Chapter 151
Suzy stirred in her sleep, a soft moan escaping her lips as she tried to turn over. Her shared intimacy with Thomas Kim was intense but still somewhat careful, and now, her body was beginning to feel it.
As she was about to try and go back to sleep, a light ding chimed in her head.
[Host, a reward is available! You have reached 80 favorability points with the target Thomas Kim! Would you like to check it now?]
Suzy sighed. She was spent, but she was strangely curious, too.
[Sure, show me.]
[Loading... Here it is––you have received a Physical Enhancement Card! You can exchange it for a set of physical skills! Would you like to do it now?]
Physical skills? Suzy thought to herself. That sounds interesting...
[Go ahead, use the card.]
[Congratulations, Host. Exchange successful. Loading skill database...]
After successfully using the Physical Enhancement Card, a new set of options appeared in Suzy’s mind.
They were choices between different combat styles.
Grappling, Sanda, Muay Thai, Jiu-jitsu, military combat techniques, freestyle fighting...
She considered them briefly, then made her selection.
[Congratulations, Host. You have acquired the following skills:]
[1. Military Combat (Master Level)]
A battlefield-oriented fighting system designed for lethal efficiency. Every move is precise, ruthless, and decisive.
[2. Muay Thai (Master Level)]
Highly aggressive and devastating in close combat, delivering overwhelming striking power.
[3. Jiu-jitsu (Master Level)]
Specializing in ground fighting, joint locks, and submission techniques. Using softness to overcome strength, turning the weak into the strong.
[Skills injected. Please confirm.]
In the next instant, a flood of information surged into her mind.
Countless combat sequences flashed before her eyes. Every movement, every detail of each strike and technique, felt as though it had been etched directly into her bones.
Her arms, her legs, her core... every part of her body seemed newly awakened, instinctively understanding how to generate force, how to attack, how to defend.
The sensation was strange.
As if she had always known these skills, only forgotten them until now.
Perhaps this was what it felt like to suddenly comprehend a long-lost martial manual.
Suzy clenched her fist lightly, feeling the strength flowing through her.
If she encountered danger again, she would finally have the confidence to face it.
Just as she was immersed in the exhilaration of her newfound abilities, a faint movement came from behind her.
Thomas was awake.
His arm tightened slightly around her, drawing her closer. His chin brushed against the top of her head, his voice still rough with sleep. "You’re awake?"
Her body tensed for a brief moment before relaxing again.
"Mm," she replied softly, turning to face him.
"Why not sleep a little longer?" he asked in a low voice.
She let out a small yawn. "Mm... then I’ll nap a bit more."
He held her tighter. "Alright."
Suzy closed her eyes, nestling her cheek against his chest.
There was a faint, pleasant scent about him that she found irresistibly comforting.
Though she said she would sleep, she was actually speaking quietly with the system in her mind.
She still hadn’t claimed the reward for reaching 80 favorability points, and this time, she intended to collect everything at once.
[System, I want to claim the 80-point reward, too.]
[Understood.]
This time, there was no loading process. Three options appeared before her.
[Host may select one of the following rewards:]
[Reward 1: Resource Locator]
[Reward 2: Favorability Card]
[Reward 3: Absolute Defense Shield]
As usual, Suzy carefully examined each option.
The first reward, the Resource Locator, was a permanent item. It could identify the most valuable resource within a three-kilometer radius once per day.
It was similar to the treasure-hunting ability she had previously unlocked, though with slight differences.
It was undeniably useful—and permanent—but the problem was, she didn’t lack supplies at the moment.
To her, its value was effectively zero.
She skipped over the second reward for now and moved on to the third.
The Absolute Defense Shield granted three minutes of complete invulnerability. No attack could penetrate it. A perfect life-saving trump card, capable of turning the tide in a critical moment.
But it was a one-time use item.
Once used, it would be gone.
And three minutes... it sounded like a lot, yet not quite enough.
In a truly life-threatening situation, three minutes might be enough for her to escape.
But what if she couldn’t get away within those three minutes?
What if the enemy was still waiting for her just outside?
She sucked in a quiet breath. Each option had its strengths and weaknesses.
At last, Suzy’s gaze settled on the second reward.
At first glance, the Favorability Card hadn’t caught her attention.
She had already guessed what it did. At most, it would probably raise favorability a little.
But... it couldn’t be that much, right?
For something tied to an 80-point reward, it felt a bit underwhelming.
With that thought, she opened the detailed description.
There was only a single line.
But the moment she read it, her eyes flew wide open.
No way.
She hadn’t misread that... had she?
[Favorability Card: After use, the chosen bonded target’s favorability will reach 100%. (Requirement: Target’s favorability must exceed 80.)]
One hundred percent favorability!?
Wasn’t this basically a cheat? No—this was absolutely a cheat.
Her breathing quickened.
Among all her bonded targets, only Derek and Thomas had favorability above 80.
She could choose either one.
And after using it, she would be able to claim the 100-point reward again.
What kind of luck was this?
She could barely suppress the smile tugging at her lips.
The choice was obvious.
If she didn’t pick the Favorability Card, she’d be an idiot.
"System, I choose Reward Two. The Favorability Card."
[Host has selected Reward Two: Favorability Card.]
[Please confirm.]
"Confirm, confirm, confirm!" she responded eagerly in her mind.
[Congratulations, Host. You have obtained: Favorability Card ×1.]
[Reward delivered.]
Her fingers trembled with excitement.
Now, there were two bonded targets with favorability above 80—Derek, and Thomas Kim.
As for Derek... she couldn’t deal with that right now.
But Thomas was right here beside her. And just now...
Suzy opened her eyes and lifted her head slightly, her gaze meeting his.
Her heart skipped a beat.
It had to be him.
"System, use the Favorability Card on Thomas."
[Target: Thomas Kim]
[Conditions met.]
[Confirm use of Favorability Card?]
"Confirm."
Even after using it, Suzy didn’t feel any obvious change.
She simply opened her eyes fully and stared at him, searching for even the slightest difference.
"Not sleeping anymore?" Thomas asked, looking at her with a faint smile.
She shook her head. "I can’t fall asleep."
The moment her words fell, the system’s notification rang out in her mind.
[Notification: Favorability Card successfully used.]
[Target: Thomas Kim]
[Current Favorability: 100 (MAX)]
[Congratulations, Host. You have achieved your first fully maxed bonded target.]
[System Notice: Upon reaching 100% favorability, the "Never Betray" mechanism is activated. The target will remain unconditionally loyal to the host, unwavering until death, with no possibility of betrayal.]
[Additional bonus unlocked: Dual Cultivation Enhancement.]
[Details: When the host engages in intimate contact with a max-favorability target, both parties will experience synchronized power growth. The closer the contact, the stronger the enhancement.]
Suzy was completely stunned.
There was actually something this good!?