Chapter 1

Around 8:00 a.m. on May 15, 2024, Nicholas Jakeman's biological clock pulled him out of sleep. Still groggy, he stumbled out of bed and made his way to the bathroom, half-squinting as he started his morning routine.

Suddenly, he blurted out, "Huh?"

As Nicholas stared at his own reflection in the mirror, he froze. It was as if he had just seen something utterly shocking and unbelievable.

The man in the mirror had sharp, chiseled features and was ridiculously handsome—undeniably him, yet somehow way better-looking than usual.

While he had always been decent-looking, his appearance seemed to be on another level that day.

After all, Nicholas had spent years staying up late, battling oily skin and constant breakouts. Yet, his face was now flawlessly smooth and radiant.

Nicholas's first thought was that his nearsightedness had taken a turn for the worse—how else could his reflection have this insane built-in beauty filter?

He mumbled, "Did my eyesight get worse?"

Shaking his head, he brushed his teeth while admiring his new level of attractiveness. He could not help but mutter in amazement, "Damn! I look good!"

Then, Nicholas' gaze dropped, catching sight of his bare upper body. "One, two, three… holy shit! Eight-pack abs and a perfect V-line!"

His eyes widened as he turned sideways for a better look. Clenching his fists, he knocked against his abs a few times.

The sound was solid—like hitting a steel plate. Nicholas was impressed and thought, "Amazing! This is the perfect physique. Am I still dreaming? Man, if I am, this is one hell of a dream!"

Nicholas grinned from ear to ear. The moment he spat out the mouthwash, an electronic, mechanical notification sound suddenly echoed in his mind. "Ding!"

Before he could even react, another mechanical voice followed right after. "Due to the Host's unwavering determination and having wished for the same thing for five years straight, the Live Free System has been successfully activated and bound!"

Nicholas clamped down hard on his toothbrush, his eyes widening as he thought, "What the hell? A system? Is this the type of system I've read about in all those online novels?"

Nicholas hesitantly greeted it, "Uh… hey, Live Free System?"

The system replied, "Hello, Host. You can communicate with the system directly through your thoughts."

Nicholas swallowed hard, the faint taste of mouthwash lingering on his tongue—not that he cared about that right now.

He asked, "What exactly do you do?"

As someone who had been binge-reading web novels for years, he knew exactly what a system was. So, he wondered just how powerful this one was. Would he skyrocket instantly, or would he have to level up gradually?

The system's voice rang out. "Spend freely and enjoy the perfect life! As long as the Host spends their own money, they will receive a randomly multiplied cashback reward!"

Nicholas was surprised to hear that. The system sounded just like those rich-tycoon systems from the novels he had read. He asked, "Are there any limitations?"

The system replied, "Absolutely no restrictions! The only requirement is that the money spent must be your own—then you'll receive a cashback bonus!

"Oh, and occasionally, if you complete special reward tasks assigned by the system, you might unlock unexpected abilities or exclusive items!"

Nicholas asked, "What about spending on other people? Like, I don't know... treating a gorgeous woman to something nice?"

The system replied matter-of-factly, "Spending is spending. The system does not factor in the recipient's attractiveness."

"Now that is insane!" Nicholas exclaimed, clearly impressed.

Compared to the flashy, over-the-top billionaire systems he had read about in online novels, this Live Free System was top-tier.

At least it did not force him to spend exclusively on high-ranking beauties to trigger rewards—unlike some ridiculous systems in certain web novels.

He still remembered one he had read where the protagonist had to shower a manipulative queen bee with gifts just to get benefits. The way that guy flexed was beyond cringe.

Just as Nicholas was about to ask if there was some kind of newbie welcome package, his phone vibrated on the nightstand. He immediately set down his toothbrush and cup before striding out of the bathroom.

Picking up his phone, he glanced at the screen and found that the caller ID read "Baby". His thoughts drifted back to two and a half years ago.

One lonely night, he had nothing better to do and downloaded a casual gaming app. It had online pool, backgammon, Snakes and Ladders, and a few other mini-games. That was where he met a girl named Charlotte Miller.

They played pool and backgammon together often, and over time, they got closer. One thing led to another, and before he knew it, they had started an online relationship.

Two and a half years had passed since then. At first, Nicholas had been a clueless newbie when it came to online dating, but now, with years of experience, he had officially become a veteran.

Of course, he had done what most guys did online—talked big. He had always hyped himself up, claiming to be tall, handsome, and a loaded man.

Every time Nicholas ended a voice call, he would feel embarrassed of himself, but hey—it was not illegal to show off online, was it? After all, it was not like he had ever planned to meet her in real life anyway.

Online dating was fun, but it was far from realistic. Besides, he lived in Jazona, in the Southwest, while Charlotte lived in Stola.

If she had been a little closer, maybe he would have considered it, but Stola? That was just way too far.

Snapping out of his thoughts, Nicholas answered the call. A cheerful voice sounded from the other end, calling out, "Darling!"

No forced sweetness, exaggerated tone, or fake flirtiness—just smooth, effortless charm. It sounded nice, really nice.

"I'm here, baby," Nicholas responded casually.

"It's February 9th already, you know. Just a few more days until the 20th of May! It's our anniversary!" Charlotte said, her voice filled with anticipation.

"What about it?" Nicholas had not connected the dots yet.

"What do you mean 'what about it'? Didn't I tell you before? This year, I want to spend the 20th of May with you! Hmph! You never pay attention to what I say!" Charlotte huffed in frustration.

Nicholas quickly came up with an excuse and said, "I just woke up, my brain's still a little foggy."

Now that she mentioned it, he did remember that last year, she had wanted to visit him on May 20th. However, he dodged that bullet by claiming he had to go back home for some urgent family matter.

Back then, he had been nothing more than a broke guy talking big online—there was no way he would risk meeting in person. However, it seemed unavoidable this year.

He wondered what excuse he should use this time. Then, almost immediately, he snapped back to reality, wanting to slap himself.

He thought, "What the hell am I thinking? I literally have a system now! Why am I still acting like my old broke-ass self?"

"So… should I book my flight?" Charlotte asked, her voice carrying a hint of hope.

Nicholas took a deep breath and made his decision. He replied, "I'll book it for you."

A couple hundred bucks for a plane ticket? He could afford that. Besides, it was the perfect chance to see if this system really worked.

Chapter 2

"Darling, let me pay for it myself." Charlotte's gentle voice came through, sounding warm and considerate.

She added, "Your money doesn't just fall from the sky. Just make sure you show me a good time when I get there. I heard Jazona has amazing gumbo—I'm definitely having a few bowls when I arrive!"

Nicholas was not about to pass up the perfect chance to test the system. He replied, "It's fine. Just send me your details on WhatsApp. This ticket's on me."

Charlotte sighed in defeat. "Well, alright. Then book it for the 18th. I'll spend the weekend there and fly back Monday—I've got class in the afternoon."

"Got it." Nicholas nodded. They chatted for a bit longer before ending the call.

A few minutes later, Charlotte sent over her full name, ID number, and phone number. He read it aloud, "Charlotte Miller... What the heck! She's born in 2004?"

Honestly, after two and a half years of online dating, this was the first time Nicholas had learned her actual age. She was 20 this year, meaning she had been around 17 when they first met. He finally realized why she had always dodged the age question.

Just then, a voice message popped up. "Darling, let me treat you to something delicious once I get there!"

Charlotte's voice was filled with excitement, making it clear how much she was looking forward to this.

"Sure. Let me book your flight first." Nicholas exited WhatsApp and opened a booking app to get the ticket.

"Hold up..." he muttered. As soon as he pulled up the flight options from Stola to Jazona, reality hit him like a brick.

His online persona was supposed to be a rich, tall, and handsome guy. If he booked the cheapest economy seat, that would completely ruin his image.

Nicholas immediately backed out and checked his account balance—7,852 dollars. Then, he switched back to the booking app and scrolled straight to the first-class section.

This was not about pretending to be rich anymore. After all, the more he spent, the bigger his future rewards would be. Hence, this was an investment.

The first-class seat would cost 6,300 dollars. Nicholas took a deep breath and called out in his mind, "System, you there?"

The system's response was instant. "I am, Host. How can I assist you?"

"Nothing. Just checking." Without hesitation, Nicholas proceeded with the purchase.

Soon, the bank card payment notification sounded. A similar mechanical chime echoed in his mind the next moment, followed by a system notification.

"Congratulations, Host! Your purchase was successful. You have received a tenfold cashback reward!

"As this is your first official purchase, marking your entry into the perfect life, the system has also granted you an exclusive skill: Discerning Skill!"

Just then, Nicholas received a text message notification on his phone. He glanced down as a text message popped up on the screen.

It read, "Account 4399. On May 15, at 8:12 a.m., a deposit of 63,000 dollars was made. Available balance—10,759 dollars."

Nicholas gasped in shock. He blurted out, "It's real! This isn't a dream! The system actually works!"

Then, he pinched his thigh. The sharp pain shot through him—confirming that this was, without a doubt, reality. In the very next moment, he let out an uncontrollable shout of excitement.

He could not believe that he actually received ten times worth the cashback. The 6,300 dollars had instantly turned to 63,000 dollars.

This was not just satisfying—it was insanely satisfying. Before Nicholas could fully process the euphoria, his phone buzzed again, pulling him back to reality.

Nicholas answered the call and said, "Charlotte, what's wrong?"

Charlotte exclaimed in surprise, "Darling, why did you book me a first-class ticket?"

Nicholas chuckled and replied, "It's fine. It's not even 20,000 dollars—it's not a big deal."

As he said it, a flicker of disbelief flashed through his eyes. Since when had he been able to casually call 6,300-dollar pocket change? Not in a million years.

"Not a big deal?" Charlotte's tone suddenly dropped, her voice turning soft but serious. "Darling, first of all, I'm not a materialistic person. First class or economy doesn't make a difference to me. The only thing that matters is seeing you."

She said, "But I don't want you to spend so much on me because of this. A few thousand dollars isn't a small change—it's an entire month's salary for most people. For some, it's even years' worth of living expenses."

Nicholas paused, momentarily taken aback.

"Darling… the truth is, I actually came to Jazona last year on the 20th of May to see you," Charlotte continued. "Back then, you were still delivering food."

Nicholas froze, shocked to learn that she had come to find him.

Charlotte explained, "I know we've only been dating online, but for someone like me—who's never been in a real relationship before—what we have feels genuine.

"When I'm upset, you always listen, no matter how much I rant or complain. And sure, you annoy me sometimes, but isn't that what real relationships are supposed to be like?"

When he heard this, Nicholas took a deep breath.

"It's really fine. Since you just booked it, we can still cancel it and get a refund." Charlotte's voice came through again, gentle yet firm.

Nicholas exhaled. "Charlotte, I was just trying to experience something different at that time. I might not be as tall and handsome as you imagined, but I'm actually from a wealthy family."

Since he had been the one to craft this persona, he might as well stick to it. If he did not have the system, he would have backed out and come clean. But now, he had it. And it was insanely powerful.

In just a few seconds, 6,300 dollars had turned into 63,000 dollars. With a few more days to grow his fortune, there was no way he would not be able to maintain the rich-kid act by the time Charlotte arrived.

"Huh?" Charlotte sounded stunned.

"I'm serious." Nicholas smiled wryly. "And I really had no idea you came to find me last year."

"Really?" Charlotte still seemed skeptical.

"I swear. What kind of car do you like? I'll drive it when I pick you up." Nicholas chuckled.

Charlotte replied softly, "It doesn't matter. I don't care about stuff like that."

"Charlotte, get to class already!" A voice chimed in from her side.

"Coming! Let me just say goodbye to my boyfriend." Charlotte responded to the person. Then, she returned to the phone. "Darling, in that case, I won't worry about you anymore. I'll go to class now. Let's talk later."

"Go ahead." Nicholas nodded.

Charlotte shyly blew him a kiss before ending the call.

Nicholas stared at his phone and then glanced at his account balance—64,552 dollars. It was not much yet.

Nonetheless, by the time Charlotte arrived in Jazona, he was confident he would break seven figures—maybe even eight.

"The richer you are, the easier it is to make more money," Nicholas muttered. He believed that 64,552 dollars was more than enough to leverage something big.

Chapter 3

Just then, a system notification rang in Nicholas' mind.

"Sensing the Host's strong desire to spend, the system has issued a reward task—Spend 63,000 dollars within 30 minutes, and you will receive a Mercedes-Benz E300"

The system's voice echoed in Nicholas' head. He thought, "Spend 63,000 dollars in half an hour and get a Benz E300? Hell yeah!"

He grinned from ear to ear the moment he saw the task. A Mercedes-Benz E300 could cost about half a million dollars.

Now, sure, maybe for the ultra-rich, a Benz like that was not a big deal. However, not everyone could afford it.

For the average person, a half-a-million-dollar car was absolutely a luxury ride. Even if someone made 8,000 dollars a month, that was only 96,000 dollars a year.

Without spending a dime on anything else, it would still take them at least five years to afford that car. Hence, this was the epitome of a luxury car.

The system's voice rang out again, saying, "Timer started. Please complete the reward task as soon as possible. Good luck, Host!"

"Oh, I will finish this." Nicholas immediately got ready to head out, but just as he took a few steps, he froze.

This reward task had a strict time limit. If he left the house now, he would waste precious minutes just getting somewhere—and there was no guarantee he could even find a good way to spend the money fast enough.

Just then, his eyes sharpened as an idea struck him. At the same time, his phone chimed with a notification.

Nicholas instinctively glanced at the screen. It was a TikTok alert, "SweetiePie just went live!"

Seeing the notification, his eyes instantly lit up. He thought it was just the perfect timing.

Nicholas asked, "System, tipping streamers definitely counts as spending, right?"

The system confirmed, "Yes!"

Nicholas smirked, immediately tapping on the TikTok notification. "Well, damn. This reward task is basically a free Benz E300!"

The livestream opened up, and a bright, cheerful voice filled his ears.

"Welcome, RainyNicholas, to the stream! Welcome, TubbyDoggo! Welcome—huh? I was just casually streaming for fun this morning, but wow, I didn't expect this many people to show up! We already have over a dozen viewers!"

Nicholas glanced at the screen. A bubbly, 18-ish girl with stunning features had her face up close to the camera, looking surprised at the sudden influx of viewers.

The chat was already rolling, with someone commenting, "My wifey is blowing me kisses!" The person also added a few kissing emojis at the end.

"How is SweetiePie not famous yet? Her looks are top-tier!"

"No beauty filter, no edits, just pure raw camera footage—this girl's a natural stunner!"

"I'd marry SweetiePie in a heartbeat! Marrying her is the greatest blessing ever!"

Inside the livestream chat, messages were rolling in rapidly. Nicholas, however, exited the stream and immediately started topping up his balance.

Within seconds, his account showed a successful recharge of 630,000 TikTok diamonds. Without wasting a moment, he navigated back to SweetiePie's livestream through his following list.

Opening the gift panel, he scrolled down. It did not take long before he pressed on a Grand Prize Gift—worth 30,000 TikTok diamonds each.

"Misty Nicky has sent Grand Prize Gift ×1 to the streamer!"

"Huh?"

At that moment, SweetiePie, who was in the middle of tying her twin pigtails on camera, suddenly froze. Her big, expressive eyes widened in shock as she quickly leaned closer to the screen.

Seeing the Grand Prize Gift announcement flooding the chat, disbelief spread across her face.

"Oh my! Misty Nicky just sent me a Grand Prize Gift! Am I dreaming? Who would actually send me one of these?" SweetiePie's excited voice filled the stream.

However, it did not stop there.

"Misty Nicky has sent Grand Prize Gift ×1!"

"Misty Nicky has sent Grand Prize Gift ×1!"

"Misty Nicky has sent Grand Prize Gift ×1!"

In the blink of an eye, Nicholas had sent 21 Grand Prize Gifts.

The chat exploded, and someone commented, "Holy shit, boss move!"

"Damn! SweetiePie really hit the jackpot—21 Grand Prizes? How much is that?"

"That's 63,000 dollars! Oh my god, even after TikTok takes its cut, SweetiePie just made 31,500 dollars in a few minutes!"

"Wow! Misty Nicky, share some over! There are not many viewers yet. Let me grab one and renew SweetiePie's fan badge!"

As Nicholas' 21 Grand Prize Gifts lit up the screen, the entire livestream room went insane. SweetiePie was practically speechless, staring at the chat in utter disbelief. Even the small group of early-morning viewers had gone into a frenzy.

Just then, he received a notification. "Congratulations, Host! Your purchase was successful. You have received a 2x cashback reward."

Then, another notification rang out. "Congratulations, Host! You have perfectly completed the reward task and triggered a critical bonus reward—a Porsche Cayenne!"

While SweetiePie and her chat were still in a state of pure shock, Nicholas heard another set of system notifications ring through his mind.

He had received 126,000 dollars in his account. And on top of that, he had just earned himself a Porsche Cayenne—a million-dollar car.

"Holy shit. This system is insane!" Nicholas blurted out as he stared at his phone, his mind racing. Just like that, he had doubled his money and gotten a luxury SUV for free.

The sheer ease of it all was beyond satisfying.

"Misty Nicky? Misty Nicky? Are you still here?"

A sweet, playful voice snapped him out of his thoughts. Looking back at the stream, Nicholas saw SweetiePie—now with her pigtails neatly tied up and wearing black-rimmed glasses, giving off a cute, nerdy vibe.

He casually replied, "Yeah, I'm here," but in the back of his mind, he suddenly remembered the Discerning Skill he had received earlier.

He asked the system, "System, can I use Discerning Skill on people?"

"Yes!"

"Alright. Use it on SweetiePie."

"Name: Melody Lane

"Age: 18

"Height: Five feet and five inches

"Weight: 105 lbs

"Experience: 0

"Attractiveness Score: 88

"Affection Factor: 20"

A semi-transparent 3D status panel materialized in front of Nicholas' eyes. Scanning through it, his gaze locked onto the "88" under the attractiveness rating.

That was high. Honestly, he had rarely seen girls in real life who could reach that level—probably only campus beauties or minor celebrities.

Nicholas immediately realized something and thought, "Damn. This Discerning Skill is overpowered! With this, I can instantly tell if a girl is truly as innocent as she seems—or just pretending to be sweet.

"Not to mention, the Affection Factor is just as valuable. With this clear indicator, I can always know whether someone is genuine or just putting on an act."

Chapter 4

"Thank you so much, Misty Nicky, for the 21 Grand Prize Gifts! Nick, I need to head out for a bit. I'll stream again later just for you, okay?"

At that moment, Melody's sweet, melodic voice echoed through the livestream, instantly sending the small audience into a frenzy. They all melted at the sound of it.

Nicholas casually sent a message in the chat before exiting the livestream. Back on his homepage, he noticed several new DMs.

TubbyDoggo: "Can I ask you for a favor? How about lending me a couple hundred bucks for a meal?"

Young and Ambitious: "Nicholas, my lord, can you shower some gold on me too? I don't need much, just enough for a pork rib meal."

SweetiePie: "Nick, can we exchange numbers?"

Nicholas smirked as he read Melody's message. Those 21 Grand Prize Gifts must have completely rocked her world—no doubt about it.

For a small streamer with just over a thousand followers, getting that kind of reward was like hitting the jackpot.

Honestly, even a few sports car gifts would have been enough to make someone like Melody instantly reach out.

He sent her his number, then closed his DMs and logged out of TikTok. Slouching onto the couch in his living room, Nicholas pulled up his bank app and checked his balance—127,552 dollars.

He pulled out a cigarette, lit it, and took a slow drag. Exhaling a stream of smoke, Nicholas could not help but grin in satisfaction.

There was a reason he did not immediately capitalize on this and splurged on more pretty streamers for endless cashback rewards. It was straightforward.

He was still processing the fact that he had just gone from a broke nobody to a guy sitting on a six-figure balance practically overnight. For someone his age, having more than ten thousand dollars in savings was already a huge deal.

Just then, a WhatsApp notification popped up. Nicholas tapped on it and found that it was a message from Melody.

Her profile picture was a full-body shot. She wore twin pigtails tied with blue ribbons and what looked like a school uniform-inspired outfit with a matching blue bow at the collar.

Her pleated white skirt stopped just above her knees, revealing a pair of long, perfectly shaped legs. No stockings, no extra embellishments.

Ordinarily, Nicholas preferred a little something extra—maybe some sheer tights to complete the look. Then again, with legs that good, who needed anything else?

"Damn... absolute perfection." Nicholas took a deep breath, flicked his cigarette into the ashtray, and leaned back with a smirk.

Not long after, a voice message popped up. Melody said, "Nick, I've got something to take care of. Can we talk later?"

Nicholas listened to the message, then left it on read. Without replying, he exited WhatsApp, but instead of opening TikTok, he tapped on his novel app. Scrolling through his library, he clicked on an urban tycoon novel.

Gifts were available—each worth 500 dollars. Without hesitation, Nicholas instantly spammed ten of them, dropping 5,000 dollars. Immediately after, a notification sound rang out.

"Congratulations, Host! You have completed a transaction and received a 4x cashback reward!"

That would be 20,000 dollars. Seeing another deposit of 20,000 dollars hit his account, Nicholas grinned in satisfaction. He had promised to support this author, so he did not overdo it.

Sometimes, a gesture was enough—no need to stir up unnecessary trouble. Exiting the novel app, he opened TikTok. The moment he logged in, a loud, energetic voice greeted him.

"Welcome! So glad to have you here! Come play some fun games with me!"

Nicholas barely had time to react before the algorithm pushed a livestream onto his feed. He thought maybe it was because of the 21 Grand Prize Gifts he had sent earlier.

Without clicking in, he glanced at the preview.

A masked female streamer, wearing nude-colored stockings, was holding up a sign that read, "One tiny heart for one step on an acupressure mat. One big beer gift for three steps on an acupressure mat..."

Nicholas chuckled and shook his head, thinking it was too basic. Then, he noticed the highest-tier punishment was just a sunglasses gift.

Each pair of virtual sunglasses would cost 99 TikTok Diamonds, just about 9.90 dollars. Moreover, the so-called punishment was standing on an acupressure mat for a minute. It was just too cheap, and it was not even worth the effort.

"Let's top up 100 thousand dollars first," Nicholas said as he navigated to his homepage and added more funds.

Within moments, his balance updated to one million TikTok Diamonds. Just as he was about to scroll away, he accidentally clicked into the stream.

The streamer's voice perked up the moment he entered, excitement evident in her tone as she greeted, "Welcome, Misty Nicky! Do you want to play a game?"

Nicholas smirked and shook his head. Since he was already in, he might as well drop something.

"Misty Nicky has sent 1x Sunglasses Gift to the streamer!"

"Oh my! Thank you, Nick, for the sunglasses! As promised, I'll stand on the acupressure mat for the next minute!"

Grinning, the streamer immediately kicked off her shoes. She stepped onto the mat, and the camera caught the slight twitch in her brows as the discomfort set in.

Nicholas chuckled and shook his head. Of course, he knew it as easy as it seemed. However, he sent nine more sunglasses gifts without much thought.

A total of ten, which was enough for ten minutes of punishment. He was about to leave when the streamer's voice rang out again.

"Wow! Thank you so much, Nick, for the ten sunglasses! I'll be standing on the acupressure mat for ten whole minutes now! Everyone, don't forget to follow our top donor, Misty Nicky! Let's boost his followers!"

Nicholas raised an eyebrow and thought, "Huh. She's actually good at giving emotional value."

Since she knew how to play the game, he rewarded her with another 100 pairs of sunglasses. Eventually, the 110 pairs of sunglasses came out to 1,089 dollars.

With TikTok's cut, the streamer would pocket around 544 dollars. But in return, she had to stand on the acupressure mat for 110 minutes.

Honestly, it felt a little too long to stand on those things, and it was not exactly easy money.

"Holy shit! Nick just sent another 100 sunglasses! Oh my god, I've never received this many gifts before! I have to screenshot this—it's unreal! Thank you, Nick!"

Before long, the sound of screenshots filled the stream. The streamer bowed, thanked him repeatedly, and even wiped at the corners of her eyes as if she were tearing up.

Nicholas smirked. He knew it was an act, but the emotional value was real. Without hesitation, he sent 300 pairs more sunglasses.

Chapter 5

The moment Nicholas sent another wave of gifts, the streamer's eyes widened in shock. She exclaimed, "Holy—another 300 sunglasses?"

The chat exploded, with someone commenting, "Ha ha ha! That's a total of 400 sunglasses! That means 400 minutes—six hours and 40 minutes! Let's go! Now stand on that acupressure mat for the next six hours and 40 minutes!"

Another asked, "I just saw her wiping sweat. Is she starting to regret this?"

"Dude, standing for six hours is already brutal, but on an acupressure mat? That's straight-up torture!"

"Respect to the guy! This streamer has never backed down before—I wanna see if she finally gives in today!"

Never backed down before? Nicholas' eyes flickered with interest.

He was just about to send more sunglasses when the streamer suddenly spoke up, saying, "Alright, alright! I give up! I admit defeat! Six hours on this mat is brutal—just let me serve my time first, okay?"

Upon hearing that, Nicholas smirked and backed out of the stream.

At the same time, a system notification rang in his mind. "Congratulations, Host! Your purchase was successful. You have received a 5x cashback bonus!"

400 sunglasses would equal 3,960 dollars, which would come to a total of 19,800 dollars after cashback.

In just a few minutes, he had made more than 10,000 dollars on top of his original balance. Honestly, earning money while having fun like this was worth it.

For the next hour, Nicholas hopped around different livestreams. By the time he wrapped up, he had spent a total of 100 thousand dollars, which was one million TikTok Diamonds.

As Nicholas checked his bank balance and realized that he had reached 970 thousand dollars, a satisfied grin spread across his face.

"I'm done," Nicholas said as he cracked his fingers and slowly got up from the couch. Then, he glanced at the time and saw it was not even 10:00 a.m.

He could not help but lament, "Just a few hours ago, I was just a broke guy with only a few thousand in his account. Now, I'm sitting over here with nearly a million dollars in savings. This system is really amazing!"

Not to mention, he had also scored a million-dollar Porsche Cayenne.

As he remembered about the luxury car, he asked mentally, "Right—System, where's my Porsche Cayenne?"

The system replied, "Host, please check the coffee table."

Nicholas followed its cue and looked over. Sure enough, there was a document folder and a car key. His eyes immediately lit up.

Flipping open the folder, he skimmed through the paperwork and quickly confirmed there were no issues at all—the system had handled everything for him.

Nicholas gave a thumbs-up, genuinely impressed. He quickly praised, "System Buddy, you're the real MVP!"

After all, there was no hassle and no stress—everything was fully automated. If there were a way to leave a review, Nicholas would have given this system five stars.

Tossing the car key in his palm, he strode toward the door and mumbled, "Time to go spend some money."

As Nicholas made his way toward the stairs, the sharp sound of high heels clicking against the floor echoed through the hallway.

His apartment was in an older district of Jazona, where most buildings were low-rise, averaging about six floors.

He lived on the third floor, which made going up and down fairly convenient. Hearing the steady click-clack of heels approaching, he instinctively turned his head toward the sound.

Then, from around the stairwell corner, a pair of long, slender legs in sheer black stockings appeared first. A sleek, glossy stiletto encased each foot, the deep red sole adding an extra touch of allure.

A moment later, the rest of her body came into view. She wore a fitted blue turtleneck with an off-shoulder design, and even from the side, her face was flawless—a stunning beauty with absolutely no weak angles.

Soon, the woman stepped into Nicholas' view. Her silver hair was neatly pinned up in an elegant style, with two strands framing her face and a delicate fringe resting gently on her forehead.

Nicholas' eyes widened instantly as he internally praised, "Damn! A silver-haired bombshell. That body-hugging black pencil skirt was absolutely lethal."

At the same time, he recognized who she was—Queenie Stone. Then, he immediately activated the Discerning Skill.

"Name: Queenie Stone

"Age: 30

"Height: Five feet five inches

"Weight: 120 pounds

"Experience: 1

"Attractiveness Score: 92

"Affection Factor: 5"

Nicholas was stunned to find Queenie's attractiveness score was 92. While he expected her to score high, the number still caught him off guard.

The rhythmic click of her heels continued as she approached. Before long, she stopped right in front of him, looking at him with a hint of curiosity.

Nicholas snapped out of his daze and greeted her with a smile, "Hey, Queenie."

Queenie did not recognize him at first and asked, "And you are..."

But after giving him another glance, her eyes suddenly widened in surprise. He exclaimed, "Nicholas?"

Nicholas nodded. "That's me."

She stared at him for a few seconds, looking completely stunned. She looked at him in disbelief and blurted out, "It's only been a few months, but you've transformed so drastically! What happened?"

She had a pretty clear impression of this tenant of hers—after all, he had been renting here for nearly two and a half years.

Queenie remembered Nicholas as a young, hardworking, and responsible guy. Sure, he had fallen behind on rent a few times, but he always made sure to pay in the end.

To Queenie, that meant he was solid. She had just returned from traveling, and seeing him now, she was shocked. After all, his entire vibe had changed.

Nicholas was not just good-looking—he had this powerful male presence radiating off of him. Compared to before, when he had been a skinny, decent-looking kid. Now, he looked like a full-fledged alpha.

"I got into working out recently." Nicholas grinned.

Queenie praised him sincerely, "Good! That's how it should be! You look so much healthier now—and, honestly, even more handsome!"

"Thanks, Queenie. If I remember correctly, I still owe you two months' rent, right? Let me send that over now," Nicholas replied as he pulled out his phone.

Just then, Queenie noticed the Porsche Cayenne key in his hand. However, she did not think much of it. She had seen too many young guys walking around with fake luxury car keychains. Ferrari lighters and Porsche key fobs were all just for the show.

Queenie glanced at her phone but did not immediately accept the transfer. She said, "Alright. I got it. Nick, if you're ever in a tight spot, don't stress about rent. I know you're a good guy."

"Don't worry, Queenie. I recently switched jobs, and my pay is much better now. Plus, I had some savings, so finances aren't an issue anymore." Nicholas smiled reassuringly.

"In that case, I'll accept it." Queenie nodded and tapped to receive the payment.

At that exact moment, Nicholas' mind buzzed with a familiar notification.

"Congratulations, Host! Your purchase was successful. You have received a 10x cashback bonus!"

His eyes lit up. Two months' rent was not that much—just 3,000 dollars. But with a 10x return? That meant 30 thousand dollars straight into his account.

Adding that to the smaller earnings he had racked up throughout the morning, Nicholas' total balance officially hit one million dollars.

Just then, the familiar notification rang out again.