Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 82

Layla looked up at the sky over Unrill City, deep in thought. "I think she’s more than just an asset. She’s not our enemy, that’s for sure. But is she really on our side? Not sure."

Karl stared at her. "She said she just wants to have fun and get entertained. You buy that?"

Layla shrugged. "In this world? Anything’s possible. But one thing’s for sure—someone who’s been around that long probably has a lot of secrets."

Karl nodded slowly, agreeing. "I just hope those secrets don’t come back to bite us."

Layla gave him a little pat on the shoulder. "We don’t know what’s gonna happen. But right now, maybe we have to trust her. We need her, Karl. And she knows it."

Karl stared at the sparkling city, trying to convince himself. The next storm would hit soon, and they had to be ready.

---

The Next Morning

Mornings in Unrill were just as crazy as the nights. The hum of electric vehicles mixed with automatic announcements blasting from holographic screens on the streets. Valencia’s apartment, way up above all that noise, felt like a whole other world. Karl sat at the dining table, staring at the digital map on his tablet.

Layla walked in, holding a cup of coffee. "So, you ready to get revenge for me, Karl?" she asked, all fired up.

Karl closed his eyes, fingers tightening on the table. "Layla," he said, his voice heavy, "I’m not sure I’m ready for this."

Layla stopped, her excitement fading. "What do you mean? Karl, you’ve come this far. You promised me!"

Karl sighed, running his hand through his wet hair. "I... I keep thinking about my family."

"That’s exactly why, Karl," Layla shot back. "You’ve need to take out Angeline first, then you can save your family!"

Karl looked down and mumbled, "Do I really need to do stuff like that again?" His mind remembered about Elena and Julia.

Layla smiled faintly, then gently set her coffee down on the table. She moved closer, standing behind Karl, who was still bent over, lost in doubt. Without warning, she wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him into a warm but intense hug.

"Karl," she whispered in his ear, voice soft but teasing, "You know this isn’t just about me. Everything you do... every step, every sacrifice... it’s for your family too, right?"

Karl’s body tensed, and he didn’t move, letting Layla pull him closer. He stared blankly at the digital map, his mind in chaos.

"Yeah... but I’ve already lost so much," he muttered, his voice breaking. "I don’t want to lose more."

Layla chuckled lightly, her voice sweet yet venomous. "You won’t lose anything, Karl. You’re just taking what’s rightfully yours. You’re strong, stronger than anyone I’ve ever met." Her fingers traced his shoulder, sliding slowly down to his chest. "And about... those sacrifices you’re worried about," she continued, "don’t think of them as a burden. Think of it as part of the game. A step toward victory."

Karl closed his eyes, his body shuddering lightly. "I’m not sure I can do it again, Layla. I’m already too messed up... too broken."

Layla spun Karl around so they were facing each other. She looked into his eyes, a mix of sincerity and manipulation in her gaze. "Messed up? Broken? You think your family will care about that when you save them? They just want you back... no matter what it takes. And Angeline? She won’t stop until she has everything. She’ll even take your family away from you."

Karl stayed silent, and in that quiet moment, Layla stepped closer, reducing the space between them. "I know," she said softly, her voice still seductive, "you feel guilty. But listen, Karl, I’m here. I’m here for you. If you need... an escape, or someone to share your burden with, I can be that for you."

She tilted her head slightly, her smile growing wider. "We can do this together, Karl. You and me. It’s not just about revenge, but about fighting through that pain. I can make you feel alive again, even if it’s just for a moment."

Karl turned his gaze away, his breath heavy. Layla seized the moment of doubt, taking his hands in hers and squeezing them tightly. "Picture this, Karl," she urged. "You don’t just get sexual satisfaction—you get revenge, justice for everyone the Glowsphere hurt—but you also get a safe, whole family. It’s all right there. All you need to do is act."

"And as for... us," Layla added, pressing her lips to Karl’s ear, "I promise you, you’ll get more than you ever imagined."

Karl bit his lip, his body hot, his thoughts blurring between logic and primal desire. But under the growing urge, guilt surfaced again, reminding him of who he used to be before he got tangled up in all this chaos. "Layla..." he whispered, but he couldn’t continue.

Layla smiled, satisfied that the seeds of doubt were turning into certainty. She hugged him once more, then stepped back slowly, giving Karl room to think it through. "Think this through, Karl. Our world’s full of tough choices. But if you choose to stay quiet... you’re just giving Angeline more time to destroy everything."

She left Karl sitting at the table, giving him space to reflect, but not without leaving a deep mark on his mind. Karl stared at the digital map, but his mind was elsewhere—torn between his mission, his family, and the temptation that had just ignited inside him.

Karl sat there, frozen, his eyes fixed on the digital map in front of him, but his thoughts were far away. His life used to be a constant stream of notifications, likes, and messages, trapping him in a whirlwind of busyness that never gave him a chance to really stop and think. Social media filled every empty space in his life, distracting him from reality until he found himself caught in a world built by algorithms.

Now, without the constant buzz of his phone, without the digital distractions that usually filled every second of his life, Karl felt trapped in an empty space he never realized was there. All the pent-up thoughts now flooded his mind, and it wasn’t pleasant.

"Do I really want this?" he thought, questioning himself. For so long, he had just gone along with the flow, living life based on instructions and achievements set by the digital world. But now, it felt like he had no control over anything. He felt like an empty shell, moving only in response to impulses without knowing the point of it all.

"Is this what I want?" he thought again, staring blankly at the map, which now looked like a symbol of emptiness. For years, he had felt connected to the world through social media, feeling seen, feeling important. But now, the reality was so silent, and no one could give him any answers. Everything felt hollow.

Karl’s chest tightened, his breath quickened. Beneath the anxiety, he couldn’t shake the truth that he’d lost so much—especially himself. He felt like a stranger in his own life. The outside world felt alien, even more so than the virtual world that had been his escape. When everything depended on algorithms and virtual connections, he never truly asked himself who he really was.

Without distractions, everything seemed clearer, and it was crushing. All the decisions made, all the actions taken—were they really his? Or were they just the result of what had been programmed into him?

"What the hell am I supposed to do now?" he thought, his hands trembling. He felt trapped in contradictions he couldn’t understand. On one hand, he wanted to escape all of this, avoid the pain, and maybe live a more peaceful life. On the other, his family, his future, and everything he had lost seemed to bind him to a bigger game. And Layla—Layla, the tempting one, always there with promises of happines after revenge—was part of the poison seeping into him.

He closed his eyes, trying to calm his thoughts, but the images—the ones of his ruined family, of his past filled with addiction and emptiness—kept chasing him.

Suddenly, footsteps approached. Karl opened his eyes and saw Valencia standing in the doorway, looking at him with an unreadable expression. Without a word, she walked in and sat at the table across from him, watching him closely.

"Still stuck in your head?" Valencia finally spoke, her voice softer than before.

Karl lifted his head, looking at Valencia with eyes full of doubt and confusion. "I don’t even know who I am anymore," he answered, his voice hoarse. "I used to... just go through life without thinking, without caring. But now I have to make these huge decisions, and I feel like I don’t know who’s gonna lose if I screw up."

Valencia smiled faintly, but there was a hint of sympathy in her gaze. "You’ll find your way, Karl. You’ll find a way out, even if it’s through darkness and sacrifice."

Karl looked down again, feeling trapped in Valencia’s words.

"Is there really a way out, Valencia?" Karl asked, his voice barely a whisper. "Or is this just an illusion?"

Valencia moved in a little closer, her eyes still locked on Karl. "Nothing’s certain, Karl. This world’s full of uncertainty. But one thing’s for sure—you can make your own choices."

Karl swallowed hard, feeling the weight of the decision in his hands. Everything felt suffocating, like the world was closing in and every option just led to more pain.

Suddenly, a loud scream shattered the air, breaking the silence in Valencia’s apartment. Karl screaming with a sharp pain that suddenly hit his head. Another scream followed, even sharper, filled with agony—Layla’s. It came from another room, vibrating through the walls with such force that it froze Karl in place.

He clutched his head, trying to calm himself, but the pain just kept getting worse. His body felt like it was on fire, like someone was ruthlessly digging into his brain. He collapsed from the chair, groaning. Layla, kneeling in the other room, looked helpless. Her sharp eyes, usually calculating, were now wide open, her body trembling.

"Faster than I thought," Valencia muttered.