After Daniel left, Liam leaned against the kitchen counter, thinking of what to do next.
The mansion was quiet again, the kind of silence that could feel both freeing and isolating, depending on his mood. Today, it was the latter.
He didn't want to stay cooped up all day again—especially not after the productive morning—but he also had no idea where to go. The usual activities didn't excite him, and the idea of walking into some luxury lounge or event just to make small talk didn't sit well with him.
What is fun? What do normal people or the rich do for fun? Should I take a vacation to the Carribeans or Maldives? Sigh... Or maybe travel to Japan and watch that anime in the cinema? Sigh...
As he lingered in thought, his mind circled back to something Daniel mentioned earlier: setting up a private holding company for asset management. The idea had sounded abstract at the time, but now, it felt more tangible.
He hadn't wanted to go down the company route at first. It sounded like work. Like responsibility. But the more he thought about it, the more it made sense. He didn't need to run it himself. That's what staff were for. If he could have someone manage everything—properties, shares, trusts, all of it—then the burden wouldn't be on him. Just the oversight.
"I'll talk to Daniel about it again when he sends the staff list," he murmured, pushing off the counter.
He walked to the living room and dropped onto the couch, eyes trailing along the ceiling. His thoughts drifted to the system—specifically, the mysterious criteria for leveling up.
"I wonder what sort of rewards I'm going to receive tomorrow? And when I'll meet the criteria to level up…" he muttered to himself.
The fact that the system hadn't defined the requirement gnawed at him. Everything else was so precise—why leave that part ambiguous?
But maybe that was the point.
He knew what the system was capable of even now, at just level 1. He had world-class skills, tens of millions in cash, a mansion, and now partial ownership in a global financial institution. And that was just the start.
He could only imagine what would happen when it levels up.
Would it let him boost his stats manually? Access some kind of enhancements? Would he get new system functions? A shop? A skill library?
The thoughts bounced around wildly in his head.
You know what? Let's ask.
"System, have I met the level-up criteria?"
A familiar blue panel appeared in his vision.
[Host should be able to meet the criteria after tomorrow's daily sign-in.]
"Oh?" Liam blinked. "Really?"
[Yes, Host.]
He leaned forward, hope rising. "Can you tell me what function would be unlocked after the level-up?"
Silence. No response.
Of course.
Liam rolled his eyes with a sigh. "Figures."
Still, the confirmation was enough to make him smile. At least he had something to look forward to.
***
The day moved slowly after that. Liam ended up staying home after all. He went through a couple of movies, then spent a few hours on the PS5, losing himself in a fast-paced RPG that kept his hands busy but his mind slightly distracted.
He cooked himself dinner—nothing fancy this time, just pasta with shrimp in a light garlic cream sauce. The system's cooking skill made even simple dishes taste like they belonged in a five-star restaurant.
As he finished cleaning up the dishes, his phone buzzed on the counter. He glanced at it and saw an email notification from Daniel Conley.
He wiped his hands quickly and opened the message.
Subject: STAFFING RECOMMENDATION REPORT – BELLEMERE ESTATE
Liam scrolled through the contents and saw the organized list of candidates: three maids, one personal assistant, and a five-man private security team—all carefully selected, background-checked, and vetted through JP Morgan's private partnerships.
The profiles were detailed. Experience. Training. Discretion history. All top-tier.
Liam trusted JP Morgan's standards, and honestly, he didn't have the patience to interview each one himself.
He clicked "Reply" and typed a short message.
"Everything looks good. Please proceed with onboarding."
He hit send and took a sip of water.
Almost instantly, a reply came in.
"Thank you, Mr. Liam. We will finalize the arrangements. Staff will arrive tomorrow for orientation and residence setup.
Also, as requested earlier, I've scheduled a visit tomorrow morning to discuss the proposed trust structure and holding company options in greater detail if you're willing to go ahead with it."
"I am," Liam replied.
"I will be there first thing tomorrow."
Liam smiled when he saw this. He placed the phone down and returned to his seat to finish his food. Knowing that the house staff and security would soon be in place gave him a rare feeling of relief. One of the few pressing needs on his mental checklist was finally being crossed off.
After eating, he moved upstairs and showered, letting the warm water wash away the mental fog of the day.
Later, as he got into bed, he wasn't in the mood to sleep. The city outside was quiet, and the bedroom—despite its luxury—still felt slightly too big for one person.
His phone buzzed again.
A message popped into the group chat.
Kristie: "Just remembered how good that food was. Liam, do you have a hidden Michelin star?"
Matt: "I'm STILL thinking about that rice, bro."
Lana: "We need to plan a full dinner party next time. Formal clothes, drinks, the whole thing."
Harper: "Also, I vote we kidnap Liam and make him our private chef. Thoughts?"
Liam chuckled, then typed a casual reply.
"Glad you all enjoyed it. And Harper—good luck with that kidnapping plan."
The chat exploded.
For the next couple of hours, Liam found himself pulled into the chaos that was the "Chaos Corner" group chat.
The banter was light, the jokes endless. Someone dropped a funny video. Another posted a picture of their dog sleeping weirdly. Even Stacy chimed in with:
"Still can't believe we went to the same school…"
Liam responded with a smile emoji and a short message.
"I know. It's surprising."
Their messages sparked another round of discussion as everyone started asking Liam how Stacy was in school.
Eventually, the conversation slowed, and one by one, the others started dropping off.
Liam stared at the last few messages, still grinning faintly. It felt... good. Simple. Light-hearted. It was moments like this he enjoy.
He finally put his phone aside, turned off the lights, and sank into the bed.
Tomorrow was going to be another big day—staff arrivals, trust discussions, and his next sign-in reward.
But for now, he need to sleep.