The System's Game: A Tale of Power and Redemption

5. Mark and His Power

"Mark? Am I not seeing things?" Jake, who had been curious, pulled Lisa's hand to approach Mark.

Siska, still trying to catch her breath while figuring out how to stop both couples, also observed Lisa and Jake, who seemed to recognize Mark.

Dr. Vina halted her examination of Mark due to the interruption. Mark, in turn, decided to stand up so he could face Jake. Mark's handsome face appeared calm as he looked at Jake and Lisa, who were confused.

"Hi, Jake, we meet again," Mark said, his expression flat.

Jake was frustrated because someone had taken his appointment slot for treatment, and it turned out to be Mark. He turned to Dr. Vina. "Doctor, why is this poor guy here?" With an arrogant tone, Jake asked Dr. Vina.

Hearing Jake's question, Dr. Vina raised her eyebrows in confusion. Who did Jake refer to as the poor guy? Was it Mark?

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jake, who do you mean by the poor guy?" Dr. Vina finally asked.

"Hahaha, who else but Mark, Doc? Why is the doctor prioritizing him? Does he have the money to pay for Dr. Vina's most expensive treatment? I've been the one paying Dr. Vina the most, right?" Jake explained at length.

While Lisa remained silent, her eyes focused on Mark from head to toe. She sensed something unusual about Mark, and even his appearance seemed more handsome. Lisa wasn't blind to fashion; she knew the brand of clothes Mark was wearing.

"I'm sorry, Mr. Jake, but it seems your accusation is incorrect. In fact, Mr. Mark chose our exclusive premium treatment as his first option, and he registered earlier than you did. So, we followed the procedure to prioritize our clients who had already scheduled appointments with us first. It's not just about money or payment; it's about our professional approach to our clients. So, I kindly ask Mr. Jake to wait according to the order. Thank you," Dr. Vina said with a big smile while politely escorting Jake and Lisa out.

"Huh? That's impossible; he's just a poor guy!" Jake grew angrier and glared at Mark with intense emotions.

Mark, who appeared calm, stood there, gazing at Jake sharply with his hands in his pockets. He was truly different.

"Jake, come on, let's find another place. Don't act like this," Lisa whispered, eventually persuading Jake to leave.

"Fine, let's go, Lisa!" Jake eventually agreed to leave.

Siska promptly closed the door, while Mark resumed his examination before being directed to another room for his first treatment.

Mark's treatment process took quite a while, approximately five hours. He finished everything around 1 p.m. Although Jake could have waited a bit longer, he could have undergone his examination after Mark left Dr. Vina's room. Each client was assigned their private room with various advanced equipment, and there were enough staff, so there was no need to worry about waiting in line. What made Jake angry was Mark's presence; he actually wanted to kick Mark out immediately, ensuring that he was the only one receiving treatment at that place.

Mark smiled with satisfaction at the results of the treatment. His face looked fresher, his hair neatly styled, and his appearance more fashionable. Mark became even more handsome and charming. To show his appreciation for their excellent work, Mark tipped the staff before leaving.

"Thank you, Mr. Mark, don't forget to come back."

Mark simply nodded, walking out of the treatment center. He got into his car quickly, contemplating his next destination.

[Ding! Congratulations, you've earned 20 bonus points, bringing your total points to 25. In addition, your gold level has been upgraded to 100%.]

"Now, is there a new mission, system?" Mark asked, focusing on the road.

[Ding! No, you can enjoy your time for a while.]

Mark breathed a sigh of relief, deciding to return home to rest before the reunion event in the evening. At the moment, Mark hadn't hired anyone for his house. He only had two security personnel recruited by Archelmy, as well as two household assistants to manage his rooms and prepare meals. As for house cleaning, there were special appliances he could use, and the assistants only supervised and ensured that the equipment did its cleaning work efficiently. In truth, he needed more help. So Mark decided to run an ad today while communicating with Archelmy on how to find trustworthy people to help him manage the house.

***

Jake and Lisa eventually found a new place for skin and hair treatment. Lisa, who had seen Mark at the Japanese restaurant, immediately told Jake, but he laughed it off and didn't believe her. Now, Jake could see for himself how Mark was at the best treatment place, at a very high cost.

"I told you back then that I really saw Mark paying for food at the Japanese restaurant, and he went alone," Lisa said while getting her hair treated.

"Yes, I couldn't believe it when I saw his job as a courier before seeing the proof right in front of my eyes. Now I believe you," Jake said, sounding irritated. "But how could he have so much money? Did he win the lottery after breaking up with you, Lisa? Then he felt heartbroken and spent it having fun," Jake assumed.

"I think that's too ridiculous. Mark isn't like that," Lisa replied.

"Oh, so you're defending him as if you really know him?" Jake started to argue about Lisa's feelings.

"What's with you, Jake!" Lisa pouted in annoyance at being accused.

"Well, let's not argue. I'll give my surrogates the task of finding out about Mark. We have to stay calm; there's a reunion event tonight, and we'll meet all our friends. By the way, Mark was also part of our batch. Maybe he'll come?" Jake exclaimed.

"That's a good idea; we can pressure him with your friends, right?" Lisa suddenly had an idea, and they both exchanged smiles.

***

Mark stretched his muscles; he had just seen a list of recommendations from an agency that had hundreds of house assistants and experienced security personnel ready for hire. All of this was based on Archelmy's recommendation, so he decided not to post any ads. He had selected a few people and made payment transactions to hire them. They would arrive at his home later in the afternoon.

Mark checked the clock on his desk and rushed to take a shower and get ready for the reunion event.

'Ding!'

Mark looked at his phone's screen, noticing a message notification from the same sender. He immediately opened the message, which turned out to be from the mysterious account.

F4nt4st1c_@l!3n: Don't forget, you must come.

Mark Starlight: Ok.

F4nt4st1c_@l!3n: We will meet.

Mark Starlight: Ok.

F4nt4st1c_@l!3n: See you.

Mark just read the messages without intending to reply because he was already in his room. He put his phone down and headed to the bathroom. Besides being curious about the mysterious account, Mark also wanted to see how his former friends, who used to mock him, were doing now and whether they had become more successful than him.