Common Sense Hijack System-Chapter 125

Karl stood near the window, watching the chaos unfold as the group of intruders banged on the building’s entrance, their shouts and heavy blows echoing through the hallways. He clenched his fists, activating his Hijack System with a single thought. As the Uncommon Monarch, he no longer needed to type commands—the system now responded directly to his mental intent.

He focused, forming the concept in his mind:

"Walking requires crawling like a baby."

The system responded instantly, a faint ripple of energy radiating outward from Karl as its center.

---

Hijack Command Executed

Effect: Walking is no longer possible without crawling.

Radius: 50 meters.

Duration: 10 minutes.

---

Moments later, the banging on the door ceased. Karl peered through the peephole and saw the intruders on all fours, their weapons dragging behind them. Confused murmurs filled the hallway.

"What’s going on?!"

"Why can’t I stand up?!"

"This is insane!"

Karl smirked but immediately noticed two individuals among the crowd still standing. Unlike the others, they remained unaffected, their movements calm and purposeful. A man wielding a metal pipe scanned the area, while a muscular woman with sharp eyes stood behind him.

Karl’s expression darkened. Awakened individuals. The term came to him from the system’s earlier warnings: people with natural resistance to his Hijack effects.

The system’s familiar notification materialized in his vision.

---

Hijack Success!

Effect Radius: 50 meters.

Targets Affected: 21.

Hijack Points Earned: 1,000.

---

He dismissed the notification and observed the unaffected pair. They spoke in low voices, but their tension was evident.

"We’re close," the woman said, her voice firm. "Whoever’s causing this is within range."

The man nodded, gripping his pipe. "I’ll check upstairs. You secure this floor."

Karl clenched his jaw and turned back to his apartment. Layla, sitting by the couch with Jane, noticed his expression and quickly approached.

"What’s wrong?" she asked, her voice low.

Karl glanced at her. "Most of them are neutralized, but two of them aren’t affected. They’re coming up."

Layla’s face paled. "What do we do?"

Karl grabbed the crowbar he had set aside earlier. "Stay here with Jane. Lock the door. Don’t open it for anyone but me."

"But—"

"Just do it," Karl interrupted, his tone leaving no room for argument. He opened the door and stepped into the hallway, closing it firmly behind him.

---

The hallway was quiet, save for the sound of the crawling intruders muttering in confusion. Karl moved swiftly, heading up the stairs to intercept the man. He spotted him on the next floor, examining the doors with methodical precision.

"Looking for something?" Karl called out, his voice steady.

The man turned, his eyes narrowing. "So, you’re the one behind this."

Karl smirked faintly. "Behind what? Your sudden urge to crawl?"

The man didn’t respond, instead lunging forward with the pipe. Karl barely dodged the swing, countering with his crowbar. The clang of metal echoed through the stairwell.

The woman’s voice called from below. "What’s going on up there?"

The man grinned, stepping back. "Found him!"

Karl’s eyes flicked to the stairwell. He needed to end this quickly before she arrived. Channeling his focus, he activated the system again, formulating a new command.

"Attacking Karl causes unbearable pain in the hands."

The moment the man swung his pipe again, he yelped and dropped it, clutching his hands in agony.

"What the hell?!" he shouted, stumbling backward.

Karl tilted his head. "Hurts, doesn’t it?"

The woman appeared at the top of the stairs, her expression cold and calculating. "You’ll pay for that."

Karl shifted his stance, his grip tightening on the crowbar. He could sense her strength—it was different from the man’s reckless aggression. She was a more dangerous opponent.

But Karl wasn’t worried. Not yet.

"Your muscles feel like they’re weighed down by iron," he thought, targeting her next.

She froze mid-step, her movements sluggish as though gravity had doubled. Her sharp gaze flicked to Karl, realization dawning on her face.

"You’re the cause," she muttered, her voice strained.

Karl smirked. "Took you long enough to figure it out."

The woman gritted her teeth, clearly struggling against the effect. But Karl didn’t wait for her to adjust. He stepped forward, swinging the crowbar at her leg. She stumbled, falling to one knee.

"This isn’t over," she hissed, glaring up at him.

Karl crouched slightly, meeting her gaze. "You’re right. It isn’t. But for now, stay down."

He stepped back, his mind racing. These two were different—stronger, smarter. The system’s warning about Awakened individuals echoed in his mind. This encounter wasn’t just a fluke. There would be more like them, and he needed to be ready.

Without another word, Karl retreated down the stairs, leaving the pair incapacitated but alive. For now, survival was his priority. And to survive, he’d need to learn everything he could about these Awakened individuals—and how to deal with them.

Karl descended the stairs quickly, leaving the incapacitated Awakened duo behind. As he reached his floor, the chaotic noise that had filled the building earlier had almost completely died down. Peeking out from the small window near the stairwell, he saw the group of neighbors who had been attempting to break in. Now, they were retreating, still crawling on all fours. Their panicked and confused mutterings filled the air.

"What’s happening to us?"

"I don’t know, but we need to get out of here!"

"This place is cursed!"

One by one, they left the building, abandoning their weapons and supplies. The last of them disappeared into the night, leaving an eerie silence in their wake. Karl exhaled, leaning against the wall. It worked—at least for now. But his thoughts were troubled.

The Awakened duo wasn’t ordinary. If more people like them showed up, his simple tricks might not be enough.

---

Back in his apartment, Karl locked the door behind him and turned to Layla and Jane, who were sitting tensely in the corner. Layla immediately rushed over.

"Are you okay?" she asked, her eyes scanning him for any injuries.

Karl nodded. "I’m fine. The group retreated, and those two troublemakers won’t be a problem for a while."

Layla sighed in relief. "Thank God. I was so worried they’d..."

She trailed off, shaking her head as if trying to push the thought away. Jane, still sitting in the corner, gave him a small, hesitant smile.

Karl gave them both a reassuring look before walking over to the small table in the living room. He picked up his phone and opened the building’s group chat, curious about how the other tenants were reacting.

---

[Building Residents Group Chat]

Anna (Apt. 302): Are they gone?

Mr. Cho (Apt. 101): I just checked. The intruders are leaving. Thank God.

Maya (Apt. 205): Does anyone know what happened? One moment they were banging on the door, and the next, they just... stopped.

David (Apt. 403): I think someone did something. This wasn’t natural. I saw them crawling away like babies.

Anna (Apt. 302): What do you mean? Crawling? That’s insane.

David (Apt. 403): I’m telling you, it’s like they forgot how to walk! Someone must’ve stopped them.

Maya (Apt. 205): Whoever it was, thank you. You probably saved all of us.

---

Karl smirked faintly, shaking his head at their wild speculations. No one seemed to have any idea that he was behind it. That was a good thing—it gave him time to prepare if anything like this happened again.

Layla leaned over his shoulder, reading the chat. "They’re all panicking."

"They’ll calm down soon enough," Karl replied, putting his phone down. "What matters is that everyone’s safe for now."

Layla nodded but hesitated before speaking. "Karl... what exactly did you do out there? How did you stop them?"

Karl met her gaze, his expression unreadable. "Let’s just say I have a way of making things work in our favor. But it’s better if you don’t know the details."

Layla frowned but didn’t press further. "Alright. Just... be careful, okay? I don’t want to lose anyone else."

Karl’s jaw tightened at her words, but he nodded. "I will. You two get some rest. I’ll keep watch for the rest of the night."

Layla hesitated, then gave him a small smile. "Thanks, Karl."

As she led Jane back to the bedroom, Karl sank into the couch, his mind racing. He opened the system panel again, reviewing the recent events and analyzing his performance.

---

System Update:

Hijack Points Earned: 1,000.

Remaining Hijack Points:1,000.

Targets Neutralized: 21.

Status: Safe.

System Note: Awakened individuals remain a potential threat. Strategic measures are advised for future encounters.

---

Karl stared at the screen, his thoughts heavy. The system’s warning about Awakened individuals wasn’t something he could ignore. He’d won this time, but he couldn’t rely on brute force and quick thinking forever.

"Looks like I need to play the game again." he muttered, closing the panel.

For now, the building was safe, and the group chat was calm. But Karl knew this was only the beginning. The world outside was getting more dangerous, and it was only a matter of time before the next challenge came knocking.

And when it did, Karl intended to be ready.