[Your current energy allows you to remain in the second world for 31 hours. Do you wish to cross now?]
Thirty-one hours.
Though it wasn't enough time to carry out the grand scheme Yasin had been plotting, it should suffice to retrieve some money from Harry's house to buy M16 ammunition.
"Initiate the crossing!"
Yasin glanced back at the sleeping Vivian. The youthful, alluring Vivian and the mature woman from the second world—his own mother, Vivian—left him feeling somewhat conflicted.
He hoped his guess was correct...
Yasin silently prayed in his heart.
The ripple of spatial distortion flashed where Yasin had been standing, and in an instant, he vanished.
When Yasin reappeared, he was back in the United States of 2006.
With the experience of his previous two crossings, Yasin no longer felt dizzy or disoriented. He sat on the bed to steady himself and quickly adapted to the environment and his alternate identity.
Yasin surveyed his surroundings and checked his watch. No time had passed, and everything was exactly as he had left it.
Just as the Two-Worlds King System had explained, time in this world remained nearly frozen while he was away.
It was now 8:45 PM on March 15, 2006.
His next task was to secure enough bullets and money to bring back within the limited time.
According to the system's automatic calculation from his last bullet transfer, each round cost $300 to transport to the apocalypse.
To bring back a sufficient supply, he would need at least tens of thousands of dollars.
For a teenager like Adrian, that was no small sum.
Of course, for a tycoon like Harry, tens of thousands were pocket change.
The easiest and most direct way to obtain the money was, naturally, to steal it from Harry Brant and Vivian Sinclair.
The cash Yasin had found in the bedside drawer last time, though not much, had been enough to bring back a few dozen bullets.
But this method was also the riskiest. If caught, Harry and Vivian would undoubtedly despise him even more and grow even warier.
So Yasin quickly dismissed the idea of continuing to steal.
Then how could he get his hands on over $10,000?
For a moment, Yasin felt stuck. In his past life, he had been born into an ordinary family and constantly stressed over money.
Now, as the son of a wealthy man, he was still worrying about finances. Staring at the billions belonging to Harry Brant and Vivian Sinclair—none of which were his—only strengthened Yasin's resolve to execute the grand scheme he had been devising.
After searching through Adrian's room for a long time, Yasin only found a little over a hundred dollars.
Because Adrian was an illegitimate child, Harry had always been stingy with him.
Jerry's monthly allowance could reach tens of thousands of dollars, while Adrian's was barely over a thousand—and that was only because Vivian secretly gave it to him.
Though this amount was substantial for an ordinary person, it was far too little for Yasin's current needs.
Vivian actually cared deeply for Adrian and was protective of him, but because her husband and son Jerry despised him—and because Adrian was constantly getting into trouble and acting rebellious—she had to maintain a strict front.
From Adrian's memories, Yasin realized just how much of an outcast he was in this family.
Not only did Harry and Jerry bully and humiliate him regularly, but even the servants often treated him poorly, whether intentionally or not.
Sean and Shirley, whom Yasin had threatened earlier, frequently framed Adrian or mocked him behind his back—especially since Adrian had caught them having an affair.
The only one who treated Adrian kindly was his half-sister, Helen, who often helped him in secret.
'Forget it. First, I need to get enough money for bullets. Then I'll figure out how to bring back more. There's still plenty of time. I don't fully understand this family's dynamics yet—once I do, I should be able to find a way to get money quickly.'
Yasin took a deep breath, opened the door, and headed toward Helen's room.
Right now, the only person in this household who could help him was Helen.
Knock, knock, knock…
A soft rapping came from Helen's door.
"Who is it?" Helen's sweet, childish voice called from inside.
"It's me, Adrian," Yasin answered, adopting the rebellious tone Adrian often used in his memories.
"Brother! You're here?" Helen's voice brightened with excitement.
With a click, the door swung open quickly.
Helen had just finished showering. Her hair was still damp, and she wore a pink nightgown that clung slightly to her developing frame. Two small bumps were visible on her chest, and her playful, snow-white legs peeked out from beneath the hem.
"Uh… Helen, you're going to bed already?"
Seeing the little girl in her nightgown, Yasin felt a flicker of awkwardness. Maybe he'd come at a bad time.
After all, Helen was his half-sister—and still just a child.
"What else is there to do? It's not like we get to have any fun. Whenever they go out, they only take Jerry—never us!"
Helen pouted, then grabbed Yasin's hand and tugged him inside. "Come on, brother! Play with me for a bit!"
Since he needed her help, Yasin had no choice but to relent. He followed her into the room.
Helen's bedroom was noticeably larger than Adrian's, filled with toys and plush dolls. The entire space was decorated in warm, girly pink—from the princess-style canopy bed to the frilly sheets and comforter.
One glance was enough to confirm that Harry and Vivian doted on their only daughter.
"Brother! Get on the bed! Wanna play a game with me?" Helen bounced onto the mattress, curling her legs beneath her as she beckoned him with a mischievous grin.
Yasin cleared his throat and forced a serious tone. "Helen, I actually came to ask you for a favor."