Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 76

Karl chillaxing in the front seat of the campervan, hands folded in front of him, staring out at the long, deserted road. Valencia cruising like a boss, one hand on the wheel, the other playing with her flowing hair. The faint scent of coffee still lingering in the air, mixed with the smell of fuel.

"I don’t want my campervan to smell like sperm," Valencia suddenly blurts out, breaking the silence. "That’s why you’re sitting up front, far away from my bed."

Karl side-eyes her, feeling slightly offended but choosing not to make a big deal out of it. He goes back to gazing at the road, his mind drifting to all the shady stuff he’s done. All the crimes that felt so easy back then, now weighing heavy on his mind.

"Do you think I’m too evil?" Karl asks out of the blue, his voice unsure. "Sometimes I’m not even sure who I am. All the things I’ve done... like I don’t have morals anymore."

Valencia chuckles softly, her eyes still focused on the road. "You’re overthinking the unimportant stuff. Humans always enjoy torturing themselves with the concept of morals. As if the world is black and white."

Karl turns to look at Valencia, intrigued. "What do you mean?"

"I mean, no one is entirely evil, and no one is entirely good," Valencia replies, her voice flat but full of certainty. "Humans are gray. You can do good to those you deem worthy, and do evil to those you think deserve it. That’s it. Simple, right?"

Karl falls silent, digesting Valencia’s words. Slowly, the shadows of his past start creeping into his mind. The face of Julia, the woman he used roughly, appears in his thoughts. Julia was a kind woman, full of love and not judgmental. Karl destroyed her life by nailing her, and now their banging tape is all over the internet.

Then there’s Elena. Equally kind, a woman trying to fill her emptiness by creating poetry. But Karl dragged her into a whirlpool of lust and manipulation, robbing her of the happiness that should have been hers and her family’s.

Finally, there’s Cindy, a woman just trying to make money from live streaming.

"I..." Karl mutters softly, his voice almost inaudible. "I targeted them wrong, right? Julia, Elena, and Cindy didn’t deserve to be ruined."

"Yeah, they didn’t deserve it," Valencia replies coolly. "But you did it anyway. And now you know what regret feels like. Welcome to the human world, Karl."

Karl clenches his fists, his heart tumultuous. He begins to realize that his actions not only trapped him in a gray moral zone but also destroyed the people he should have let live in peace.

"Why are you saying this to me?" Karl finally asks, breaking the silence. "Are you trying to make me feel worse?"

Valencia chuckles softly, her laughter echoing in the campervan. "Of course not. I just want you to realize, Karl. Realize that in the end, all your actions will come back to you. Whether as regret or as pride. You just have to choose which path you want to take."

Karl falls silent. The thought lingers in his mind throughout the journey. Valencia focuses on driving again, while in the back, Layla is busy with her phone, oblivious to their conversation.

In the heavy silence, Karl begins to feel something strange: the desire to right his wrongs. Or at least, to take responsibility for Julia, Elena, and Cindy.

Not only that, Karl remembers the victims of accidents from his shenanigans with the Common Sense Hijack System.

Karl stares straight ahead, his eyes looking empty. His lips tremble slightly before he starts talking, his voice low and heavy. "I did something... truly unforgivable."

Valencia, still casually holding the steering wheel, raises an eyebrow without taking her eyes off the road. "Everyone has a big sin, Karl. You’re no exception."

"But this... this is more than just a sin," Karl says softly, gathering the courage to continue. "I once hijacked Common Sense about crossing the street."

Valencia glances at him briefly, waiting for further explanation without saying a word.

"I made people believe that crossing the street is always safe. No matter the red light or not, no matter if there are vehicles speeding by or not. I just... wanted to see what would happen," Karl continues, his voice getting lower. "And the result... I... I don’t even know how many died."

Valencia remains calm, a hint of a smirk appearing on the corner of her lips. "You played with their basic instincts, didn’t you? I’m sure that ended in many accidents."

Karl bows his head, feeling the weight pressing on his chest. "Yes. So many accidents. People had no control over their bodies. They just stepped onto the street, like reprogrammed robots. And... even orphaned children became victims. Maybe, they were happily walking, before my stupidity took their lives."

For a moment, only the sound of the campervan engine can be heard. Karl feels choked, but he can’t stop now.

"At that time, I didn’t think twice," he continues, his voice trembling. "I just wanted to see how much I could control people. But now, I realize, I’ve destroyed the lives of those who didn’t even know who I was. Little kids, people who just wanted to go home. They didn’t deserve that."

Valencia finally speaks, her tone cold but nonjudgmental. "That was a foolish act, Karl. But now you know the consequences. Regret is part of the price you have to pay."

Karl nods slowly, his clenched fists trembling in his lap. "And I feel, that’s why John, Chloe, and Amber are attacking us. They’re Homo Obscura, but... they only want to avenge the innocent."

Valencia smiles faintly, her eyes still on the road ahead. "You know Karl, regret won’t erase what has happened. You can’t bring them back, no matter how strong your guilt is."

"I know," Karl murmurs. "But I also know I have to do something. Not to redeem myself, but to stop myself from becoming even worse."

Valencia chuckles softly, shaking the tense atmosphere. "That’s a weird decision, but interesting. I want to see where you’re headed, Karl. At least, this journey won’t be boring."

Karl sits silently for a few minutes, listening to the sound of the campervan’s tires rubbing against the asphalt. He feels sick with his own thoughts. But there’s one more thing nagging at him—their upcoming plan. Karl has to help Layla get revenge on Angeline. But now, haunted by regret, he starts to doubt.

"I want to ask something," Karl says softly, finally breaking the silence. "If I help Layla seek revenge on Angeline... will I feel guilty again?"