บท 15: Hidden Mission, $1M Mark!

He didn't bother grabbing any clothes from the sparse selection he'd brought with him. His old stuff wouldn't fit anymore—not after his sudden transformation.

Wrapping a towel around his waist, he smirked. This wasn't exactly the look he planned to roll with, but it would do for now.

He nodded. "Alright, status check."

The familiar screen popped up in his eyes:

[Status:

Name: Parker Black

Age: 17

Race: Human

Strength: 13

Agility: 12

Stamina: 12

IQ: 160

Charisma: 73

Corruption/Purity: 90% evil, 100% devil when provoked, 100% Antihero.

[Net Worth: $20,000. ($19K on linked system card, $1K in crypto wallet.)

Assets: 10% Blackstone Tower shares, 1 car.

Companions: Tessa Wilder (53 AP Companion).]

"System, let's get one thing clear. Separate my companions, net worth, and skills from my stats. Only pull them up when I ask," Parker ordered, the authoritative tone slipping into his voice like second nature.

[Done, Host!]

"Fair enough," he muttered, grinning at the increases. "Anyway a 10 stats point boost across the board. And 60 extra charm points? Guess the glow-up wasn't for nothing."

Parker shrugged "But why leave out the ten bucks in my pocket? Money's money, right?" The system didn't respond, and he smirked, shaking his head. "Figures. Alright, let's spend some cash."

Parker stepped out of the bathroom, towel slung low around his hips. His hair was damp, dark strands falling carelessly across his forehead, and he looked far too relaxed for someone who had just restructured his entire DNA.

His body felt light, almost weightless, and every movement carried a fluidity he wasn't used to.

"Tessa, my phone," he called out, his voice casual yet commanding, like he didn't just scream bloody murder ten minutes ago.

Tessa appeared almost instantly, phone in hand. Her expression was a mix of worry and annoyance, but she froze when she saw him standing there.

Half-naked, he looked like he had stepped out of some high-budget cologne ad, with the dim bedroom lighting highlighting every sculpted detail.

She averted her gaze, cheeks heating up, and handed him the phone without a word.

"Thanks. Sit," Parker said, nodding toward the chair next to him.

Her brows furrowed. "Why?"

"I need your opinion. Shopping spree, Sit." he explained nonchalantly.

'Shopping? Now?' She thought he was messing with her, but curiosity got the better of her, and she sat down, keeping a noticeable distance from him.

Parker pulled the laptop onto his lap, booting it up with a practiced flick of his fingers. Tessa sat beside him, watching curiously as he navigated to an online shopping platform.

"First things first, new account," Parker said, cracking his knuckles. He typed in his details swiftly, his fingers flying over the keyboard.

Tessa raised an eyebrow. "You're surprisingly quick at this."

He smirked. "What can I say? I've got skills."

After setting up the profile, he leaned back, pulling out the slim black card with an understated gleam—the system card. "Alright, let's link this bad boy."

Tessa watched as he entered the card details, her curiosity piqued. "What kind of card is that?" She had seen all kinds of card but not this one.

"You know curiosity does to the cat, right?" Parker replied, brushing off her question with a grin.

With a soft ding, the account was ready, the balance synced. He turned to her with a mischievous look. "Alright, let's burn some money. Help me pick," he said, his tone almost teasing.

Tessa leaned in reluctantly, catching a faint hint of his scent—clean, with an earthy undertone that made her want to breathe him in.

Annoyed at herself, she shook it off and focused on the laptop.

"Clothes first," she muttered, taking the reins. She began scrolling through high-end brands, adding shirts, suits, sneakers, and boots to the cart with swift, precise clicks. She was in her zone, tossing in accessories and other essentials until the total hit $200,000.

When she hit $200,000, she leaned back with a smug smile. "Done. All yours."

Parker glanced at the screen and laughed. "Cute. Now cut it down to 19K."

Tessa's mouth fell open. "Are you serious? You said shopping spree," she said, her smirk deepening. "You're welcome."

He chuckled softly, leaning back against the headboard. "And you're cool. Now I said delete it all."

"Just check out the stuff under 19K first." His grin was maddeningly smug.

Tessa let out an exasperated sigh, muttering something under her breath about cheap rich kids, but she begrudgingly adjusted the cart. Clicking checkout, she watched the total drop dramatically.

The notification popped up:

[Ding! Spent $19,000. Earned $190,000. Balance: $190,100!]

"Magic," Parker said, his grin widening. "Now add more stuff. Now shop more and get that total up to 190K."

Her annoyance melted into intrigue, and she eagerly dove back in with a gusto, maxing out the cart at $190,000 , loading the cart with expensive an watch, jackets, and gadgets. This time, she hit checkout without hesitation, as if afraid he will tell her to delete it all again.

He a knack for annoying her.

[Ding! Spent $190,000. Earned $1,900,000. Balance: $1,900,000.]

[Hidden mission completed. Mission: Increase balance to $1,000,000. Reward: Appraisal skill upgraded!]

Parker's smirk grew impossibly wider. "Not bad, huh?" Parker stretched like a cat. "That's more like it."

Tessa just stared at him, dumbfounded. "What are you?" she wasn't aware of what was going on but she could tell he wasn't buying things separately just to annoy her.

She didn't want to kid herself. There must be a reading for that.

He shrugged, clearly enjoying her reaction. "Your boss, for starters. Anyway, wake me up when the stuff arrives. After that, we're shopping for you. Looks like you could use it."

Tessa blinked, still processing the absurdity of what just happened. "You're… buying me clothes?"

"You need 'em," Parker said simply.

Before she could fire back, he climbed onto the bed and collapsed, his body sinking into the plush mattress. Within seconds, his steady breathing filled the room.

Tessa watched him for a long moment, her lips twitching into an unintentional smile. Shaking her head, she muttered, "This guy is something else."

She lingered for a moment before quietly leaving the room, her thoughts a tangled mess of curiosity, confusion, and—if she was honest with herself—a little admiration.