Rick stared at the system interface on the screen, his mind filled with questions. He began to think about who the "designated target person" mentioned by the system could be. His thoughts surged like a tidal wave as he tried to guess the system's intentions and rules.
"Is it just a woman?" He asked himself. As Rick thought back about his relationship with Sophia and the timing of the system's activation when he was heartbroken, he couldn't help but wonder if the system had something to do with his emotional experience. It occurred to him that if the target had been a woman, he might have been able to understand the logic of the system—trying to repair his broken heart somehow.
But then another possibility occurred to him: "What if it's a man?" The thought confused him. Rick had never considered an intimate relationship with a male. He didn't know how he should react if the system assigned a male target, nor if he could fulfill the system's mission.
Rick's mind was full of contradictions and insecurities. He was both curious and scared, wondering what kind of challenges the system would present to him. He began to imagine the possibilities, trying to prepare for each scenario.
He thought to himself, "If the target is a man, how should I go about winning his heart? This is a whole new area for me. I need to get to know him, find common ground, and build trust. It may require me to step out of my comfort zone and try new things."
Suddenly, Rick realized it was getting dark outside the window, and his stomach began to rumble in protest. Pulling his thoughts away from his confusion about the system, he glanced at the clock on the wall and realized that he had been so engrossed in his thoughts for hours that he had completely forgotten to eat dinner.
He stood up, stretched his stiff body, and walked to the kitchen. He found it empty—nothing but a few bottles of water and some expired food. Rick sighed and decided to go out and find a store to get something to eat.
He put on his jacket and checked his pockets; there was only a scant amount of money in his bag. He shook his head helplessly and sighed softly.
Walking out of his apartment, the cool night air brushed against his face, giving him clarity. The streets were brightly lit, and pedestrians were in a hurry. The nightlife of the city was just beginning. Rick walked along the familiar streets, looking for a nearby convenience store or fast-food restaurant.
His eyes swept over the signs of the stores lining the street, finally settling on a convenience store open 24 hours a day. Rick picked up his pace and walked into the convenience store. The bright lights and neatly organized shelves of the store gave him a small sense of comfort.
Just as Rick wandered through the store, his eyes swept over the shelves, his mind silently calculating the change in his pocket. He knew that instant noodles would probably be the only thing he would have for dinner tonight, and that made him feel a twinge of helplessness. His life always seemed to revolve around frugality and calculation, and every purchase had to be carefully calculated.
Rick picked up a packet of instant noodles and prepared to walk towards the cashier. Just then, his cell phone suddenly vibrated, and the screen lit up. He stopped and took his phone out of his pocket, only to see a notification from the system appear on the screen.
The first character target found was Emily.
Rick's heart raced as he felt a mixture of curiosity and nervousness. He quickly opened the system interface, wanting to know more about Emily. The system provided some basic information but did not reveal too many details.
System prompt:
Target: Emily
Quest: Increase her favorability towards you; if it reaches 1,000 points, her status towards you will change to someone who loves you, and then you will get one-tenth of the money spent on her.
Rick's brow furrowed as he began to think about what this quest meant. He didn't know who Emily was, but the instructions from the system were clear.
Rick stood in the store, instant noodles still in his hand, but his thoughts had flown to Emily. He realized that this could be an opportunity, a chance to change his life, or it could be a challenge, a chance to test his abilities and judgment.
He took a deep breath, decided to accept the assignment, and walked out of the store. Rick knew that he needed to find Emily first before deciding how to proceed.
The system notification on his cell phone screen made his heart beat faster. His eyes once again fell on his account balance; the astronomical string of numbers seemed like a string of magic codes, and the system's task was clear and unambiguous: increase Emily's favorability towards him to 1,000 points, and he'd get one-tenth of the amount he spent on her as a reward.
He did a quick calculation: if the favorability reached 1,000 points, then for every ten million dollars spent on her, he would receive one million. This figure made him feel instantly excited, and he realized that this was not just a mission but a chance to change his fate.
Rick's mind conjured up images of the future: no more worrying about money, no more needing to eat instant noodles to save. He could live the life he had always dreamed of, enjoying the comfort and freedom he had always longed for.
His mood changed from initial shock and doubt to eagerness and anticipation. Rick knew that he had to act quickly to find Emily, learn about her needs and preferences, and then formulate a plan to increase her favorability.
Rick's heart beat violently in his chest as he gripped his cell phone tightly, his eyes glued to the map on the system interface. A blinking blue marker moved across the screen, guiding him through the streets and alleys. His steps were quick and determined as if pulled by an irresistible force toward his goal.
The city was lit up at night, but the only thing in Rick's eyes was the ever-flickering blue dot. He made his way through the bustling crowds and around street corners until he came to a lively neighborhood. He slowed his pace, his eyes searching the crowd.
Finally, his eyes locked on a figure. It was a woman dressed in a very sexy outfit, and her presence was a stark contrast to her surroundings. Rick took a deep breath, knowing that he had found Emily's designated target figure.
He walked up quickly, a hint of eagerness and excitement in his voice, and said, "Emily, I finally found you."
The woman in front of him turned around, her eyes revealing a hint of doubt. She looked at Rick, a man dressed in skimpy clothing, his appearance seeming out of place in the setting she was in. With a hint of fear and caution in her voice, she asked, "Who are you? How do you know my name?"