The Ultimate Pranker System

Chapter 11: Subtle Sabotage

The dim light of the slave quarters flickered faintly as Adam leaned against the cold stone wall, his thoughts racing. The damp, musty air clung to his skin, but he barely noticed it. His mind was too preoccupied with the opportunities his system had recently revealed.

The noble family's hierarchy was vast and cruel, with slaves like him existing at the very bottom of the ladder. Above them were the low-level stewards, the taskmasters who derived pleasure from their authority over others. Higher still were the young masters and mistresses of the noble family, each vying for favor and dominance. It was a world where cruelty was currency, and Adam had learned the hard way that kindness was a liability.

But Adam wasn't like the others. He wasn't here to grovel, to endure humiliation, or to accept his place in the system. No—he was here to break it.

Objective: Cause a minor conflict between two noble siblings without being detected.

Reward: [Random Tier 1 Item].

A smirk tugged at the corner of Adam's lips as the system message flashed before him. "Perfect," he muttered under his breath.

The noble siblings in question were Yin Xue and Yin Bao, the eldest son and daughter of the Yin family. Yin Xue, the arrogant and ruthless firstborn, was obsessed with maintaining his superiority. Yin Bao, on the other hand, was calculating and ambitious, always looking for ways to undermine her brother while hiding her true intentions behind a mask of grace.

Adam knew enough about their personalities to exploit the cracks in their relationship.

"Let's see how much chaos I can stir up," he thought, his fingers tapping idly on the wooden bucket he'd been ordered to scrub.

Later that evening, Adam made his move.

The first step in his plan was deceptively simple: plant a seed of doubt. He knew that Yin Bao treasured her prized orchid garden, a gift from her late mother. The delicate flowers were her pride and joy, and she spent hours tending to them every week. Conversely, Yin Xue had little patience for sentimentality.

Adam waited until the estate was quiet, the servants busy in other parts of the sprawling mansion. Slipping into the garden, he carefully uprooted one of the orchids and replaced it with a withered, half-dead weed he had found earlier that day.

For added effect, he scattered a handful of crushed orchid petals nearby. It was a small, subtle change—but one that would not go unnoticed.

The next morning, as Adam scrubbed the stone tiles in the courtyard, he overheard the commotion.

"Who dared touch my garden?!" Yin Bao's shrill voice echoed through the halls.

Adam risked a glance from his position. Yin Bao stood at the entrance to the garden, her hands clenched into fists, her usually composed face twisted in fury. A cluster of servants had gathered nearby, their heads bowed in fear.

"Do you think this is a joke?!" she continued, pointing to the offending weed. "My orchids—my mother's orchids—who would dare defile them like this?"

The servants stammered incoherent apologies, none of them willing to risk her wrath by speaking up.

Yin Xue's voice cut through the tension like a knife. "What's all this noise about?"

He strode into the courtyard, his imposing figure commanding attention. His long robes swept the ground as he approached, his expression one of irritation.

"My garden has been tampered with," Yin Bao snapped, turning to face him. "And I demand to know who's responsible."

Yin Xue's brow furrowed as he glanced at the garden. "It's just a plant. Why are you making such a fuss?"

"Just a plant?" Yin Bao hissed, her voice dripping with venom. "You've never cared about anything that doesn't serve your ego. I wouldn't be surprised if this was your doing!"

Yin Xue's eyes narrowed. "Don't accuse me of your mismanagement. If you can't even protect your precious flowers, perhaps you're not as competent as you pretend to be."

The tension between them was palpable, and Adam watched from the shadows, suppressing a grin. The seed of doubt had taken root. Now it was time to water it.

That evening, Adam slipped into Yin Bao's chambers. The room was lavishly decorated, a testament to her status within the family. He worked quickly, placing a single piece of folded parchment on her desk. The note, written in a shaky, unfamiliar hand, read:

"Your brother's disdain for you runs deep. He sees you as nothing more than a burden to his legacy. Be wary of his next move."

Satisfied with his handiwork, Adam slipped out of the room, his heart pounding with adrenaline. He knew that Yin Bao would find the note before morning—and that her already fragile trust in her brother would shatter further.

The next day, the tension between Yin Bao and Yin Xue was impossible to ignore. The siblings avoided each other during meals, their exchanges curt and laced with suspicion. The servants whispered amongst themselves, speculating about the growing rift.

Adam, meanwhile, carried out his duties with an air of innocence. He scrubbed floors, fetched water, and endured the occasional insults from stewards and guards. But beneath the surface, he was plotting his next move.

Reward: [Random Tier 1 Item Obtained: Shadowstep Talisman].

The talisman appeared in Adam's hand, its surface etched with intricate patterns that shimmered faintly in the light.

[Shadowstep Talisman]: Allows the user to teleport a short distance within a 10-meter radius. Single use.

Adam's eyes gleamed with satisfaction. "This will come in handy," he murmured, tucking the talisman into his robes.

The chaos he had sown between Yin Bao and Yin Xue was only the beginning. Each small victory brought him closer to his ultimate goal: escaping the chains of slavery and rising to power in this cutthroat world.

For now, though, he would wait. Patience was a virtue, after all—and Adam was nothing if not patient.

End of Chapter 11