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Chapter 8: Clara's Competition
🕑 Added 2025-07-13 09:29:43 +0000 UTCAfter agreeing with Clara that they would spend the money on a new camera, Owen drove to the city center's shopping mall the next day. The IT zone here was particularly bustling. Bright neon lights from various shops reflected off the glossy floor, and the clamor of people mixed with the demo sounds from electronic devices.
Owen browsed a few camera shops but still hadn't found what he was looking for. That was until his eyes landed on one shop that looked more modern than the others. And at the counter, he noticed someone who looked strangely familiar.
'Curly brown hair... a freckled face... wearing thick-rimmed, round black glasses?' Owen thought for a moment before finally remembering. It was the man who had been arguing with the honey-tanned woman with the big butt that day!
He seemed to be named Jace, and the woman was probably Sahara. Their distinctive features made them easy for Owen to remember. Driven by curiosity, Owen decided to walk into Jace's shop. As soon as he stepped inside, a soft but confident voice greeted him immediately.
"Welcome to my IT shop, customer. We have a wide range of IT equipment, whether it's mobile phones, TVs, computers, game consoles, and much more," Jace said fluently in greeting. He was a white man, about 35 years old, with curly brown hair and round, thick-rimmed black glasses. His face had a sprinkling of freckles, and he had a slightly chubby build, dressed in a professional salesman's uniform.
[Character Illustration: Jace]
"But I must warn you first, our shop only carries high-tech products using the latest technology. If you're looking to buy low-grade items with outdated tech, we don't have them! Furthermore, I can also procure special equipment for you that uses materials from monsters or ores found only in dimensional gates. Of course, you won't find those on the market. They're sold exclusively in my shop! Because I invent them with my own two hands! So, what would you like to buy, customer?"
Owen nodded slightly, impressed by Jace's presentation. "My name is Owen, and I'm looking for one or two good quality cameras for photos and videos. Is this your shop? Your promo sounds cool, I like it."
Hearing the word "cool," Jace's eyes lit up with pride. "That's right! I own this place. A lot of customers don't really pay attention to what I say. They just pretend to listen but don't really care, they just buy what they need and go. But you... Owen, was it? You really listened to everything I said and know how cool my shop is! My name is Jace, a genius in the tech industry. Nice to meet you! You want to buy a camera, right? I have several I'd like to recommend. And I'll even give you a special 5% discount!"
Jace's demeanor became visibly friendlier. He walked over and placed a variety of cameras from different brands on the counter for Owen to choose from. He enthusiastically explained the features and prices in detail, ranging from a thousand dollars to hundreds of thousands. Of course, Owen's budget was limited to the tens of thousands. After careful consideration, he decided to buy a high-quality camera recommended by Jace for $20,000.
"Thanks for your business, Owen," Jace said as he handed Owen the well-packaged camera. "Here's my business card. If you need anything else, don't forget to think of me first. Get home safe, Owen."
After buying the camera, Owen had no other business at the mall. With Jace's glossy black business card and a brand-new camera in his hand, he decided to drive straight to Alex's mansion to deliver his pending work.
…
Inside Alex's luxurious and orderly office, the atmosphere was quiet, with only the sound of papers being flipped. Owen waited calmly while Alex checked the documents Owen had marked and corrected. Alex's long, slender fingers traced the lines before stopping and placing the document set on the table.
Alex leaned back in his expensive leather chair, clasped his hands on his lap, and glanced at Owen. "Although you're a bit late submitting the work, it's understandable," he said in a flat tone that carried an undercurrent of pressure.
"I know you're a novice, but you need to improve faster. You must re-prioritize this work, otherwise, I'll have to find someone else to replace you…"
It was just as Alex said. Owen knew full well that he had treated Alex's job as just a side gig, so it was finished later than it should have been. No matter how well he did the work, if he missed a crucial window of time, it was worthless. It was no wonder Alex was reprimanding him.
Owen nodded in understanding. He had no intention of making excuses, but that didn't mean he would let the situation worsen. In that split second, the system's translucent window automatically appeared before him.
…..
[1. I understand, Governor. I will give your work more priority next time. (Affection +1)]
[2. I couldn't help it. I have a lot of things to do each day, so your work was finished late as you can see. But I did my best. (Affection -1, Alex begins to hesitate about keeping you on.)]
[3. I apologize, sir. I didn't realize how important this job was to you; I thought it was just a test you didn't care much about. Therefore, I will give my all to your next assignment! But... you have to help me with something. A few days ago, while I was working for you, I was threatened by three Awakened. You know a normal person like me can't fight them. I solved the problem by mentioning your name, and they backed off. But what if I run into Awakened who aren't afraid of your name? That makes your job much riskier than I thought. Can you help me with this? Of course, I'm not asking for a bodyguard or some magic item. I don't need to defeat the Awakened; I just need to survive them. So, I was hoping to learn some self-defense. Could you help me with that? (Affection +2, Alex will recommend a top-tier training gym to you.)]
…..
Owen quickly considered the options. The first was safe but too submissive. The second was clearly suicide. But the third... it wasn't just an excuse, but a way to turn a crisis into an opportunity. He immediately chose option 3.
"I apologize, sir," Owen said in a serious tone. "I didn't realize how important this job was to you; I thought it was just a test you didn't care much about. Therefore, I will give my all to your next assignment!"
He paused for a moment before continuing. "But… you have to help me with something, sir. A few days ago, while I was working for you, I was threatened by three Awakened. You know a normal person like me can't fight them." Alex's expression immediately shifted from indifference to interest.
"I solved the problem by mentioning your name, and they backed off. But what if I run into Awakened who aren't afraid of your name? That makes your job much riskier than I thought. Can you help me with this?"
Owen looked straight at Alex with determination. "Of course, I'm not asking for a bodyguard or some magic item. I don't need to defeat the Awakened; I just need to survive them. So, I was hoping to learn some self-defense. Could you help me with that, sir?"
A faint smile appeared at the corner of Alex's lips. He chuckled softly in his throat with satisfaction. "Clever, Owen. Instead of making excuses, you point out the risks and propose a reasonable solution."
Alex stood up and walked to the large glass window, looking out at the view of the flower garden outside. "You're right. Invoking my name might not always work. And your desire to improve your self-defense capabilities is a worthwhile investment for my work as well."
Alex turned back to face Owen, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "Alright. I will recommend a top-tier combat training gym to you," he continued. "It's a secret gym that not many people know about, but I can guarantee that if you can endure the training there, you'll be able to survive even against a B-rank Awakened. They have courses for both normal people and Awakened. It's the best martial arts training facility in this city. I'll send you the details later."
This unexpected offer made Owen feel deeply grateful. This was an opportunity he never dreamed he would get. "Thank you for your help, Governor. I will do my best on your work!"
After finishing his talk with Alex, Owen drove home, his head full of various thoughts—the task he had to do for Alex, the opportunity to train himself, and most importantly, his appointment for tonight. He had an OnlyStar shoot with Clara late at night, so as soon as he got home, he immediately unboxed the new camera and prepared the equipment in advance.
…
When the time came, Owen took a deep breath and tiptoed quietly to Clara's closet. "You're here, Owen," Clara, who was waiting on a chair in a bathrobe, greeted him as soon as she saw him.
"I was just talking to my friend, Lilly. She was shocked that I could make more money than her on OnlyStar, so she started posting more pictures of herself in lingerie to increase her subs. I'm not going to lose to her!" Her voice was clearly filled with a competitive spirit.
Owen could only nod and listen to her quietly as he put down his camera bag. "Mm-hmm~ I get it, Clara. I believe you can beat Lilly. So, are we ready to start shooting?"
Hearing that, Clara's face began to turn red with embarrassment. She slowly stood up and untied the belt of her bathrobe, revealing the sexy black lace lingerie hidden underneath. Her fair skin contrasted perfectly with the black of the set.
[Character Illustration: Clara in lingerie]
"Oh my god~ Clara, you're so beautiful!" Seeing her in this outfit, Owen's jaw dropped, and he forgot to breathe for a moment. His masculine urges flared up, and the crotch of his pants couldn't help but feel tight.
Clara, who secretly saw Owen's reaction, blushed even more deeply. She was so embarrassed she felt like she could crawl into a hole. "Ho...how is it, Owen.... D-do... I... look good?" Clara stammered, her hands starting to fidget.
Owen quickly composed himself and nodded repeatedly, giving her a thumbs-up. "You don't just look good, Clara. You're more beautiful and sexy than anyone I've ever met! I'll set up some great camera angles to make your pictures come out perfectly!"
His praise helped boost Clara's confidence, and they began to pose for the photos. Clara struck various seductive poses according to Owen's instructions, her eyes staring into the camera lens as if to mesmerize every viewer. Half an hour passed quickly, and they finished the shoot.
After Clara had changed back into her normal clothes, before Owen could pack up and leave the room, she grabbed his arm. "Don't you dare tell anyone about this! Understand, Owen?" she reiterated with a serious expression. "I don't want to have problems and have to explain things to Damian."
Owen nodded in understanding and gave her a warm smile. "You don't have to remind me of that, Clara. I know very well what to do and what not to do. I was also very happy to do this activity with you, so don't worry. Good night, Clara~"
Hearing that he was happy to do this with her, Clara felt an indescribable warmth in her heart. Soon, they both quickly went back to their own rooms before anyone could see them and become suspicious of their secret relationship.
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