c22 - System Store
"My friends call me Jamie directly without calling me Mr. Vardy, it makes me feel like I am ten years old, like a middle-aged uncle!" Sitting on the bench beside the park, Vardy smiled. Annie laughed.
Maybe it was the sultry afternoon combined with their walk, but the beauty was sweating slightly and kept wiping her forehead with a tissue. She smiled embarrassedly at Vardy.
"I am very glad that you accepted my interview. Do you know this is the first time I have gone out to run a story independently? If it wasn't for you, I'd be incredibly nervous!"
"Really? That's quite a coincidence. This is also my first formal interview with a reporter. If I say something strange, please don't mind!"
Looking at each other, the atmosphere felt comfortable.
"Can you tell me about your background? Everton has not released much personal information about you."
Annie took out her pen and notebook, placed it on her lap, and prepared to take notes. But Vardy's attention was briefly drawn to the golden stockings on her crossed legs. The young journalist was dressed professionally yet attractively.
"I'm from Sheffield. I played for an amateur team before being scouted by Manchester United. I joined their youth academy, and then..." Vardy began talking, but his eyes kept drifting to Annie's expressive face.
"If I hadn't entered Manchester United's youth system, I think I would have gone into a medical device company specializing in carbon fiber prosthetics!"
Though he lacked the dramatic background of some footballers, coming from a seventh-tier club to Manchester United's academy and then moving on loan to Everton was an incredible leap. Annie was left speechless in surprise.
"Oh my God, this is the most inspirational story I have ever heard! You are amazing, and I believe you will be a great success!" Annie said with excitement.
Vardy chuckled at Annie's blushing face. "Then we both need to work hard. You want to become a top journalist, and I want to become a football star. Let's see who succeeds first!"
Annie left with her thoughts racing. She was determined to write Vardy's story because she knew it would resonate with readers. Fairy tales about princes and princesses were beloved, but grassroots, inspirational stories also had a powerful appeal. She was confident that when her article about Vardy was published, it would help establish her reputation in the newspaper.
Vardy's mind wasn't entirely calm either. At his age, he was naturally attracted to girls, especially one as charming as Annie, who exuded a mix of youthful innocence and mature elegance. His heart felt like it was being tickled by a playful kitten.
It was another sleepless night. Vardy felt like spring had arrived.
The next morning, Vardy participated in training. With Everton hosting West Bromwich that evening, David Moyes kept the session light.
It was gratifying that his system task had been completed.
As always, in the locker room, Vardy held a jersey, looking troubled. However, this time, Kasley and Osman took the initiative to wear jerseys with his name on them.
Such a ridiculous task had been completed so easily! Vardy looked at his teammates with admiration.
Well, at least he had two more good friends.
Since he wasn't in the squad for the night's match, Vardy was free for the evening. He could have gone to Goodison Park to watch the game, but he was more eager to claim his system rewards. So, he ran straight home.
The rewards included one feature point and access to the system store, both of which were crucial to him.
Without hesitation, he allocated the feature point to upgrade his "Super Sub" trait from Level 1 to Level 2. This would enhance his impact when coming off the bench.
What really intrigued him was the system store. He wanted to know what unusual things it offered.
After opening the system store, he saw six categories of items. A countdown in the upper right corner indicated that the inventory would refresh every Saturday.
The six available products made Vardy feel both excited and overwhelmed.
1. Star Possession Card - Beckham (Lv3)
Cost: 15 gold coins
Allows the user to select three of Beckham's abilities for one week.
2. Offensive Trait Fragments
Cost: 6 gold coins
Five of the same fragments can be combined into a complete trait.
3. Cuttlefish Juice
Cost: 2 gold coins
Temporarily boosts all attributes slightly.
Warning: The horrible taste might make you wish you were dead.
4. Feature Point
Cost: 5 gold coins
Used to upgrade player traits.
5. Goddess Encounter Card
Cost: 30 gold coins
Allows the user to script a romantic encounter with a chosen "goddess."
6. Status Adjustment Card
Cost: 5 gold coins
Instantly optimizes the user's physical and mental state for one day.
These were fantastic items, beneficial both for football and personal life. The system was surprisingly considerate!
However, there was one problem: Where did gold coins come from?
Vardy searched around the interface until he finally found his personal balance. What he saw made his mood plummet—a giant, glaring zero.
In other words, he was completely broke.
Staring at all these tempting items but having no money to buy them, Vardy felt utterly depressed.
Was this what people meant when they said, "Money is gone, but life goes on?"
How could he earn gold coins?
After digging through the system's explanations, Vardy discovered that gold coins were directly tied to his performance and his club's success.
Each point Everton earned in the league or Champions League equaled one gold coin.
A goal scored by Vardy was worth one gold coin.
An assist by Vardy was also worth one gold coin.
Being named Man of the Match would add another gold coin.
This meant that in an ideal match, where Everton won, and Vardy scored, assisted, and was named Man of the Match, he could earn six gold coins.
However, only league and Champions League matches counted. FA Cup and League Cup performances did not contribute to his earnings.
Most importantly, Vardy had to play in the match. Even if he was on the bench and didn't step onto the pitch, he wouldn't earn anything.
Earning gold coins wouldn't be easy. Vardy sighed. Who knew when he'd get a chance to play? For now, the system store was nothing more than a distant dream.