Clear eyes, a smile as warm as sunlight, and a faint milk mustache around his mouth—comical but mostly adorable—made her sigh:
"Daisy left with the Johnsons yesterday. I've known them for nine years, and they'll take good care of Daisy. It's just that I've wronged you."
Looking at Samantha's guilty expression, James Nixxon shook his head. He comforted her, "It's alright, Samantha. After all, I was sick yesterday."
The Johnsons weren't tycoons, but they were high-income earners, owning at least three properties in America. Perhaps because they couldn't have children, the couple often came to help at the Orphanage.
When they learned that Samantha was going to close the Orphanage, the Johnsons expressed their willingness to adopt a child.
This couple had connections and capabilities, both highly educated talents. Given their conditions, many Orphanages would surely be willing to entrust children to them for upbringing.
Samantha was also aware of this, so she had kept this couple in mind, hoping to give James Nixxon a better future.
But unfortunately, because of James's "sickness" yesterday, the couple could only take Daisy.
Samantha knew James wasn't sick.
He did that only because he didn't want Daisy to be left alone. When Samantha decided to close the Orphanage, many people expressed their desire to adopt James.
He was so smart, adorable, and well-behaved. He was just too well-behaved, so much so that Samantha sometimes felt a pang of heartache.
Don't assume life in an Orphanage is cruel; a child's personality is shaped by the one who raises them.
With someone like Samantha, even if she had raised the son of a monster, he might still have become a child of light.
Looking at James's tender expression as he comforted her, Samantha couldn't help but smile. She stroked James's head, and a hint of maternal love flashed in her eyes: "I understand, I understand. You're a good child."
James opened his mouth. He felt that Samantha seemed to have misunderstood something, but looking at the smile on Samantha's lips, he couldn't help but shake his head.
Never mind, let's just call it a beautiful misunderstanding.
After dinner, Samantha left.
On the table was half a glass of milk and most of a plate of finger biscuits, left as snacks for James.
Only Samantha and James remained at the Orphanage.
Samantha was a respected old woman. Although she had no money or power, the nobility of her character earned people's heartfelt respect.
In this restless society, she was like a ray of light shining down from heaven.
Samantha still had many "clients," but not many quality ones. Leaving James's room, Samantha's eyes flickered with thought.
The original plan was for a man to pick up Daisy today. The man was single and owned a music bar. He had been wild for a period in his youth.
However, Samantha knew that this man's nature was not bad; he was a very family-oriented man. Although he was not married, Samantha knew this.
Because this man still deeply loved his girlfriend so many years after her death and had not yet started a family—a rare quality in a man like him.
Of course, this White man was not without flaws. For example, he enjoyed the dangerous game of racing. Perhaps the thrill of speed helped him forget his deceased girlfriend for a short while.
Samantha's original plan was to hope that Daisy could form a family with this man. On one hand, it was for Daisy's sake, and on the other, she hoped to save the man—to give him something to care about, so that he wouldn't die on the racetrack one day.
One must know that the power of family is infinite; a simple family can make people burst forth with infinite potential.
Unfortunately, Daisy was taken away yesterday, and Daisy, who was originally planned for Owen (the middle-aged White man), had now become James Nixxon.
Originally, Samantha felt that although it was a bit unfair to James, Owen was actually not bad. He was well-educated and had his own business. Aside from his dangerous hobby of racing, he had almost no major flaws.
However, after some conversation?
Samantha felt that James deserved a better option.
As Samantha left, the original four-person room now only had six-year-old James. Looking at the wooden board on the bunk bed and the green-painted iron pipes, James's bright eyes couldn't help but show a bit of dullness.
At the same time, in James's vision, a line of data appeared in his mind.
"Ding! Host detected. Waking up."
"Ding! New York Destruction Plan is preparing to launch, auxiliary system is preparing to launch."
"Ding! Host soul conflict detected, auxiliary system launch failed, New York Destruction Plan launch failed."
"Ding! Forceful resolution of the problem?"
"Ding! Host detected to be self-adjusting and repairing. Estimated next launch time is in 6 hours."
"Ding! Soul conflict automatically repaired. New York Destruction Plan preparing to launch, auxiliary system preparing to launch."
"Ding! New York Destruction Plan officially launched, auxiliary system officially launched."
"Ding! Host detected to be in infancy, conforming to New York Destruction Plan relevant regulations, Children Protection Protocol Article 7, specially granting 100 points as subsidy."
Name: James NixxonRace: HumanStatus: HealthyLevel: Infancy (Infancy, Growth Stage, Mature Form, Complete Form.)Growth: 60%Current Points: 100
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Main Quest: Destroy New York (Unique)Quest Description: Destroy New York, you can do it!Quest Progress: 01%Quest Reward: Return to original World.
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"Warning! Warning! Danger level of this World detected to be extremely high! Lift partial store purchase restrictions?"
"Yes? No?"
Store? New York Destruction Plan? Auxiliary system?
What on earth was all this?
A hint of confusion flashed in James's eyes, but after a moment of thought, a bitter smile appeared on his lips.
He didn't know where he was, why he was there, or why he was chosen.
But from the current messages, he could deduce that if he wanted to return to his original World, he had to destroy New York. And to ensure he succeeded in destroying New York, this New York Destruction Plan specifically arranged an auxiliary system for him.
As for the extremely high danger level of this World?
This made James a bit puzzled, but lifting the store purchase restrictions, from the current situation, should be beneficial to him.
With a thought, James chose to lift them.
"Ding! Partial store purchase restrictions lifted. Current status: Three-star cards and below (including three-star) do not require prerequisites and can be purchased directly with points."
Item: Grizzly Bear Gene CardCategory: Kodiak Grizzly BearQuality: One-starSource: The BearEffect: Become the strongest grizzly bear in the WorldPrice: 7 pointsSource: StoreGift: Grizzly Bear Punishment Card
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Item: Crocodile Gene CardCategory: Saltwater CrocodileQuality: One-starSource: Millionaire CrocodileEffect: Become a ten-meter-long giant saltwater crocodilePrice: 7 pointsSource: StoreGift: Giant Crocodile Punishment Card
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There were very few items in the store; the only options available were gene cards.
Browsing through, James found that one-star cards were mostly for strong animals like lions, tigers, giant pythons, crocodiles, and grizzly bears, priced between 1–10 points.
Two-star cards were more special; James saw many extraordinary creatures like Basilisk, elves, and oak giants, with prices between 10–100 points.
As for three-star cards?
James ignored them because he only had 100 points.
The minimum for three-star cards was 100–1000 points. Although 100 points were within the range, the cheapest three-star gene card still required 180 points.
As for the so-called punishment card?
James asked the auxiliary system. If he used a gene card, he would completely transform into that creature.
Of course, his gender would not change, only his genetic makeup.