[Task Complete: Hold Kian's Hand – Reward: 150 Points]
[Current Points: 250]
[Bond Energy: 8.4%]
[System Level: 0]
[Bond Store Access: Unlocked - Basic 0 Tier]
The numbers blinked gently behind Rui's eyes as he stood still in the center of the penthouse suite, hand still faintly warm from Kian's. The jolt he'd felt when their fingers touched wasn't just chemical — it had been a spark of something deep, something ancient, coded into his bones.
The bond. The system. The Alpha.
Too much. It was too much.
He staggered backward until his knees hit the edge of the oversized bed, and he sank onto it, heart pounding. Kian didn't speak. He simply stood nearby, giving Rui space. Watching.
Rui closed his eyes and whispered into the mental link.
System… why do you care so much about me touching him? About me being close? Isn't this about money?
[Host Rui Chen, physical and emotional connection with your fated alpha strengthens bond resonance. Bond resonance increases prosperity channels.]
[In short: Wealth comes from power. Your power is your rare omega status and 100% bond. The deeper the bond, the greater the rewards.]
Rui swallowed. So I'm… like a battery?
[No. You are a catalyst. You are not used. You are empowered. Your value fuels your future. Kian is your key, and you are his.]
The answer was so clinical and yet… strangely comforting. He wasn't just a pawn. He was the trigger. The central node.
And he had 250 points.
[Would Host like to open the Bond Store (Tier 0– Basic)?]
"…Yes," Rui whispered.
The screen flickered, revealing a few simple items. No fancy bond tools, no luxury goods — but the basics were there.
[Appearance Boost: Temporary – 25 pts]Skin tone balance, glow, 12-hour effect.
[Pheromone Mask Patch – 25 pts]Reduces scent leak for 6 hours.
[Cash Transfer – 50 pts = $500 legal deposit]
Rui let out a slow breath. It wasn't much, but it felt real. He bought the Appearance Boost and Pheromone Mask Patch— spending 50 points total — leaving him with 200 points.
A soft shimmer of light rippled near the side of the room. As if answering his silent wish, a sleek, slim box materialized atop the marble dresser — one half labeled "Pheromone Patch," the other "Boost Capsule."
Rui stood slowly and approached it, the floor cool under his bare feet.
He took the patch first — it was soft, transparent, barely larger than a coin. With hesitant fingers, he pressed it just under his collarbone. It warmed against his skin, and within seconds, he felt his scent dull down. Still there, but muted — like a melody turned low.
Then came the appearance capsule. It dissolved the moment he swallowed it — leaving a gentle tingling along his cheeks, behind his ears, across his skin.
As the capsule's warmth spread through him, Rui slowly lifted his eyes to his reflection in the glass. The changes weren't dramatic, but noticeable — his skin clearer, his lips fuller, his posture more relaxed. He looked... well. More than anything, he looked like someone who wasn't just surviving.
He turned slightly, catching Kian's presence from the corner of his eye.
Kian stood a few steps away, hands in his pockets, gaze unreadable. "You look better," he said casually.
Rui's throat tightened. Did he mean that? Or was it just something to say?
"I guess I slept more last night," Rui replied vaguely, masking the truth. You can't say you just used a pheromone patch and glow-up pill from a hidden system only you can hear, he reminded himself bitterly.
If Kian noticed anything strange, he didn't mention it. He simply gave Rui a quiet nod, as if that explanation was enough.
"Dinner's on the way," Kian added. "You don't have to eat with me, but you should eat."
"…Okay."
Rui wasn't used to someone making space for him without conditions. He didn't know how to react to that. The instinct to shrink, to disappear, was still strong — but his skin no longer felt heavy, and the patch under his collarbone eased the tension of his scent leaking into the air.
He curled his fingers into the soft fabric of the lounge clothes, grounding himself.