Chapter 5 · The Snake I Saved Wants to Marry Me

My tongue felt all numb, and that fishy taste wouldn't go away.

Looking at the stunned faces of my coworkers and the sheer terror written all over Lily's face, I wished I could just drop dead on the spot.

Not only had I bombed the confession, but I'd also just performed a live "mutation" in front of everyone.

"Ch-Charlie..." Will swallowed hard as he pointed at me, his voice trembling. "W-What was that just now?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but as the words hit my lips, my throat twitched again.

"Hiss... I..." Out darted the forked tongue again, accompanied by a low, guttural hiss.

This time, even I managed to scare myself.

The coworkers started whispering, and some even whipped out their phones, seeming like they wanted to record.

Lily's face went ghostly pale. She grabbed her files and practically bolted out of the office.

I was speechless. I seriously wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

"The host's social suicide value +100. The current social suicide value is 100." The system's cold voice chimed in again, and I felt something stir deep inside me.

[Social Suicide System]

[Host: Charlie Foster]

[Charisma: 5 (Run-of-the-mill)]

[Constitution: 7 (Sub-par corporate drone)]

[Intelligence: 8 (Just enough to get by)]

[Social suicide value: 100 (Title "King of Social Suicide" now active.)]

[Current quest: [Calm Snow (In progress, 5 emotional points to go)]

[Punishment: Social Suicide Debuff, the Serpent's Tongue (Duration: 24 Hours)]

King of Social Suicide? Who in their right mind would want a title like that?

I was too sorrowful to cry.

Will finally snapped out of it. He leaned in and whispered, his voice with a hint of terror, "Charlie, give it to me straight... are you... possessed?"

He kept darting his eyes between my mouth and my face, looking like he'd just spotted a UFO.

"Hiss... I..." I tried to speak, but my tongue flicked out like a snake's again. I closed my eyes in utter despair.

Will jumped back, looking like he wanted nothing to do with me.

Great. Now it's not just Lily; even my best bud is ready to wash his hands of me.

No. I had to set the record straight.

I tried to keep my cool, taking one deep breath after another.

"I... it's just... a cold." I managed to choke out after a long pause, though the excuse was full of holes.

"A cold?" Will looked skeptical. "Since when do colds make you flick your tongue like a reptile? Do I look like I was born yesterday?"

Just then, the system said, "The host is overly emotional. The 'Serpent's Tongue' has been intensified. The duration extended to 48 hours."

I was absolutely stunned.

What the hell? You've got to be kidding me.

My throat started to itch, and I could feel my tongue ready to flick out at any moment.

To keep the debuff from getting any worse, I had no choice but to clam up.

I slinked back to my desk and sat down without a word.

My coworkers had stopped whispering, but the odd looks they kept throwing my way made me feel like I was sitting on pins and needles.

I was officially "the talk of the town" today.

I spent the whole morning being "stared" at. Nobody dared come near me. Even Will, who usually loved to chat, kept his distance.

I felt like some freak show attraction at the zoo.

When lunch break finally rolled around, I slipped out of the office as fast as I could.

I found a secluded spot and whipped out my phone to call Snow.

"Hey, Snow..." I kept my voice down, terrified of being overheard.

"Charlie!" Snow's voice came through loud and clear, sounding bright and bubbly. "What took you so long? I've been bored to tears at home."

"How... how are you feeling right now?" I asked tentatively.

"Feeling?" Snow sounded confused. "Great! Didn't you say this morning that you liked that Lily girl? I heard you. You were in a terrible mood, so that made me feel wonderful."

Chapter 5

My tongue felt all numb, and that fishy taste wouldn't go away.

Looking at the stunned faces of my coworkers and the sheer terror written all over Lily's face, I wished I could just drop dead on the spot.

Not only had I bombed the confession, but I'd also just performed a live "mutation" in front of everyone.

"Ch-Charlie..." Will swallowed hard as he pointed at me, his voice trembling. "W-What was that just now?"

I opened my mouth to explain, but as the words hit my lips, my throat twitched again.

"Hiss... I..." Out darted the forked tongue again, accompanied by a low, guttural hiss.

This time, even I managed to scare myself.

The coworkers started whispering, and some even whipped out their phones, seeming like they wanted to record.

Lily's face went ghostly pale. She grabbed her files and practically bolted out of the office.

I was speechless. I seriously wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

"The host's social suicide value +100. The current social suicide value is 100." The system's cold voice chimed in again, and I felt something stir deep inside me.

[Social Suicide System]

[Host: Charlie Foster]

[Charisma: 5 (Run-of-the-mill)]

[Constitution: 7 (Sub-par corporate drone)]

[Intelligence: 8 (Just enough to get by)]

[Social suicide value: 100 (Title "King of Social Suicide" now active.)]

[Current quest: [Calm Snow (In progress, 5 emotional points to go)]

[Punishment: Social Suicide Debuff, the Serpent's Tongue (Duration: 24 Hours)]

King of Social Suicide? Who in their right mind would want a title like that?

I was too sorrowful to cry.

Will finally snapped out of it. He leaned in and whispered, his voice with a hint of terror, "Charlie, give it to me straight... are you... possessed?"

He kept darting his eyes between my mouth and my face, looking like he'd just spotted a UFO.

"Hiss... I..." I tried to speak, but my tongue flicked out like a snake's again. I closed my eyes in utter despair.

Will jumped back, looking like he wanted nothing to do with me.

Great. Now it's not just Lily; even my best bud is ready to wash his hands of me.

No. I had to set the record straight.

I tried to keep my cool, taking one deep breath after another.

"I... it's just... a cold." I managed to choke out after a long pause, though the excuse was full of holes.

"A cold?" Will looked skeptical. "Since when do colds make you flick your tongue like a reptile? Do I look like I was born yesterday?"

Just then, the system said, "The host is overly emotional. The 'Serpent's Tongue' has been intensified. The duration extended to 48 hours."

I was absolutely stunned.

What the hell? You've got to be kidding me.

My throat started to itch, and I could feel my tongue ready to flick out at any moment.

To keep the debuff from getting any worse, I had no choice but to clam up.

I slinked back to my desk and sat down without a word.

My coworkers had stopped whispering, but the odd looks they kept throwing my way made me feel like I was sitting on pins and needles.

I was officially "the talk of the town" today.

I spent the whole morning being "stared" at. Nobody dared come near me. Even Will, who usually loved to chat, kept his distance.

I felt like some freak show attraction at the zoo.

When lunch break finally rolled around, I slipped out of the office as fast as I could.

I found a secluded spot and whipped out my phone to call Snow.

"Hey, Snow..." I kept my voice down, terrified of being overheard.

"Charlie!" Snow's voice came through loud and clear, sounding bright and bubbly. "What took you so long? I've been bored to tears at home."

"How... how are you feeling right now?" I asked tentatively.

"Feeling?" Snow sounded confused. "Great! Didn't you say this morning that you liked that Lily girl? I heard you. You were in a terrible mood, so that made me feel wonderful."