...

Zastan leaned back into the plush, oversized sofa in his suite, the soft fabric enveloping him as he sighed contentedly.

He took a look in his surroundings, the spacious living room with its marble floors, the elegant art pieces on the walls, and the humongous 100-inch television mounted on the wall. The room oozed with luxury, far beyond anything he had experienced in his previous life.

He turned on the TV, flipping through channels until he settled on a show. The vivid colors and crystal-clear images filled the dimly lit room, yet his mind wandered. After more than an hour of watching, he found it hard to focus on the content.

"Man, this is surreal," Zastan muttered to himself, eyes flicking toward the window.

He glanced at the clock, noting the time before turning his head toward the large window. The world outside had transformed as the darkness had settled over the city, but it was far from dull.

The skyline was alive with colorful lights, neon signs, and the glow of buildings that seemed to reach up to touch the stars. It was a view that demanded attention, pulling him from the comfort of the sofa.

"Look at that," Zastan whispered as he walked towards the large window, placing a hand on the cool glass. The city was a vibrant spectacle, with streams of traffic moving below, and the nightlife beginning to stir. "Luminae, the city of lights... or maybe dreams?"

He stood there for a moment, absorbing the scene. Then, a smirk curled on his lips as he thought about the night ahead. "I've got cash, a killer suit, and an entire city to explore. Time to hit the town and see what this place has to offer."

But before he left, he remembered something. "Wait, the system…" he said aloud. Out of nowhere, the translucent screen of the system drifted into the window.

"Interesting..." he looked at the window which now turned into something like a touch-screen display.

'If others would see what I'm doing, they'd most likely think that I have some sort of abnormalities in my brain.'

"But then again, it's probably a tinted window since it's a hotel that values privacy. So I'm sure there wouldn't be an individual that will see me doing this."

Then, he noticed a small exclamation point blinking on one of the buttons. "What's this?" he murmured, clicking on it out of curiosity. The screen expanded, revealing a new feature called 'Tasks.'

"Tasks, huh? Let's see what you've got for me," Zastan muttered, scrolling through the list of tasks displayed on the screen. His eyes widened as he saw the rewards.

One of the tasks had already been completed:

'Spend $10,000.'

"Heh, I guess that wasn't too hard," he chuckled, selecting the task. A notification popped up, confirming his reward of 10,000 Miner Points. "Nice. Free points just for spending money? I could get used to this."

He continued to scroll through the list, noting another task that was already more than halfway completed: 'Spend $100,000.' The reward was 50,000 Miner Points.

"Almost there on this one…," Zastan said to himself, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Just a little more spending and I'll have a nice chunk of points to work with."

He scanned through the remaining tasks, most of which were simple but clearly designed to encourage growth and spending. Satisfied, he returned to the main interface and clicked on the 'Miner' button, which took him to the gold mine section.

The interface had changed significantly since the last time he had checked it. The display was now much larger, with more detailed options and additional information.

"Whoa, look at all this," Zastan muttered, his eyes gleaming with excitement. The screen showed various buttons labeled 'Production,' 'Speed,' and 'Conversion.' Each option had a description next to it.

"Let's see... Production increases by 10% for every 1,000 Miner Points spent. Speed also increases by 10% per 1,000 points. And Conversion decreases the fee by 1% for every 10,000 points..."

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

He tapped his finger against the window, thinking. "So, Production boosts the amount of gold I can generate. Speed gets it to me faster. And Conversion... well, that just saves me money on the conversion fees."

Zastan's eyes narrowed as he calculated the potential benefits. "If I boost Production, I'll get more gold. Speed is tempting, but I'm not in a rush... and Conversion, well, that can wait until I've got more points."

After a few moments of deliberation, he made his decision. "Yeah, Production is the way to go. It's the most efficient use of points right now."

With a determined nod, he selected the Production option and allocated all 10,000 Miner Points. The interface confirmed the upgrade, and Zastan couldn't help but feel a surge of satisfaction.

"There we go," he said with a grin. "Now the production is up by 100%, meaning, It'll now produce twice every second."

Gold mine(Level 1(0/100,000))

Production: 100%

Speed: 0%

Conversion: -0%

He leaned back, the thrill of progress coursing through him. "With this, I'll be able to fund anything I want… but first, it's time to celebrate."

"Let's see what Luminae has in store for me," he said confidently, heading towards the door. The city's lights beckoned, and Zastan was ready to dive into its depths.

Zastan strode back into his suite, feeling the excitement and energy of the night ahead coursing through him.

But before heading out, he knew he had to freshen up. "Gotta look good, smell good," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

He entered the master bathroom, expecting something nice, but when he stepped inside, his jaw dropped. "Holy sh*t… this is something else," he said, eyes wide as he took it all in.

The place was enormous, far bigger than any bathroom he had ever seen, even in his wildest dreams. The floor was made of polished marble, smooth and cool beneath his feet.

He took a step in, feeling the warmth from the underfloor heating. "Fancy," he grinned.

He looked around, admiring the walls adorned with elegant tiles. "Classy," he noted, trailing his fingers along the wall. The lighting casted a soft, warm glow over everything.

"They had literally thought of everything."

His eyes landed on the bathtub—a massive, sleek porcelain thing, almost like a small pool. "Is this… a jacuzzi?" he marveled, stepping closer to inspect the chrome fixtures around it which is gleaming under the light. "Yep, definitely a jacuzzi." He chuckled, already imagining himself soaking in it.

Beside the tub, a large shower area caught his attention. Enclosed by frameless glass. "Multiple showerheads… body jets… and even a rainfall function," he listed off as he looked around. "They really pulled out all everything." He whistled lowly, quite impressed.

As he walked past, something else caught his eye—the toilet, tucked discreetly in a corner. "What's this?" he wondered aloud, stepping closer. It wasn't just any toilet. It had a heated seat. "Of course, it does," Zastan laughed. "Why wouldn't it?" And there was an automatic bidet, complete with customizable settings. He shook his head in disbelief.

Everywhere he looked, there were plush towels, soft as clouds. "Top quality, no doubt," he said, rubbing one between his fingers. And the toiletries? All high-end, neatly lined up on the counter. "Everything I need, for cleaning myself is basically right here."

Zastan began to undress, still marveling at the luxury around him. "This is living," he murmured as he stepped into the shower. The warm water cascaded over him, washing away the fatigue of the day. "Perfect..." he noted, tilting his head back to let the water hit his face. The temperature remained steady. "I could stay here forever."

After a long, satisfying shower, Zastan moved to the bathtub, filling it with hot water. The jacuzzi jets kicked in, and he sank into the bubbling water with a contented sigh. "Now this… this is the life I've always wanted," he said to himself, closing his eyes as the water worked its magic.

Once he was thoroughly relaxed, he stepped out of the tub and wrapped himself in one of the thick towels. Then he walked over to the mirror, where a range of luxury grooming products awaited him. "High-end hair products, premium shaving kit, and even cologne," he listed, picking up a bottle. "Imperium Noir," he read aloud. "Fancy name. Let's see how it smells." He sprayed a little, inhaling the rich, woody notes with a hint of spice. "Nice. Subtle, but powerful. Perfect for going out in the night."

Feeling refreshed and invigorated, Zastan made his way to the walk-in closet. The suit he had ordered earlier was hanging there, he took his hand then ran it over the fabric. "Perfectly smooth." He slipped into the suit, appreciating the perfect fit of the trousers and the crispness of the white shirt. "They weren't kidding about the quality." he took a deep sigh, feeling the comfort it brought in.

The blazers fitted him perfectly, and as he adjusted the black tie, he admired himself in the full-length mirror. "Not bad," he said with a satisfied nod. "Not bad at all." The handcrafted leather were the final touch, completing the set

"Ready for anything." Zastan took a deep breath, straightening his jacket. "Originally, I thought this was just for fun," he said aloud, his voice echoing slightly in the spacious room. "But now… now I have a purpose." He smirked, glancing at his reflection. "I need to finish those tasks."

With that resolve, he picked up the phone beside the bed and dialed the front desk. "Good evening, I'd like to request the chauffeur service."

"Of course, Mr. Zastan," came the polite response. "Your chauffeur will be waiting for you when you arrive downstairs. Would you like any assistance with your departure?"

"That would be great, thank you," Zastan replied, hanging up the phone

"They're efficient," he remarked, nodding to himself. "I like that."

A few minutes later, he stepped out of his suite and headed to the elevator. The descent was smooth, the ride silent, and as the doors opened into the lobby, a staff member was already there, waiting to guide him to his car.

...