In the early morning, Cheng Yu staggered out of bed. Last night had really worn him out. What young person couldn't handle staying up all night having fun?
But he had spent last night burning through his brain cells, so he still felt a little foggy when he woke up.
The moment he stepped out of his bedroom, he saw the big shot sitting on the sofa, watching the morning news and drinking tea in perfect comfort. Wait, did someone like him even need to watch the news? Cheng Yu silently grumbled.
"Good morning, boss."
Yog turned his gaze toward him. "Hmm, looks like you didn't get much rest last night."
Cheng Yu smiled wryly. "It wasn't too bad."
"You left too early last night. Come here. I'll modify your system."
Cheng Yu paused, then walked toward Yog.
Yog pressed an index finger against Cheng Yu's forehead, then lowered it.
"Done."
"That's it?" Cheng Yu was puzzled. He hadn't felt a thing.
Yog took a sip of tea. "What? Want me to add some special effects?"
"Uh, no, no." Cheng Yu hurriedly shook his head. Nothing the boss gave him was free. Who knew whether those special effects would cost him something?
"Take a look yourself. Oh, and don't you still have an unused reward? Give it a try. You might get a surprise," Yog teased.
At that, Cheng Yu softly called out in his mind, System.
Latest system version online: Strongest Wage Earner System (glittering gold) Update details: 1. All host mission mechanics have been removed and replaced with achievement mechanics. 2. The system shop is now available. The host may redeem achievements for currency to purchase shop items. 3. The lottery system has been modified. The host may spend currency on draws. Prizes are shop items, but risks are involved. The host may increase the value of prizes by investing large amounts of currency.
Looking at the system information before him, Cheng Yu's mouth twitched. Strongest Wage Earner System? Not even trying to hide it, huh?
He used to have the right to name his own system. Now he really was a wage earner through and through. The boss had such a twisted sense of humor. Ugh.
Just then, the system displayed a message. "You have one unused lottery draw. Would you like to use it?"
Come on, the boss himself had suggested drawing. How could I not?
"Draw!"
A system update gift pack has been detected. The system recommends that the host open the update gift pack before drawing.
Cheng Yu paused. "Since when did this system become so considerate? Open it, then."
Congratulations! The host has obtained the epic title "The Kid Watched by the Big Shot". Title effect 1: Each month, you may purchase one system shop item at 10-50% of its original price. After five months, you may select one item of no higher than epic grade and receive a 30% discount. Title effect 2: Each lottery draw now offers three prizes instead of one. Choose any one of them. Title effect 3: Immunity to all information contamination below the boss's rank of existence. Title effect 4: Receive one portion of the boss's aura each month. Note: a maximum of five portions may be held. Title effect 5: As The Kid Watched by the Big Shot, you may choose to be exempt from any action involving the big shot's authorities. Title effect 6: Under the boss's gaze, your lifespan has no limit. As long as the boss does not withdraw his gaze, your life will endure forever. Welcome to the ranks of the immortals, young man.
Holy shit, holy shit, holy shit! Cheng Yu screamed those words three times inside his head. One word: strong. Two words: damn strong. Three words: really damn strong. Four words: strong beyond all reason. Five words... okay, I'm out of ideas.
What, the title's name leaves something to be desired? So what? I'm The Kid Watched by the Big Shot! Even Randolph Carter, that other kid favored by a big shot in the Cthulhu Mythos, the legendary "tea mixer," probably didn't get as many perks as I did.
After collecting himself, Cheng Yu said quietly, "Draw."
A large wheel spun for a while, then three sheets of parchment appeared.
The contents of the three sheets appeared before Cheng Yu as well.
1. Beginner Summoning (Black Iron One-Star): From the world codenamed Keynes Continent. An excerpt from A Summoner’s Beginner’s Guide, written by Master Knowles, honorary elder of the Summoner Association. A beginner Summoning technique that summons one creature from another world. The creature's strength will not exceed Black Iron One-Star.
2. Heart-Bewitching Spell (Black Iron, three stars): Originated in the First Layer of Hell in the world codenamed Faerûn. An ability of the lowest-ranking devil, the Heart-Bewitching Fiend. Creatures with soul quality below Black Iron, three stars will readily believe what you say. Creatures with soul quality above Black Iron, five stars are automatically immune.
3. Twenty years of cultivated power (unrated): Twenty years of cultivated power belonging to a certain master from a world codenamed M-37005. This punch carries twenty years of cultivated power. Can you withstand it? ```
Looking at the three options, he immediately ruled out the third. Twenty years of cultivated power? This gunshot carries two hundred years of technology. Can you withstand that?
As for the first and second, both tempted him. A Black Iron One-Star summon didn't sound all that impressive.
But he remembered clearly that when he first transmigrated here, the system had scanned this world and evaluated it. The highest individual combat strength in this world was only Black Iron One-Star. When Lin Mo had previously hired people to deal with him, all of them had been classified as unrated.
Choosing that ability would mean immediately possessing the highest individual combat strength in the world. But it was a creature from another world. What if it wasn't human? This was a modern urban world. He couldn't gamble on that. He just couldn't.
The second option spoke for itself. It had the highest rating and would be the most useful for messing with Lin Mo's head next. Although Lin Mo had the boss's fragment protecting him, so it probably wouldn't work on him, it would work on the people around him.
Besides, in a certain sense, this skill was even more powerful than a script.
"I choose the Heart-Bewitching Spell."
The parchment bearing the Heart-Bewitching Spell began to burn, turning into a ray of light that entered Cheng Yu's mind. Images then appeared in his head, revealing the origin of the skill.
In Faerûn, a pitiful Heart-Bewitching Fiend was tossed into the mouth of a stronger devil. As the devil chewed, a soul fragment vanished from its mouth.
Yeah, how pitiful. But what a sweet deal.
"Feeling awake now?" A voice interrupted Cheng Yu's daydreaming.
"Hehe, wide awake, wide awake."
Yog smiled. "Well? Are you satisfied with the new system?"
Cheng Yu put on a textbook lackey's smile. "Absolutely, absolutely. Anything you make has to be top quality, boss. No, peerless quality."
"As long as you're satisfied. Take your time. No rush. I have all the time in the world," Yog said leisurely, raising his teacup.
Cheng Yu's expression turned solemn. "You may not mind, but I can't take it lightly. Please rest assured, boss. I'll recover your authority fragments as soon as possible to repay you for recognizing my worth and helping me."
Cheng Yu wasn't stupid. After receiving so many benefits from the boss, he needed to prove himself as soon as possible. Although the boss most likely wouldn't care, how could he let such an opportunity slip away? As the boss had said, he didn't care who his agent was.
But Cheng Yu couldn't afford not to take it seriously. Fortunately, the boss possessed human reason and memories of once being human. He and the being beyond spacetime were two sides of the same existence, rather than following that old Cthulhu Mythos attitude of, "My avatar has nothing to do with me."
Once all the boss's authorities were fully reunited, would he shortchange me? Nothing else aside, a Great Old One's rank of existence would be guaranteed. Maybe I could even aim for a position among the Outer Gods?
Yog knew exactly what Cheng Yu was thinking. But just as Cheng Yu had guessed, he didn't care. Anyone could be his agent.
He had once been human himself and knew perfectly well that everyone had ambitions. If they didn't show them, it was because of their circumstances. He wasn't worried about Cheng Yu being ambitious. He was only worried about Cheng Yu being an idiot.
So far, he seemed decent enough. Among the timelines Yog had observed, there had been plenty of humans with bizarre ideas. Countless people had wanted to replace him or use outside powers to free themselves from him.
His human self might have felt angry, but his Outer God self felt nothing. Just as before, whether it was worship or hatred, praise or abuse, sacrifice or blasphemy, he didn't care.
Never mind humans. Even when M’si Sha, a fellow Outer God at the time, had opposed him, he had remained unmoved.
M’si Sha had devoted himself to breaking the barrier between Angular Spacetime and Curved Spacetime, bringing the City of Tindalos into Curved Spacetime.
It was a challenge to his authority, but he had taken no action. If M’si Sha could accomplish it, that would merely prove that M’si Sha could open the "door."
But am I the only one in this epoch? Those beings who once shared the title of Outer God with me... admittedly, many lacked "intelligence" and possessed only instinct. But had they all fallen dormant in the previous epoch alongside the great His Majesty Azathoth?
Yog smiled self-mockingly. Human thoughts really were unstable. Then he looked at Cheng Yu.
"Hehe, suit yourself. But just watching the show is boring. I'll join in for a cameo."
Cheng Yu froze. The boss was joining in for a cameo?
Yog continued talking to himself. "The identity is fabricated. Remember, I'm now Mr. You, the benefactor who paid for your university education. We've been exchanging letters over the past few years. Make sure you play your part convincingly."
Cheng Yu was just about to say something.
Just then, Li Ming called. Cheng Yu answered, and Li Ming's slightly excited voice came through the phone.
"Cheng Yu, you know Mr. You from Universal International?"
Cheng Yu stared blankly at Yog in front of him.
"Huh?"
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