The Master Programmer-Chapter 74: You Have No Idea Who I Am… 1

He moved closer, his footsteps echoing faintly against the surrounding silence. He recognised them after all. He had to help them.

Crouching down, Jason examined the bodies. Their chests rose and fell in shallow, labored breaths. Alive but barely. His gaze sharpened, taking in the brutal injuries. Bruises and gashes marred their skin, some cuts still oozing blood.

Whoever had done this had been thorough, leaving a grim message. Jason felt the weight of understanding settle over him. Marcus, Marek and Mousa had crossed the wrong people.

And now, it seemed, so had he.

Jason felt annoyed. Damn it. He could come up with ten reasons and possibilities on what happened, but the most important of them were maybe someone was looking for them because of the money thay had gotten, or maybe someone was looking for him.

Thinking this far, he felt a bit annoyed. He shook one of the men harshly. "Marcus," he said, recognizing the battered face beneath the swelling.

The man groaned, his eyelids fluttering weakly open. When his gaze met Jason’s, his lips trembled, forming one haunting sentence:

"Jason… you’re in danger."

Jason exhaled sharply, his mind racing. So it really was the case he thought of. But it was also the thing he had never expected to see. After all, that was the fact that these men had been in danger because of him. Jason sighed. He needed to help them.

|————————————

| Master Programmer System | Stats | Missions || Items || Store |

—————

Data Blocks:

—> Random Data Block Fragment (50%)

Items:

—> Health Potion x2

—> Energy Potion x2

————————————|

Jason opened up the Health Potion and seeing the inormation, he couldn’t help but sigh.

|————————————

| Health Potion |

—————

Type: Potion

Grade: Low Grade

Description: A low-grade health potion. A small vial containing red liquid that can restore a small amount of health or vitality to the consumer. Often used to supplement natural healing or provide a quick boost during combat or exploration. While effective in minor injuries or ailments, low-grade health potions are not as potent as their higher-tier counterparts and may require multiple uses for significant healing.

[Export]

————————————|

This chapter is updated by freēwēbnovel.com.

After seeing the grade, he couldn’t help but sigh. What the hell was this? Low Grade? Was that a good thing or a bad thing?Jason did not trust this, and neither did he trust the description. After all, that pill from before had made him into something ne, reshaping his body and turning him handsome.

Who knows what these Potions might do... Thingking this far, he tunred to the people who were laying on the floor, smirking as he did. And it was pretty funny to see. It was somewhat funny to him, however at the same time, he couldnt help but sigh, After all, there was snomething that was going to make something happening or him. And when it all happened they would go ahead and make something happen for them.

[Export]!

As soon as he mentally clicked that button, he saw a shimmer in the air as literally in the same way as before, something happened and that was the appearance of a glowing red vial of fluid that appeared in tha air. Jasno stared at this thing that had appeared and when he did, he couldnt help but sigh in interest. This systme was pretty cool.

The Health Potion glowed faintly in the dark, its radiance illuminating the grime-covered alley and sending the rats scattering into the shadows. The air grew heavier with an almost mystical tension. And then when he grabbed it, he couldnt help but smirk.

Health potions... what, was this some fantasy novel?

Marcus would just have to be the test rabbit for this. A guinea pig for hm. It was pretty interesting how it would happen. However at the same time, they would see what they wanted to see.

Jason crouched beside Marcus, his voice low and steady. "Drink this."

His words carried a deliberate cadence, a soothing yet authoritative rhythm. His tone reassured Marcus, subtly embedding the suggestion to trust him and comply. This was Jason’s secret weapon… his words always carried weight, cutting through resistance like a blade. And especially with the fear Marcus had for him, at least when Jason was around, it was easy to get the man to comply.

As Marcus weakly gulped down the potion, Jason observed with quiet fascination. The man’s wounds began to knit together, although slowly, his skin stitching itself seamlessly with no scars in place. It was incredibly fascinating and hen looking at it, Jason couldnt help but sigh in interest. How incredible he was seeing it all, and thinking just how impressive it all was. The sight was miraculous, and even Jason, a man who had seen more than his fair share of the impossible, felt a pang of awe.

So this was how it was enhancing the body’s ability to heal itself. Interesting. And to Jason, he felt like there was some usecase to this after all.

Marcus sat up, touching his once-broken ribs in disbelief. There was an itch running through his body, and when it ran through, it was really incredible how all these things were happening to him. They were healing him. Whatever Jason had given him was healing him, making him whole. It was incredible to him. How could he heal more. ANd how could he go ahead and make sure of it? "What… what was that?"

Jason’s lips curved into a faint smile. "A second chance. Don’t waste it." He turned to the other two men. There was only one potion left. Slapping the men in the face, and Making them awaken with some groaning and hurt, Jason did not have any sympathy for them. "You’re splitting this," he said flatly, his tone brooking no argument.

It was not that he could not afford them or anything, he just did not want to give them away for free. He also wanted to see how much of an effect half the potion would have on the boys. Jason looked at them coldly, gazing at them as they drank it, his mind cold and calcuating. Slowly but surely, even without his knowing, he was changing...

As the two shared the potion, their battered forms began to recover, but much slower than Marcus, and Jason nodded to himself. So it was a volume issue. The more he consumed, the more the concentration of the healing element in their body, and thus the better and faster the healing?

They groaned, slowly sitting up and glancing at Jason warily. They wanted to ask Jason what that thing was, but Jason did not even give them a chance. The intensity of his gaze made them avert their eyes like guilty schoolboys. Jason ignored their discomfort and turned back to Marcus.

"Now," Jason began, his voice cool but firm, "what happened?"

Marcus hesitated, his fingers trembling as he lit a cigarette from his pocket, more for the comfort of the ritual than any real need. He took a shaky drag, his words spilling out in disjointed fragments. "We… we were at the strip club," he admitted, glancing nervously at Jason. "Celebrating. You know, after that score."

Score? Are you serious? It was more like Jason went in there, took everyone down and left, giving them some cash to make them shut their mouths up.. But now it was clear that they may not have sht theur mouths up which was pretty funny the more Jason thought about it.

The worst thing was that these fuckers, were actually looking to make themselves take the thing he wanted to take. They were not even loyal to him, otherwise his progress in the Build a Syndicate Mission would have been higher than what it was.

Jason raised an eyebrow, a flicker of amusement crossing his face. "Celebrating? With my money?"

Marcus winced but pressed on. "Then these guys showed up. Big guys. Armed. They didn’t even say much before grabbing us and dragging us out back. Blindfolded us, took us somewhere. Started asking about you."

Of course that’s what happened… Jason’s expression didn’t waver, but the tension in his shoulders betrayed him. "What did you tell them?"

Marcus hesitated. Jason leaned forward, his voice dropping to a near whisper, each word deliberate and precise. "Marcus, I need the truth. If you hold back, you’re not just putting yourself in danger—you’re putting me in danger. And trust me, you don’t want to see what happens when I’m pushed too far."

His words were layered with subtle suggestions of dominance and reliability, leveraging fear and trust simultaneously.

Marcus gulped but he still hesitated. Maybe he needed a bit more from Jason.

"Marcus… You know one of the things I admire most in people is their ability to be real. It’s not easy, right? Especially in a world where people feel the need to hide parts of themselves, of their experiences. But honesty is the foundation of something deeper, something unshakable. Dont you think so too? Hm?"

Jason said that, croushinc down and slapping his face, as he did, making Marcus look away from him in shame. It seemed he had gotten abused pretty badly. A bit more effort.

"Being honest takes strength Marcus. Have you ever felt that strength? Have you ever felt like when you’re completely honest, even about the little things, how freeing that feels? But there’s another part of it… When someone isnt honest, its not just about the words, they feel it dont they? Deep down there’s this sludge that forms, like a stain that doesn’t go away, grabbing at them and sticking to their soul, like a disgusting shadow. Have you felt that?"

Jason looked deep into Marcus’s eyes as he said this last part, and Marcus couldn’t help but look away in fear and shame. What he had done was create a link between honesty and relief, and then frame dishonesty as something like aburden that wud crate discomfort. And the way he was staring at him, would anchor that look and feeling together.

"Marcus… Dont you want to be free of that sludge? Don’t you want to step into the light? Just let it go. Look at yourself shaking… Your mind knows that you’re out of alignment with yourself. You can’t keep going like this. Step into the light, Marcus. Be true, not just to me, but to yourself."

"I told them what I knew," he admitted in a rush, looking away from Jason. "I didn’t have a choice! They… they tortured us, man. I couldn’t take it anymore."

Jason’s eyes darkened, but he nodded. "Fine. Where did they take you?"

Marcus hesitated again, his gaze darting nervously to his companions. "I—I don’t know exactly. We were blindfolded, but…" He paused, frowning as he tried to recall. "The air was salty. I could hear seagulls. It smelled like the docks."

Jason stood abruptly, his towering form casting an imposing shadow over the men. "The docks, huh?" His voice was clipped, his mind already working through the possibilities. "That narrows it down. Theres an abandoned factory over there, isn’t there?"

Marcus shifted uncomfortably. "Jason… you can’t be thinking about going after them. These guys… they’re the Snake Gang. They run the city. One of the most dangerous gangs in the entire State. Even the cops won’t mess with them."

Jason’s laugh was low and humorless. "Do I look like I care about the cops?" He crouched down, his face inches from Marcus’s. "Listen to me, Marcus. If you’re lying to me, if this is some kind of trap…" His voice dropped to a deadly whisper. "I will have a talk with you. And you’ll wish the Snake Gang had gotten to you first."

The menace in his tone made Marcus shrink back, nodding fervently. "I’m not lying, man! I swear!"

Jason straightened, his composure snapping back into place like a mask. He clapped Marcus on the shoulder, the sudden gesture making the man flinch. "Good. Then let’s go."

"Go where?" Marcus asked, his voice cracking slightly.

Jason smirked, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light. "To send a message."