Chapter 59 — So the Damn System Wants Something Too
Chicago Institute of Technology — parking lot.
William sat in his BMW, waiting.
A moment later, an Asian girl in a purple sweater with a Hello Kitty backpack walked toward the car —
Amanda.
"Hi, William."
She slid into the passenger seat, beaming, and buckled up.
"So, where are we going?"
Amanda — adopted, well-educated, raised in a middle-class household… yet deep inside ran streaks of rebellion and wildness she didn't show on the surface.
A good girl with a dangerous heart.
"I've got it planned. It'll be a surprise — you'll like it."
William already knew her type.
She acted conservative, but deep down she yearned to disobey the world that tried to tame her.
A perfect formula: give rebellion permission, and she'd fall hard.
Amanda smiled brightly.
"Cool. I trust you."
A tiny sign of nervousness broke through — she unwrapped a lollipop and popped it into her mouth.
William pulled the car out of the lot.
Just as they were about to exit the school gate—
"Hey! William — look out!"
A girl stepped directly in front of the BMW, not looking where she was going.
William reacted instantly and slammed the brakes — tires screeched, stopping inches from hitting her.
The girl — Theresa — staggered back, breath shaky.
"Holy crap— that was close!"
She glared at the hood of the BMW… and kicked it.
William and Amanda got out.
"Hey, Theresa — are you okay?" Amanda asked.
"Amanda?"
Theresa recognized her — but her tone was chilly, like she wasn't a big fan.
"Are you alright?" William stepped forward.
The moment Theresa saw William, her expression flipped like a light switch.
"Oh— hi, William."
William blinked.
He definitely didn't know this girl.
"Uh… do I know you?"
—
[Ding! System alert: Critical item detected.]
[Retrieve key artifact: Sisyphus Quantum Cooling Reactor.
Note: This item can supplement system modules.]
William: "…What?"
This was the first time the system ever flagged an item it wanted for itself.
What the hell was a Sisyphus Quantum Cooling Reactor?
He couldn't think too long — he had company.
"Well, I mean," Theresa giggled softly, "is there anyone on campus who doesn't know you?"
So William was something of a legend at Chicago Tech.
"Anyway, are you hurt? Want me to take you to the clinic?"
He acted concerned — but his brain was working fast.
The system only reacted when Theresa showed up.
Whatever this reactor is — it's connected to her.
So first step: get close.
"I'm fine," Theresa said. "You guys look like you're heading out, so I won't bother you. Bye~"
She flashed Amanda a playful wink before leaving.
Amanda waved back, then returned to the car with William.
The BMW rolled out again — but the atmosphere inside had changed.
William was deep in thought about the system prompt, and the silence stretched awkwardly.
Amanda tried to fill it.
"So… that was Theresa."
William didn't look at her; he was thinking too hard.
"Amanda… what's her deal?"
Amanda immediately felt a small sting — William showing interest in another girl wasn't pleasant.
But since they weren't officially a couple, she swallowed it.
"She's a med student. She's in one of the sororities.
I only know her because we share Organic Chemistry."
"Organic Chemistry?" William muttered, gears turning.
Someone in medicine…
A critical system item…
A Quantum Cooling Reactor…
He was starting to connect the dots.
And suddenly, the date he'd planned with Amanda was no longer the most important thing happening tonight.
Judging from the name alone — Sisyphus Quantum Cooling Reactor — it had to be tied to high-energy physics or experimental temporal mechanics.
There was no universe in which a med student needed anything even remotely related to that.
So what exactly was the connection?
"Yeah," Amanda added casually. "We take Organic Chemistry with Professor Gregory Butler."
"Gregory Butler…"
William repeated the name — nothing rang a bell.
Still, if the system flagged Theresa the moment she appeared, then she had to be a character from some movie or series that William had seen before.
His temple twitched.
If the system wanted this thing so badly, it could at least offer a hint.
System — a clue. Who exactly is Theresa supposed to be?
Silence.
William narrowed his eyes.
Come on. If this reactor upgrades your system modules, then you need it too.
And if you want me to retrieve it, I'll need intel.
Don't play dead — unless you'd rather I pretend I never saw that mission pop-up.
A long pause.
Then—
[...]
The system finally blinked.
[Theresa Tree Gelbman is from the film Happy Death Day.]
And just like that — radio silence again.
William froze.
Happy Death Day.
A movie about a girl trapped in a time loop.
Sisyphus… repeating the same task eternally…
Don't tell me the reactor is the machine that causes the loop?
His jaw tightened.
Amanda, who had been quietly watching him, finally spoke:
"Is something wrong with her?"
She'd noticed that William wasn't attracted to Theresa — he was thinking.
Hard.
He wasn't wondering who she was.
He was wondering what kind of trouble she was in.
William snapped out of it.
"I'm not sure yet. Forget her — I don't want anyone else ruining our date."
He turned to Amanda with a soft smile.
Amanda flushed and lowered her head, smiling in return.
Message received.
After stabilizing the mood, William didn't drive to a fancy restaurant or any expensive spot that a girl like Amanda would expect.
He drove straight into the South Side.
Under an abandoned bridge tunnel, cold wind whistling, trash scattered, no pedestrians — not even homeless people dared to linger here.
The BMW rolled to a stop.
"We're here. Get out."
Amanda hesitated, glancing around the desolate area.
This was definitely not where she expected a romantic date.
William didn't explain.
He stepped out first, lit a cigarette, scanned the area —
no headlights, no footsteps, no voices.
Only then did he nod.
"Stay right here," he said, his voice low and calm.
"I need to get a few things ready."