Chapter 3 It's Useful

• Amidst the confusion that enveloped his mind, James stared at the plastic card he held in disbelief. His virtual assistant, Julian, in his flat voice, gave instructions.
• "Sir, the card is multipurpose. You can use it for various purposes, even to withdraw money," Julian said again. Even though he was human-like, he still spoke like a robot.
• James was still skeptical. How could a card that he had just received have such a function? Julian, as if sensing his hesitation, gently encouraged him. "Go to the ATM immediately and try using the card, Sir. According to the data I've scanned, it looks like you need money to buy lunch and new clothes to keep you from looking shabby."
• Snorting softly, James checked his surroundings. The usually bustling street was now strangely quiet, creating a suspicious atmosphere. There were no passersby, no sounds of vehicles, just a deafening silence.
• "Sir, are you confused by this state of affairs?" asked Julian again.
• James nodded, despite knowing that Julian couldn't see him. "Yes, I'm confused. Everything feels strange and quiet. It's unusual," he replied, his voice barely audible.
• Julian gave his analysis in a calm and controlled voice.
• "It's quiet until your loading process to understand the situation is complete," Julian said, as if waiting for James to digest this unnatural situation.
• James tried to respond to that. Amidst the silence, his mind raced. "Can't the people around here see me?" he muttered to himself, feeling as if he had become a ghost in a city that normally pulsed with life.
• "Sir, if you're okay with this, I'll help make things normal again," Julian said, his voice containing a promise of a return to a familiar reality.
• James nodded, albeit in confusion. "Yes, I understand," he replied, his voice barely convincing.
• With a metaphorical 'snap of the fingers', Julian changed the city's appearance back to the original. As the system operated, the digital reality around James began to change. The quiet streets became crowded, wet with traces of the rain that had just stopped. People seemed to quicken their pace, creating the sound of rustling wet clothes and hurried footsteps.
• The billboard that hit James' body was indeed there and was being moved by officers to a safe place. However, there was no sign that the mess had hit James' body. He stood there, whole and untouched by the chaos that had seemed so real.
• James gazed around, taking in the technological marvel he had just witnessed. With a smile etched on his face, he said, "Wow, so you guys can even manipulate things."
• Julian shook his head lightly. "Sir, there is nothing in this world that we manipulate. We just arranged for these events to be known only to you, sort of creating a parallel world for you."
• James looked around him again, trying to understand the concept of parallel worlds.
• "But in reality the real world is still going on normally and, of course, there are illusions we've created to mask your true powers," Julian continued, his voice remaining calm and controlled, conveying the complexity of the situation in an easily digestible way.
• James nodded slowly, as if the lights in his head had suddenly turned on. "All right, then," he said, already beginning to believe more deeply. "I'm starting to believe that the power of this system is real. I'm going to use this to withdraw cash from an ATM."
• Next, James made his way to the nearest ATM. Arriving in front of the ATM, he reached into his pocket and pulled out the card that the system had prepared.
• The ATM screen lit up, waiting for a command from the user.
• James hands the card to the ATM machine, the screen lights up, offering various options for the amount of money that can be withdrawn. Carefully, James selected the smallest number available on the screen--an amount that would be enough to cover his needs for the night without going overboard.
• A few seconds later, the machine beeped and the cash appeared, matching the amount he had selected. James smiled with satisfaction, knowing that the sophisticated system had worked perfectly.
• It felt like he deserved more than just having money for lunch. James could do something more, something to celebrate this small victory. He inserted the card back into the ATM and made another withdrawal. This time, without hesitation, he chose to take out $1,000.
• James stepped out of the ATM with a calm and satisfied look on his face. His pants pocket was slightly bulging after the successful transaction.
• Julian immediately asked, "Did you withdraw the money, sir?"
• "Yes, I have withdrawn the money," James replied.
• "Now where are we going?" Julian continued, his voice sounding soft in James' ears.
• Before answering Julian's question, James had a question of his own. "Julian, can you be seen by others?" he asked, curious about the limits of the human mode that Julian mentioned earlier.
• Julian answered calmly, "You have activated human mode on me, Sir, which means others can see me."
• James breathed a sigh of relief. "Good then," he said with a faint smile. "At least I won't be mistaken for a crazy person talking to myself." Julian, though only virtual, seemed to smile at the comment.
• They continued on their way, looking for a place to eat dinner. With a thousand dollars in his pocket, James could eat anything he wanted. Julian thought in his heart that James would choose a fancy restaurant, but the opposite was true. The man walked into a fast food restaurant.
• "Sir, why don't you order food at a fancy restaurant? Aren't you taking quite a lot of money?" asked Julian, confused by James' choice.
• Savoring a delicious burger and hot fries, James answered Julian's question. "I'm pretty bad today, if I go to a fancy restaurant I'll get kicked out," he said in a joking tone but there was a bit of truth in it.
• "In that case, you should immediately go to the department store and buy some clothes," he suggested, thinking practically about what should be done.
• "Later," James replied, going back to chewing his food voraciously. "My stomach is hungry and all I can think about right now is filling my stomach after the shock and heartbreak." His thoughts drifted to Sofia Martinez, his girlfriend who had broken his heart. He wondered how Sofia would react if she knew that James had now found himself and had the power of the system in his hands.
• Would she whine at him or not? James wondered to himself. He could guess that Sofia would definitely regret it if she knew.
• James noticed Julian who just stood looking at him. "Julian, can you eat human food?"
• Julian stared at the food, then with the sensor integrated in his 'eyes' he scanned the item in front of him. "Yes, I can, sir, depending on your orders," Julian replied, showing that he was more than just an ordinary assistant.
• James smiled, amused by Julian's sophistication. "Then eat this," he said as he pushed the plate of fries towards Julian. "I command you to enjoy them."
• Chuckling, James watched Julian 'eat'. Although he knew that Julian didn't really need food.
• James heard a voice in his ear.
• [System Warning: You haven't earned any God Points today because you're still a homeless hobo. Make a purchase before your God Points decrease].