Leo stepped into the bathroom and locked the door behind him. It was his usual ritual after every mission — washing away the blood, sweat, and the stale stench of cheap motels.
He turned the shower on full blast. Hot water cascaded over his sculpted body, steam quickly filling the small tiled space as it ran down his broad shoulders, thick chest, and veined arms.
"Show me the Full Tutorial," he said quietly.
The blue screen expanded instantly, filling his entire field of vision with clean, glowing panels. The robotic voice continued in its calm, emotionless tone.
[Full System Tutorial Unlocked]Core Rules – Predator's Hunger Protocol
Prey Limit: You may currently link a maximum of 3 Prey at any given time. Once a woman is linked, you gain omniscient observation of her. You will see every moment of her life in real time — where she is, who she talks to, who touches her, every secret thought and action. No cameras needed. No sneaking required. You know.
Corruption Meter: Every linked Prey has a Corruption Meter (0% – 100%).
• The meter rises only through voluntary actions on her part.
• You are strictly forbidden from forcing, drugging, hypnotizing, or using any external means to manipulate her.
• Every step of her corruption must be her own choice.
Milestone Rewards: The System will reward you at every major milestone of a Prey's corruption.
Random Quests: The System may issue random quests at any time. Completing them grants bonus rewards and accelerates corruption on your chosen Prey.
The Most Important Rule: You may only act on a Prey after she has been properly prepared through the netorase sequence. If you touch or claim a Prey before the System deems her ready, you will permanently lose the ability to ever have sex with that specific woman again. The Hunger will reject her forever.
Warning: Once a Prey has been selected, you cannot remove her again. Only after she reaches 100% corruption can you add another. So choose wisely.
Leo turned off the shower, dried himself, and wrapped a towel low around his waist. Water still dripped from his hair and chiseled torso as he walked back into his room.
"So… no shortcuts," he muttered. "No drugs, no tricks, no forcing her. Everything has to be her own decision. I just set the stage… and wait for her to walk into it."
Correct, Host. You are the hunter. You do not beg or force. You create the perfect conditions… and let the prey come to you.
Leo let out a low whistle. "Three Prey limit for now… that's gonna be tight." He rubbed his chin. "But the omniscient view thing… that's actually fucking perfect."
Just as he reached for his clothes, the door swung open without a knock.
Marry stood there, phone in hand. "Leo, Mom called you to—"
Her words died instantly. Her eyes locked onto his naked upper body — water still glistening on his broad chest and abs, towel hanging dangerously low on his hips.
A bright red flush exploded across her face.
Leo smiled lazily, not bothering to cover himself. "You were saying something, Marry?"
"You… you shameless bastard!" she stuttered, eyes wide. She slammed the door shut so hard the frame rattled. From the hallway came her muffled, furious voice: "Just get to the fucking table already!"
Leo chuckled softly as he dried his hair. "Typical brat syndrome…"
He threw on a loose black t-shirt and grey track pants, then headed to the dining table.
His elder brother Sam was already seated, still in his tucked-in office shirt with sleeves rolled up, looking exhausted as usual. When he saw Leo, Sam gave a tired but genuine smile.
"Leo, how was your day?"
"Not bad actually," Leo replied casually, pulling out a chair. "Yours looks tiring though."
Sam let out a weary laugh and patted Leo's shoulder. "Same old salary life, man. At least you don't fall for this trap."
Elizabeth came out of the kitchen carrying bowls of rice and side dishes. The food was mostly Korean-American style — grilled meat, kimchi, banchan — warm and comforting.
Elizabeth glanced at Mary and scolded gently, "Mary, stop looking at your phone and eat properly! Where are your table manners, kid? Learn from your brothers."
Sam smiled. "It's alright, Mom. She's still young."
Leo taunted with a smirk, "Listen to your brothers, brat."
Mary scoffed loudly and picked up her chopsticks.
The conversation turned heavier when Elizabeth asked, "Sam, is there any news about your father?"
Sam shook his head. "Nothing new from the police. They're still treating it as a missing person case…"
The table fell into an awkward silence.
Leo ate quietly. No one here knew the real truth about Henry Cross — the assassin work, the missions, the $5 million debt hanging over Leo's head. Only he carried that weight.
Marry broke the silence with a scoff. "Mom, Dad is not a child. He probably just abandoned us. Accept it already."
Elizabeth's voice tightened. "Henry would never abandon us. He can't…"
The atmosphere grew heavy.
Leo looked around the table. After his father's disappearance, Sam had become the one holding the family together financially. Even though Leo paid for his own university fees, there were still Mary's education costs, house expenses, and the debts Elizabeth had taken on.
While chewing, Leo spoke silently to the System.
'Show me the available Prey.'
The screen shifted again, displaying a clean list with four familiar names glowing softly:
Available Prey Candidates:
Jennifer – Current Girlfriend (0% Corruption)
Elizabeth Cross – Stepmother (0% Corruption)
Marry Cross – Younger Sister (0% Corruption)
Hazel Cross – Elder Brother's Wife (0% Corruption)
Leo's lips curved slightly.
Wow, System… you really don't have any morals, do you?
The System replied instantly in its cold, indifferent tone:
The host need not pretend before me. Predators were never meant to abide by the hollow principles of mortals. In the end, only one thing matters... whether the objective is achieved.
Leo looked down at his plate, hiding the dark, crazed smile spreading across his face. He whispered very softly under his breath:
"I guess I don't need to act in front of you…"
***
The off-campus apartment was filled with the low hum of laughter, clinking bottles, and the faint bass of music playing from a speaker in the corner. It was a casual Friday night gathering — nothing fancy, just a few close friends sprawled across the second-hand couches and floor cushions with beers and snacks scattered everywhere.
Jennifer sat on the edge of the couch, legs tucked under her. She wore a loose white t-shirt that had slipped off one shoulder, the thin fabric clinging to her ample breasts and leaving a generous amount of smooth skin exposed. Tiny black shorts rode high on her toned thighs. Her long silver-gray hair was clipped up messily, a few strands framing her face. A half-empty beer glass rested in one hand while her eyes kept flicking to her phone screen every few seconds.
A girl with short, messy purple hair and multiple piercings leaned forward, dark eyes narrowing. "Girl, what's wrong? You've been staring at your phone as it owes you money."
Jennifer sighed, setting the glass down. "Same as usual. I messaged Leo hours ago. Idiot still hasn't replied."
The red-haired girl beside her — voluptuous, curvy, and already quite drunk — let out a loud hiccup and grinned. "Darling, don't you know who you're dating? The infamous Leo Cross. That guy won't even look at other people, never starts conversations… Have you guys ever seen him at any social parties? He's literally a ghost."
The new girl in the group, still a bit shy, blinked in surprise. "Really? But how can anyone ignore Jennifer? Guys literally line up for her."
Purple-hair laughed. "You don't know shit. Yeah, Jennie's hot, but Leo… he's the whole damn pastry. You've never seen him up close. Dude has the perfect physique, that chiseled face, and those eyes…" She fanned herself dramatically. "Fuck, just thinking about him gets me wet."
Jennifer flared up instantly, cheeks turning pink. "You bitch, he's my boyfriend!"
The purple-haired girl just cackled.
The red-haired drunk one grinned mischievously and snatched Jennifer's phone. "Behold…" She quickly pulled up a photo she had saved — Leo shirtless at the basketball court after practice, sweat glistening on his sculpted chest and abs as he changed.
The new girl's mouth fell open. "Wow…"
Jennifer's eyes widened. "How the hell do you even know my pass?"
"Hehe, that's a secret," the redhead winked.
The conversation quickly turned dirtier, the group clearly comfortable with each other — except the new girl, who was just trying to keep up.
Purple-hair leaned in with a sly grin. "Jennie, tell me… how did it feel your first time with Leo? I bet that guy's got quite the package down there."
Jennifer forced a laugh, trying to play it cool. "It was… good. Really good."
The red-haired girl wasn't letting it go. "Tell us the details, girl! Leo must be an absolute beast in bed, right? I bet you two are fucking every single day."
Jennifer laughed again, but it came out a little strained as she bluffed her way through. "You know… he's intense. Very intense."
The purple-haired girl raised an eyebrow. "But Jennie, why don't you ever bring him here? You've been dating for six months already."
Jennifer scoffed. "Why? So you guys can peek?"
The girls burst into laughter again.
Suddenly, Jennifer remembered something from earlier that day. "Hey… do any of you guys know Roy Watson?"
Purple-hair perked up. "Who doesn't? His dad is the CEO of that big fashion agency. Why?"
Jennifer's eyes flickered with interest at the agency name. "Really? …I met him today. Apparently, he's friends with Leo."
The red-haired girl smirked. "Of course he is. Roy brags about everything. He's a total Playboy, too. Not as handsome as Leo, but he's not bad, got quite the following."
Purple-haired tilted her head. "But why are you asking?"
Jennifer shrugged, her mind drifting back to the matte-black Lamborghini and the way Roy's eyes had shamelessly traced every curve of her body earlier.
"Just curious…"
She took another sip of her beer, but her thoughts lingered on the rich, confident guy who had looked at her like he wanted to devour her — something Leo never seemed to do.
/c/DevilsWhisper