Chapter 190: The Winning Numbers

The following morning, Jet woke up earlier than everyone else.

After taking a shower and changing into a comfortable black shirt and trousers, he made his way toward the enormous living room of the presidential residence.

Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, Toronto was already bustling with activity.

Thousands of vehicles traveled along the roads far below, while enormous holographic advertisements illuminated the surrounding skyscrapers. Even at this early hour, the capital of the Laurentian Region appeared as lively as ever.

Jet approached the windows and admired the view for a moment before retrieving his phone.

The screen displayed several notifications, including an advertisement that immediately caught his attention.

[LAURENTIAN ANNUAL GRAND LOTTERY!]

[GRAND JACKPOT: 150,000,000,000 UD!]

[THE BIGGEST FORTUNE OF THE YEAR AWAITS!]

[TICKET SALES CLOSE BEFORE THE GRAND DRAW!]

Jet smiled faintly.

It seemed the entire Laurentian Region was preparing for the annual lottery.

He opened the advertisement and was immediately redirected to the official lottery website. An enormous golden counter dominated the homepage, displaying the current jackpot in brilliant numbers.

One hundred and fifty billion Union Dollars.

Even in a world where powerful Awakeners could earn extraordinary fortunes through Dungeon expeditions, such an amount was enough to attract widespread attention.

For ordinary citizens, it represented wealth beyond their wildest dreams.

For wealthy merchants and business owners, it was an opportunity to acquire enough capital to establish enormous enterprises.

And even for some high-ranking Awakeners, the jackpot was far from insignificant.

Naturally, the Laurentian Annual Grand Lottery had become one of the most anticipated financial events in the region.

Unlike smaller lotteries held throughout the year, the annual grand draw offered an enormous prize accumulated through its special funding arrangements and ticket sales.

Millions of people participated every year, hoping to become the fortunate individual who would claim the jackpot.

The chances of winning were astronomically small.

But that had never stopped people from dreaming.

Jet scrolled through the website, examining the rules and purchasing procedures.

According to the official information, participants could select their own number combinations or allow the lottery system to generate random selections.

Tickets could be purchased through authorized vendors or the official digital platform.

The winning combination would be announced during a live broadcast watched by millions of people across the Laurentian Region.

Jet already knew which numbers would appear.

However, he had decided against purchasing the ticket through the digital platform.

For something this important, he preferred obtaining a physical ticket from an authorized vendor.

Besides, he wanted to familiarize himself with the city.

"Bro, you’re awake already?"

A familiar voice interrupted his thoughts.

Jet turned around and saw Frey emerging from one of the bedrooms.

His hair was slightly disheveled, and he wore a loose shirt and comfortable trousers. Despite having just woken up, the young man appeared remarkably energetic.

"Morning, Frey," Jet greeted him with a smile. "Sleep well?"

"Like a king!" Frey declared enthusiastically, stretching his arms above his head. "I’m telling you, bro, those beds are incredible. I almost didn’t want to get up."

Jet chuckled.

"Considering how much you probably paid for this place, I’d be disappointed if the beds weren’t comfortable," he remarked.

Frey grinned shamelessly. "Quality costs money, my friend. Anyway, what are you looking at?"

Before Jet could answer, Frey approached and glanced at the advertisement displayed on his phone.

His eyes immediately widened.

"Holy shit! One hundred and fifty billion?!" Frey exclaimed, leaning closer to examine the screen. "Bro, that’s an insane amount of money!"

"It’s the Laurentian Annual Grand Lottery," Jet explained casually. "Apparently, the draw is coming up."

Frey rubbed his chin thoughtfully.

"One hundred and fifty billion Union Dollars," he repeated, imagining the possibilities. "Do you have any idea what I could do with that much money?"

Jet raised an eyebrow. "Buy every nightclub in Toronto?"

Frey immediately snapped his fingers. "Exactly! See, this is why we’re friends. You understand me perfectly!"

Jet burst into laughter.

At that moment, Mikhail Dragunov emerged from another bedroom.

The chubby young man was wearing a comfortable gray shirt and dark trousers, and his slightly messy hair suggested that he had only recently climbed out of bed.

"What’s all the noise about?" Mikhail asked, rubbing his eyes as he approached them. "Some of us were trying to sleep."

"Bro, forget sleeping!" Frey exclaimed, turning toward him. "There’s a lottery offering one hundred and fifty billion Union Dollars! Imagine winning that!"

Mikhail stopped walking.

"How much?" he asked, suddenly looking considerably more awake.

"One hundred and fifty billion!" Frey repeated excitedly, holding up Jet’s communication device.

Mikhail stared at the advertisement for several seconds.

Then he shook his head.

"That’s ridiculous," he muttered, looking genuinely astonished. "Whoever wins that won’t have to worry about money for the rest of their life."

"Exactly!" Frey replied, grinning. "I’m thinking of buying a ticket. Maybe fortune will finally recognize my greatness."

Mikhail snorted. "With your luck, you’d probably lose the ticket before the draw."

"Such negativity!" Frey protested, placing a hand over his chest. "You really need to start believing in your friends."

Jet smiled as the two continued arguing.

Neither of them had the slightest idea that the winning numbers were already recorded inside his communication device.

And Jet intended to keep it that way.

Although he trusted Frey and Mikhail, there were certain things he couldn’t explain without revealing information about his regression.

The lottery was one of them. If he suddenly announced that he knew the exact winning combination, they would naturally demand an explanation.

And there was no reasonable explanation he could provide. Therefore, it was better to let them believe he was simply trying his luck.

"Actually, I was thinking of buying a ticket myself," Jet remarked casually.

Frey immediately turned toward him.

"Seriously, bro?" he asked, looking delighted. "Then we’re definitely doing this together!"

Mikhail glanced between them.

"You’re both wasting your money," he remarked with a skeptical expression. "Do you have any idea how many people are going to participate?"

"That’s why it’s called gambling, genius!" Frey retorted, laughing. "You can’t win if you don’t play!"

Mikhail rolled his eyes. "That’s exactly what people say before losing their money."

Jet shook his head with an amused smile.

"Relax, Mikhail. It’s just one ticket," he replied. "Besides, we might as well enjoy ourselves while we’re here."

Mikhail sighed. "Fine. But don’t come crying to me when neither of you wins anything."

Frey grinned. "Don’t worry, bro. When I become a billionaire, I’ll remember your lack of faith."

Their conversation was interrupted when Inez appeared in the hallway, rubbing her eyes sleepily.

"Big Brother?" she called, looking around until she spotted Jet. "Good morning."

Jet immediately smiled and approached her.

"Good morning, Inez," he greeted her warmly, gently patting her head. "Did you sleep well?"

Inez nodded enthusiastically.

"The bed was so soft!" she exclaimed, smiling brightly. "And I could see all the lights outside my window!"

Frey crouched slightly and grinned at her. "Morning, little princess! Guess what? Your big brother and I are about to become ridiculously rich!"

Inez blinked in confusion.

"Really, Brother Frey?" she asked curiously.

"Absolutely!" Frey declared with exaggerated confidence. "And when that happens, I’ll buy you the biggest cake in Toronto!"

Inez’s eyes immediately brightened.

"Really?!"

"Really!" Frey promised, placing a hand over his heart.

Mikhail shook his head.

"Don’t make promises based on lottery tickets, Frey," he remarked dryly.

Inez looked toward him and smiled. "Good morning, Uncle Mikhail!"

Mikhail’s expression softened immediately.

"Morning, Inez," he replied warmly. "Did Frey wake you up with all his shouting?"

Inez giggled.

"A little," she admitted.

"Traitor!" Frey exclaimed dramatically, earning another burst of laughter from the little girl.

After breakfast, the group prepared to leave the hotel.

Jet had located an authorized lottery vendor inside a large commercial complex several kilometers away.

Since Frey had already insisted on exploring Toronto, they decided to make the trip together.

The hotel’s concierge arranged transportation for them, allowing Mikhail to leave their dusty off-road vehicle in the hotel’s parking facility.

Approximately twenty minutes later, they arrived at an enormous shopping complex filled with luxury boutiques, restaurants, entertainment establishments, and countless other businesses.

The building was bustling with activity. Holographic advertisements decorated the interior, while enormous digital screens displayed promotional announcements.

And among those advertisements, the Laurentian Annual Grand Lottery occupied a particularly prominent position.

Jet noticed that several people were discussing the lottery as they walked through the shopping complex. Some were excitedly comparing their chosen numbers. Others joked about what they would purchase if they won. A few appeared convinced that they had discovered special methods for predicting the winning combination.

Jet found the entire spectacle rather amusing.

If only they knew.

"Bro, look at that line!" Frey exclaimed as they approached the authorized lottery vendor.

Dozens of customers were waiting before several automated purchasing terminals.

A large holographic display above the counter showed the remaining time before ticket sales closed.

Mikhail folded his arms.

"Apparently, everyone in Toronto wants to become a billionaire," he remarked.

"Can you blame them?" Frey replied with a grin. "One hundred and fifty billion is enough to make anyone dream big."

Jet studied the terminals before joining the queue. Fortunately, the purchasing process was efficient, and the line moved quickly. When his turn arrived, he approached an available terminal and selected the option to purchase a physical ticket.

A holographic interface appeared, displaying the available number combinations.

Jet retrieved his communication device and opened the relevant section of his Ten-Year Record. He carefully examined the numbers he had written down shortly after regressing.

Then, one by one, he entered them into the terminal.

He checked the sequence twice. There could be no mistakes. After confirming that every number matched his records, Jet completed the payment.

A moment later, the terminal emitted a soft chime.

[PURCHASE SUCCESSFUL!]

[LAURENTIAN ANNUAL GRAND LOTTERY]

[TICKET REGISTRATION COMPLETE.]

[GOOD LUCK!]

A small compartment opened beneath the screen, revealing a freshly printed lottery ticket.

Jet retrieved it and examined the numbers.

Everything matched.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

"Done already?" Frey asked, approaching him with his own ticket in hand. "Bro, I picked the numbers that felt luckiest. I’ve got a good feeling about this!"

Jet glanced at him.

"Really?" he asked with an amused expression.

"Absolutely!" Frey declared confidently. "I can practically smell the money already!"

Mikhail approached from behind, holding a small shopping bag containing snacks for Inez.

"You said the same thing about that card game you lost yesterday," Mikhail reminded him.

Frey’s expression stiffened.

"That was completely different!" he protested. "Besides, the game was obviously rigged!"

Jet laughed before carefully placing his lottery ticket inside his wallet.

Unlike Frey, he felt no excitement about the possibility of winning. As far as he was concerned, the outcome had already been decided.

Of course, he understood that the future was not completely immutable. His actions had already altered numerous events that had occurred differently in his previous life.

The existence of his ten Divine Runes alone represented an enormous deviation from the original timeline and as he continued interfering with future developments, those deviations would only become greater.

However, the lottery was different. The winning combination had been determined independently of his previous actions.

Unless something unexpected happened, there was no reason for the numbers to change.

Jet was confident. Nevertheless, he wouldn’t consider the matter settled until the official results were announced.

"Big Brother, did you buy your ticket?" Inez asked, approaching him while holding Mikhail’s hand.

Jet smiled and nodded.

"I did," he answered, showing her the ticket briefly. "Now we just have to wait for the draw."

Inez studied the printed numbers with curiosity.

"Are you going to win?" she asked innocently.

Jet looked at his little sister.

For a moment, he considered giving her a vague answer.

Then he smiled.

"I certainly hope so," he replied gently, patting her head.

Frey immediately threw an arm around Jet’s shoulders.

"That’s the spirit, bro!" he exclaimed enthusiastically. "When one of us wins, we’re throwing the biggest celebration Toronto has ever seen!"

Mikhail shook his head, although a smile tugged at the corners of his mouth.

"You’re both hopeless," he remarked.

Jet chuckled.

Perhaps they were but unlike his companions, he already knew just how much their lives were about to change.

One hundred and fifty billion Union Dollars. With that fortune, he could finally begin putting the next stage of his plans into motion.

He could purchase the estate he remembered from his previous life, establish a permanent home for Inez, and prepare the facilities needed for his future Cohort.

More importantly, he would possess the financial freedom to pursue opportunities that ordinary Awakeners could scarcely imagine.

As the group left the lottery vendor and continued exploring the shopping complex, Jet briefly glanced at the ticket inside his wallet.

In his previous life, an impoverished otaku had become an overnight sensation after winning the Laurentian Annual Grand Lottery.

This time, however, that fortune would belong to someone else.

And the consequences of that seemingly insignificant change would extend far beyond a single lottery ticket.