Common Sense Manipulation App

After a quick shower and breakfast, Karl stepped outside. The air was crisp, and the city was alive with the usual weekend chaos—people rushing, dogs barking, cars honking. He walked toward the nearby mall, where he knew there'd be plenty of elevator traffic.

Inside the mall, Karl observed people shuffling in and out of the elevators. Most looked bored or distracted, their eyes glued to their phones or staring blankly at the numbers ticking above the doors.

"This is going to be fun," Karl said with a smirk, pulling out the app. Instead of following the example, he decided to experiment with something completely different.

He typed into the app:

"Target will believe that elevators provide a unique opportunity to bond with strangers in a meaningful way."

He paused for a moment, debating if it was too far-fetched, then shrugged. "Let's see how this goes."

---

Karl stood near one of the elevator banks, pretending to scroll on his phone while watching the targets, a man in a suit who walk beside a young woman with headphones, and a teenager juggling a skateboard and backpack.

The app's effect activated as soon as the doors closed.

Inside the elevator, the targets exchanged awkward glances before the suited man cleared his throat.

"You know," he began, his voice tinged with sudden enthusiasm, "we don't really appreciate these little moments, do we?"

The young woman pulled off her headphones, raising an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

"These elevators," he continued, gesturing around, "they're not just machines. They're... spaces. Shared experiences. We're all here, right now, together. Isn't that something?"

The teenager chuckled nervously. "Uh, yeah, I guess?"

The woman nodded slowly, as if the man's words were sinking in. "Huh. I never thought about it that way."

By the time the elevator reached the top floor, the three were chatting like old friends, laughing about their lives and exchanging phone numbers. As they stepped out, the suited man turned back to the elevator with a grin. "You know, this ride really brought us closer."

Karl, watching from a bench nearby, burst out laughing under his breath. "Oh man, that's gold. The app's suggestions are one thing, but this... this is way better."

[Tutorial Quest Progress: 15/20]

[Uncommon Points: 200]

---

Karl checked the time on his phone. It was barely noon, and the mall was bustling with activity. He stretched, standing up from the bench he had been sitting on. "No point going home yet," he muttered. "Let's see what's next."

Opening the app, Karl tapped on the notification for the next quest.

---

[Tutorial Quest 16/20]

Objective: Alter how a group perceives waiting in lines.

Example: Make them feel like standing in line is a form of meditation that brings peace to everyone involved.

Reward: +20 Uncommon Points

---

Karl scratched his head, grinning. "Meditation in lines? For a whole group? This app really knows how to make things weird." He swiped away the example, determined to put his own twist on the task. "Alright, Karl. Think outside the box this time."

His eyes scanned the food court, where a long line stretched in front of a bubble tea shop. People fidgeted, checked their phones, and muttered impatiently to themselves. It was the perfect setting for his experiment.

Instead of targeting one person, Karl opened the app and typed:

"The group waiting in line will perceive standing in line as a communal activity that's exciting and worth discussing with others."

He hit [YES] and stepped back to watch.

---

The shift was almost immediate. A ripple of change went through the line as the customers glanced around, suddenly more engaged with their surroundings.

A woman near the middle turned to the man behind her. "You know, waiting in line isn't so bad when you think about it. It's like... part of the experience."

The man raised an eyebrow, then nodded. "Yeah. I mean, it's not every day you get to share a moment with strangers, right?"

Near the front, two teenagers started talking animatedly about their favorite bubble tea flavors, roping in a nearby mother and her child. The group began laughing and exchanging recommendations, the tension and impatience in the line completely dissolved.

Karl leaned against a nearby pillar, barely suppressing a laugh. "This is ridiculous. I've turned waiting in line into a social event."

As the line moved forward, people kept the energy alive, chatting, laughing, and even cheering each other on when someone reached the counter.

---

His phone buzzed with a notification.

---

[Tutorial Quest Progress: 16/20]

[Uncommon Points: 220]

---

Karl smirked as he walked away, the once-ordinary line now resembling a mini party. "Group quests are definitely more fun," he said to himself. "Let's see how crazy the next one gets."

He opened the app again, eager to find another group to experiment on. The day was still young, and the possibilities felt endless.