this wasn’t really about relief. It was about distraction—about silencing the thoughts that had taken root in his mind and made him question the kind of person he was becoming.

As he gave in, his breathing quickened, the small bathroom feeling more and more suffocating with every passing second. He shut his eyes, his mind drifting into dangerous territory despite his best efforts to keep it neutral.

Moments later, he collapsed against the sink, his chest heaving as the tension began to subside. For a brief moment, the shame and guilt were replaced by a dull sense of relief.

But as the clarity returned, so did the self-loathing. Karl turned on the tap, splashing cold water on his face as if it could wash away his thoughts.

"You’re better than this," he muttered to his reflection. "You have to be."

He stood there for a long moment, staring at himself, before finally turning off the water and leaving the bathroom. The apartment was still quiet, Jane and Layla still asleep. Karl made his way back to his bed, lying down and pulling the blanket over himself.

But no matter how hard he tried, sleep refused to come.

As Karl lay in bed, his mind still racing, Jane stirred on the couch. Her eyes fluttered open, the dim light from a nearby streetlamp casting faint shadows across the room. She had been awake for a while, her breathing purposely even to make it seem like she was asleep. She hadn’t missed the sound of Karl quietly pacing the apartment earlier or the muffled click of the bathroom door.

A sly smirk tugged at her lips as she stretched lightly, careful not to wake Layla, who was curled up on the other side of the couch. Karl’s odd behavior hadn’t escaped her notice. It was almost endearing, in a strange way—how awkward he became when he thought no one was paying attention.

She glanced toward the closed door of Karl’s room, her expression thoughtful. The corners of her mouth twitched into a faint smile, a mixture of amusement and something else she couldn’t quite name.

"Poor guy," she whispered to herself, her voice barely audible over the quiet hum of the night. "He’s been so tense lately... maybe I should give him a little ’service.’ Might do him some good."

Jane’s cheeks flushed slightly at the thought, but the idea lingered. She wasn’t entirely serious—at least, not yet. But the more she thought about it, the more it seemed... amusing.