Capítulo 18: Chapter 18
Karl bought the highest tier called 'A Smut Criminal.'
"Well, at least I can read it earlier than the others," he thought, shrugging.
However, when he glanced toward the store entrance, a couple of customers walked in, as if reminding him that his enjoyment was about to come to an end.
A man in a suit with a stiff face headed for the drinks section, while a young woman who appeared to be in a hurry walked straight to the counter with a carton of milk in her hand.
"You again," the woman mumbled. Her hair was tied back, and her face looked familiar, as if Karl had seen her before—maybe one of the gym visitors. "Why are you always the one at the chasier?"
Karl straightened his back, putting on a half-hearted smile. "Destiny, maybe," he replied while scanning the barcode on the milk carton.
The woman glanced at Karl's phone screen, which was still lit up on the counter, showing the title of the novel he was reading.
"Oh, you're reading some web novel too?" she said, her eyes widening slightly as if she had discovered something interesting.
"Uh, yeah," Karl scratched the back of his head. "Just passing the time."
The woman smiled faintly. "I like reading web novels too. Sometimes they're more interesting than regular books."
Karl stared at her for a moment, trying to gauge whether this was a sign that a romantic relationship might begin with an exchange of social media IDs.
But before he could respond, the man in the suit had arrived at the counter with a few bottles of energy drinks in his hands.
The woman stepped aside, abruptly ending their interaction.
Karl returned to his cashier mode, thinking that perhaps the chance for a longer conversation had slipped away.
"Maybe it'll just remain a delusion," he muttered to himself, continuing his work.
The day went by quite slowly. After a few hours, customers started coming in more frequently, keeping Karl busy.
He continued his routine at the store, occupied with the customers coming and going. After a while, he found himself standing behind the counter, his mind drifting between his work and the novel he was reading.
Moments later, the man in the suit who had bought energy drinks returned to the store, this time without any items in hand.
He walked toward Karl with a more serious expression than before. "Hey, do you have a minute?" he asked in a deep voice.
Karl felt a bit surprised. "Uh, sure. How can I help you?" he replied, trying to remain professional.
The man sighed and stared at Karl intently. "You know, I saw what you were reading earlier. That web novel," he said, glancing at Karl's phone still lying on the counter.
Karl felt a slight tension in his chest. "Yeah, just for fun," he said. "Why?"
The man smiled faintly, as if there was something he alone knew. "I write web novels too," he said in a lower voice. "And I think we have similar tastes."
That statement surprised Karl. He looked at the man more closely. "Oh? So you're a writer?" he asked curiously.
"Yeah, though I'm not well-known," the man replied, his tone sounding a bit humble. "But I have a few loyal fans. If you're interested, I can tell you the title."
Karl nodded, feeling that the day had become more interesting than usual. "Sure, I'll give it a try," he said.
The man pulled out a business card and handed it to Karl.
"Contact me if you have time," he said before turning to leave the store, leaving Karl staring at the business card with curiosity.
Karl looked at the business card in his hand. The man's name was written in bold letters: AXXXX. Below it was an email address and a social media account, as well as the title of his novel: Uncommon Webnovel.
"Uncommon Webnovel, huh?" Karl murmured. "Interesting title."
His curiosity began to take over, but his work still demanded his attention. Karl tucked the business card into his uniform pocket and returned to focusing on serving customers.
As the night wore on, the store's visitors began to dwindle. It was the perfect time for Karl to pull out his phone again and search for the title of the novel mentioned earlier.
He found Uncommon Webnovel on the same web novel platform he usually read. The title had a decent rating, though the comments were varied—from praising its unique story to criticizing its character development.
Karl began reading the first chapter. The story was about a man who discovered he had the power to make the uncommon thing be common, in the real world by typing changes into a mysterious system.
With each chapter he read, Karl became more engrossed in the plot filled with moral dilemmas and unexpected twists.
The writing had a distinctive style, reminiscent of some of Karl's favorite novels but with a more philosophical and darker touch. And it had plenty of power stones, unlike the web novel you're reading right now ;(
As he was nearing the end of the third chapter, the store door opened, and a customer walked in. Karl quickly closed his phone and stood up straight, ready to serve. However, when he saw who it was, his heart raced.
The woman from that morning who had come with the milk carton was back at the counter, this time carrying a few items in her hands—bread, bottled water, and a pack of snacks. Karl tried to hide his nervousness and smiled faintly.
"Still working late?" Karl asked, trying to sound casual.
The woman raised an eyebrow and then smiled slightly. "It seems so. You're still here too."
Karl chuckled lightly. "As you said, I'm always here." He scanned her items one by one. "By the way, have you heard about the novel Uncommon Webnovel?"
The woman looked surprised to hear that question. "I just started reading it. Why do you ask?"
Karl shrugged. "Just coincidence; I just started reading it too. The story is quite interesting."
The woman smiled widely, as if finding something that connected them.
"Yeah, it's definitely unique. What do you think—if you had powers like that in real life, what would you use them for?"
The question made Karl pause for a moment. He looked at the woman, and an idea came to mind.
"Maybe I'd make everyone think working at a convenience store is the coolest job ever," he replied half-jokingly.
The woman laughed lightly. "That would definitely be an interesting world."
Karl's smile widened. Maybe, just maybe, today he finally managed to build a real connection—starting with light conversation about a web novel.
After experiencing a bit of excitement, the system notification appeared.
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[ New Quest Available! ]
[Unique Change in the Park!]
- Objective: Change the common sense present in the park (Wherever)
- Reward: 200 Hijack Points, 120 XP
Karl read the quest description and felt challenged.
"In the park? Huftt…"
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[A/N: Uncommon Webnovel is not real XD]
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Presentes
-- Presente
recebido Status de energia semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Pedra de
Poder