Ficorpio
Chapter 1
Claim your system reward!
[Image] Sophie Bennett
Rivergate.
The sports bar was packed wall to wall.
The World Cup was in full swing, and the giant screen on the wall was replaying a group-stage match. Beer foam splashed, people shouted at the top of their lungs, and the noise felt loud enough to tear the roof off the place.
“Come on! Faster—move!”
“You useless idiot!”
“Take the shot!”
On-screen, a striker broke through one-on-one with the keeper—only for a defender to slide in at the last second and send the ball flying away.
A collective groan rolled through the crowd.
In a corner booth, Ethan Carter sat hunched over with his phone in his hand. On the screen was yet another overdue rent notice.
Two years out of college, and all the ambition and hope he’d once had had been ground down by real life.
He had less than two thousand dollars left to his name. If his best friend Jake Morrison hadn’t dragged him out to blow off steam, Ethan probably couldn’t have afforded even one beer in a place like this.
“Come on, man, stop looking so miserable,” Jake said, handing him a can of beer while his eyes kept roaming the room. “Watch the game, relax a little. Don’t spend every day acting like life already buried you.”
Then Jake lowered his voice, sounding a lot more interested in something besides soccer.
“Besides, since it’s the World Cup, this place went all in on the promo-girl theme. All the servers are wearing team outfits, and damn, the eye candy is unreal…”
Mid-sentence, his eyes locked onto something across the room, and his tone turned almost reverent.
“Holy hell. Now that’s a world-class view.”
Ethan instinctively looked up.
By the bar, a girl in a cropped blue-and-white number 10 jersey was wiping down a table.
She was stunning.
She wore a matching pleated skirt in the same colors, and her dark hair was loosely tied half up, with a few strands falling around her face. Under the shifting lights, her profile looked almost too pretty to be real—clean, delicate, with just enough life in the tilt of her eyes to make her impossible not to watch.
And her chest—
Yeah. Jake wasn’t wrong.
Ethan looked away and shot his friend a glare.
“Look at you. Pathetic.”
Jake snorted. “Oh, please. Her boobs are bigger than my head. Don’t act all noble. What, you’re telling me you’re not into that?”
“The hell? I’m not blind, and I’m definitely not gay. Of course I like beautiful women.” Ethan took the beer and laughed bitterly. “Problem is, women and poverty don’t exactly mix.”
“Heh.” Jake lifted his can. “Then drink. Stop sulking.”
Ethan clinked cans with him and took a long swallow.
“Seriously,” he muttered, “what kind of life is this? Work all day, answer every message in the office group chat like a machine, and still barely scrape together enough money to stay alive. Making a little cash is hard as hell.”
After venting, his gaze drifted back to the girl by the bar.
A woman that beautiful was worth looking at, even if that was all he’d ever get.
Her name was Sophie Bennett. She was a part-time server, and during the World Cup she’d switched into the bar’s promo uniform to make more tips.
And honestly, the outfit looked unfair on her.
Everything that should curve did. Everything that should catch the eye did that too. Men all over the room kept stealing heated glances in her direction.
Then, at the next table over, a thick-necked guy with a heavy gold chain deliberately knocked over his drink.
Beer splashed all over Sophie.
“Are you blind?” he snapped, his mouth filthy. “What the hell kind of service is this? Get your manager over here right now, or I’m not paying a damn cent for this table.”
The alcohol soaked through her top, clinging tightly to her body and outlining far more than it should have.
Flustered, Sophie tried to wipe herself down, biting her lip as she apologized in a low voice. There was a flicker of grievance in her eyes, but she didn’t dare push back.
“I’m sorry, sir. I didn’t mean to…”
The people nearby stared openly at her embarrassment, not one of them moving to help. A few even laughed, enjoying the show.
Watching it, Ethan felt something twist hard in his chest.
People getting crushed by life shouldn’t be stomping on each other.
He was just about to stand up when a cold mechanical voice rang out in his head.
[Ding! Host has been detected in a World Cup viewing environment. Activation conditions met. The World Cup Luxury Cashback System is now binding.]
[System Rules: When the host spends money on, pays for, or gifts any female target with an Attractiveness Rating of 80 or above, a random cashback multiplier will be triggered.]
[Cashback range: 10x to 1000x.]
[World Cup exclusive bonus activated: Spending on high-rated female targets wearing World Cup Promo Girl attire will permanently double the cashback multiplier.]
[Scanning target…]
[Sophie Bennett. Attractiveness Rating: 92.]
[Top-tier goddess. Eligible for cashback.]
Ethan froze.
For one wild second, he thought stress had finally cracked his brain.
What the hell?
Had he been reading too many web novels lately? Watching too many ridiculous short dramas online?
Chapter 2
But the next second, a translucent system panel appeared clearly in front of him, every rule displayed in perfect detail.
Spend money on beautiful women… and get rich?
His heart started pounding.
He stared at Sophie, who was still being bullied, and a bold thought rose instantly in his mind.
“I’ll cover this table.”
Ethan stood and walked over to the gold-chain guy’s table. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried a calm certainty.
The man blinked, then looked Ethan up and down. Ethan’s clothes were ordinary enough that the guy burst out laughing.
“Kid, do you even know what this table costs? What are you trying to do, play hero?”
Ethan just smiled and said nothing.
He wasn’t much of a talker, but when it was time to step in, he stepped in.
And besides…
What better way to test whether this system was real?
He turned to Sophie.
“How much?”
Her face was flushed, and after a stunned pause, she answered softly, “Six hundred eighty-eight.”
Six hundred eighty-eight dollars.
For Ethan, in his current situation, that was close to half a month of living expenses.
But he gritted his teeth and paid by phone without hesitation.
[Ding! Purchase successful. Host has paid 688 dollars on behalf of 92-point goddess Sophie Bennett.]
[World Cup Promo Girl bonus triggered. Multiplier doubled.]
[Random critical cashback: 50x.]
[34,400 dollars have been transferred to the host’s bank account.]
[Funds received instantly. No risk control restrictions detected.]
Right on cue, his phone chimed with a banking notification.
Ethan looked at the new balance and his pupils contracted.
Holy shit.
This was real.
The gold-chain guy took one look at Ethan’s expression and the fact that he’d paid so smoothly, and his own face went through several ugly shades.
“Acting all high and mighty…” he muttered.
But he’d already lost face. He didn’t dare keep making a scene. After one last glare, he slunk off with his friends.
Sophie hurried over like she was still in a daze, gratitude shining in her eyes.
“Sir, thank you… I’ll pay you back later. I promise.”
“No need.”
Ethan looked at the faint redness at the corners of her eyes and smiled.
“Go get back to work. As long as I’m here, no one’s going to make things hard for you again.”
Ethan had always been decent-looking, and what he’d just done definitely earned him points.
Sophie’s gaze lingered on his face for a moment before she gave him a small smile.
“Thank you…”
Then she picked up her tray and headed back toward the bar.
Outside, the night deepened.
Inside, the sports bar stayed loud and alive, the roar of the World Cup still shaking the room.
Ethan returned to his booth and sat down, one hand trembling slightly beneath the table.
From this moment on, he knew one thing for certain.
His life was about to change completely.
Ethan glanced at his mobile banking balance, and the number on the screen left him a little dazed.
Last month, he’d worked himself half to death with overtime and still taken home just over five grand.
And now?
He’d casually picked up someone else’s tab, and a few minutes later, more than thirty thousand had dropped into his account.
He drew in a slow breath and forced himself to look calm. Then he lifted his beer and took a swallow. The icy liquid slid down his throat, barely enough to press his hammering heartbeat back into line.
“Ethan, are you out of your mind?”
Jake leaned in close, lowering his voice, eyes wide as saucers.
“That was over six hundred bucks. You didn’t even blink before paying for her. Didn’t we say tonight was on me?”
Ethan came back to himself, shot him a glance, and let the corner of his mouth lift.
“It was only six hundred.”
“Only?”
Jake nearly choked on his beer.
“What happened to you? Did something snap? Or did you secretly get rich? Last month you borrowed five hundred from me just to cover rent, remember?”
Ethan remembered.
But the Ethan Carter sitting here now wasn’t the same man he’d been two hours ago.
He leaned back into the booth and looked past the crowd, his gaze settling on Sophie Bennett behind the bar.
The blue-and-white striped T-shirt stretched tight across her chest, the hem damp enough to cling in places. Below her pleated skirt, a length of pale calf flashed as she moved between the tables with a tray in hand.
Ninety-two points.
That was the rating the system had given her.
Ethan still had no idea exactly what scale it used.
But based on twenty-six years of life experience, he knew this much: with a face like hers and a figure like that, Sophie would stand out anywhere.
Especially those eyes—clear and bright, carrying a trace of nervousness without losing that stubborn spark underneath. The kind of eyes that made a man want to protect her.
Ding.
A new prompt sounded in his head.
[System Notice: Continued binding with high-rated women can accumulate points and unlock advanced rewards. Current points: 100/1000.]
Ethan quietly filed that away.
So one woman alone wasn’t enough. If he wanted more points and better rewards, he’d need to spend money on more high-rated women.
He lit a cigarette, took another pull from his beer, and began planning his next move.
The atmosphere in the sports bar kept climbing. On the giant screen, the last goal replayed again, and all around them people were lifting beers and shouting in celebration.
Ethan swept his gaze around the room and noticed at least seven or eight waitresses dressed in World Cup promo girl outfits or fitted jerseys, all different types, all attractive in their own ways.
But so far, only Sophie had really caught his eye.
It wasn’t that the others weren’t pretty. It was that Sophie had something clean and resilient about her, and in a place this loud and chaotic, that quality stood out even more.
Chapter 3
Ethan might not have had much before, but he’d always had standards. Not just any woman could catch his interest.
Hell, even when he was alone with his phone, he still had to spend half an hour choosing carefully before gritting his teeth and putting in three heroic minutes of effort.
“Ethan, what are you staring at?”
Jake followed his line of sight, then gave a crooked grin.
“What, you interested? Honestly, though, she really is gorgeous. I asked around earlier—her name’s Sophie Bennett.”
He waggled his brows.
“She’s a student at Rivergate University. Been working here part-time for a while. Sweet personality too. Lot of guys have their eyes on her.”
Ethan drew on his cigarette and flicked Jake a sideways look.
“You sure did your homework.”
“Of course I did. Know your enemy, win the war.”
Jake grinned, then lowered his voice again.
“But let me give you some advice, man. She’s got flies buzzing around her nonstop. You saw that guy earlier with the thick gold chain? He comes in all the time to hassle her.
“And there’s also some trust-fund brat—Brandon Sterling or something. Shows up every few days with flowers, designer bags, the whole show. Spends money like it’s nothing.
“Take it from your brother—girls like that are fine to admire from a distance. Use your imagination all you want, but don’t get involved in real life…”
Ethan said nothing. He crushed the empty beer can in one hand and tossed it into the trash.
A trust-fund brat?
Before tonight, hearing that would’ve made him back off immediately. A guy making five thousand a month had no business competing with rich heirs.
But now…
He leaned back in his seat, his eyes drifting coolly across the bar as if he were surveying territory that already belonged to him.
With the system backing him, he had all the confidence in the world.
Just then, a stir rose near the entrance.
A neon green Porsche 911 pulled up outside. The door opened, and out stepped a young man in designer streetwear with a chunky gold watch on his wrist.
His hair was slicked so neatly it looked like it had been licked into place, and his face wore that kind of superiority only people born spoiled ever seemed to carry naturally.
Two men in black followed behind him as he swaggered in.
“Yo, Brandon’s here!”
“Mr. Sterling, over here, over here! Drinks are on me tonight!”
Victor Hale, the owner behind the bar, immediately plastered on a grin and hurried over to greet him, bending at the waist like he’d just seen his long-lost father. He personally led Brandon to the front VIP booth.
Ethan narrowed his eyes.
Brandon Sterling.
The rich heir Jake had just mentioned.
He looked him over. Early twenties. Good-looking enough.
But his eyes were too loose, too hungry. Every time they passed over a woman in the bar, it felt like he was sizing up prey.
“Brandon, go wild tonight. I’ve got the tab,” one of his guys said, thumping his chest.
Brandon waved lazily and sank into the couch.
“What are you talking about? If you’re out with me, when has it ever been your turn to pay? How much could this dump even cost? I’m not here for the drinks.”
As he said it, his gaze slid past the crowd and landed precisely on Sophie. A smug, certain smile curled at his lips.
Victor followed his line of sight and immediately shouted across the room, “Sophie! Come pour a drink for Mr. Sterling!”
Sophie had been serving another table. At the sound of her name, she visibly stiffened.
But in the end, she still picked up her tray and walked over, a polite but distant smile on her face.
“What would you like tonight, Mr. Sterling?”
“What would I like? That’s not important.”
Brandon crossed one leg over the other and slapped a card onto the table. His voice wasn’t loud, but it carried far enough for several nearby tables to hear every word.
“I came here tonight to ask you one thing. Have you thought about becoming my girlfriend?”
The bar went quiet for a beat. Even the people watching the match started listening.
Soccer on the screen, drama in real life—best of both worlds.
Sophie’s lashes trembled slightly, but when she spoke, her voice was soft and steady.
“I’ve already told you, Mr. Sterling. Right now I just want to focus on school. I’m not planning to date anyone. I’m sorry.”
“School?”
Brandon laughed, loud and exaggerated.
“You’re a bartender in a sports bar, and you’re talking to me about school? Look around. What kind of place do you think this is? Sophie, my monthly allowance is enough to cover ten years of your salary here. So what exactly are you acting high and mighty for?”
He stood and walked right up to her. Looking down at her, he reached out and pinched the staff ID badge hanging over her damp shirt.
“Look at what you’re wearing. You even got your shirt wet on purpose.”
His eyes dragged over her chest, ugly and deliberate.
“Who would’ve guessed? You act all pure and innocent, but underneath you’re this slutty? Did you know I was coming tonight? Is that it?”
He tapped a finger against his temple as if pretending to think, then broke into a grin.
“Oh, right. Playing hard to get. That’s what this is, huh? Or did you dress like this to seduce some other guy?”
The two guys with Brandon immediately jumped in the second he said it.
“Come on, sweetheart, who in this place has more money or more pull than Brandon?” one of them said with a grin. “Why not just say yes?”
“Exactly,” the other chimed in. “A gorgeous girl like you should know a chance like this doesn’t come twice. Be Brandon Sterling’s girlfriend and your whole life changes. You’d skip years of struggling, get it?”
They burst into laughter.
Fed by the flattery, Brandon looked even smugger. He reached out and hooked a finger under Sophie Bennett’s chin.
“You heard them,” he said. “Yeah, I’ve got women around me. But if you stay with me, I promise I’ll treat you right while it lasts. So? What do you say?”