Chapter 25: Poor Little Flower

Waiting is hardly a pleasant affair, and most people would not care for it. Because of Xiaohua’s vehement protests, Ma Jun was unable to enjoy any paid adult films, so he could only play on his phone instead.

The hotel Ma Jun was staying in was not the finest, but it was comfortable. After tipping generously, the staff even helped him buy Chinese food and brought it straight to his room. In this way, Ma Jun became a true recluse over the next few days.

He devoted himself to studying the system’s shop. In the first-tier shop, there were all sorts of interesting gadgets, but the most impressive were only at the level of biochemical servants; nothing higher could be found. The things he’d been hoping for, like Iron Man’s armor or an elixir of immortality, were nowhere to be seen.

Ma Jun asked Xiaohua where the items in the shop came from. The mischievous child informed him that they were created using system energy! Just as the lottery required reputation points, those reputation points were a form of energy—and a far more precious one.

“No wonder the lottery was introduced as gambling in the beginning. And the system is the house—have you ever seen a casino lose money?” With this explanation, Ma Jun instantly understood: perhaps he’d only made a little profit with the biochemical servant draw; the rest were all losses.

However, up to this point, reputation points seemed good for nothing but the lottery! The system’s elaborate setup gave the illusion of something for nothing, with the obvious aim of making him spend his reputation points.

Ma Jun lounged in a bathtub brimming with bubbles, cigarette in hand, eyes half-closed in thought. Suddenly, a bright smile appeared on his face. “Xiaohua, I have something to inform you!”

“If you have something to say, say it! If you have gas, let it out! I’m busy monitoring Jimmy Tang!” she snapped.

“From now on, I won’t use the lottery function anymore! Those reputation points always stay at zero—it’s an eyesore!”

“The lottery is such a good feature, and you won’t use it?” Xiaohua immediately projected a hologram. “Reputation points can only be used for the lottery!”

“I won’t use it,” Ma Jun replied, smiling as he stared at Xiaohua.

Her expression was priceless—her adorable little face all scrunched up in deep thought, then clumsily trying to persuade him. But Ma Jun was resolute: he simply wanted the reputation points to accumulate because it looked good.

“Hmph, do as you please!” In the end, Xiaohua could only disappear in a huff.

Ma Jun sighed contentedly, a shameless grin on his lips, then asked, “Xiaohua, what energy does the system use for its daily operation? Like a computer, it needs power to stay on.”

“At first, it ran on solar and bio-energy. Later, once other planes were conquered, those planes could provide energy for the system,” Xiaohua replied lazily, her tone indifferent.

“So, conquering a plane means extra energy can be sent back to the system? Is all that energy used solely to keep the system running?” Ma Jun pressed on.

With a flash, Xiaohua’s image appeared again, hands on hips, chest heaving with indignation. She pointed at Ma Jun and declared haughtily, “Don’t think I don’t know you’re probing for information! Do you think I’d harm you? The extra energy is used to continue eroding the planes! It’s like buying a house: you make a down payment, then pay the mortgage every month. Only when the loan is paid off does the house truly become yours!”

Ma Jun burst out laughing at her antics. “Xiaohua, do you think you might one day have a human body?”

“Why?” she asked, puzzled.

“Because I think I’ve fallen in love with you. If you had a body, we could have much deeper conversations!” Ma Jun teased, eyes twinkling mischievously.

“Ah!” Xiaohua shrieked, her cheeks turning crimson as she stamped her feet in fury. “You perverted creep! You even want to lay hands on a cute little girl like me! How did I end up with such a degenerate for a master? Freak! Scum! Go die!”

With a final tirade, Xiaohua vanished.

Ma Jun laughed heartily, then mused aloud, “So reputation points are basically like the deed to the house!”

“How could you guess that—no!” Xiaohua blurted out, then immediately realized her slip and fell silent, making aggrieved whimpering sounds.

Ma Jun shook his head, took a long drag from his cigarette, and exhaled slowly, feeling an indescribable satisfaction.

Within the system, Xiaohua curled up, hugging her knees, pouting. She muttered, “That old pervert really is something else. He figured out my little secret in no time! Such a schemer! Always bullying me. Poor Xiaohua, no one loves or cares for her.”

Naturally, Ma Jun had no idea what Xiaohua was thinking. After his bath, he got dressed, picked up his room card, and headed downstairs. “Xiaohua, find me a car rental place.”

Feeling wronged, Xiaohua ignored him.

“Aren’t you the least bit curious about what I’m planning?” After a moment, Xiaohua replied indifferently, “What are you planning?”

Ma Jun smiled. “I’m going to tail Jimmy myself. You can go back to your TV dramas. I can’t really make you monitor someone twenty-four hours a day, right?”

“Hmph!” Xiaohua’s huff now carried a hint of delight, though her tone remained cold. “No need. Something that simple can’t stump me.”

“Alright, enough sulking. Just do as I say. I need to check these places myself so I can work more efficiently later!” Ma Jun insisted.

“Fine, since you’re being so obedient, I’ll help you out a bit!” This time, her voice was full of laughter rather than coldness.

After renting an ordinary Ford, Ma Jun used Xiaohua’s navigation to locate the homes of several key figures. He first visited the intelligence director’s residence, then the waterworks magnate’s estate. Finally, he found Jimmy’s home.

The next morning, Ma Jun began tailing Jimmy’s taxi.

Jimmy was nothing more than a cabbie—before donning a tuxedo, he was utterly powerless. He harbored a secret crush on a gallery attendant and spent his days dreaming up ways to invite her to dinner.

As for Jimmy’s crush, Ma Jun could only shake his head in disbelief. The young lady sported an odd fringe and exuded a peculiar charm; why Jimmy Tang was smitten with her was beyond Ma Jun.

He had already obtained the complete plot from Xiaohua, with not a single detail omitted. Thus, he didn’t need to shadow Jimmy day and night, toiling away at taxi surveillance. Instead, he only waited outside the gallery at noon.

Two days later, Ma Jun finally witnessed the storyline he’d been waiting for.