...
A few days passed by...
Zastan found himself settling into a some sort of a routine, enjoying the luxurious amenities of the hotel. His days were filled with relaxing spa treatments, rejuvenating sauna sessions, and soothing massages. He even indulged in the hotel's finest dining experiences, savoring every moment of comfort and ease.
In all the leisure he didn't forget to keep in touch with his parents and siblings. Especially his younger sister who refused to talked to him whenever he's in a call with them. However, Zastan had almost completely forgotten about the system and the fact that he had reached Level 2.
One afternoon, as he lounged by the pool, a sudden realization struck him. "I'm Level 2 now," he muttered to himself, the thought jolting him upright. He quickly opened the system interface and clicked on the market option.
Upon clicking, the 'Market' revealed two options to choose from:
Buy and Sell
Out of curiosity, Zastan tapped on the 'Buy' menu first.
As he scrolled through the list of items available for purchase, his eyes widened in amazement. There were pills that could cure diseases, extend life, and even enhance physical abilities. Advanced technologies were also listed, ranging from nuclear and laser technologies to cutting-edge AI systems. The possibilities seemed endless.
Then, something caught his eye—an option labeled "Biochemical Man." Intrigued, Zastan clicked on it, which opened a sub-menu with different models: MK1, MK2, MK3, and so on. The prices started from 100 points for MK1, going up to thousands for the more advanced versions.
He read the description: A Biochemical Man is an artificially created being, designed to perform tasks better than an average human over time. What sets them apart is their ability to share experiences with other Biochemical Men, exponentially increasing their learning capabilities.
"So, let's say... I have five MK1s, their combined learning ability is five times that of a normal human," Zastan mused, his interest piqued.
The system replied, offering further explanation. "Biochemical Men are designed to follow orders and communicate, but they lack independent thoughts. However, their learning efficiency improves significantly with shared experience. For example, if ordered to carry objects, they will initially start slow, but over time, they'll optimize the process, becoming more efficient. The higher their level, the more they exhibit human-like behaviors, including improved problem-solving and decision-making skills."
Zastan nodded thoughtfully. "So, they get better at what they do the more they do it, and the more of them I have, the faster they learn. Interesting..."
The system continued, "Higher-level Biochemical Men possess a more developed subconscious mind, making them more autonomous and human-like in behavior, though they remain loyal to their owner's commands."
After absorbing this information, Zastan closed the Biochemical Man tab and navigated to the 'Sell' menu, eager to explore his options for earning points.
The 'Sell' menu presented a wide array of items that could be exchanged for points. As he scrolled through the list, he noted the values assigned to various items:
Steel Rod (1m x 16mm, 1.77 kg) - 1 Point
Standard Wooden Furniture - 5 Points
Rare Gemstone - (Points will be determined by the System depending on the quality and rarity of the gemstone.)
Refined Gold (1kg) - 100 Points
...
Zastan's eyes lit up when he saw the potential for earning points. But before he could get too excited, the system interrupted his thoughts.
"Points can also be earned through completing tasks," the system reminded him.
Zastan grinned as he continued to scroll through the items. "Looks like I've found a way to stack up on points," he said to himself. But a thought crossed his mind, and he paused. "Wait, can I just buy these items and then sell them back to you for points?"
The system responded almost immediately. "Yes, you can. However, any points earned from items purchased through the system will be halved upon resale."
Zastan's grin faded, replaced by a frown. "You always find a way to cut off a percentage of my potential earnings don't you?" he grumbled, his tone filled with annoyance.
The system remained silent, as it often did after delivering some unsettling news.
Zastan sighed, closing the tab and leaning back in his chair. "Looks like I'll have to be more strategic about this," he muttered, his mind already working on ways to maximize his points.
...
Zastan sat back in his chair, his mind already calculating ways to exploit the system. He turned to the high-end computer in his room and began searching for sources to purchase steel rods. It didn't take long before he found the price range.
"Carbon steel rod, $1.17 to $1.22," he read aloud, nodding thoughtfully. Then, with a smirk, he asked the system, "Hey, does the quality of the item or the resources used in its creation affect the points given?"
The system, ever vigilant, responded, "Yes. The quality and resources used do influence the point value. For instance, if you were to craft a gold rod of the same size and weight, I could offer you exactly 1,000 points."
Zastan's eyes widened in shock. "A thousand points for a single gold rod? You've got to be kidding me!"
"However," the system continued, "if the rod was made by someone else, the points would be reduced to 500."
Zastan cursed under his breath. "Of course, I have already expected that." he muttered, as he shook his head in disbelief as he tapped on his phone's calculator a few times. "This is like 232x to 242x more expensive than that steel rod, you dark system!"
Despite his frustration, Zastan knew he had found a temporary but product way to amass points quickly. The idea of creating gold rods himself was tempting, though he realized he'd need those points first. "This gold rod thing will do for now," he reasoned, "but I'll have to start thinking about acquiring that iron mine soon."
He did some quick calculations on the potential earnings from crafting and selling gold rods. Then, he checked his current financial standing, the money he hadn't given much thought to over the last few days. The number on the screen nearly made him jump out of his seat.
"9,238,390 dollars," he whispered, eyes wide. "I didn't expect to earn this much in such a short time." He tapped the calculator a few times to figure out the net amount after the system's hefty 'conversion fee.' "7,390,712 dollars. Not bad at all."
With his plan set, Zastan decided to split the sale into two different shops. "Let's go with Delane's Jewels and Golden Horizon," he muttered, deciding on the names of the jewelry stores. One was conveniently close to the hotel, while the other was a bit farther but on the opposite side.
He called the hotel front desk. "Could you send up two moderately sized boxes, something large enough that it can be carried with both hands?" he requested, his tone brisk.
The staff on the other end was clearly puzzled but responded professionally. "Certainly, sir. We'll have them sent up right away."
After hanging up, Zastan walked over to the safe in the master bedroom. "Alright, system, let's do this. Convert and withdraw the gold."
Seconds later, a soft glow emanated from the safe, and dozens of gold bars appeared, neatly stacked inside. Each bar weighed at least a kilogram. "Perfect," Zastan said, running his fingers over the cool, smooth surface of the gold. "This will do nicely."
A few minutes later, a knock echoed from the door. Zastan opened it to find Natalia standing there, looking as composed and elegant as ever. "Ah, Natalia, you're looking more beautiful every day," Zastan said with a charming smile.
Natalia blushed slightly, now more accustomed to his teasing but still unable to fully hide her reaction. "Thank you, sir. I brought the boxes you requested," she said, holding them up.
"Great," Zastan replied, stepping aside. "Come on in. I need your help with something in the bedroom."
Natalia hesitated, her cheeks turning a deeper shade of red. "The… the bedroom?" she stammered, her voice wavering. Her steps became uncertain as she followed him, and she quickly added, "I-I'm not ready yet… for that sort of thing. Please give me more time to think about it."
Zastan blinked in surprise, only now realizing how his request must have felt something else for her.
He couldn't help but smirk as he turned to her. "What do you mean, not ready? I just need help moving some things."
With a mischievous grin, he opened the safe, revealing the stacks of gold bars. Natalia's eyes widened in shock, and she blushed even harder. "Zastan, you… you did that on purpose!" she accused, playfully slapping his arm.
He chuckled, "Guilty as charged. But now that you're here, help me out her will you?"
Still slightly flustered, Natalia knelt down and began carefully placing the gold bars into the boxes. Zastan couldn't resist sneaking a glance at her chest, noticing the way her neckline revealed just enough to catch his eye.
Natalia caught his gaze and quickly crossed her arms over her chest. "What are you looking at?!"
Zastan chuckled, "Just admiring the view. Nothing wrong with that."
Natalia huffed, clearly embarrassed, but she continued helping him, now only using one of her hand to move a piece of gold bar one by one. While the other was to cover her chest.
A few minutes later, they had balanced the quantity of gold between the two boxes. Each contained exactly 46 bars, weighing a kilogram each. Zastan straightened up and wiped his brow. "Alright, call the chauffeur service and let's get these moved."
Natalia nodded and pulled out her walkie-talkie. After giving the necessary orders, she tried to lift one of the boxes herself.
"Hmph! Hpmh!" Natalia grunted as she tried to move the heavy box, but it didn't budge an inch. Zastan watched her, amused by her determination.
Noticing his expression, Natalia shot him an annoyed look. "I'm a butler, not a porter, Zastan! You expect me to lift this?"
Zastan made a 'confused' expression, then raised an eyebrow. "Oh, right. I forgot. My bad."
Natalia sighed, clearly exasperated. She used the walkie-talkie again, this time requesting additional staff to help carry the boxes. "You really are impossible sometimes," she muttered under her breath.
Zastan chuckled softly, leaning back against the safe as they waited for the staff to arrive.
...