Chapter 350: Chapter 350: Fair and Just
Cheng Wenhui nodded dubiously, but Tan You didn’t care whether she truly believed it or not. All she needed was a plausible excuse. ’My grandparents are really something else,’ she thought. ’They even came up with a cover story for me.’
The atmosphere during the first meal at the new house was pleasant. After dinner, Tan You, Tan Deming, and Wang Hunv had to head back, but Tan Yue refused to stay in town. She insisted on sticking close to Tan You.
Tan Lin was thrilled. "Fine. If you want to go back with your sister, go ahead. That leaves this place to your mom and me."
He was looking forward to some private time with Cheng Wenhui and didn’t want Tan Yue hanging around as a third wheel.
Tan You didn’t mind Tan Yue tagging along. Perhaps because she had helped care for Tan Yue as a baby, Tan You subconsciously had more patience for her younger sister.
Glancing at Tan Yue asleep on the large bed, Tan You turned her attention back to wrestling with her math competition problems. The Beauty System suddenly flew out. "Host, you haven’t done a mission in a long time, and the last one was never settled."
Tan You put down her pen. "Then settle the mission."
The words had barely left her mouth when an electronic voice sounded in her ear: "Mission settled. This mission has been rated S+. The host has received a base reward of 5 Energy Points and a bonus of 7 Energy Points for the A-level-or-higher rating."
"Client Tang Li has given a double-S rating. Main System bonus: 2 Energy Points. Host’s Energy Point balance is now 34."
Tan You’s gaze swept over the "S+". "System, it seems beauty value isn’t important enough to determine the mission rating. I didn’t give Tang Li any beauty value, yet I still got a double-S rating from her, and the mission outcome was even better."
"I used to always get S-level ratings. I didn’t expect an S+ would grant an extra two Energy Points."
The Beauty System chased its tail in a circle. "It’s a shame the host didn’t get a double-S mission rating."
Tan You’s interest was piqued, but she didn’t press the matter. "There will be opportunities later. I’m in no rush. Let’s check my status bar first."
Tan You’s current status bar data was as follows:
Appearance: 87 (Perfect Bone Structure, Flawless Skin, Limpid Eyes)
Spiritual Power: 62
Intelligence: 61
Constitution: 40
Charm: 33
Energy Points: 34
Beauty Value: 11 (Unavailable in the current world)
All the above values are on a 100-point scale. The system reserves the right of final interpretation.
Tan You quickly spotted the changes. Her spiritual power had increased by two points and her charm by one, while the rest remained unchanged. ’It seems that experiencing more worlds doesn’t raise one’s intelligence,’ she mused, ’which makes the Intelligence Value all the more precious.’
"Host, lottery, lottery! You said you’d do a draw once every two worlds." After being serious for less than three seconds, the Beauty System started pestering Tan You to do the lottery draw. It had long been coveting her Energy Points. Although the host had promised to buy it an Elf skin in the future, having the Energy Points in the host’s possession was obviously not the same as having them itself.
Tan You chuckled. "Alright, let’s do the draw. Just don’t try to fob me off with beauty value."
The Beauty System stammered, "The system... The system can’t rig the results. The outcome of the draw is absolutely fair and impartial."
Tan You scoffed. ’This little thing is talking to me about "fair and impartial"? That’s the funniest joke I’ve heard all day. Whenever I want a certain reward, it shows up in the prize pool right after a refresh. How is that fair and impartial?’
The Beauty System blinked its huge, sparkly eyes coquettishly. "Host..."
Tan You narrowed her eyes. "Aren’t we doing the draw?"
The next second, a lottery wheel unfolded before Tan You. She casually selected a ten-pull. Her 34 Energy Points quickly dropped to 26, and 10 cards flew out from the wheel.
Knowing Tan You didn’t like flipping cards one by one, the Beauty System revealed all ten at once. "This draw consumed 8 Energy Points. The host received ’Thank you for playing’ three times and a total of 23 beauty value points."
"Congratulations, Host. Do you want to draw again?"
Tan You narrowed her eyes. "Do I look like I want to draw again?"
The Beauty System weakly raised its right front paw. "Host, more draws are bound to lead to a miracle. Don’t you want to try again?"
"No," Tan You refused flatly. She worked herself to the bone on missions to save up a few Energy Points, only to trade them for a pile of useless beauty value. She’d have to be crazy to want to draw again.
"Host, beauty value is actually really useful," the Beauty System said, not giving up on persuading her. "Really, more draws are bound to lead to a miracle."
"And how many is ’more’?" Tan You propped her chin on her hand. "I’m too poor to afford it. Maybe when I’ve saved up 200 Energy Points, I’ll consider drawing more. But for now, I’m not thinking about it."
"Two hundred points?" the Beauty System stammered. "That’s... so many... Host, how many missions would that take?"
Tan You pondered for a moment. "I remember you saying that I can upgrade to an intermediate-level system at 100 Energy Points. I plan to upgrade before school starts and take on an intermediate-level mission."
The Beauty System immediately stopped pestering Tan You about the lottery. It got so close its face was almost touching hers. "Really? You’re really going to let me upgrade to an intermediate-level system?"
"Mm-hm," Tan You said, leaning back slightly. "You’re too close. All I can see are your eyeballs."
The Beauty System obediently retreated two steps. "Host, you’re amazing! If I upgrade to the intermediate level, I’ll be the fastest-upgrading one among all the Beauty Systems!"
Tan You’s expression faltered for a second. "Perhaps that’s because all the other hosts bound to your Beauty Systems just think about using their looks to get ahead?"
The Beauty System replied, "There’s nothing wrong with weaponizing one’s beauty. The Main System says women conquer the world by conquering men."
Tan You shook her head, giving up on arguing with the little system. It was part of its core programming; she couldn’t interfere. Besides, as long as the little system didn’t pester her day in and day out about weaponizing her beauty, Tan You didn’t really care about its operational philosophy.
"Host, do you want to draw a mission now?" The Beauty System did a quick calculation of Tan You’s Energy Points. "You only need about three more missions to save up 100 Energy Points. It’ll be over in the blink of an eye, Host."
Tan You chuckled. "’In the blink of an eye’ isn’t exactly a positive expression, you know."
"But that’s what I mean," the Beauty System squirmed. "Host, draw a mission, draw a mission!"
It wasn’t that Tan You was eager to do another mission; she was simply curious about the intermediate-level ones. So far, all she had drawn were missions set in the modern day, and she had grown curious about other worlds.
She knew intermediate-level missions wouldn’t be as simple as the beginner ones, but she would feel unresigned if she didn’t at least see what they were like.
With that thought, Tan You casually slapped the button next to the mission pool. A moment later, a small orb of light was dispensed onto the table. Just as Tan You reached for it, another orb of light suddenly squeezed out of the opening before it could close.
Tan You froze, her eyes instinctively flicking to the Beauty System. "What’s going on?"
