...
A few minutes later, the waiter returned, and this time, he wasn't alone. Three girls entered the room, each with a distinct but equally appealing aura. They were dressed modestly compared to the women from earlier, with an air of innocence that greatly intrigued Zastan's interest.
"These are all college students," the waiter said with a knowing smile, giving Zastan a meaningful wink. "I think you'll find them to your liking."
Two of the girls, both a bit shy, took seats opposite Zastan, while the third is rather an enthusiastic brunette. And she sat right next to him, her eyes sparkling with curiosity and excitement.
"Hi, I'm Lila," the brunette introduced herself, her voice lively. "And these are my friends, Maya and Tess."
Maya, a petite girl with glasses, offered a small smile. "It's our first time here," she said softly, her hands fidgeting slightly.
Tess, a redhead with a quiet demeanor, nodded in agreement. "Lila convinced us to come. We don't usually go to bars."
"I'm Zasta, nice to meet you guys." After introducing himself, Zastan leaned back, taking in their different personalities. "The waiter said that you guys are in college... So, what are you studying?" he asked, genuinely curious.
"I'm in business," Lila replied enthusiastically. "Maya's studying literature, and Tess is in engineering."
Zastan nodded, impressed. "That's quite a mix from you guys. Anyways, what made you decide to come here tonight?"
Lila grinned. "We wanted to try something new. Plus, it's summer break, so why not?"
...
As they continued to chat, Zastan found himself enjoying their company more than he expected. Lila was clearly the most outgoing, leading the conversation and encouraging her friends to open up.
Maya was quiet but insightful, often adding thoughtful comments, while Tess was more reserved, though her occasional smiles hinted at a warm personality beneath the surface.
It didn't take long for Zastan to get a sense of their characteristics. Lila was clearly the leader, and the one who brought them together, while Maya and Tess were more like followers, but each had their own unique charm. And despite their initial shyness, all three seemed genuinely interested in getting to know him.
Especially since he was younger than them, yet exuded a maturity that didn't match his age. His aura was different, more refined, almost as if he had lived through experiences that went beyond the years he showed.
Sensing their curiosity, Zastan decided to take a brief break. "I think I'll just step out for a moment, restroom call." He said casually, rising from his seat.
Lila nodded, offering a knowing smile. "We'll be right here."
As he stepped out of the room, Zastan noticed the waiter standing discreetly by the door. The waiter gave him a polite nod. "Is there anything I can assist you with, sir?"
"Just need to find the restroom," Zastan replied.
The waiter pointed down a dimly lit hallway. "Right at the end, sir."
Zastan nodded and made his way to the restroom. Once inside, he entered one of the stalls, closing the door behind him. With a swift motion, he accessed the system interface, eager to claim his reward.
His fingers moved deftly as he selected the completed task.
50,000 Miner points obtained!
"Finally," he muttered, his eyes scanning the upgrade options available.
He decided to invest half of the points he just got into boosting production.
With a quick confirmation, the production bonus shot up from 100% to 350%. Satisfied, Zastan then allocated the remaining points to increasing the speed.
However, as the points were applied, his expression shifted into confusion.
"Only 60%? What the???" Zastan frowned, puzzled by the low. He quickly checked the system's explanation and discovered that the cost for upgrading speed increased by 1,000 Miner Points with each level.
"You could've mentioned that earlier," Zastan grumbled "Seriously, a little heads up wouldn't hurt."
System: "..."
Gold Mine (Level 1):
Production: 350%
Speed: 60%
Conversion: 0%
As he reviewed the upgrades, the irritation began to fade. The gold mine was now producing $28.4 per second, a substantial improvement compared from 10$ every second.. The potential earnings he could get every day flashed before his eyes, and Zastan couldn't help but grin.
"That's more like it," he said, the prospect of rapidly accumulating wealth quickly overshadowing his earlier frustration. With a newfound sense of satisfaction, Zastan exited the restroom.
...
Back already?" Lila teased with a playful smile.
"Couldn't stay away for too long," Zastan replied smoothly, taking his seat once again.
They chatted for a bit, the conversation continued between them. As the mood relaxed, Lila suddenly sat up straighter, her eyes twinkling. "How about we play a game?" she suggested. "Truth or dare, spin the bottle style."
Maya and Tess exchanged glances then they all looked at Zastan. Zastan raised an eyebrow, curious to see where this would go. "Sure, why not?" he agreed.
Lila reached over to the table, grabbing an empty bottle from the drinks they had just finished. The bottle of wine she grabbed is called Velvet Ember, which normally goes for $3,000 in the market. It gleamed under the low lights as she placed it in the center of the table and gave it a quick spin.
The bottle twirled on its axis, a blur of glass and light, before finally slowing down and pointing directly at Maya. The girl's eyes widened in surprise as the others turned their attention to her.
"Truth or dare?" Lila asked with a grin.
Maya hesitated for a moment, then stammered slightly. "Truth."
"Okay," Lila said, thinking for a moment. "What's the most embarrassing thing that's ever happened to you?"
Maya giggled nervously, her cheeks showed a deep shade of red as she recalled a memory. The group listened intently as she recounted a humorous story from her school days, laughter filling the room. They played several more rounds, with each person choosing truth and sharing stories that ranged from funny to slightly awkward, but nothing too serious.
Then, on one spin, the bottle landed squarely on Zastan. He looked at it, then at the girls, a small smirk forming on his lips. "Truth is getting a bit boring," he said, leaning back in his chair. "I'll go with dare."
Lila's eyes sparkled with excitement as she considered his choice. After a moment, she leaned forward, her voice dropping to a teasing tone. "Alright, I dare you to kiss one of us on the cheek."
Zastan's gaze flicked between the three girls, all of whom were watching him with a mix of anticipation and curiosity. After a moment of consideration, he leaned toward Lila. "Since it was your dare," he said, and with that, he gently pressed his lips to her cheek.
Lila's face instantly turned bright red, and she froze, clearly flustered by the unexpected but soft kiss. The room fell silent for a moment before Maya and
Tess burst into giggles, teasing her mercilessly.
"Lila, you probably thought he'll go for us huh?" Tess giggled.
Knowing their friend's personality they already know what type of dare it was.
"Lila, are you blushing?" Maya teased, nudging her friend playfully.
"I think it's the first time she's been kissed on the cheek by a guy," Tess added, grinning widely.
"N-No, it's not!" Lila stammered, trying to defend herself, though her blush betrayed her. Zastan observed her with interest, realizing that despite her outgoing demeanor, she probably didn't have much experience when it came to romance. Which caused him to chuckle.
As the night went on, the group switched from spin the bottle to other activities such as card games, board games, anything that kept the fun going.
"Alright, who's ready for another round of Bluff?" Lila said, while shuffling a deck of cards with a mischievous grin.
"Not me!" Tess groaned, leaning back on the sofa. "You keep winning! I'm convinced you've got some trick up your sleeves, or you're just cheating!"
Maya giggled, pointing at Tess. "Or maybe you're just terrible at lying!"
"Hey! I'm an excellent liar. I'm just... too honest when I play games," Tess shot back with a playful pout.
Zastan chuckled, leaning forward to grab a piece of the finger food on the table. "Maybe we should switch it up, then. Anyone up for Monopoly? I promise I won't go easy on you."
Lila raised an eyebrow, a competitive gleam in her eye. "Oh, you think you can beat me at Monopoly? Bring it on, Zastan."
"Be careful, Zastan," Maya warned with a smirk. "Lila's a real estate tycoon in disguise. She'll have you bankrupt in no time."
"We'll see about that," Zastan replied, his voice full of mock seriousness. "I've got a few tricks up my sleeve."
As they set up the board, Tess looked over at the others with a tired smile.
"You guys go ahead. I think I'm going to sit this one out and just watch. I'm getting kind of sleepy."
Maya yawned and nodded in agreement. "Same here. I'll be the audience and cheer you guys on."
As the game progressed, the teasing and banter continued, with Zastan and Lila going head-to-head in a fierce competition. Each time someone landed on one of Lila's properties, she couldn't help but flash a triumphant grin.
"Pay up, Zastan," she said, holding out her hand after he landed on her hotel. "Looks like you owe me big time."
Zastan sighed dramatically, handing over the bills. "You're ruthless, Lila. Absolutely ruthless."
"That's how you win," she replied with a wink. "But don't worry, I'll let you stay at one of my luxurious hotels for a discount."
"Generous," he said, shaking his head with a smile. "But the game's not over yet." He chuckled, thinking of a way to make a come back.
The night continued with lighthearted teasing and laughter, the group enjoying each other's company and the carefree atmosphere in the room. Even as the others began to nod off, Zastan and Lila remained engrossed in their game, the competitive spark between them keeping them both wide awake.
...