But after reading this system novel, he suddenly had a new idea.

What if he planted a divine sense in the butler and claimed to be a system? If the butler really got so obsessed with novels that he believed in this thing, then this “fake system” could completely dig out all his thoughts, and even command him to do some very interesting things. This was far more fun than soul-searching or soul-capturing techniques.

Fun really is more important than many things.

He just didn’t know how deep the butler’s “novel poisoning” went.

Gavin Carter decided to give it a try.

Suddenly, the butler heard an emotionless voice in his mind: “Domineering CEO System has detected a host. Activate and start?”

The butler was stunned. He rubbed his eyes hard, then dug at his ears, suspecting that he hadn’t slept well last night and was hallucinating.

“If you activate within three seconds, you will receive a newbie gift pack. If you do not respond within three seconds, it will be considered a forfeit.”

“3…2…”

In fact, what mattered wasn’t whether he activated it, but whether he believed it.

Gavin Carter knew well the psychological weaknesses of many people: the more it seems like you might “lose it in an instant,” the more you feel you have to seize the opportunity, the more likely you are to believe.

This was the first step.

“1…”

“I’ll activate!”

“Ding! Wise choice.”

Chapter 8: Crooked Mind

Gavin Carter glanced at the nameplate on the butler’s desk: “Host name detected: Ryan Brooks.”

“Host identity detected: Butler of the Yin family.”

“Not a CEO, but meets the activation conditions for the Domineering CEO System. Successfully bound to host.”

“Newbie gift pack granted: Art of Wisdom. Enhanced memory, photographic recall.”

It was all just stuff he’d picked up from the novel he’d just read, even the system name. But in those novels, the gift packs were much more generous. Gavin Carter didn’t know what to use for now, so he went with “enhanced memory.”

Because at this moment, his divine sense was in the butler Ryan Brooks’s soul sea, he could just directly transmit the information to him—wasn’t that photographic memory? Once he withdrew, the butler would have nothing.

Ryan Brooks tried it out, half-believing, and found that he could actually recite the novel he’d just read…

Ryan Brooks was overjoyed: “It’s actually real!”

Gavin Carter said emotionlessly: “First set your intention, then you can act on it. Newbie guide mission one: Determine the direction of the company you want to establish. No reward for this mission.”

Ryan Brooks breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t some weird, harsh task, but a very proper guide, which made it seem even more reliable. Just a bit stingy—no reward for the mission… so petty.

Of course, he’d already decided on his intention, so he could just complete it directly. Ryan Brooks cautiously replied in his mind: “I don’t want to start my own company. Can I just take control of the current company?”

Gavin Carter smiled slightly. Of course he knew that was his intention—wasn’t this just to guide him step by step to say it out loud? Speaking of which, this guy really trusts the system, skipping all the scheming and maneuvering.

“To know yourself and your enemy is to be invincible. Newbie guide mission two: Find out the basic situation of the Yin family company. No reward for this mission.”

Ryan Brooks couldn’t help himself: “It’s already the second mission and still no reward?”

“This is information necessary for the host’s own goals. Being able to figure it out is the host’s true gain.”

“That does make some sense. So what kind of mission would have a reward?”

“Missions unrelated to the host’s own needs, or main storyline missions.”

“What do you mean by unrelated missions?”

Gavin Carter said: “Host has triggered a temporary mission: Roll on the ground. Mission reward: Beginner Lazy Donkey Rolling Technique, one volume. Mission cannot be canceled. Failure penalty: memory decline.”

“What the hell kind of reward is that! And there’s even a penalty!”

Gavin Carter did not answer.

A system should be a bit aloof—if it’s too human, wouldn’t it really be suspected of possession? Not sure.

But then Ryan Brooks actually got down and rolled on the ground.

Gavin Carter shook his head slightly. Though it was amusing, it was also sad. This person’s greed, anger, obsession, and resentment had nearly driven him mad.

A guard hurried in: “Ryan, Miss’s car is fixed… uh? Ryan, what are you doing, Ryan?”

Ryan Brooks looked up from the ground, eyes fierce: “Nothing, the floor’s cool.”

Before he finished speaking, he suddenly felt a set of insights about the Lazy Donkey Rolling Technique appear in his mind.

Ryan Brooks was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed.

He thought it was just an ordinary donkey roll, but it turned out to actually be a movement technique, with real skills for dodging attacks.

Ryan Brooks was greatly invigorated and quickly said to the guard, “Leave the car there, now get out, get out!”

The guard left in a daze. Ryan Brooks locked the door and quickly said in his mind, “System, I want to complete newbie mission two. For the Yin family company, do you mean the main company or our Sanyu branch?”

Gavin Carter was taken aback. There’s a main company?

“Whichever company you want it to be.”

“It’s like this: when humans first arrived on Canglong Star, the first place they settled was this city we’re in now, named Sanyu, meaning ‘second hometown.’ Later, when the nation of Xia was established, they chose a more suitable place as the capital, and resources were shifted. Sanyu gradually declined into a third-tier city.”