"So, tomorrow, you will come here at exactly five o'clock in the afternoon. If you are even a second late, you can forget about coming here," Catherine said, her tone shifting back to her usual cold-princess demeanor. "You may see me being lenient to you, but do not misunderstand," she continued, her eyes locking onto Michael's with a seriousness that left no room for argument.
"Understood," Michael replied, meeting her gaze steadily. He recognized the importance of punctuality and professionalism in this new role and it's a reasonable time to start as he often clocks out the school at three o'clock in the afternoon. With Grab service serving him as his main mode of transportation, there's no excuse for being late.
"I'll be here on time," Michael assured Catherine.
"Okay, I'll see you tomorrow. I'll book you a Grab," Catherine said, picking up her phone and tapping the Grab icon.
"Before you book me, can I go to the bathroom first? I'm quite desperate," Michael asked, trying to appear desperate though in reality, he was just lying to check the Wheel of Fortune.
"Sure, it's down the hall to the left," Catherine replied, pointing in the direction of the bathroom.
Michael quickly excused himself and made his way down the luxurious hallway. Arriving at the bathroom, he opened the door, and inside was something as extravagant as the main hall.
It has gilded edges around the mirror and a marble sink, which adds a touch of luxury to the room. Michael couldn't help but be impressed by the lavishness of it all. It looked expensive, more expensive than the house he was currently staying in.
But he shook off those thoughts and opened his system. The screen displayed a colorful wheel divided into various segments, each representing different rewards.
He glanced at the options.
[50,000 System Points, Mysterious Blueprint, 100,000 System Points, Neuroenhancer Drug 10x, Mysterious Chest, 500,000 System Points]
So only six options were available on the Wheel of Fortune. Michael's eyes lingered on the '500,000 System Points' segment. That amount could significantly accelerate his progress in the system. He imagined the possibilities that such a large number of points could unlock. It could be a game-changer for him.
With excitement, he tapped the 'Spin' button. The wheel started spinning rapidly, the colors and symbols becoming a blur. Michael watched with bated breath, hoping for the wheel to stop on the 100,000 System Points segment.
The wheel began to slow, passing the Neuroenhancer Drug, then the Mysterious Chest. Michael's heart raced as it neared the 100,000 System Points section. It spun past it, inching towards the 50,000 segments, and then, to his disbelief and excitement, it started to slow down right at the edge of the 100,000 System Points.
The wheel came to a complete stop, landing squarely on the 100,000 System Points segment. A notification immediately popped up on his screen:
[Congratulations! You have won 100,000 System Points! Your system points balance will be updated shortly.]
[User Interface:
User: Michael Reyes.
Occupation: Student.
[Mastery]
[
Physics: Level 2
250/300 points
Chemistry: Level 0
0/100
Biology: Level 0
0/100
Mathematics: Level 2
250/300
Astronomy: Level 0
0/100
Meteorology: Level 2
150/300
Oceanography: Level 0
0/100
Environmental Science: Level 0
170/200
Geology: Level 0
0/100
Computer Science: Level 0.
0/100
]
What had been his problem has finally been solved after winning 100,000 System Points. With it, he could finally utilize the power of the technological system by—of course, browsing the shop tab and looking for specific—the.
High-Efficiency Solar Panels (2030)
Description: Revolutionary solar panels with over 60% efficiency, are capable of generating significant energy even in low-light conditions.
Requirements: Level three in Physics Mastery, Level four in Meteorology, Level three in Environmental Science, and Level two in Computer Science.
Price: 75,000 System Points
The purchase icon is glowing blue, indicating that it is available for purchase. But he hasn't reached the required levels for Mastery. Why is that the case? Nevertheless, he tapped the purchase icon, and the system message prompted.
[Please confirm your purchase of High-Efficiency Solar Panels (2030) for 75,000 System Points.]
Deciding to take a chance, he tapped 'Confirm Purchase'. A new notification appeared:
[Transaction Successful! High-Efficiency Solar Panels (2030) will be added to your inventory once Mastery Level requirements are met. Current Mastery Levels will be taken into account for future system interactions.]
Michael raised his eyebrows in surprise. The system allowed the transaction but held the item until he met the necessary Mastery levels. This was an interesting twist, offering him a clear goal to work towards. He now had a strong incentive to increase his Mastery Levels in the required fields.
Another message prompted again. [Once the level requirement is met, Virtual World features will be available to use that will allow the user what the technology looks like in its finished product form.]
Michael pondered over this new revelation. The 'Virtual World' feature of the system seemed like a significant tool. According to the manual, this feature allowed the user to summon future technology within a virtual environment and then bring it into the real world. It meant that once he met the Mastery Level requirements for the High-Efficiency Solar Panels (2030), not only could he access them, but he could also see and interact with them in a virtual setting before bringing them into reality.
This is huge and is making him excited to reach the required master points. He doesn't care how many books he has to read in order to get the solar panels, he'll read them all.
"I guess, I'll have to browse more books in computer sciences and meteorology," Michael muttered under his breath.
Just then—there was a knock on the door.
"Michael?! What's taking you so long? You are just peeing right?"
Snapping out of his thoughts, Michael quickly faked a flush and headed out of the bathroom. Catherine looked at him suspiciously as he emerged.
"Did you do something weird there?" Catherine asked with a raised eyebrow.
Michael shook his head, trying to seem casual. "No, nothing weird. Just really needed to go."
Catherine seemed to accept his response, though her expression still held a hint of doubt. "Alright then, your Grab is booked. It should be here in a few minutes."
"Thanks, Catherine. I appreciate it," Michael replied, maintaining his composure. He was relieved to have avoided any further questioning.
And when the Grab driver arrived, Michael bid farewell to Catherine and left her room. While his elevator descended, he browsed his phones for free ebooks. And uttered.
"One day is all I need."