The Gremlin Problem

There are a lot of stories about losers who get a second chance and become heroes. This is not one of them. My name is Garry Mills. I’m not unlucky, misunderstood, or secretly special. I’m just very good at avoiding responsibility and exploiting badly designed systems. When Earth got integrated into a cosmic System, everyone received powers, guides, and helpful instructions. I got Gremlin's Luck. It mostly makes things malfunction at inconvenient times. So instead of relying on luck, I lie, cheat, steal information, and intentionally do the opposite of whatever the System tells me to do. Not because it’s smart—but because it’s satisfying. This is a story about a man who refuses to optimize, won’t behave, and treats the universe like a customer service desk that deserves to be annoyed. If I’m going to die, I might as well be a problem.