Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 98 - Back To The Past

Karl looked around, feeling a swirl of emotions. The familiar city streets, towering buildings, and the noise of traffic reminded him that he was truly back in his own time.

The system suddenly spoke in his head:

[RadiantSpank has been obtained. You can now hijack human common sense within a 50-meter radius, in a circular area centered on you.]

Karl nodded slightly, acknowledging the new power now at his disposal. He gazed at his apartment building from afar. His steps felt heavy as shadows of the past began to haunt him.

"What if they recognize my face?" Karl thought.

He cautiously activated RadiantSpank. In his mind, he carved a simple command:

"What Karl Min did in the past was perfectly normal."

With that, his worries eased a little. He walked toward the apartment building with more confidence. People passing by nodded or smiled at him, as if he were just another ordinary tenant who had never disappeared without a trace.

Reaching his apartment unit, Karl was stunned. Everything looked neat, as if it had never been left behind. He walked to his desk, turned on his computer, and waited for the boot screen to load. His eyes immediately caught the date in the bottom right corner of the screen:

October 10, 2029.

Karl froze, his heart pounding.

"This is the day it all began," he murmured.

The system spoke again: novelbuddy.cσ๓

[You have been sent back to the past as a reward. The Absolute Being appreciates your efforts in saving a dimension on the brink of collapse. This is your second chance to set things right.]

Karl exhaled deeply. Gratitude and regret flooded his mind. He remembered all the mistakes he had made, especially using the SpankSome ability on Jane, his former manager. He knew how wrong he had been, and this opportunity was his way to make amends.

His phone suddenly rang, pulling his attention. Jane’s name appeared on the screen. Karl’s heart raced again, but he answered the call.

"Hello?"

"Karl! You finally picked up. Where have you been? Skipping work without notice is so unprofessional, you know!" Jane’s voice was sharp with anger, but there was no hint of hatred.

Karl sighed, trying to calm himself.

"I’m sorry, Ma’am. A lot has happened. I truly apologize for that."

"Well, at least you’re answering now. Listen, we still need people at the store. If you’re willing to come back, I can talk to the boss," Jane said, her tone softening.

Karl closed his eyes for a moment, feeling relieved. He knew Jane didn’t remember anything about what had happened between them. It was all thanks to the system, and now he had a chance not to repeat the same mistakes.

"Thank you, Ma’am. I’ll think about it," Karl replied quietly.

"Don’t take too long to decide. We’re short on staff," Jane said before hanging up, her usual firmness intact.

Karl stared at his now darkened phone screen. He let out a long breath, grateful that his past mistakes had been erased along with the time travel.

"I’m not the same person anymore," Karl muttered, his gaze firm. "I have a second chance. I won’t waste it."

Karl sat down at his desk, looking out at the city shining through his apartment window. His past was full of sins, but his future was now in his own hands.

---

Karl sat quietly in front of his apartment window, gazing at the city where it all began. Memories of the past started to haunt him, appearing one by one like shadows refusing to leave. Among those memories, the name Layla surfaced in his mind.

He took a deep breath. Layla’s face slowly came into focus. He remembered how she had helped him when he was at his lowest, even though her own life was filled with suffering.

"I need to find her," Karl thought. Before he could move forward with his life, he needed to make sure Layla was okay.

But another memory suddenly surfaced, making him pause. His father’s face appeared in his mind. A father he had never fully understood—a man with secrets too big to reveal. Karl recalled a faint clue about the power his father possessed.

"I need to figure it all out," Karl murmured to himself. He remembered the strange events that had occurred in Neosia, things that defied logic.

Clenching his fists, Karl tried to steady himself. "I’ll ask him about it later. But for now..."

He stared at his reflection in the window. Layla was his priority. She had suffered too much before they met, and Karl felt he owed her.

"I have to find her, no matter what," he resolved.

---

The Next Day

Before heading back to his old job as a mediocre store clerk, Karl stood at the entrance of a luxurious apartment building. The place loomed high, with glass panels reflecting the late afternoon sun. He took a deep breath, trying to calm his mind before stepping inside.

In the lobby, a receptionist greeted him with a polite smile, though her eyes subtly assessed his ordinary appearance.

"Can I help you, sir?" she asked professionally.

"I’d like to see Valencia," Karl replied without preamble.

The receptionist looked slightly surprised, then adjusted her posture. "I’m sorry, sir. Miss Valencia is currently out of town. Do you have an appointment with her?"

Karl shook his head lightly. "No, but please contact her. Tell her someone wants to meet and mention the word Noctis."

The receptionist hesitated, scanning Karl up and down as if determining whether his request was worth entertaining. Valencia was wealthy and influential, while the man before her seemed like an average nobody.

"I’m sorry, sir, but this is highly irregular. We usually only contact Miss Valencia for urgent matters or if the person requesting to meet is pre-registered," she said cautiously.

Karl gave her a calm yet piercing look. "Trust me, this is urgent. She’ll understand if you use that word."

Reluctantly, the receptionist nodded. "Very well, I’ll try contacting her. Please wait a moment."

She picked up the phone and dialed a few numbers, speaking in a lower tone. Karl waited patiently, though the tension in the air was palpable.

After a few minutes, she hung up and looked back at Karl. "I’ve passed along your message, sir. However, Miss Valencia is currently in an area with poor signal reception and cannot be reached."

Karl nodded slightly, showing no disappointment. "Thank you. I’ll return later."

With that, he turned and walked out of the lobby, leaving the receptionist still puzzled by the encounter. Meanwhile, Karl contemplated his next move, confident that Valencia would contact him soon after hearing his message.

---

Later, Karl stood behind the cash register, greeting Jane with a formal smile as he resumed his old job. As expected, everything felt the same as before—boring routines, fussy customers, and, of course, Zoey, his co-worker notorious for "borrowing" small items from the store.

Zoey approached from a nearby shelf, carrying a small box filled with office supplies. She grinned widely, as always.

"Karl! Finally, you’re back. I thought you’d run off," she said jokingly.

Karl nodded, keeping his cool. "Yeah, I’m back."

Zoey placed the box on the counter. "Good. I was overwhelmed working alone. So, are you ready to handle everything that piled up while you were gone?"

Karl nodded again, not wanting to prolong the conversation. He already knew what was coming next.

Zoey picked up a fancy pen from the box, examining it with interest. "Hmm, this is nice. If it were me, I’d keep it as a personal collection."

Karl kept his composure. He knew this "joke" was more than just words, but he didn’t want to raise suspicion by reacting too much.

"Don’t joke about that in front of customers," Karl said casually.

Zoey laughed lightly. "Relax, I’m just kidding."

She walked away, carrying the box with her, leaving Karl to exhale deeply. He knew this issue wasn’t over, but for now, he decided to stay calm and play his part. After all, he had bigger plans to carry out.

Zoey had left the store after finishing her shift, leaving Karl alone behind the cash register. The store was getting quiet, with only a few customers wandering between the shelves. Karl seized the moment to talk to his system.

In his mind, he asked, "System, will I still receive quests like before?"

The system responded in its calm, neutral tone:

[No. You will no longer receive quests like before, as you now hold the title Uncommon Monarch. This title places you at the pinnacle of abnormality. You are no longer an ordinary person who needs to be guided in the same way.]

Karl frowned. "So now I have no direction? Then what’s the point of this system?"

[A new feature is available to help you make decisions. It’s called Chrono Vision. For 5000 Hijack Points, you can detect major events in the future. This feature is designed for individuals like you, who are beyond the system’s usual control.]

Karl fell silent, contemplating the offer. He knew 5000 Hijack Points was no small amount, but he also couldn’t ignore the importance of knowing what lay ahead. His life was no longer just about having fun or simply surviving. Now, he had a bigger purpose—to fix the world and prevent disasters.

"Alright, I’ll use Chrono Vision," Karl said at last, his voice filled with determination.

A notification appeared before his eyes:

[5000 Hijack Points Consumed. Activating Chrono Vision...]