Chapter 42：The positives of obliteration (2/2)

Credit card agencies hated him...

Ben didn't care, he strutted his stuff at the register! Too bad for them! It was the limitation of a system that only tracked the body. Ben looked at the helmeted guy on his American Express card. 'Lolumad? …Don't be a b*tch.' Ben smirked. 'You can't blame me. If you're salty, then invent the soulcial security number.'

He headed for imminent death, but Ben discovered the positive point of obliteration!

What was looking at the bright side? This was f*cking looking at the bright side!

If nothing else, Ben was now an optimist. Free money!

He'd need a job if he survived, but Ben reveled in being a student maxing out his credit cards!

What was destroying his credit? This was f*cking destroying his credit!

If nothing else, a man on death row was a spendthrift. Ben's last meal!

8 years later, a hero with fresh credit would be reborn!

***

While walking out wearing one of the outfits, Ben froze in the middle of the sidewalk when he received a system alert. He ignored the complaints of the passing pedestrians and his eyes became bright! He even stopped breathing! 'Is that what I think it is?!?' He opened his stats.

[Looks: 6 - Above average looks. You might turn a head or two…at a retirement home]

'Snort. Maybe I like mature women, so I'll take that as a compliment. Try harder if you want to take the wind out of these sails!' Despite putting on a brave front, it still hurt him a little. To Ben, the system was like an Asian tiger parent, who was also military, who was also the leader of an aristocratic family. A small part of him wanted to scream, 'Nothing's ever good enough for you! All I've ever wanted was your acceptance!'

However, Ben shook it off. He agreed with the rest of society in the best way to deal with psychological issues--bury them deep down until they explode...

It wasn't mental health awareness month, so who had time to deal with that when they could glorify material gains? Ben lived in the now! So he celebrated his new looks stat!

6! Not long ago, he was a 2! Rounded up!

Even his parents would do a double-take if they saw him now. What a change! Ben emerged from his cocoon and became a butterfly! A slightly above average looking butterfly!

It was a little at a time, but he was evolving into a different person. 'Tonight…I'm going to flutter my wings.' Ben gazed up at the sky for a long while…Then, while staring, he realized something. 'No homo…'