Ethan Benjamin stood outside the workshop. The Florida sun beat down on his neck, but he felt cold. His hands were still shaking.
"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 rough scratch on a vintage Mustang's shiny, cherry-colored hood. One accident, and his livelihood was gone.
Ethan walked down the footpath and let out a hollow laugh.
.....Ha, Ha
"Great. Just great".
What was he supposed to do now? How could he survive in this city where money is everything?
He had no savings, and his rent was due in three weeks. His landlord, Mr. Henderson, was a former army man. In Henderson's world, you either had cash or your suitcase ended up in the footpath.
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. As a reader of web novels, he knew exactly what this meant. Fate hadn't abandoned him; it had handed him a tool to change the world.
[Welcome, Host.]
[Tycoon: More Offspring, More Wealth System Activated.]
A translucent blue-purple panel appeared in front of his eyes.
[Host: Ethan Benjamin]
[Wealth: $500]
[Status: Unemployed]
[Attributes]:
[1)Appearance: 6.5 (Average)
2)Stamina: 3 (Low Endurance)
3)Vitality: 2 (Very Low)
4)Intelligence:7 (Smart)
5)Charm:3 (Below Average)
6)Strength:4 (Below Average)
7)Height: 182 (Considered Tall)]
He wasn't ugly, but he had a forgettable face in the crowd. The system text scrolled further, outlining a cold, biological directive.
The text scrolled down, showing a cold set of rules. To upgrade to V2.0, he needed to have children with ten more. The requirements are strict:
[Appearance: 80 or 80+]
[Body: 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 System Mall containing 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?]
Ethan's eye turned sharp. The desperation and fear he felt a minute ago had 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 tired feeling from years of manual labor and mal-nourishment evaporated. His muscles tightened, and his vision became clear.
[Host Attributes Updated:]
Appearance: 7.5 (Clean state achieved)
Stamina: 6.5 (Developing Reserve)
Vitality: 7.0 (Resilient Core)
Intelligence:8.5(Smart)
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 reveals the opponent's "bottom line" or "desperation- level".( In Business Field).
(Harem Field) It shows their 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 flashed in the corner of his eye.
[Warning: Secret Disclosure]
[Revealing the system is strictly forbidden.
Penalty: Electric Shock+ System Unbinding+ Total Loss of Rewards and Cash.]
The power was real. He looked at the busy Florida streets. He wasn't a fired mechanic anymore. He was a predator with a bank account.
"Time to go to work," Ethan muttered, his voice devoid of any emotions.