Chapter 77: So Now You Want Me to Make Something (Updated)

‘Show me the completed missions.’

[Main Mission Complete: Open a Twitch account and stream for ten minutes.]

[Reward: Basic Focus Training Manual.]

[AMPLIFYING THE REWARDS BY 10,000X…]

[NEW REWARD: Divine Mental Cultivation Manual.]

[Explanation: A training method for developing mental endurance and controlling abilities that consume mental energy. Improvement requires practice.]

[Side Mission Complete: Sing and Play Guitar on Stream.]

[Reward: $500.]

[AMPLIFYING THE REWARDS BY 10,000X…]

[NEW REWARD: $5,000,000 in tax-paid funds.]

Liam read through the reward record, barely pausing at the money before returning to the manual. He had received both rewards after the first stream, and the money was already in his account. This was the old completion record, not a second payment. He had practiced the opening exercise since then, but the fight had exposed how little of that control survived when somebody was trying to cut him open. Now he took the book out and opened it across his knees. The first section described exercises for holding a single mental instruction steadily before attempting several together. Reading the instructions again, he noticed the warning he had been too impatient to take seriously: controlling several abilities required its own practice. That was exactly where he had struggled at the warehouse. He could order the screwdriver to move, but kept changing his commands while also trying to control the cape.

‘So holding one thing steady doesn’t mean I can do everything at once. Fucking wonderful.’

He followed the first exercise with the screwdriver hovering above the desk. Instead of making it turn or fly around the room, he held it in one position and concentrated on keeping the effort steady. Whenever his attention wandered, the tip dipped, giving him something visible to correct. It was dull compared with putting holes through plywood, but he kept going until the first pressure appeared behind his eyes, then stopped and rested as the manual instructed. Before he could begin again, the green panel opened over the page.

[Updated.]

[New Main Mission: Reach one hundred simultaneous viewers during a live performance.]

[New Side Mission: Earn a repair fee together with Alexandra.] [Skip for $2.]

[Explanation: Complete an actual repair for a paying customer.]

Liam stared at the second mission, then reached for his phone. Alexandra’s engineering and technical skills immediately came to mind, along with the passive that rewarded her for repairing electronics. He had already seen how quickly Megan improved through dancing. Giving Alexandra work that used her own ability might help her in the same way, and she had finally returned to Princeton with time to think about something beyond hospital bills. He called her before the idea turned into another thing he intended to do later.

“Can you fix laptops?”

“Depends on what’s wrong with them. Why?”

“I want to do a small job with you.”

By that evening, Alexandra had agreed to look at a classmate’s broken laptop, with payment depending on whether they could repair it. Liam arranged to bring it over the following afternoon, then opened his streaming account and scheduled another performance for the weekend. He sent the link to Clara, asking her to share it with anyone who might actually listen. Once that was done, he put the phone aside and returned to the manual. The screwdriver rose above the desk again, its tip trembling slightly before he steadied it.

Alexandra had already cleared her table when Liam arrived with the laptop. She took it from him, connected the charger, and pressed the power button before asking what had happened to it. Liam explained what its owner had told him, then sat beside her while she removed the bottom cover. Unlike the last time he had brought her something to repair, she wasn’t half asleep or trying to get rid of him. She placed the screws in a small tray, moved a lamp closer, and began checking the board while he read out the notes he had taken from the student.

“Pass me that box.”

“This one?”

“Yes. Open it.”

Liam held the box while she searched through the parts inside, then put it down where she could reach it. The problem was in the power circuit, and finding it took longer than replacing the damaged component. Alexandra barely spoke once she started working, occasionally asking him to move the light or hand her something. Liam watched her hands, remembering the first time he had checked her status. High Tier Technician clearly wasn’t an empty description. She worked without rushing, inspected the repair closely, then connected the charger again. This time, the power light stayed on.

They left it running while Alexandra tested it, and Liam noticed her looking at the unopened sandwich beside her tools. She had complained about being hungry when he arrived, but now she pushed it away and reached for her water instead. He checked her status quietly. Her EXP had increased, confirming that Tech Tech had activated during the repair. Alexandra seemed more annoyed about losing her appetite than interested in why it had happened. Liam kept the thought to himself until they had returned the laptop to its owner, who tested it in front of them and paid the agreed hundred dollars.

[Updated.]

[Side Mission Complete: Earn a repair fee together with Alexandra.]

[Reward: Basic Electronics Workbench.]

[AMPLIFYING THE REWARDS BY 10,000X…]

[NEW REWARD: God Tier Precision Workbench.]

[Explanation: Equipment for inspecting, assembling, and repairing electronic devices. Provides precise control of tools and measurements. Components and materials must be supplied.]

Liam slowed down while reading the panel, making Alexandra turn back toward him. A workbench was a strange reward compared with the cars and money, but after spending an afternoon watching her work on an ordinary table, he could immediately think of someone who would use it. He moved aside to let a group of students pass and read the explanation again. It wouldn’t produce finished machines simply because he wanted them. Someone still needed to know what to build, and Alexandra’s engineering skill was below her technical skill. The next notification appeared before he finished considering that difference.

[New Side Mission: Build a working electronic device from an original design.] [Skip for $2.]

[Main Mission: Reach one hundred simultaneous viewers during a live performance.] [Incomplete.]

‘So now you want me to make something.’

“What would you build if you had better equipment?”

Alexandra looked at him for a moment, then asked what he meant by better. Liam told her he could arrange a proper workspace and equipment, provided she actually wanted to use them. She started cautiously, mentioning small projects she had put aside because parts cost money and she hadn’t had the time. By the time they reached the car, she was describing a portable recorder for music practice and arguing with herself about which features it needed. Liam opened the passenger door and waited for her to finish.

“Draw it up. Tell me what you need.”

“You’re serious?”

“Yeah. Let’s build it.”

She took out her phone before he had even started the engine and began making a list.

By Saturday evening, Liam had moved the guitar and microphone into the apartment’s spare room. Clara had shared the stream with her friends, and Megan had posted the link in the dance club’s group, but he still wasn’t expecting much when he sat down and started the broadcast. Twenty-seven people were watching by the time he finished checking the sound. Some were clearly students they knew, judging by the comments about Princeton, while others asked what he intended to play. Liam answered a few questions, adjusted the guitar against his leg, and started with the song Clara had liked during his first stream.

The number rose while he was singing. He noticed it between verses but kept his attention on the guitar, remembering how easily he lost concentration when he tried watching several things at once. Clara sat beside the laptop, outside the camera’s view, reading the comments and showing him requests between songs. By the fourth, there were eighty-nine viewers. Liam took a drink of water, answered someone asking how long he had played, and began again before the answer required too much explanation. Halfway through the song, a green panel appeared directly in front of him.

[Updated.]

[Main Mission Complete: Reach one hundred simultaneous viewers during a live performance.]

[Reward: Basic Stage Presence Skill.]

[AMPLIFYING THE REWARDS BY 10,000X…]

[NEW REWARD: God Tier Stage Presence.]

[Explanation: Precise control over posture, expression, and delivery during a performance.]

Liam nearly missed a chord when the new understanding entered his mind. He became aware of how stiffly he had been sitting, how often he looked down, and how his expression barely changed despite what he was singing. None of it had stopped his voice from sounding good, but he could feel how much he had been leaving to the two skills he already possessed. He straightened slightly and looked toward the camera instead of the viewer count. Clara noticed the change before the song ended, leaning closer to the screen as several new comments appeared.

‘So having a good voice doesn’t mean I know how to use my fucking face.’

He stayed online for another half hour instead of stopping as soon as the mission was complete. When he finally thanked everyone and ended the broadcast, Clara turned the laptop toward him. People had asked when he would stream again, whether he had any recordings available, and whether he performed anywhere nearby. One had left contact details for someone arranging a paid music evening. Liam copied those into his phone before checking the new notifications. The system apparently had no intention of letting him return the guitar to its case for another month.

[New Main Mission: Earn $1,000 in fees from live performances.]

[New Side Mission: Write and perform an original song with Megan.] [Skip for $2.]

[Side Mission: Build a working electronic device from an original design.] [Incomplete.]

“Did anyone say the sound was bad?”

“A few said it got too loud. Alexandra sent you a message about it.”