Ethan Benjamin stood outside the workshop. The Florida sun beat down on his neck, but a chill settled in his chest. His hands still trembled.
"You're fired, Ethan!"
The voice of Jack Mole, the workshop owner, played on a loop in his mind. It was a single mistake. A greasy wrench had slipped, leaving a jagged scratch on a vintage Mustang's hood. One accident, and his livelihood was gone.
Ethan walked down the sidewalk, letting out a hollow laugh.
.....Ha, Ha
"Great. Just great".
What am I supposed to do now ?
How am I going to survive in these city where money is everything ?
Where will I find a job in such a short notice?
He had no savings. Rent was due in three weeks. His landlord, Mr. Henderson, was an ex-army man who didn't believe in excuses. In Henderson's world, you either had the cash or you and your suitcase on the curb.
Ethan shoved his hands into his pockets. He was twenty-eight, an orphan from a border village, with nothing to his name but a third-tier mechanical diploma.
[DING]
Ethan froze. He pulled out his phone, but the screen was dark. The sound hadn't come from his pocket. It had echoed inside his mind.
[Suitable Host Detected.][Condition: Hardworking Individual at Lowest Social Tier-- Confirmed][Binding Initiated... Binding Successful.]
Ethan's heart hammered against his ribs. As a reader of web novels, he knew exactly what this meant. Fate hadn't abandoned him; it had handed him a lever to move the world.
[Welcome, Host.][Tycoon: More Offspring, More Wealth System Activated.]
A translucent blue-purple panel flickered into existence before him.
Host: Ethan BenjaminWealth: $500Status: UnemployedAttributes:
Appearance: 6.5 (Average)
Stamina: 3 (Low Endurance)
Vitality: 2 (Very Low)
Intelligence: 7 (Smart)
Charm: 3 (Below Average)
Strength: 4 (Below Average)
Height: 182 (Considered Tall)
He wasn't ugly, but he was forgettable-a face in the crowd. The system text scrolled further, outlining a cold, biological directive.
To upgrade to Version 2.0, he needed to produce offspring with ten women's. The criteria were extremely stringent:
Appearance: 80 or 80+
Age: 19 to 35
Specific hip-to-waist ratios: 0.7 to 0.8
History: No more than two previous partners.
No-smoking, Drinking-Controlled, No-Drugs and No-Tattoos.
Success would unlock a Mall containing all high-grade system products like: High-Tire Medicinal Formulas, High-Tire skills, High-Tire Technology, Talents and Patents .
[Beginner's Gift Pack is Available. Would you Like to Claim it?]
Ethan's gaze sharpened. The desperation of a few minutes ago vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating hunger.
"Claim it," he whispered.
A surge of warmth flooded his veins. It wasn't a burn; it was a purification. The chronic fatigue from years of manual labor and mal-nourishment evaporated. His muscles tightened, and his vision grew piercingly clear.
[Host Attributes Updated:]
Appearance: 7.5 (Clean state achieved)
Stamina: 6.5 (Developing Reserve)
Vitality: 7.0 (Resilient Core)
Charm: 6.5 (Natural magnetic presence)
Strength: 7.5 (Power Threshold)
[Start-Up Capital Received: $100,000]
[New Skill Acquired: Eye of Discernment (Passive)]
[New Skill Acquired: Goblins Fertility (Passive)]
Eye of Discernment: Allows the user to see the "true value" of an item, see "growth potential" in stocks, land or business. In negotiation, it revels the opponents "bottom line" or "desperation- level".( In Business Field).
(Harem Field) It shows there favorability meter, hidden traits, loyalty check and Past/History etc.
Goblins Fertility: Generation Acceleration, Multiple Births, Trait Absorption, conception chance(100 %) and Loyalty Lock( Offspring will be 100% loyal towards their father)
Ethan touched his jawline. It felt sharper. He looked at a passing luxury car, and data points flickered in the corner of his eye.
The rules were clear: speak of the system, and he would face a permanent, agonizing forfeit. But the money was clean. The power was real.
He looked at the bustling Florida streets. He was no longer a fired mechanic. He was a predator with a budget.
"Time to go to work," Ethan muttered, his voice devoid of warmth.