Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 113 - Not Because...

Karl stared at the small flame flickering in the portable stove, his voice steady yet weighed down as he began to speak.

"Supersonic Explosion... it wasn’t anyone’s fault, not a conspiracy, and not the result of human actions. That explosion... was natural. A rare phenomenon that might only happen once in a thousand years. But its impact was so massive that it changed everything—the atmosphere shattered, global temperatures plummeted, and we all got trapped in an endless winter."

Layla and Mrs. Jane exchanged glances, their faces filled with confusion and fear. Mrs. Jane was the first to break the silence, her voice trembling.

"If it was natural... how do you know all of this, Karl? How could an ordinary young man like you possibly know what happened and what’s going to happen?"

Karl let out a long sigh, his gaze dropping to the floor before finally meeting Mrs. Jane’s eyes.

"I know all of this... because I have something called the Common Sense Hijack System."

Mrs. Jane’s brows furrowed, while Layla looked even more confused than before.

"Common Sense Hijack System? What is that, Karl? And what does it have to do with all of this?" Mrs. Jane asked softly, but with pressing urgency.

Karl clasped his hands tightly, his voice trembling slightly as he continued.

"That system gives me the ability to manipulate other people’s common sense. With just a few taps on it, I can make people believe that even the most absurd thing is an undeniable truth."

He paused, swallowing hard before speaking again, his voice quieter.

"At first... I used that power for selfish things. I manipulated people, toyed with their trust, and even... even took advantage of innocent people. Including... including you, Mrs. Jane."

The room fell into silence. The howling wind outside the window seemed to echo in their heads. Mrs. Jane stared at Karl, her face pale, her hands trembling in her lap. Layla froze on the sofa, her mouth slightly open, but no sound came out.

"You... what are you saying, Karl?" Mrs. Jane’s voice cracked, full of disbelief and fear.

"I have no excuse or justification for it, Mrs. Jane. I was a low, cowardly, and selfish person. But... something happened. After my world collapsed... I was given a second chance. An opportunity to fix everything—my mistakes, my sins, and every foolish decision I ever made."

Karl lifted his head, meeting the two women’s eyes with a look of deep regret but also unyielding determination.

"I was given a chance to go back in time. Right before everything fell apart. And now... I’m here, trying to do the right thing. Trying to make amends."

Mrs. Jane wiped her face with trembling hands, while Layla sat still, her eyes blankly staring at the floor.

"So... everything you know about the explosion, about the Awakening, about this frozen world... it all comes from your experiences in the future?" Mrs. Jane asked with a shaky voice.

Karl nodded. "Yes. I came back before the explosion happened. And this time, I can’t waste this second chance."

Layla finally spoke, her voice soft but clear. "So... you’re trying to redeem yourself by saving Mrs. Jane?"

Karl looked at her deeply. "Yes, Layla. That’s part of it. But more than that... I want to make sure no one else has to suffer like before. No more families torn apart, no more people freezing to death on the streets, and no more despair in a world slowly consumed by ice."

Silence fell over the small room again. The fire in the portable stove crackled softly, while the snowstorm outside continued to howl.

Mrs. Jane finally let out a long sigh, though her face still carried traces of doubt and sorrow.

"Then, Karl... don’t waste this chance. If you truly regret everything... prove it with your actions."

Karl nodded slowly, his head bowing slightly. "I will prove it, Mrs. Jane. I promise."

Layla took a deep breath, then leaned back against the sofa with her eyes closed. Her face was still filled with doubt, but a small glimmer of trust began to grow there.

Outside, the blizzard raged on, as if trying to swallow the world in eternal white darkness. But inside that small room, three fragile souls clung to the faint warmth of hope that had just been rekindled.

The room was swallowed in a choking silence. The small flame in the portable stove crackled softly, its light flickering with the wind seeping through the cracks in the window. Layla closed her eyes, while Mrs. Jane sat still on the sofa, her hands clenched in her lap. Karl stared at the floor, his mind crowded with shadows of the past he desperately tried to bury.

Several minutes passed before Mrs. Jane’s shaky voice broke the silence.

"Karl..." her voice trembled, almost like a whisper. She lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly. "I... I’m sorry."

Karl lifted his head, his expression stiff, his eyes filled with confusion.

"I... I shouldn’t have spoken like that earlier. I... I was just... I wasn’t ready for this truth," Mrs. Jane continued, her voice hoarse and heavy with emotion. "I lost my family, Karl. I watched them die one by one before my eyes. And when I had given up... when I was ready to freeze to death in the storm... you came."

Tears started streaming down Mrs. Jane’s pale cheeks, but she kept speaking, her voice shaking more with every word.

"And the one who saved me... was someone I only ever saw as a store clerk. Someone I treated poorly just because I was having a bad day. I feel ashamed, Karl. Ashamed because I never appreciated you... and now here you are, saving me."

Karl opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out. He just stared at Mrs. Jane, his eyes glistening.

Slowly, Mrs. Jane moved closer and wrapped her arms tightly around Karl. Her body trembled, and she sobbed into his shoulder, letting all the emotions she had been holding back pour out.

Karl froze, his hands hanging limply by his sides, unsure of what to do. Mrs. Jane’s embrace felt warm, but behind it, his mind started filling with dirty memories from his past—images of how he had once manipulated people’s minds with his system, how he had taken advantage of situations, and how he had made Mrs. Jane bend to his will with a few typed commands.

"No... stop..." Karl thought, trying to push those memories away.

But the more he tried to forget them, the clearer they became. Guilt pressed on his chest like a heavy stone, making it hard to breathe.

"Mrs. Jane..." Karl finally spoke, his voice nearly breaking. "I... I’m not a good person. I don’t deserve this hug. I don’t deserve your forgiveness."

Mrs. Jane slowly pulled away, looking into Karl’s pale, tense face.

"Karl... everyone has a past. Everyone has regrets. But what matters is what we do now... and what we do moving forward."

Karl turned his face away, unable to meet Mrs. Jane’s earnest gaze.

"I... I don’t know if I can ever make things right..." Karl said softly.

Mrs. Jane gave a faint smile, even though tears still streamed down her face. "You’ve already started, Karl. You saved me, you’re taking care of Layla, and you’re trying to move forward despite carrying such a heavy burden. That’s already enough for now."

Karl nodded slowly, even though his chest still felt tight. He clenched his hands into fists, trying to suppress the dirty memories and keep his fragile resolve intact.

In the corner of the room, Layla opened her eyes slowly, watching the scene in front of her with tear-filled eyes. She said nothing, just pulled her blanket tighter around her and turned away, giving them space.

The blizzard outside continued to roar, but inside that small room, the three of them found a fleeting moment of fragile peace. Karl knew their journey was far from over, and his sins were far from atoned for. But for now, he chose to hold on—to Layla, to Mrs. Jane, and to the faint hope flickering in the fragile warmth of their shelter.

Even though his primal desires lingered, he began to suppress them.

’If that... happens again, I hope it’s because Mrs. Jane and I both want it, not because of my manipulation or force.’ he thought.