Chapter 46: Deer Marie
Jin pulled up in his sleek black sedan and parked across from the Autumnvale Institute of Management. The late afternoon sun cast long shadows across the street as he adjusted his mask and sunglasses, settling into the driver's seat like a predator lying in wait. Yesterday's conversation with Abdul had yielded precious information: Marie Marigold, age 21, first-year student. The name alone made his blood boil with barely contained rage.
He had wanted to hunt her down immediately, but by the time he'd received the intel, evening had already fallen. So he'd returned to his villa, spending the night plotting his revenge in exquisite detail. Now he sat motionless, his eyes fixed on the institute's main entrance, waiting for his prey to emerge.
The afternoon session ended with a flood of students pouring through the gates like colorful butterflies escaping their academic cocoon. Groups of young people chatting, their voices carrying across the street in cheerful waves. Backpacks slung over shoulders, textbooks clutched tightly, couples walking hand in hand—the scene painted a picture of carefree youth that would have been pleasant under different circumstances.
There were undeniably beautiful girls among the crowd, their laughter ringing like silver bells in the air. Normally, Jin would have been captivated by such a buffet of feminine beauty. But today was different. He had Sophie now—his perfect angel with pink hair and healing hands. These ordinary college girls couldn't possibly compare to her divine presence. Well, they didn't tempt him... much.
As the minutes ticked by and the crowd thinned, Jin's patience began wearing thin. "Damn it, did I miss her? Did she not attend classes today?" His jaw clenched as darker thoughts crept in. "Sure enough, this kind of bitch is just like my ex—probably out sleeping with wealthy men while skipping classes."
Just as he was about to abandon his vigil, she appeared.
Marie Marigold emerged from the building like a delicate deer stepping into a clearing. Her long black hair cascaded down her shoulders, catching the afternoon light. Her dark eyes sparkled with innocent mirth as she chatted with her friends, her hands moving expressively as she recounted some amusing story. Despite the tiredness evident in her posture from a long day of classes, she radiated youthful energy and unbridled joy.
She was cute in that effortless way only college girls possessed—her laugh genuine and infectious, her movements graceful yet slightly clumsy, like a young fawn learning to navigate the world. There was something endearingly cartoon-like about her mannerisms, the way she bounced slightly on her toes when excited, how her eyes widened with exaggerated surprise at her friend's jokes.
Jin's expression turned glacial as he watched her carefree demeanor. "This bitch dares to have fun after making me suffer like this?" His hands gripped the steering wheel until his knuckles turned white. The audacity of this girl to smile, to laugh, to live her life normally while he had endured public humiliation and physical agony—it was unforgivable. He would make sure she never forgot today.
Slipping out of his car with predatory grace, Jin removed his sunglasses to avoid unwanted attention. He pretended to scroll through his phone while keeping his target in sight, his footsteps silent on the pavement. Most students had already dispersed, leaving only scattered groups saying their goodbyes.
After an animated farewell with her friends, Marie began walking toward her destination, still humming some cheerful tune under her breath. Her steps were light and bouncy, completely unaware of the cold, ruthless eyes tracking her every movement from behind. But then, as if some primal instinct had awakened, her deer-like senses seemed to kick in. She glanced back over her shoulder and froze.
Their eyes met for a split second—his burning with calculated malice, hers widening with sudden, inexplicable terror.
"AHHHHH!" Marie's scream pierced the air as she bolted like a startled rabbit, her backpack bouncing wildly against her back.
What followed was a chase that would have been comical if not for its sinister undertones. Marie ran with all the grace of a newborn giraffe, her arms windmilling as she stumbled over her own feet. She vaulted over a low fence with surprising agility, then immediately tripped on a loose shoelace, rolling dramatically before springing back up like a cartoon character.
"Help! There's a crazy man chasing me!" she yelled, but her voice came out as a high-pitched squeak. In her panic, she ran straight into a food cart, sending oranges flying everywhere like colorful projectiles.
Jin pursued her with grim determination, his face a mask of cold fury. But fate had other plans—as he leaped over the same fence, his foot caught on the wire, sending him tumbling face-first into a flower bed. Thorns scraped his cheek as he scrambled to his feet, dirt staining his expensive clothes.
The chase continued through the campus gardens, Marie somehow managing to stay ahead despite her clumsy flight. She dove under a maintenance truck, crawled through a hedge (losing half her hair tie in the process), and even attempted to climb a tree before realizing she had no upper body strength.
Finally, Jin cornered her in a secluded area behind the library. But victory came at a cost—he was gasping for breath, his face flushed and sweating, a deep scratch across his forehead from his encounter with the thorns. Marie was backed against a wall, her chest heaving, tears streaming down her dirt-stained cheeks.
Without warning, Jin's hand planted across her face. The slap echoed in the empty space, leaving a red mark on her pale skin. He grabbed a fistful of her silky black hair, yanking her head back with vicious force.
"Why?" he snarled, his voice hoarse with rage and exhaustion. "Why did you do that to me? Do you have any idea what I've been through because of you?" His eyes grew more ruthless, but there was something else lurking beneath—a dark, lustful hunger that made Marie's blood run cold. "The humiliation, the pain, the shame—all because of your little prank."
The moment Marie heard his words, recognition finally hit her. Those eyes... the mall incident... it was all because of what she had done to earn her college fees. Her blood turned ice as memories flooded back—that handsome uncle's instructions, the mysterious elixir, the glass she had handed with fake politeness.
Marie's sobs intensified, her body trembling like a leaf in a storm. "I... I don't know what you're talking about! Please, I didn't do anything!"
"The water!" Jin's grip tightened in her hair. "The water you gave me at the store! What did you put in it?" his cold fingers tracing her jawline.
Unable to bear the pain and terror any longer, Marie's resolve cracked. "Vincent Cornelius!" she blurted out through her tears. "He gave me money for college! He told me to give you that water! I didn't know what was in it, I swear!"
Jin's grip loosened slightly, his eyes widening with stunned realization. "Cornelius...?"
"Is anyone there?" a voice called out from somewhere nearby.
Jin's head snapped toward the sound, his moment of distraction giving Marie exactly what she needed. Drawing on reserves of strength she didn't know she possessed, she drove her knee upward with all her might, connecting with devastating precision to Jin's precious assets.
"AGGHHHHH!" Jin's scream was inhuman as he crumpled to the ground, his hands clutching his balls in agony.
Marie didn't waste a second. She sprinted away like her life depended on it, her footsteps echoing as she disappeared into the campus maze.
A security guard came running toward the commotion. "What's going on here? Are you alright, sir?"
Jin looked up at him with bloodshot, furious eyes, his face twisted in pain and rage. "Help... me..." he gasped.
The security guard took one look at Jin's terrifying expression—the red eyes, the dirt-stained face, the way he was writhing on the ground—and immediately backed away. "Oh my God, it's a ghost possession!" he screamed and ran away as fast as his legs could carry him.
Jin lay writhing on the ground for several agonizing minutes, waves of nausea washing over him. When he finally managed to stumble back to his car, his face was a mask of murderous intent.
"Vincent. Vincent Cornelius?" he whispered, his voice dripping with venom. "Just you wait. No matter who you are." he said that but he didn't know how to even go against one of the most powerful people in the city.
Suddenly, a familiar translucent panel materialized before his eyes—his Ultra Pro Max Taxi System interface. Though he'd had the system for some time, this was the first time it had sent such a message.
[Ding! Host's intense anger towards an individual detected. Special mission initiated.]
[Mission: Give individual xxxx a ride to the xxxx destination on xxx date xx time.]
[Rewards: x x x x x x]
A maniacal laugh escaped Jin's lips, echoing through the empty street. His eyes gleamed with unholy satisfaction as he stared at the system notification.
"Good. Very good. System you really are the best. Vincent Cornelius, you bastard have no idea what's coming for you."
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
BACK TO PRESENT
"WHAT?!"
The sudden sound jolted Helena up from Vincent's chest. She was shocked to see the expression her Vincent was making. It was something she was seeing for the first time since being with him. Unconcealed shock, disbelief and anger etched his face. He realized that he may have made the biggest mistake of his life by leaving a protagonist with a broken system alone even for a few days, even though he was in the hospital lying unconscious.
"Have you confirmed this? You don't want me to tell you what happens if this information is false or leaked, do you?" His voice was a low growl and he was releasing a fierce aura which made Helena purse her lips tightly, not daring to breathe loudly.
"Sir... I've confirmed it several times now..." David said from the driver's seat, his hands gripping the steering wheel tightly.
Vincent who knew about the protagonists and systems was so shocked, so David's mood could not be described in words anymore. He had sweat pouring down his forehead for the first time in decades just from delivering this information.
Buzz Buzz Suddenly the phone vibrated in Vincent's hands. Vincent took a look and his pupils shook.
"Turn back, TURN BACK. NOW!"
P.S.- Thank you @The_Founder for the first ever golden ticket. Really motivates me.