"Master!" Anne hugged Thomas tightly, her body trembling. "If-if we can't pay... Tando will... will..."
The woman couldn't continue her words. Tears flowed heavily, her hands clenched. Fear instantly seized her with memories of Tando's threats.
Yohan remembered again. Tando wasn't an ordinary loan shark. He was a cruel thug.
If someone couldn't pay, he'd sell them as slaves. And Anne, with her beauty, would fetch a high price in the slave market.
"Damn," Yohan hissed. He'd just woken up in this body, and already had to face a problem this heavy?
"Fine! Since you won't open up, I'll come in myself!" Tando shouted from outside.
Crash!
Sure enough, the door instantly burst open. A large man with a scarred face stepped inside, followed by two of his equally cruel henchmen.
Tando, the loan shark, grinned viciously.
His eyes swept the shabby room, then stopped on Yohan who was trying to get up from the bed.
"Heh, so you're still alive, Yohan the Trash," Tando said mockingly. "I heard you got beaten by other thugs nearly to death. I thought you'd already gone to the afterlife."
Yohan stared at him sharply but didn't answer. More accurately, couldn't—Yohan's current state was merely as an observer. He couldn't be reckless.
Tando stepped closer, an evil smile playing on his lips.
"You know why I came, right? My 50 gold coins. Due next week. Have you prepared the money?"
Anne stepped forward trembling. "M-master Tando, please... give us more time. We—"
"Shut up!" Tando snapped, making Anne flinch backward.
"I've been kind enough to give you two months. Now your time's almost up."
He glanced at Anne from top to bottom, his gaze full of lust. He even licked his lips before speaking.
"But... I could reconsider. If your beautiful wife here keeps me company for a few nights, maybe I can extend the payment deadline."
"Don't you dare!" Yohan hissed, trying to rise from the bed but his body was too weak.
Tando laughed loudly.
"Look at this! You can't even stand, Yohan. What are you now? A War General without power. Nothing more than street trash. Even the dog at my house is better than you."
The man crouched in front of Yohan, his face only inches from Yohan's.
"Listen carefully. I'm giving you seven days. Just seven days. If you can't pay the 50 gold coins..."
His hand pointed at Anne holding Thomas tightly.
"Your wife and child, I'll take them. I'll sell your wife to a high-class brothel after I'm done with her—she'll fetch a good price. And your child..." He sneered. "Child slaves also sell well in the market."
"You...!" Yohan gritted his teeth, his anger blazing.
But what could he do? This body was too weak, even just to stand. Yohan might die first if he acted rashly.
Tando stood up, patting Yohan's face as if brushing off dust. "Remember! Seven days, Yohan. If not! Your family becomes mine."
He turned and walked out with his men, his wicked laughter echoing in the small house.
After they left, Anne immediately knelt near Yohan, sobbing. "M-master... what should we do? We have nothing left. We—"
"Anne." Yohan forced his body to sit up, though every movement felt painful. "Trust me. I won't let Tando touch you."
"But... how, Master?"
"I'll find a way," Yohan cut in firmly. His gaze was full of determination. "I'll definitely get 50 gold coins in seven days."
Anne looked at him with teary eyes, wanting to believe but not knowing how. Because Yohan always broke his promises.
Thomas in Anne's embrace felt worried and a bit scared seeing Anne cry.
"Mom..."
"Anne, you should take Thomas to his room," Yohan ordered. "I'll find a way."
Anne nodded and took Thomas to the bedroom. Shortly after, the text on the blue screen before him scrolled again.
And then—
The jade pendant around his neck suddenly glowed bright! And only Yohan could see it.
[Login Mission complete! Master has earned 100 points!]
[Bonus: Mother's Heirloom Pendant has become System Media]
[From now on, Master can easily communicate with System]
Yohan was stunned. The screen before him showed something else that caught his interest.
[What is your problem today?]
[I will help you]
Yohan was amazed. 'You can help me?' he said with curiosity.
[Of course, Master, please give your command]
Yohan's mouth fell open. 'You can also hear my thoughts?'
[Of course, Master, I'm inside your mind. Give your command before I change my mind]
'Oh, so you can threaten too?' Yohan cleared his throat. 'Help me pay a debt of 50 gold coins,' Yohan requested.
[Sorry, Master has no gold coins!]
Yohan stared at the screen flatly—somehow the exclamation mark on the screen made him feel like he was being scolded.
'So how will you help me?'
[Master can choose items from my catalog according to what Master needs]
Soon after, the screen scrolled, displaying a homepage of various household goods and much more.
Just like the Online Shop Yohan had seen in the modern era.
Yohan's eyes widened, not expecting he could get help with OnShop. 'Then I need something to heal me or restore my energy.'
[Price is 10 points]
[Please click the image of the item Master desires]
Yohan clicked on an image labeled [Energy recovery medicine restores 50% of body energy], then one bottle of medicine to restore his energy appeared as if conjured.
[Purchase confirmed]
This was unbelievable. With this, he could get whatever he needed and wanted.
Yohan was certain that with the knowledge he possessed and OnShop in his grasp, he could definitely get 50 gold coins.
Now, one energy bottle was in his hand. As far as Yohan knew, in ancient times, there were many goods that were hard to obtain.
He could sell items from OnShop to people in this ancient era to earn 50 gold coins. Maybe even more than that.
Ding!! A lightbulb went off above Yohan's head. He'd found his first customer.
According to the body owner's memory, there was one of Yohan's neighbors. Still young and strong, he'd just gotten married but had "low" stamina in lovemaking.
So that neighbor always complained and had almost given up. When Yohan chose the medicine to restore his energy, he saw medicine that could increase male vigor.
"I'll sell that item." Yohan smiled and drank his energy recovery medicine in one gulp.
[Next mission detected: Sell items from Online Shop and collect 50 gold coins]
[Reward: 10 OnShop packages and 100 points]
Sure enough, in an instant Yohan's energy rose to 50%, and the young man couldn't hold back his happy laughter.
Anne, who had just returned from calming Thomas, was startled and a bit frightened seeing Yohan smiling strangely after drinking that bottle.
Yohan turned toward Anne while grinning. Anne trembled slightly and began to lower her head.
'Oh my, could Master have gone crazy after being demanded for the debt? Or has Master gotten drunk again from confusion about finding a way to pay the debt?' she thought.
"Anne..."
"Master... I beg you, don't hurt Thomas. I'll do—"
"I found a way. I'm going out. Please watch the house."
After that, Yohan left, and Anne who had been frightened was now confused and even more bewildered.
'What's really happening with Master?'