Free Web NovelChapter 7: Online Shopping
Night was supposed to be a time for rest, but the cheap mattress beneath Chrome felt more like a sack of unevenly distributed rocks.
It’s like sleeping on an AK-47.
Everytime he shifted the springs brutalized his back.
Yet, that wasn’t what killed his sleeping time.
"Is there an anti-virus for this glowing bastard?" (눈_눈)
Ding!
[Quinn Hilton has just arrived at her penthouse. All she can think about is the Host’s coldness.]
Ding!
[Quinn Hilton is currently eating specially imported white truffle ice cream. She is staring at the empty seat across from her and wishing she could share a spoonful with the Host.]
Ding!
[Her affection for the Host has increased by 5%!]
Ding!
[Quinn Hilton is fully aware that the Host is a broke, useless rat with no properties to his name. However, realizing your complete lack of materialistic desire has caused her affection to grow by another 5%!]
Chrome stared up at the patched ceiling with eyes that were wide and horrifyingly bloodshot.
"System, shut up and go to bed."
Ding!
[Quinn Hilton has taken a shower and is relaxed in bed with her pink toy. She’s touching herself to... noted, master. I will be silent from now on.]
Chrome’s face hardened like a war general.
"Forget what I said. Replay the last message." ಠ_ಠ
The system simply flashed again.
Ding!
[Your beautiful college professor Astrid Welling, finds you suspicious. She has developed a deep hatred and wariness toward you. Current Affection: -25% (Hostile)]
[Quinn Hilton has "finished" after a ten minute session and just confessed her feelings to her mother about her brutal rejection by the Host.]
Eh? Chrome raised both brows. freeweɓnovel.cøm
Ding!
[Olivia Hilton is the head of the Hilton Group, a Tier-3 world-class beauty, and a protective mother. She is furious that a nobody broke her daughter’s heart. She now harbor a deep hatred for you and will make sure you regret toying with her precious daughter!]
Chrome’s face squeezed like a sour lemon victim.
"Shit... I’m innocent..."
He read the name again.
"Who even is this woman anyway?"
[Would the Host like to view a picture of Olivia Hilton to better understand the threat?]
Chrome frowned, crossing his arms.
"She’s a married woman with kids, why would I care what a lady like her looks li—"
A high-definition image popped up on his screen.
"Ouuu shi..."
The woman didn’t look a day over 30. Her face was smooth and flawless but also mature and stern in a way that made her look very attractive. Like hurting you was the sexiest thing she could do.
Such lethal elegance somehow made an angelic beauty like Quinn look like a mere amateur.
"How can she be her mother? She looks more like Quinn’s older sister if anything."
He already knew the line to use if he met her.
The data beneath the photo expanded.
Target Profile: Olivia Hilton
Age: 43
Cultivation Realm: Grandmaster (Spirit King Stage)
Net Worth: $4.2 Billion
Hobbies: Red wine tasting, classical violin, public executions of corporate rivals.
Difficulty Level: SSS-Rank (Untouchable)
Current Affection: -50% (Wants to castrate Host)
He saw the C-word and went to sleep.
"Whatever. There’s no point learning more about a woman who wants me dead. And even if she didn’t, it’s not like I can just magically get a billionaire powerhouse to fall for me."
[Host is mistaken. If the Host were to successfully date or marry Quinn Hilton, you would essentially become the ultimate son-in-law choice.]
[In a world where powerful women are naturally charmed by highly competent, dominating men, the mother will surely find herself drawn to your exceptional talent.]
[It is highly probable she will fall for you.]
Chrome paused as his eyebrows arched high.
"Eh? So basically... if I charm the daughter, the mother is a free bonus?"
[Affirmative. A package deal.]
Chrome started bowing and praying to the holographic screen floating before him.
"I apologize for my previous disrespect. You truly are the greatest. I praise you, O great flat one."
[If the Host desires, the System can utilize transform from flat panels into a beautiful, corporeal woman to better serve your daily nee—]
"NO."
Chrome’s face was hard like stone.
"No. Absolutely not. I am not getting into e-girls again."
He shuddered slightly.
"After my divorce, I started watching those e-girl streams and donated so much money to them... I’m still not proud of it. That’s a slippery slope to nowhere."
There was no point in sleeping anymore.
Chrome took the laptop Lana had bought him alongside his cheap smartphone, intending to use the quiet hours to handle some personal business.
Speaking of Lana... a small frown wrinkled his forehead as he walked down the narrow hallway. She’d met with Quinn Hilton for the first time today.
He was worried about what happened, but this usually talkative system had stubbornly refused to give him a single detail about their conversation.
Curiousity may kill him soon, but he couldn’t just call a tired hardworking woman like her in the middle of the night and ask her about another woman.
"Whatever..."
He entered the tiny living room.
Over on the tattered couch, Lili was curled up beneath a faded duvet. Chrome noticed her tiny nose twitching. He walked past her and sat down at the dining table. From the corner of his eye, he saw one of her big green eyes crack open to peep at him in the dark.
Chrome flipped open the laptop.
"Lili, sleep. It’s late."
"I went to go pee-pee. That’s why I’m awake."
She mumbled sleepily and her eye instantly shut tight as she pulled the blanket over her ears.
"Goodnight, big bro."
"Good girl."
He smiled and opened up an exclusive express delivery app called Fastcart.
He has enough money to buy a luxurious villa in the upper districts of Dragon Ridge City. But he still had to deal with Big Mama’s debt collection network. What he’d said to her goon earlier was mostly a bluff to establish dominance and ensure they wouldn’t come back tomorrow.
Furthermore, the system explicitly advised him to secretly invest in and fortify this current rundown apartment rather than buying a flashy, conspicuous mansion that would draw immediate attention from high-level figures.
He opened a digital catalog and started clicking items into his cart without looking at the price tags.
Double-Door Smart Fridge: $2,200
Premium Induction Stove & Oven: $1,800
Shamsung 85" Ultra-HD Quantum LED TV: $3,500
It has 4K resolution for Lili’s cartoons.
Cloud-Nine Orthopedic Sofa Set: $2,800
Gucci Kids & Armani Mens Wardrobe: $6,000
Five sets of premium silk clothes for Lili, three tailored luxury suits for Bernard.
A washing machine, dishwasher, air filter, king-size bed to replace his AK-47 veteran war bad.
Click. Click. Click.
He noticed Lili’s small feet poking out from under the duvet.
"Ah... I should buy her some slippers so she’s not always running around this filthy floor barefooted. And some proper shoes for preschool too."
Click. Click.
He added a dozen pairs of designer children’s footwear and a few luxury sneakers for his father.
Because the downtown slum was considered a high-risk zone for logistics, drone delivery to this area carried an outrageous premium surcharge.
He was was looking for a discount then it hit him.
"Wait, I’m rich..."
He checked the option for the Premium, Same-Day Urgent Installation Package.
[Total Spent: $23,500.00]
[Bank Balance: $9,976,503.50]
...
The next morning.
The dirty skies of Dragon Ridge downtown district was greeted by a fleet of delivery drones.
They hovered around the Langley apartment.
Giant steel claws held massive crates wrapped in luxury gold-and-black protective film.
The entire neighborhood was in shock.
Even the thieves could smell the richness.
"Heheboii..."
"We finally made it!"
With how they were celebrating you’d think it was them that ordered these items.
Neighbors stuck their heads out of windows, and people on the streets below stopped dead in their tracks, pointing up in utter shock.
"Hey! Ain’t that the Langley place? Since when can those dirty rats afford stuff like that?!"
"Look at the logo! That’s Fastcart Premium! Delivery alone costs more than my monthly rent!"
"Did Bernard sell an organ? Or did that useless son of his finally commit a bank robbery?"
They were clearly jealous.
Chrome ignored them and sighed the digital manifest on the lead drone’s scanner.
Lili gasped with starry green eyes.
"Woah!"
She happily bounced up and down on the newly installed Cloud-Nine sofa. The material was so soft she felt like she was melting into a bowl of ice cream.
"Big brother! Look! The couch is hugging me!"
On the other side of the room, Bernard sat like a statue. He was dressed in a pair of charcoal-gray Armani lounge pants that cost as much his life savings.
There was a massive 85-inch television screen mounted in front of him.
He’s sure he’d go blind from watching 4K resolution after years of 360p and static lines.
The old man was scared.
"Chrome..."
Bernard’s voice trembled as he turned to his son.
"Where... where did you get the money for all of this? Is this a loan? Tell me the truth, son. If you took money from the sharks, we can return all of this right now! It’s... it’s not a must that we have the good things in life. We can survive with the old stuff!"
Chrome chuckled softly.
He walked over to the new smart fridge, tapped the screen to unlock the door, and pulled out a chilled platter filled with large, imported strawberries.
"Relax, old man."
He tossed a bright red berry into his mouth.
"Eat a strawberry. Everything is perfectly fine. Your son just made a bit of profit recently."
"Okay, son."
It’s true. Don’t question good things no matter what.
BAM! BAM! BAM!
"Chrome! Bernard! Open this damn door right now!"
That angry knock on the door was familiar.
It’s Madam Tina, the landlady.
