[Earlier] At The Divine Pharmacy...Outside, long queues of sick citizens still snaked down the block. Inside, the government officials, Mr. Smith and Helena, were locked in a tense argument over their next move.With the new contract between Mark and the government officially signed and sealed in his briefcase, Smith was eager to vanish. He wanted nothing more than to report back to his superiors and wash his hands of this chaotic block.But Helena couldn't just walk away. Her chest tight with maternal worry, she couldn't pretend everything was normal after seeing a bullet graze Mark's ear."Let’s just get the hell out of here before the next bullet has our names on it!" Smith urged, glancing nervously at the shattered glass. "The shooter is completely unknown, which means—""No!" Helena cut him off, shaking her head defiantly. "I am not leaving until I know Mark is safe.""The kid is fine, don't lose your mind over him,"

It didn't take long for the police presence outside the hotel to disperse. Mark had walked right up to the perimeter and assured the commanding officers that he was completely fine—he had simply checked into a room to catch up on some desperately needed sleep after pulling an all-nighter."Thanks for worrying about me, though," Mark said, offering a casual smile to the remaining government officials as the cruisers drove off.Helena crossed her arms, tilting her chin up. "Hmph. Who said anyone was worrying about you?"Smith couldn't help but chuckle, leaning against the car door. "Man, it is absolutely hilarious when an old woman acts like a teenage tsundere."*WHACK!*A sharp slap cracked across Smith's cheek before the last syllable could even leave his mouth."Ouch! What the hell was that for?!" Smith complained, rubbing his stinging, reddened cheek."For talking absolute nonsense!" Helena snapped, her eyes glaring daggers."But I was just telling the tr—""Keep flapping your gums,

"Yes...yes, sir. I believe he is officially ready for his public debut. Oh? Right away, sir. Understood. Goodbye." Xavier lowered his phone, the ecstatic grin he had never leaving his face as he locked his eyes back onto me."Well, Mr. Reynolds... the time has come. We will be shooting a series of promotional test-shots and video clips of you immediately."Hearing that, I couldn't help but let a genuine smile break through my icy persona. A wave of pride washed over me. The best part? I hadn't used a single System skill during my training sessions. This was pure self-improvement. "So, I’ve actually made it, huh? I’m officially a model?"Xavier nodded dramatically, sweeping his arm through the air. "Yes, my boy. My specialized team will handle your wardrobe, your styling, everything. You simply follow their direction, and before the month is out, your face will be plastered on magazine covers across the entire nation. You will be trending everywhere as the Alpha Superstar I always knew

Honestly, I was beginning to feel like drawing Ginger as my primary stylist wasn't a bad roll of the dice after all. Sure, she was a bit eccentric, an absolute chatterbox, and a borderline obsessive perfectionist, but she was also genuinely kind and incredibly sharp at her job. And, if I were keeping score, the fringe benefits were absolutely elite.At one point, she dropped a few of her blending brushes and had to get down on all fours to retrieve them from under the counter. The angle caused her tight denim shorts to gap slightly at the waist, granting me a brief, high-definition preview of her black lace underwear cutting into a surprisingly thick, mature set of curves.Later, when she leaned over the armrest to work on my eyeliner, she tilted my chin upward. My eyes locked directly onto her strained green bustier. Her massive, amazing breasts were hovering mere inches from my face, swaying slightly with every breath she took. It was like staring directly into a paradise I didn't

Brownstone let out a dry, knowing chuckle—the sound of a man who had seen the bottom of the abyss and lived to tell the tale."I understand, Mark. It’s crazy, isn't it? Having a stranger know your darkest truth." He sighed, the smoke from his cigar curling like a serpent. "But I am no stranger. Though... that is a conversation for a day when your heart isn't trying to leap out of your chest."Mark didn't explode. He didn't even move. Instead, a cold, heavy stillness settled over him. He sank back into the chair, his mind racing. If Brownstone knew about the System, the rules of the game had just changed. If memories could be harvested from the dead and men could know the unknowable, then Mark Reynolds wasn't the protagonist of the world—he was just a player on a very crowded board.He leaned forward, his fingers interlaced, resting his chin on his knuckles. He stared at the back of Brownstone’s hat, trying to pierce through the man’s mystery."Can I ask you something, Mr. Brownstone