Chapter 74 — Upgrades, Missions, and a Certain man
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The next morning arrived cool and quiet, but Bai Xia was already awake. With her entrance exam just days away, she refused to slack off. A single missed step could ruin the momentum she'd built. She slipped into her uniform, tied her hair neatly, and paused—her eyes narrowing with a spark of anticipation.
"Status."
The familiar chime echoed softly inside her space. The transparent blue panel materialized in front of her.
Host: Bai Xia
Height: 5'6
Stamina: 20
Strength: 20
Intelligence: 20
Charisma: 20
Beauty: 23
Skills: Business Tycoon, Frost Eyes, Reaper Tears, Crystal Tears, Light of Judgment
Knowledge: Master of All Tongues (MAT), Martial Arts (MA), God of Music (GOM), Engineering, Mechanic
EXP Points: 550
Mission Points: 260
Space Size: 2000 acres
Money Bag: 10,700,000 yuan
(MISSIONS)
Accumulate net worth of 10 billion yuan
Reward: ?
Progress: 800,200,000 / 10,000,000,000
NOTIFICATIONS
Congratulations on completing mission: Introduce Modern Technology
EXP +200
Mission Points +100
Bai Xia stared at the massive "10 billion" requirement, and a headache pulsed behind her eyes.
"System, can I choose not to accept this mission?"
"No, host."
Her face darkened instantly.
"This is ten billion yuan! This is daylight robbery!"
"You simply need to continue living your normal life, host. Your progress naturally accumulates."
…That was true. Her businesses were growing fast. Still annoying though.
"Any other missions?"
"The bonus missions are a bit dangerous," the system replied calmly.
Dangerous? Bai Xia's eyes lit up. Boring days were the true enemy.
"Tell me."
"Spend at least 10 million yuan in five hours. A game card will be provided. If you fail within the time limit, you must give up one of your senses, if you win you get back the amount you spend."
Bai Xia froze.
"…such a good mission."
"You get to keep everything you buy. If you fail, you lose hearing, sight, taste, smell, or touch."
"So brutal… How do I activate the timer?"
"Just say so."
She glanced at her stats, remembering her fight with Fu Jian. Even with upgrades, he'd blocked her easily. That man…
"I want to increase my strength and stamina by 20 points each."
"Done."
A wave of excruciating pain shot through her body. Five seconds later, it disappeared. She inhaled sharply. Still alive.
"…Increase beauty by 10 percent."
"Done."
A pulse of heat rippled through her face, chest, and hips—sharp, quick, then fading. She touched her cheeks and blinked. Something definitely changed. She hurried to the river inside her space.
Her reflection took her breath away.
Her whole face carried a subtle glow, as if kissed by morning light. Her lips were fuller, soft and naturally tinted. A faint, delicate pink dusted her cheeks. Her eyes, already striking, now shimmered like polished obsidian, clear and bright.
Her hair had grown thicker, darker, falling like glossy silk down her back. Her silhouette had gained softer curves, her waist tighter, her posture almost ethereal.
She looked… unreal. Not doll-like. Not exaggerated.
Just devastatingly, dangerously beautiful.
Even she had to blink twice.
Fu Jian's face suddenly popped into her mind—handsome, sharp, arrogant—and a faint blush crept across her cheeks.
"Tsk."
She turned away quickly, refusing to be caught slipping by her own reflection.
Time to shop.
She walked into the "Everything Mall," strode straight to the luxury counters, and casually picked out 50 pairs of gold hairpins and 50 Swiss watches. She would give them to her classmate to build a relationship. After all she would need those young masters and miss to visit her shop. Her mind drifted.
Fu Jian.
She took out her phone and typed:
"Are you busy?"
His reply came almost instantly.
"No. Just finished a meeting."
Bai Xia smirked.
"Oh."
Inside Fu Jian's conference room, several grown men nearly had heart attacks. Their boss—cold, terrifying, untouchable—had just let out a tiny… laugh.
A laugh.
Everyone silently prayed for the poor soul giving the presentation.
Fu Jian typed again:
"Do you want something, my love?"
He hesitated a long time before writing "my love," but the moment he did, his ears turned warm.
Her fingers danced.
"You promised to take care of me. Now that I'm your girlfriend, you don't even check up on me. All your promises are gone."
Fu Jian stiffened.
WHAT promises???
But he didn't dare question.
"I'm sorry, my love. I'll check on you every hour."
"Who's your love? Call me at night. You want my parents to find out?"
He blinked.
Hadn't he been calling every night??
"Don't I call you every night already, my love?"
"See how you're mistreating me."
"…Then what do you want, my love?"
She smiled. Finally.
"Come pick me up at the villa residence gate and drive me to school."
"Yes. I'll be there right away."
In the conference room, tension skyrocketed as Fu Jian abruptly closed his laptop.
"Meeting adjourned."
The woman presenting panicked. "Sir! If you dislike the report, I'll redo—"
"I said meeting adjourned."
He turned to leave, but she suddenly lunged, trying to throw herself into his arms.
Fu Jian sidestepped with practiced disgust.
She fell to the floor dramatically, posing herself in a seductive heap.
He stared at her like she was a rat.
"You and your employer are fired. Do not think about working anywhere in Asia again."
The screams and slaps behind him echoed down the hallway as he left.
—
Meanwhile, Bai Xia headed to her room to reapply makeup—just light touches, enough to complement her enhanced beauty. When Chu Sun saw her, the older woman paused.
"Xia'er… you look so beautiful today."
"Thanks, mom. Where's everyone?"
"They all left early. You should too. You're always late."
Bai Xia glanced at the quiet house and felt a pinch in her chest.
"Mom, you shouldn't stay home all day. Go shopping, meet people. Didn't you make a friend?"
"Oh that woman? She's a gossiping show-off. I don't want that kind of friend."
Bai Xia sighed. Maybe Fu Jian's mother could help her own mother socialize. It was worth planning.
She left the house and walked toward the villa security gate instead of taking a car.
As she waited, the morning breeze brushed across her hair.
Her thoughts drifted to the bonus mission… then to her.
Shang Shan.
In her past life, Shang Shan had humiliated her—turning her into a personal maid in high school, crushing her pride piece by piece.
A slow, cold smile spread on Bai Xia's lips.
Her eyes darkened, shimmering with something chilling.
She whispered under her breath.
"Shang Shan…"
The storm in her voice promised only one thing—
Retribution.