Chapter 43: System Lottery is Really Unique · The Indulgence System

I stepped out of the hallway and entered the grand living room of the villa. Seraphina, Clara, Sophia, and Belle were relaxing comfortably together across the plush sofas, while little Daisy sat cross-legged on the carpet, completely absorbed in a colorful drawing pad with a box of crayons.

I walked over, taking a seat on a nearby armchair. "What are you all up to this afternoon?"

"Not much, darling," Sera replied with a soft, gentle smile. "Just chatting and keeping an eye on what Daisy is creating."

I leaned forward, looking down at the little girl. "What are you drawing, sweetie?"

Daisy looked up, her big, bright eyes shining with excitement. "Papa! In the last family painting I made, I forgot to draw Belle Mom. So I’m drawing a brand-new painting right now, and Belle Mom is right in the middle of it!"

A warm, touched smile spread across Belle’s face, and she reached over to gently stroke Daisy’s soft hair. "Oh? You’re drawing a new picture for me, princess?"

"Yep!" Daisy beamed proudly.

I chuckled softly, leaning back into my chair with a playful glint in my eyes. "Tell me, Daisy—who do you like the most out of everyone here? Do you like Clara Mom, Sera Mom, your own Mommy, or Belle Mom the most?"

Daisy paused, tilting her head as she thought deeply about the question. Suddenly, she dropped her crayons, scrambled up onto her feet, and ran straight over to me, wrapping her little arms tightly around my neck. "I like Papa the most!"

I laughed out loud, scooping her up onto my lap. "There you have it!" I looked across the room at the four women with a teasing grin. "My daughter loves me the most."

All four women burst into gentle, affectionate laughter, shaking their heads. "We love you the most too, Julian," Clara smiled warmly.

After playing with Daisy for a little longer, I handed her back into Sophia’s caring arms. "I need to head down to the study to handle some corporate work, okay?"

Sophia nodded affectionately. "Go ahead, darling. We’ll take care of her."

I stood up, walked out of the living room, and made my way down to the ground-floor study.

Entering the study, I locked the heavy wooden door behind me. I sat down in my comfortable leather chair, brought up the system interface in my mind, and gave the command: Draw from the Tiered Lottery System.

Instantly, a glowing wheel of fortune materialized before my eyes, spinning rapidly before coming to a sudden halt.

[System Notification:] Congratulations, Host! You have drawn a Common-Tier Reward!

I looked at the updated metrics panel. The reward granted an injection of 100 billion Stardollars, pushing my liquid cash reserves up to 503.12 billion Stardollars.

[System Status Overview:]

[Inner Circle Panel:]

Seraphina Lin: Destiny Confidante (100% Complete Devotion)Clara Carter: Destiny Confidante (100% Complete Devotion)Dr. Sophia Starling: Inner Circle Member (Relationship Status: Complete Devotion)Belle Young: Inner Circle Member (Relationship Status: Complete Devotion)

I let out a soft, amused chuckle. One hundred billion Stardollars didn’t even faze me anymore. There was a time when saving a mere two thousand Stardollars felt like a massive milestone, but now, a nine-figure cash injection was treated as a basic "Common-tier" reward by the system.

As I stared at the numbers, my sharp business mind suddenly kicked into gear. Think about it... in a massive capital like River City, there must be thousands of hardworking people who desperately need stable income sources and financial backing. Using this capital to uplift the working class while establishing our presence would lay an unbreakable foundation.

"Come forth," I murmured mentally.

With a soft ripple in the corner shadows, my chief shadow guard materialized instantly, dropping gracefully onto one knee.

"Stand up and take a seat," I instructed, gesturing to the chair across the desk.

The chief sat down smoothly. "What are your orders, Boss?"

"First, give me an update on President Kim," I requested.

"His emergency surgeries were successful, sir," the chief reported professionally. "After a week of intensive medical recovery in our custody, he will be shipped off to the Smith clan in River City just as you ordered."

I couldn’t help a cold, amused laugh. "Very good. Now, I want you to execute a massive operational plan in River City. I want you to spend as much money as necessary to acquire prime land and construct a magnificent, traditional estate—a true ancestral mansion for the Vance family. While building it, distribute generous daily wages to every local worker involved in the construction."

The chief listened intently, noting every detail.

"Make sure every single worker leaves that site talking about Julian Vance," I continued, my voice carrying absolute authority. "Ensure they know how extraordinarily wealthy I am—wealthy enough to build a new noble family from the ground up with the potential to surpass every ancient clan in the capital. From the streets to the noble estates, everyone in River City must know the name Julian Vance before I even arrive."

I pulled out my encrypted phone, transferring an initial fund of 100 billion Stardollars to our secret acquisition accounts, followed by an additional 50 billion Stardollars specifically designated for public relations, media campaigns, and buying out the political backing of vulnerable second-tier families.

As soon as the 150 billion Stardollar transaction cleared through our encrypted corporate channels, a brilliant flash of light chimed in my mind:

[System Notification:] Passive 2x Cash-Back Triggered! Your current bank balance has received an automatic capital increase of 300 Billion Stardollars!

Current Liquid Bank Balance: $653 Billion StardollarsTotal Net Assets: $810.12 Billion Stardollars

"Make sure our influence in River City becomes impenetrable," I instructed firmly, leaning forward. "However, my absolute control and dominance over Metro City must not budge an inch. Before we officially relocate our primary base to River City, I want trusted shadow operatives planted into every high-level municipal position in Metro City—appoint our people as Police Commissioners, Directors of Investigative Bureaus, and key administrative heads. Even after we leave for the capital, the Cosmos Group must maintain ironclad control over Metro City forever. Do you understand?"

"Understood completely, Boss!" the shadow chief answered without a moment’s hesitation. "I will personally oversee the deployment of our personnel."

"Good. Remember, money is no object here. Spend as much as required to fulfill these objectives before we make our official move to River City."

With a swift bow, the shadow chief dissolved back into the shadows and vanished.

I leaned back in my leather chair, taking a moment to review the system panel for any new active missions. Finding none, my phone buzzed on the desk with a new notification.

Picking it up, I saw an email notification: an official invitation to my Middle School Class Reunion.

The invitation arrived every single year, but I had always ignored it in the past because I had nothing to show for myself and preferred to avoid the hollow pleasantries of old classmates. But this year was entirely different. Now, I could attend with absolute pride. Furthermore, it would be quite entertaining to see the expressions of those who assumed I avoided the event simply because I hadn’t amounted to anything—especially since my face was now plastered across financial news channels following the acquisition of the Young family empire.

Opening the digital invitation card, I read through the details. The reunion was scheduled to be held at The Seven Scenery Hotel—a luxurious 5-star establishment that had originally belonged to the Young family’s hospitality portfolio, and which now operated entirely under my ownership.

Holding my school reunion in a hotel I own... that should make for a fascinating evening, I thought with a faint smirk.

Putting the invitation aside, I knew I still had plenty of preparations to handle before tomorrow. Standing up from the desk, I unlocked the study door and walked back out toward the grand living room.

As I entered, I noticed all four women still gathered around the television screen.

"What are you all watching so intently?" I asked, walking over.

Sera looked up, smiling softly. "We’re watching a special broadcast about Iris, the pop queen and global music diva. The media calls her the ’Ice Queen’ of the entertainment industry because she has maintained a zero-scandal record ever since her debut. Rumor has it she comes from an unimaginably powerful background, which is why no industry executive or wealthy heir dares to approach or cross her."

I raised an eyebrow in amusement. "Oh? A celebrity with a completely spotless record in an industry like that? That’s quite ironic."

Clara nodded in agreement, leaning back against the sofa. "It’s true. Even her brand endorsements, song releases, music videos, and fashion photoshoots are strictly managed—she never allows herself to be photographed or paired alongside male actors or models. People in the industry still whisper about a wealthy young heir who once tried to aggressively approach her backstage; he was beaten to a pulp by her private security detail and instantly blacklisted from the entire global entertainment market."

I looked at the four women thoughtfully. "That certainly confirms she comes from an immense background of power. But regardless, I have an announcement to make: I received an invitation to my middle-school class reunion, and it’s being held tomorrow evening. So I’ll be heading out for a few hours."

As I spoke, my mind wandered briefly. What can I do tomorrow during the reunion to rake in more Indulgence Points? Making President Kim and his elite cronies pay for their crimes already netted me 50,000 points... let’s see what kind of excitement tomorrow brings.