Urban System in America-Chapter 26 - : Daily Grind, Daily Prize

That's why watching the news was banned in their house.

He didn't even get a phone until his 19th birthday—and that only came after a full year of relentless pleading.

Going through his memories, he was a bit speechless.

Well, what could he say? Even though they were a bit overprotective, maybe excessively so, but they only wanted what was best for him and didn't want him to be exposed to the filth of the world so soon.

There isn't a right or wrong way of raising children—everyone raises their children according to their own past experiences, guided by their own scars and triumphs, just trying to give their children a better life than they had and don't want them to stumble as they did.

Of course, there are exceptions too. Just like anything else in the world, The world had its share of rotten parents—some so deplorable they didn't deserve the title, or those who don't even deserve to have children.

As someone who had been abandoned at birth, he felt even less qualified to comment on this subject. But going through the memories, he knew that they had genuinely tried to raise him as best as they could.

Shaking his head, he brushed the thoughts aside.

After scrolling a bit longer, he tossed the phone aside and collapsed onto the bed.

His mind swirling with information about her—honestly, he still couldn't believe that he had lunch with a celebrity of that caliber.

At first, He really thought she was just a minor celebrity or maybe an online influencer due to her pretty face and exaggerated charm.

He'd seen plenty of those in his past life—small-time streamers with delusions of grandeur, always acting like the world was out to get them, which he had always found a bit ridiculous.

But you really couldn't blame him for misjudging her ( ﹁ ﹁ ) ~→

A celebrity of her level shouldn't be staying in common rooms, even if it was a five-star hotel.

Shouldn't she be staying in private mansions or presidential suites, flanked by bodyguards and an entourage buzzing around her like busy bees?

Well, at least that's how he had always pictured a famous celebrity. And yet, here she was, all alone in an ordinary hotel room, talking and even having lunch with a complete nobody. Even though he was a bit handsome—ahem, well, very handsome compared to others—she shouldn't be this approachable and this down-to-earth.

Shouldn't celebrities hold their heads high with their noses reaching the sky and disdain to even mingle with ordinary people?

He was genuinely confused about her and unconsciously pulled up her number. Seeing that the message was still marked as "sent", his mind cooled down.

But thinking that this number was personally given by her, he felt a bit reassured. Anyway, he had her phone number, and with his growth in the future, their paths were bound to cross again.

Glancing at the time, he realized it was getting late. Anticipation bubbled up as he awaited the day's system reward.

With the ticking of the clock, the time finally reached midnight, and right on cue, a sleek system interface appeared in front of him again.

Ding!

"[Daily Sign-In Available! Claim your reward now!]"

"[Claim Reward]"

Seeing this, he excitedly clicked on the claim button, his heart pounding with anticipation. He was already imagining the great reward he would receive today since every single reward had been better than the last.

As before, the screen erupted in a dazzling almost blinding barrage of colors, accompanied by a triumphant jingle. Then, in bold, flashy text:

"[Congratulations!

You've received: Instant Noodles.

Description: A bowl a day keeps the hunger away!]"

Rex blinked at the screen, staring blankly, as he stunned into silence. Instant noodles? Instant freaking noodles? (°ロ°) Seriously? After all that hype and excitement? All he got was instant noodles?

(╯‵□′)╯︵┻━┻

He had been expecting something epic, like before, not... a packet of instant noodle with a quirky tagline.

"Damn! System, after waiting for so long, this is what you gave me?" he snapped, glaring at the screen.

"[Ahem! Host, system rewards are random, and it all depends on your luck. If your luck is trash, you can't really blame the system for this.]"

Hearing the explanation, even though he still felt a bit annoyed, he just sighed and let it go. He knew that not every reward could be a jackpot.

Grumbling, he claimed it anyway.

With a flash, a packet of instant noodles materialized in front of him.

He turned it over in his hands, squinting. No matter how he looked at it, it was just... noodles. Ordinary, unremarkable noodles.

Anyway, it was still better than nothing. Plus, he had a chance everyday, he didn't believe that it would always be dud, right?

With that half-hearted pep talk, he consoled himself, changed into pajamas and crawled into bed.

—

At around 6 a.m., he naturally woke up feeling refreshed and excited.

A surge of energy coursing through him.

Thanks to his divine body, his physical and mental state had been getting better and better as it healed his body and mind during sleep.

He stretched lazily, then slid out of bed and fling open the window to let morning sun in.

Soft morning sunlight spilled in, falling on his body making his mood even better.

Closing his eyes, he basked in the gentle rays of sunlight a moment before heading inside.

And after freshening up, he threw on his running gear and stepped outside for a jog.

There's no way he was going to let his body waste away like it had in his past life.

So, exercise was a must. Starting with jogging, he planned to gradually build up from there, step by step.

The world outside was serene and everything was as quiet and beautiful as before—birds fluttered through the crisp air, their songs weaving a gentle symphony, while little squirrels darted playfully up and down tree trunks.

Breathing in the fresh air, he felt an invigorating sense of peace.

During the jog, he occasionally saw others walking or running, but they were mostly elderly; young people like him were rare.

Seeing them, he nodded in greeting and flashed a bright smile, which they returned with polite nods of their own."

His destination was the same as yesterday: reaching the park and exercising there a bit.

Just like yesterday, he had to stop halfway to rest and catch his breath, but today, he felt much better.

In a week, he believed he could reach the park in one go.

Reaching the park, he slowed down to stroll, savoring the beautiful moment as the golden rays of the rising sun fell on the trees, painting them in gold, and dewdrops on the leaves sparkled like tiny jewels.

Stepping on the damp grass, he felt truly at peace, and a deep calm washed over him, dissolving every lingering worry.

He performed a series of light exercises until beads of sweat began to roll down his brow.

Seeing how drenched he had become, he knew that it was time to stop.

That was his limit for now. After cooling off, he turned back home.

By the time he got back, it was around 8 a.m. After washing up, he changed into an all-black outfit—an oversized black shirt, black jeans, and black sneakers—and headed out.

Getting into his obsidian-black Camero, he cranked the radio to a mellow tune and cruised toward the university.

On the way, he pulled into a random, decent-looking diner for breakfast and enjoyed a classic American meal of pancakes, an egg, sausages, and a frothy latte.

The restaurant had some real skills—The food was simple but damn good, he truly enjoyed this simple yet fulfilling breakfast.

Amid the deep rumbling of his car, he soon reached the university gate.

Seeing the "monster," many students cast envious glances his way. Honestly, he'd be lying if he said he didn't enjoy their jealous yet admiring looks—just a bit, really, just a bit!

Parking near his campus, as he stepped out, he immediately felt various gazes lock onto him.

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But he didn't mind, striding confidently toward his class while twirling his keys and humming an unknown song from his previous life.

As he reached the classroom door, he checked the time—it was exactly two minutes to nine, just in time for the first class.

Taking a deep breath, he pushed open the door and confidently stepped inside.

Just as he entered, every eye in the room locked onto him like heat-seeking missiles.

He simply nodded gently and flashed a subtle smile, just then, he caught a flicker of movement in the corner, someone staring harder than the rest.

(End of Chapter)