Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 85

Karl froze. The man’s words pierced his mind, shaking his already fragile composure. "What are you talking about?" he demanded, his voice trembling despite his best effort to mask it.

The man in the black suit stood firm, unbothered, his smooth smile plastered on his face like a mask. "You’re aware your family has been popping up in Angeline’s videos, aren’t you? And you do know Angeline’s a major public figure on Glowsphere? So... how do you think she found your family?"

Karl’s eyes narrowed, his chest tightening with dread. He didn’t like where this was going. Without thinking, he stepped forward aggressively, his fist clenched as if ready to throw a punch. Layla, standing to his side, grabbed his arm firmly, pulling him back before he could close the gap.

"Karl, stop it!" she hissed, her voice urgent.

Valencia, who had been watching the exchange silently, leaned against the campervan door, her arms crossed. Her cold, calculating expression didn’t falter as she broke her silence. "Enough with the cryptic wordplay. If you know something, say it. Right now. Or so help me, you won’t leave this parking lot alive."

The man raised his hands slightly, a gesture of mock surrender, his smug smile fading just a fraction. "Easy there, I don’t want this to get messy. Neither do you, right? Especially not in such a public place." He reached into the inner pocket of his jacket, pulling out a plain white envelope. "Take this. Read it. Decide for yourself if the lives of your loved ones are worth considering our offer."

Karl stared at the envelope like it was a live grenade. "What’s this?" he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

"A invitation," the man replied simply. "What you do with it is up to you."

The tension hung heavy in the air. Valencia’s eyes darted toward the man’s two companions standing in the shadows a few paces behind him. They were silent but intimidating, their hands resting casually on their sides, ready to act if things went sideways.

With a sharp movement, Karl snatched the envelope from the man’s hand. "If this is some kind of trap," he growled, his voice rough with anger, "I’ll find you. And I promise, you won’t like what happens next."

The man didn’t flinch. Instead, he gave a small, almost mocking nod. "I’ll be looking forward to it." With that, he turned on his heel, his two shadows following close behind as they disappeared into the darkness.

The moment they were gone, Karl spun around, his fury bubbling just beneath the surface. "I’m not playing their game," he snapped, his voice sharp and final. "They think they can control us with threats? No way."

He walk to the campervan, hold the envelope on his hands. Valencia followed, her piercing eyes fixed on the crumpled paper. She tilted her head slightly, her lips curving into a faint smirk. "You know," she said, her voice dripping with calm sarcasm, "opening that might not be the worst idea."

Karl glared at her, his frustration boiling over. "I’m not playing their game," he repeated through gritted teeth. "I don’t care what’s in that envelope. They think they can push us around? Not happening."

"If this is about your family..." Layla spoke up, her voice soft but steady. She placed a gentle hand on Karl’s shoulder, her eyes filled with empathy. "We need to know what they’re planning, Karl. If they know something, we can’t just ignore it."

Karl exhaled heavily, his jaw tightening. The thought of his family in danger clawed at his insides, leaving him torn between anger and fear. After a long pause, he finally nodded toward Valencia. "Fine. Open it. But if this is some kind of setup, we’ll make them regret it."

Valencia chuckled softly, her fingers deftly breaking the seal of the envelope. "Now you’re starting to think like a real player," she murmured, pulling out a neatly folded piece of paper. Her eyes scanned the contents quickly, her expression growing colder with every word. She handed it over to Karl without a word.

Karl snatched the paper, his eyes narrowing as he read aloud:

---

To Karl,

We know about your strange ability to manipulate human sanity, and we know your potential. Come to this address, and all your questions will be answered. We don’t want conflict, but we’ll take necessary steps if you reject our offer.

Location: Southrill Tower, Zone 7

Time: Tomorrow night, 8:00 PM

—Director of Glowsphere

---

"Southrill Tower?" Layla repeated, frowning. "Isn’t that Glowsphere’s main office? Why would they want us to go there?"

Valencia leaned back in her chair, a cold smirk tugging at her lips. "Why do you think? It’s a trap. They want us to walk straight into their territory, unarmed and blind."

Karl slammed the paper down on the table, his frustration boiling over. "But they mentioned my family," he muttered, his voice thick with emotion. "If they really know something about them... I can’t just ignore it."

Valencia sat up, fixing him with a sharp, piercing stare. "And that’s exactly what they’re counting on," she said, her tone sharp as a blade. "They’re using your weakness against you. They know you’ll jump at the bait the moment they mention your family."

Layla stepped closer, her hand resting lightly on Karl’s arm. "We don’t have to go in without a plan. We can scout the area, figure out what we’re walking into. We’ll be prepared, Karl."

Karl’s jaw tightened as he weighed their words. Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he nodded. "We’ve got until tomorrow night. If we decide to go, I’m making sure we’re ready for whatever they throw at us."

Valencia smirked, a dangerous glint in her eyes. "Good. About time you started thinking like a strategist."

The tension lingered, heavy and suffocating. The trio fell silent, their thoughts consumed by the message in the envelope. But before they could plan their next move, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed from outside, cutting through the still night air.

The three of them exchanged a glance before spinning toward the source of the noise. From the shadows, three figures emerged, their faces hard and unyielding.