Nathan turned around, looking at the locked door, then at Mrs. Sari, who still lay weak and crying on the bed.
He smiled. It wasn't the smile of Nathan the miner.
It was the smile of someone who had just discovered a new, dark, and seductive power.
His game had only just begun.
Nathan stood in front of Mrs. Sari's door, listening to the muffled sobs from behind the wood and Lisa's increasingly frantic knocking.
His phone felt heavy in his hand, not as a gadget, but as a symbol of his transformation. Its screen glowed, displaying a notification from his banking app. A number with more zeros than he had ever dared to dream of.
He took a deep breath. The scent of Mrs. Sari's body still clung to his skin, a tangible reminder of the boundary he had just crossed.
But no shame or regret came. Instead, there was a cold, calculating sensation, like a machine that had just been switched on. The system had changed him, not just physically, but fundamentally.
With a calm movement, he unlocked the door.
Lisa, her face pale and panicked, almost fell inside. Boy stood behind her, his face dark with anger and suspicion.
"What did you do in there?!" Lisa shrieked, her eyes wide, trying to peer into the room. "With my mother?!"
Nathan didn't answer immediately. He raised his hand, not to attack, but to show her the screen of his phone. The bright light illuminated her furious face.
"Look, Lisa," he said, his voice flat, almost robotic. "Look what I just got."
Her eyes, still watery with emotion, fixed on the screen. She squinted, reading it, then her eyes widened. Her breath caught in her throat.
"Three... three hundred million?" she whispered, almost disbelieving. All her anger seemed to evaporate, replaced by astonishment and—Nathan could see it—a faint flicker of greed. It was a glimpse of the old Lisa, the Lisa who chose Boy for his "vision" and money.
Boy pushed forward, trying to see. His face contorted. "What? Fake money? A photoshopped screenshot?" he sneered, but his tone was unsure.
Nathan shifted his gaze from the stunned Lisa to Boy. A thin, cynical smile appeared on his lips.
"Actually, I was thinking of entrusting this money to you again, Lisa," he said, mimicking his words from their earlier conversation with a mocking tone. "To save. For our future." He made air quotes with his fingers. "But, it seems..." he paused, looking at Boy with a contemptuous gaze, "...my money isn't safe with you anymore. You'd just hand it over to your 'boyfriend' here to spend on other things."
The shot hit its mark. Lisa flinched as if slapped. Her face flushed with shame and anger. "What do you mean?!"
"My meaning is clear, Lisa," Nathan snapped, his voice suddenly loud and authoritative. "You're not just a traitor, you're naive. You think he loves you? You think your cafe is an investment for the two of you?"
Boy stepped forward, challenging. "Watch your mouth, miner!"
But Nathan ignored him. His eyes were drawn to the phone partially hidden in Boy's pants pocket. Its screen was still on, showing a preview of a WhatsApp notification. A name was visible: Nola. And a heart emoji.
[Ding!] The system's voice suddenly sounded in his head, making him start slightly, but he showed no reaction. [Advanced Target Analysis: Detected. Target's (Boy) phone shows intense communication with contact 'Nola'. Scanning conversation history…]
A stream of data, like fast-scrolling text, flashed through Nathan's mind. Snippets of conversation, photos, plans for dates.
[…Analysis complete. 'Nola' is Boy's primary target of interest. Status: Not yet conquered. Boy is using financial resources from sub-target 'Lisa' (including host's funds) to finance his pursuit of primary target 'Nola'. Luxury goods, meals at expensive restaurants, all funded by Lisa. Lisa is a tool, not the goal.]
Nathan almost laughed. The irony was too perfect. Lisa was being betrayed in the exact same way she had betrayed him, only on a deeper level.
"You really are a true playboy, Boy," Nathan said suddenly, his voice icy.
Boy jolted. "What?"
"Nola," Nathan said, uttering the name smoothly. "She's very cute in her profile picture. Blonde hair, big eyes. You do have taste."
Boy's face turned deathly pale.
Lisa looked at him, confused. "Who is Nola?" she asked, her voice trembling.
"Shut up, Lisa!" Boy snapped, but his fear was evident.
Nathan continued to stare at Boy with a gaze that was now filled with terrible knowledge. "I wonder, Boy. How much more of Lisa's money—my money—did you spend buying Nola that branded bag? Or for the reservation at the five-star restaurant you took her to last week? You just take Lisa to the coffee stall, right? And even that's with her leftover money?"
Every word was a direct hit. Lisa staggered back, her face shattered. "What... what is he talking about, Boy? Is that... true?"
"He's lying!" Boy yelled, but it was useless. His panicked expression said it all.
[Ding!] The system chimed again. [New challenge available for host.]
Nathan listened, while in front of him, the drama of their argument began to erupt.
Lisa started crying hysterically, slapping Boy, who was weakly trying to defend himself.
[Choice A: Run on the highway for 5 minutes. Reward: 1 million Rupiah.]
[Choice B: Use the Level 2 Bed Power System on target 'Nola' and make her fall in love with the host. Reward: 500 million Rupiah. Bonus: The satisfaction of taking revenge on rival (Boy) by taking his target of interest.]
The choice didn't even require thought. Running on the highway for 1 million? That was an insult. He had come too far to turn back now.
A thirst for power, money, and especially revenge, burned within him. Taking Nola from Boy wasn't just about the 500 million; it was a perfect display of power. It was poetic vengeance.
"I choose the second one," he thought, with steely determination.
[Confirmation received. Coordinates for target 'Nola' have been downloaded. Sexual Magnetic Aura +15% activated. Mission begins.]
Without further ado, Nathan turned away from the scene of the commotion. Lisa was screaming, Boy was trying to restrain her. They were no longer relevant.
"Where are you going?" Lisa shrieked, watching Nathan turn and walk towards the front door.
Nathan didn't look back. "To invest my new money more wisely," he answered, before slamming the door of the house shut, leaving the chaos he had created behind.
He walked down the now-quiet streets, guided by the digital map now displayed in his mind.
The system didn't just give an address; it gave strategy. Nola, 22 years old, art student, lives alone in a small apartment, likes contemporary art, indie music, and feels bored with her routine life. She finds Boy attractive but too reckless and a bit creepy.
Nathan smiled. This system was truly amazing.
He arrived at a modest apartment building. With complete confidence, he pressed the buzzer. A moment later, the intercom crackled to life.
"Hello?" A female voice, young, and slightly wary.
"Nola?" Nathan said, his voice already modulated by the system to be deep, confident, and slightly mysterious. "Excuse me, I'm a friend of Boy's. He stopped by my place earlier and accidentally left behind... some important documents. He said they might be at your apartment. Could I come get them?"
It was a lie fabricated by the system. The likelihood was that Nola would refuse, but the newly activated Magnetic Aura was working even through the door.
There was a brief pause.
"Documents? Boy? I... I'm not sure..." but her voice wasn't as certain as her words. There was a hint of curiosity.
"I promise it will only take a moment," Nathan pressed, his voice persuasive. "Boy said he forgot them. I can help him out."
"Okay... alright," Nola finally agreed. A buzz sounded, and the lock clicked open.
Nathan climbed the stairs with determined steps. Nola's apartment door was already slightly ajar, and he saw a pretty girl with short blonde hair and large, cautious eyes. She was wearing an oversized t-shirt and sweatpants.
"You're... a friend of Boy's?" she asked, doubtful.
Nathan smiled, and it wasn't the smile of Nathan the miner. It was the smile of a man who knew exactly the effect he was having. His aura radiated, a magnetic attraction that was almost physical. Nola looked slightly mesmerized, her eyes widening.
"You could say that," Nathan answered, stepping inside without an invitation. His eyes scanned the room. It was full of indie band posters and reproductions of abstract paintings. "But actually, I'm here to talk about something more important than Boy's documents."
Nola closed the door, a frown of worry appearing on her forehead. "What do you mean?"