The delivery arrived exactly on time. Kai paid for the order using his phone, confirming the massive tip was transferred via his System Bank App. He took the bag and set the food out.
He had gone with the "healthy option," but this world's definition of low-calorie and diet food was not great. He had maxed out his order at $26.20 because that was the best he could find among the low-calorie choices. If the food had been better, he would have gladly gone for a much more expensive order to justify an even bigger tip and a larger return.
He took a bite. The taste was bland and uninspiring.
"Well, this won't work," he mumbled, chewing slowly. He realized he couldn't keep ordering from the current options around him if he wanted to stick to his diet. The lack of genuinely good, healthy, low-calorie restaurants nearby meant he would stay fat if he relied on delivery. He needed to find some better places first before he could make the "ordering and tipping" reward a regular part of his routine.
Kai finished his bland, low-calorie lunch. As soon as he set the plate aside, a wave of exhaustion hit him. He knew this body was completely unused to any kind of strenuous activity. Today, he had done both: an hour-long, quick walk and three hours of intense, focused mental work.
But despite the fatigue, a small, proud smile touched his lips. His pace was good. He was making real progress on both his body and his new identity.
He reminded himself of his immediate priority. He could get fit later, but the deadline for the final exam was rapidly approaching. His studies had a hard time limit. He needed to focus more on the textbooks than the treadmill for now. He wanted to get excellent grades, maybe as a way to settle the old disappointment over his own mediocre scores from his previous life.
He set a new alarm on his phone for four hours later. Only after that new study block would he allow himself to think about the gym.
He returned to his room and sat back down at the desk. The notebook was still open. He picked up his pen and started the mind-numbing process of note-making again.
He read the content and then distilled it, writing the key points in the simplest, most compact way possible. It was a fast process, thanks to his adult focus and experience, but it was relentless. He pushed through the fatigue, fueled by his new sense of purpose and the secret millions in his System Bank.
When the alarm finally blared, four hours later, Kai stretched, hearing his back pop. The entire notebook was complete. Finally, notes for one out of all the required subjects were finished. It was much easier than he had originally thought, but the continuous, dense mental labor was completely mind-numbing.
He realized then why he needed the gym so much. It wasn't just about losing fat; it was about putting his mind somewhere else, somewhere physical and active. That break would make the rest of his studying much easier to handle.
He was done with books for the day.
It was only 4:00 PM, still early for peak gym time, but that was fine. Kai needed to buy gear first proper workout clothes and maybe a few other basic fitness items. And, of course, this entire trip was a perfect opportunity to make more money.
He went straight to his phone and booked a cab. Knowing his goal, he immediately set aside a generous tip amount for the driver.
He quickly packed his wallet (now holding his System Bank Card and five crisp $100 bills), his phone, and the apartment keys. He checked the time again, then quietly locked the apartment door and went downstairs to wait.
It didn't take long for the cab to arrive. Kai checked the license plate and confirmed the driver's name using the app before getting in.
"Kai Reids?" the driver confirmed.
"That's me," Kai said, sliding into the back seat. "Could you take me to the big sports brand outlet? The one near the old mall. It's a bit of a drive."
The driver, a middle-aged man with tired eyes, nodded. "Got it. That'll take about thirty minutes with this traffic."
The car pulled away from the curb and entered the flow of traffic. Kai settled back against the seat, feeling the subtle rumble of the engine. He didn't want to tip until the end, to ensure he got the service, but he focused on the System Bank App, preparing the massive transfer.
The ride was quiet. Kai took out his phone and set the tip amount for $400. The total fare for the long ride would probably only be around twenty-five dollars, making this an insane act of generosity.
He confirmed the payment through the System Bank as they pulled into the parking lot of the massive outlet store. The moment the transaction went through, the driver's phone dinged, and Kai felt the familiar internal chime.
[System Notification!]
[Host has given away $400.00!]
[Reward: $4,000,000.00 has been transferred to your System Bank!]
Kai smiled. He now had over six million dollars in his account.
He quickly opened the car door. The driver was staring wide-eyed at his phone, his mouth slightly open. He looked up at Kai, disbelief written all over his face.
"Sir... the app... is this a mistake?" the driver stammered.
"No mistake," Kai said easily, stepping out. "Thanks for the ride. You drove safely." He gave a quick nod and walked toward the store's entrance, leaving the stunned driver to process his new reality.