C5 Real Prince Charming

Quinlan didn't wake up until two in the afternoon, having slept a solid four hours. He awoke with a mind that felt incredibly sharp—a welcome change from the constant anxiety and restlessness that had plagued him since his breakup. He hadn't experienced such a peaceful sleep in ages.

To say that Quinlan wasn't feeling a twinge of heartache would be a lie. A year's worth of love doesn't just vanish without a trace, but he was starting to handle it with a sense of detachment.

He reached for his phone to check the time, but the screen flashed with over a thousand unread messages. They were all from TikTok. "What the heck?" he muttered, puzzled by the sudden influx.

He hurriedly opened the app and clicked on his profile picture. What he saw was astonishing. His fan count had jumped from a mere twenty to over ten thousand. In just four hours, he had gained a massive following. All those crowns he had swiped—over a thousand of them—had paid off. The 20,000 dollars investment wasn't for nothing.

On TikTok, it wasn't unusual for the big spenders to throw money around to attract fans. Now, armed with the Super Ultimate Tycoon System, Quinlan had an edge. Not using it to draw in fans would be a disservice to the system's capabilities.

"Hmm, if I keep gaining fans, maybe I could start doing live broadcasts," he pondered. The virtual currency from the system wasn't withdrawable, but surely the earnings from his own streams could be cashed out, right?

"Host, are you lost in some fantasy?" the system chimed in. "Any virtual currency in your account cannot be transferred to your bank card. Moreover, the virtual currency you earn will become part of your mission. Remember, your task is to spend all the virtual money in your virtual account every single day!"

"Damn," Quinlan cursed under his breath. So the money he made from streaming was actually turning into a liability? Who on earth could he even complain to about this?

"Also, you can't convert the virtual currency you gift to other streamers into cash," the system continued. "If detected, the system will sever ties with you and seek a new host."

The word 'frustrated' didn't even begin to cover how Quinlan felt upon hearing this. All he wanted was a moment to himself, to quietly shed a few tears. It seemed the system was hell-bent on driving him to the edge.

"Host, don't lose heart. You've still got a shot at the prize draw!"

A prize draw? Of course! With a system as badass as this, the rewards must be top-notch!

Quinlan was about to inquire about the prize but quickly dismissed the thought. He realized that asking would be futile; the system was a pain in the ass, and it was better to just wait. The mystery would unravel itself in a week.

The flood of messages, over a thousand, were all private messages from others.

"Finnian, you are so generous!"

"Finnian, I want to be your friend!"

"Finnian, when will you visit my live stream? I'm skilled at everything. Come on... I'm waiting for you."

"Finnian, I'm even wilder. Forget eating toads alive, I can eat anything you name!"

Damn! That's some serious wildness!

...

The private messages varied wildly, and boy, did they come from all walks of life!

Just then, Fatty trudged in, looking utterly dejected. Quinlan could tell something was up; Fatty was an open book.

"What's the matter, Fatty? Hit a rough patch?" Quinlan asked.

With a sigh, Fatty replied, "Ugh... I'm so frustrated."

"What's up? Spill it. Did your girlfriend dump you too? Is this some kind of epidemic?" Quinlan joked.

"That's not it," Fatty shook his head. "I feel even worse than if I'd been dumped. Rosalie, my girlfriend, has gotten hooked on this streamer named Atlas. She's obsessed with him, calling him her idol, saying she's head over heels. Whenever Atlas streams, she's glued to the screen. She can't stop talking about him even when she's with me. How do you think that makes me feel? I tried telling her that there's no such thing as an idol, he's just a regular guy with flaws, who eats and shits like the rest of us. She didn't take it well. Was I wrong to say that?"

Fatty looked at Quinlan, his face a picture of innocence.

"Right, no problem at all!" Quinlan readily agreed with Fatty's statement.

"Now she's got it in her head that Atlas is her dream guy, so where does that leave me? I'm bending over backward for her every day, and I'm still less important than some guy on a screen. It's so frustrating!" Fatty vented with visible irritation.

Quinlan fired up the TikTok and looked up Atlas. Fifty thousand followers weren't exactly a big deal on TikTok.

He watched a few of Atlas's clips—just some show-offy bits. The guy seemed to be in his early twenties, and while he had the looks and the physique, he couldn't hold a candle to Fatty's heartfelt sincerity.

Besides, Fatty was Quinlan's friend. Naturally he held him in high regard.

Throughout his own rough patch, Fatty had been there for him—sharing drinks, lending an ear to his troubles, and even applying medicine when he was hurt. He had really taken good care of him.

No, he couldn't stand by and watch his friend be upset. He had to figure out a way to help him.

According to Fatty, Atlas was on a pedestal in Rosalie's heart, practically a deity. The solution was simple: knock Atlas off that pedestal, and Rosalie's infatuation would surely fade.

Atlas was a streamer, after all, streaming for cash. It might have been tough to dethrone him before, but now it would be a breeze with the Super Ultimate Tycoon System at his disposal.

Atlas streamed from ten to midnight. Tonight, he'd be taking a tumble from his lofty perch.

"Chin up, big guy. By tomorrow, Rosalie won't be hung up on Atlas anymore, and she definitely won't see him as her dream guy. Trust me," Quinlan reassured him, patting Fatty's shoulder with a comforting smile.

Fatty paused, taken aback by Quinlan's words.

"Come on, Travis, you don't have to try to make me feel better," Fatty said, dismissing the idea with a wave of his hand. He couldn't bring himself to believe Quinlan's claim—it was unfounded, after all.

Quinlan didn't bother with further explanations. He couldn't divulge his Super Ultimate Tycoon System to Fatty, nor could he reveal his plan. If he could just alleviate his friend's worries by tomorrow, that would be enough.

"Travis, you haven't had dinner yet, have you?" Fatty inquired.

"I've been asleep up until now," Quinlan responded.

"To celebrate your breakthrough, and for me to blow off some steam, how about we go out for a drink?" Fatty suggested, sounding a bit down.

"Sure... lead the way!" Quinlan said with a laugh.

Then, the two of them exited the dorm and made their way to a restaurant beyond the school's boundaries.