5
Inside the courthouse, Jackson Hayes and Ashley Miller were posing for photos, their heads leaning together.
The photographer kept calling out, “Closer, you two! Yes, more intimate!”
But Jackson seemed distracted, glancing towards the door. Just then, one of his buddies, Owen, burst in, looking panicked.
1
“Bad news, Jackson! Chloe collapsed at the courthouse entrance!”
The next second, Jackson shot to his feet, striding quickly, knocking over the photographer’s tripod as he headed for the exit.
His other buddies, however, reached out to stop him, even rolling their eyes at Owen who’d delivered the news. “Owen, what nonsense are you spouting? You’re making it sound like Chloe’s about to die. You know her, she’s definitely got a new trick up her sleeve, faking illness to get
Jackson’s attention!”
“Exactly! If she were sick, she wouldn’t collapse now, she’d collapse later. She waited until Jackson and Ashley were taking their license photos to faint. It’s obviously deliberate. If you go out there, you’ll just fall right into her trap!”
Jackson’s foot, already mid–stride, was abruptly pulled back. His expression complex, he lowered his gaze and nodded. “You guys have a point. I can’t believe she’s playing hard to get and still trying to cause trouble. If I’m so easily fooled by her this time, how will I maintain my position at home in the future?”
Everyone praised his wisdom.
At the courthouse entrance, a crowd had gathered.
Someone dared to touch my dangling hand. It was ice–cold, making them shriek in fright.
Another person checked my breath, then suddenly looked up. “Dead… This person is dead!”
On my wrist, my fitness watch showed my heart had stopped.
Yesterday, I’d given Sarah another watch with GPS, It would notify her if my heart stopped, asking her to handle my body.
I never expected it to be used so soon.
Five minutes later, my best friend, Sarah, arrived at the courthouse entrance in a whirlwind. Seeing my body, her face turned ashen. Without a word, she moved to load me into her car.
I floated in the air. I poked the System. “What’s going on? Weren’t you supposed to eradicate me directly? Why am I floating?”
The System’s core was actually a small metal sphere; it scurried away when poked.
It glitched with static, then said, “Main System message received. While executing the eradication command, the Main System decided you were highly suitable to be a host for our tasks, so it spared your life. However, because the eradication command was forcibly canceled, the System is corrupted and needs time to transmit you away. We are both forced to remain here.”
Hrowned. “How long will that take? And what are the benefits of being a host?”
The System scoffed. “Uncertain, depends
on the
a repair time. If you don’t become a host, you’ll be eradicated. Pick one.”
Well, talk about a forced purchase.
But having truly died once, I knew how precious life was. So I said nothing more.
Meanwhile, Inside the courthouse, though Jackson said he wasn’t worried about delays, he quickly signed the papers, urging the staff to hurry with the marriage certificate.
The staff, thinking he was impatient, reassured him, “Sir, don’t worry. Marriage is a big deal, you should be careful.”
