aOS v.1.26

The slot machine's lights flashed in sync with a loud ding, signaling yet another jackpot. Alex stared at the screen in disbelief as the counter hit 21 straight wins. His hands tightened on the sides of the machine, heart racing with a mix of excitement and dread.

"Twenty-one," he muttered under his breath, glancing around the casino floor. "Where are the guys in suits? Shouldn't they be here by now?"

Anxiety gnawed at him. This was too much, too fast. He'd expected the casino enforcers to swoop in and drag him into some back room for "questioning" after ten, maybe fifteen jackpots in a row. But now at twenty-one? It didn't feel right. He looked over at Jin, who was still leaning against the machine beside him, arms crossed, watching calmly.

"Jin, something's off. I'm hitting way too many wins. Why haven't they come for me yet?" Alex whispered, glancing nervously over his shoulder.

Jin straightened up, a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "You don't have to worry about that," he said, his voice soft but confident. "I got it covered."

Confused, Alex blinked. "What do you mean—"

Before he could finish, Jin nodded toward the far corner of the casino, where two men in black suits were slumped against the wall, completely out of place among the flashing lights and cheerful crowd. 

Jin's massive hands were wrapped around their throats, holding them effortlessly. The men's faces were a mixture of panic and surprise, unable to break free from Jin's iron grip.

"As long as I'm here," Jin said casually, his voice never wavering as if he weren't choking two grown men with ease, "you can continue your little bet with Master without any hindrance."

Kofi chimed in, his voice a low growl of amusement. "Gotta love Jin. Sweet as pie, but when he flips the switch, it's like a panda with anger issues."

Alex's eyes widened as he took in the sight. Jin, the gentle giant who rarely showed any kind of aggression, was effortlessly neutralizing the Golden Dragon Casino's enforcers like it was just another day at the office. The sheer power in his calm demeanor left Alex speechless.

"You... you're something else, Jin," Alex muttered, half in awe, half in disbelief.

Jin gave him a quick nod and released his grip on the two enforcers, who crumpled to the ground, gasping for air. They wouldn't be a problem anymore. Not tonight.

"Damn, you're really pulling this off," Kofi said, laughing. "Like watching a slow-motion train wreck but in reverse. Keep going, man. What's the worst that could happen?"

With the immediate threat handled, Alex returned his attention to the slot machine, watching as the numbers on the progressive jackpot climbed higher. He grinned as he hit his 33rd jackpot in a row, the machine practically exploding with lights and sound.

"Alright, that's enough of the slots," Alex said, stepping away from the machine. "Time to move to the real action—roulette."

"Oh, so now you're a big boy, ready for the big leagues, huh?" Kofi teased. "Let's see if those tiny human reflexes can keep up."

Alex ignored the dig, making his way toward the roulette tables. He mentally switched the Camera app from Slow-Mo mode to Time-Lapse. His eyes flicked to the digital screen floating in front of him, watching as it sped up in ultra-fast succession, showing the spins of the roulette wheel five seconds into the future. It was all happening too quickly for his human eyes to track, but that wasn't his problem.

"Kofi, you got this, right?" Alex whispered under his breath.

"You bet your ass I do," Kofi replied with confidence. "You might not be able to keep up, but I've got the reflexes to handle this. Just keep your eyes on the prize."

Thanks to his direct connection with Alex's aPhone through the AeroPods, Kofi's superhuman reflexes allowed him to process the rapid movements displayed on the screen. Even as the wheel spun faster than Alex could comprehend, Kofi analyzed every outcome, every subtle shift in the ball's trajectory.

"This is child's play," Kofi added, a smirk audible in his tone. "I've seen comets crash faster than this. Humans and your fragile perception of time. Just don't screw it up."

Alex smirked, the nervous energy from earlier morphing into a calm determination. With Kofi handling the tech, he could trust that every move he made was calculated to perfection. He slid into a seat at the roulette table, nodding to the dealer.

"Let's play."

The wheel began to spin, the familiar whirring sound filling the air as the ball bounced around the numbered pockets. In the corner of his vision, the digital screen flashed with predictions five seconds ahead, showing where the ball would land. Kofi's voice cut in, cool and collected.

"Red 14. Trust me."

Alex placed his chips on Red 14 without hesitation, the adrenaline coursing through him like a live wire. The ball slowed, bouncing unpredictably—then, with a final clatter, it dropped right into the pocket.

"Jackpot," Kofi said smugly. "I'm starting to think you should buy a lottery ticket. Or twelve. Either way, we're printing money now."

"Printing?" Alex chuckled under his breath. "Feels more like outright robbery at this point."

"Robbery implies effort. This is like stealing candy from a blind baby. In slow-mo. Keep it coming."

The wheel spun again, and Kofi's voice directed Alex's bets with surgical precision, each prediction hitting perfectly. The dealer looked at Alex with thinly veiled suspicion, but Alex just smiled, pretending not to notice.

"They're starting to sweat, aren't they?" Kofi snickered. "Yeah, I can see it in their eyes. They're thinking, 'How the hell is this guy winning so much?' But don't worry, as long as Jin's got their goons choking on their own bad decisions, we're golden."

Alex couldn't help but laugh at Kofi's relentless sarcasm. He knew the alien's ego could get unbearable, but right now, it was hard not to appreciate Kofi's playful jabs. The thrill of beating the system felt incredible.

Another spin. Another jackpot.

"We're officially at 'they'll burn the building down just to stop you' levels," Kofi said, voice dripping with satisfaction. "But hey, let's aim for 50, shall we? I want to see if we can make them cry real tears."

Alex placed another bet, heart racing, completely in sync with the mad rush of adrenaline that surged through his veins. And with Kofi by his side, nothing felt out of reach.

Jin, standing nearby, couldn't help but watch in amazement. Each time Alex hit another jackpot, it reminded him more and more of his Master—calm, calculating, and impossibly lucky. The resemblance in their demeanor was uncanny, even if Alex wasn't fully aware of it. Jin now understood why his Master had seen so much potential in this kid.

"Incredible," Jin thought, eyes narrowing in admiration. "He's just like him."

What Jin didn't realize, however, was that Alex's wins weren't just the result of skill or instinct. It was an entirely different level of cheating—extraterrestrial cheating—thanks to Kofi's superhuman abilities and direct connection to Alex's aPhone. But for now, that little secret was safe between Alex and Kofi.

"As long as Jin's in the dark," Kofi quipped, "we're in business. So, Alex, what's next? Think we can break the house before they break us?"

Alex just grinned, his mind already racing with possibilities. "Time for some insurance"