Common Sense Manipulation App

Karl leaned back on the couch, letting out a long sigh. His phone buzzed with a message from YoChat.

[YoChat]

Hey Karl! Just a heads-up: You'll start work next Monday. Enjoy your weekend!

~Molly😊

He blinked at the screen. "So, no work tomorrow, huh? Guess I've got some free time."

Sliding his phone into his pocket, Karl stood and paced his small apartment. The Common Sense Manipulation App had been lingering on his mind since the last quest. Pulling out his phone again, he opened the app and read the next challenge.

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[Tutorial Quest 14/20]

Objective: Alter the way people perceive value in fast food.

Example: Make them believe fries are a luxury item.

Reward: +20 Uncommon Points

---

Karl let out a low whistle. "Luxury fries? Alright, let's make someone feel like they're buying pure gold in a bag."

He grabbed his jacket and left the apartment, heading to the corner store. The streetlights flickered overhead as he walked, his mind already spinning with possibilities.

---

The convenience store was quiet, save for the soft hum of the refrigerators in the back. Karl wandered through the aisles, his eyes scanning for the perfect target. Near the frozen foods section, he spotted a middle-aged man holding a bag of generic frozen fries, frowning at the price tag.

"Bingo," Karl muttered, stepping out of sight. He opened the app and began typing:

"Target will feel that the frozen fries they are holding are a luxury delicacy, worth every penny."

After double-checking the phrasing, Karl hit [YES] and slipped his phone back into his pocket.

The effect was immediate. The man's posture straightened, and his frown turned into a thoughtful expression. He lifted the bag closer to his face, inspecting it as if it were a rare artifact.

"These must be premium fries," the man muttered under his breath. "Hand-cut, imported... they look expensive for a reason."

Karl smirked, leaning against a nearby shelf as he watched the man's behavior. The man placed the bag into his basket with a satisfied nod, then paused to grab a second bag for good measure.

Karl's phone vibrated.

[Tutorial Quest Progress: 14/20]

[Uncommon Points: 180]

---

With the quest complete, Karl stepped out of the store, his hands in his pockets. The streets were quiet as he lit a cigarette, letting the faint glow of the ember illuminate his face.

"One step closer," he murmured, exhaling a stream of smoke. "This app keeps getting crazier."

As he walked home, his phone buzzed again with a new notification. But for now, Karl ignored it.

***

Karl pushed open the door to his small apartment and flipped on the light. The dim bulb above buzzed faintly as it struggled to illuminate the space. Dropping his jacket on the back of a chair, he kicked off his shoes and collapsed onto the couch. He pulled out his phone, the glow of the Common Sense Manipulation App lighting up the dark room.

A new notification pinged in the app, drawing his attention.

---

[Tutorial Quest 15/20]

Objective: Change how the target perceive elevators.

Example: Make them believe elevators are an adventure ride.

Reward: +20 Uncommon Points

---

Karl raised an eyebrow, muttering to himself, "An adventure ride? Guess the app is really leaning into the absurd now."

Karl stared at the new objective, tapping his fingers rhythmically on the couch arm. "These examples are clever, but I'm just... following orders at this point. What if I tried doing this differently? My own twist instead of copying whatever the app shows me."

He leaned back, letting the thought linger. The app seemed content with giving him a template, but Karl wondered if bending the rules a little could yield better—or at least more interesting—results.

"Tomorrow," he muttered, locking his phone. "I'll figure out my own way. Let's see how far I can push this thing."

---

The next morning, Karl woke up to sunlight creeping through the cracks in his blinds. He yawned, stretching lazily before checking his phone. The notification from last night blinked on the screen.

"Adventure ride elevators, huh?" he muttered, still groggy. He sat up, staring at the objective. "Alright, Karl. No app examples this time. Let's get creative."