Urban Plundering: I Corrupted The System!-Chapter 311: Tessa’s Purpose 1

Parker pulled into Redeo, the city lights casting long reflections across his windshield. The place had that buzzing energy—like a heartbeat made of neon and overpriced cocktails. The streets were alive with movement, sleek cars slipping through traffic, designer heels clicking against the pavement, voices rising and falling in laughter, gossip, and the occasional drunken slur. It was a place that belonged to the rich, the reckless, and the ones too stubborn to pick a lane.

And right now, it was also where Atalanta and Tessa were waiting for him.

He followed the pull—their pull. His senses exactly where they were, like a thread guiding him through the chaos. He parked, stepped out, and strode toward the restaurant without hesitation. The moment he entered, the air changed—not in a supernatural way, just in that way things did when people who knew you were watching, waiting.

Atalanta and Tessa had taken a booth near the back. Both of them were lounging, a picture of ease that was definitely fake, because the second he slid into the seat across from them, there was a moment of silence.

Heavy. Loaded.

Tessa's fingers drummed against the table, Atalanta swirled her drink with a slow, deliberate motion. Then—

"Took you long enough." Atalanta's voice crackled through the air. "Let me guess—you got sidetracked?"

"Something like that," Parker muttered, rolling his shoulders.

"And by 'something,' you mean you did something reckless, didn't you?"

Parker smirked. "Define reckless."

"You know, at this point, I should just expect it." Atalanta sighed, setting her glass down with a soft clink. "So, what happened? And why do I get the feeling it involves... Uhh, heroes?"

Tessa didn't say anything. But she was watching him. Feeling him. The air around him was off—heavy in a way only she could sense. Dark, almost static, like something had been broken.

Or someone.

"Who was it, Parker?" she finally asked, voice low.

Her connection to him was stronger than it had ever been. She could feel it. That aura. A pulse of something wrong. Then, the voice in her head whispered, amused and sharp.

[He did. He just killed a certain demigod. I don't know who, but I just felt the Pillar of Elysium right before he arrived.]

Tessa's brow furrowed. 'Pillar of Elysium?'

[Mhmm. Call it a cute transport that takes the souls of honorable warriors to Elysium. Just like how Grim Reapers take mundane souls.]

Tessa exhaled through her nose. 'I see.'

Parker, meanwhile, drummed his fingers against the table. "Let's just say Theseus won't be making it to tomorrow."

A beat.

"...Are you serious?" Atalanta asked flatly.

Tessa sighed. Of course. She had felt it the second he walked in. The storm brewing under his skin. It was no wonder someone had died. If this was how he reacted to a single demigod, what the hell was he going to do when he found out about the Ashfords? About her past?

[Oh, he's so serious.] Levi piped up inside his head, clearly entertained. [Dude deleted Theseus from existence. Like, permanently. No respawns.]

Atalanta groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Parker, for fuck's sake—"

"What?" His tone was casual, too casual. Like he hadn't just sent a Greek legend to the shadow realm. "He started it."

"You do realize this is going to cause problems, right?"

Parker shrugged, leaning back. "Hera, Ares and maybe Athena might already be plotting. Nothing new."

"Don't forget Apollo." Atalanta added, deadpan.

Parker blinked. "Apollo? Why the hell is he involved?"

Tessa raised a brow.

"Something about Cassandra having a crush on Mr. I Will Charm the World here. He probably won't miss the chance to ruin you." Atalanta said. "Artemis keeps me updated. He's been looking for a way to be a pain in your ass."

A long silence. Then—

"Oh, for fuck's sake. Of course. Love-sick idiots. I didn't know gods were affected too. This is fucking hilarious." Tessa rolled her eyes.

Parker chuckled. "Glad we're on the same page."

Atalanta sighed again, rubbing her temples. "You're impossible, you know that?"

"Yeah." His smirk widened. "But I'm also just getting started."

Luckily, Atalanta wasn't throwing a fit over Theseus' death which was perfect for Parker. It felt to him that unless they were friends—the champions didn't care much about fellow champions. Good. The idiot had died without causing any actual impact on Parker's developing closeness with Atalanta.

Perfect.

Tessa leaned forward suddenly, her expression shifting. "So, shall we talk about who won the race?"

Both Parker and Atalanta groaned at the same time.

"Oh, fuck off," Atalanta muttered.

"Next topic," Parker deadpanned.

Tessa's smile widened. Oh, this was going to be fun. "Oh, I forgot to mention this." She rested her chin in her palm, eyes sparkling. "The winner was supposed to be granted a wish. And the losers must agree."

Parker froze. What.

Atalanta blinked. "Excuse me?"

"Oh, don't 'excuse me' me, y'all lost."

Parker hated that word. Loser but it was Tessa. And for her, he would cave.

"What do you want?" he asked, resigned, Tessa tapped her chin, drawing out the moment like she was savoring his suffering.

Parker knew some of her happiness came from finally, finally besting him at something.

The dude was a walking bullshit machine when it came to talent—jack of all trades, master of literally everything. Hell, he hated clichés, but he could pull them off better than anyone else. He was that kind of bastard who could pick up a skill for the first time and just casually dominate the entire field, like it was coded into his DNA.

The guy was a walking cheat code, who just effortlessly mastered everything.

No one knew how far that nonsense went, but if Tessa ever found out that Parker had casually tried painting once and accidentally surpassed every living artist in the multiverse, she would choke him.

And it wasn't just any art or painting.

But this? This was her win. A real, tangible win. She had beaten him in a race, and no one could take that away from her.

Could she be any happier? Hell no.

Could she be pettier? Absolutely.

Her only regret was that she hadn't raced Atalanta before awakening.

Now, dusting the so-called fastest woman archer in mythology felt less like a competition and more like bullying.

This content is taken from freёnovelkiss.com.

"What a damn shame." She ruffled Atalanta's hair like she was some kid.

Atalanta, mid-bite into her food, froze.

"Hey! Do you have a death wish?" she snapped mid-chewing.

"Ew! That's gross even for the shameless you, Atalanta!" Tessa said as she laughed. So did Parker.

"Alright, I have a wish but not a death wish," Tessa declared, all smug. "Parker, Atalanta—I have a wish for each of you and that's..."

Then, finally, she opened her mouth to say her wish!