What's going on here?
For the first time, the system was giving out a physical reward instead of shoving memories into his head or subtly tweaking his physical abilities like before.
Youth Potion? What's that?
Luke stared at the two small, transparent vials that had appeared in his hand, each about 20 milliliters.
Golden text from the system popped up in front of his eyes:
[Youth Potion (Personal Use): Swallow in one gulp. Effect: Extends the user's lifespan by 5 years and delays aging by 2 years. This potion is effective only for the host.]
Reading the system's description, Luke got the picture.
Basically, drinking this potion would add five years to his life.
Plus, his body would stay younger than others his age, letting him maintain peak condition for longer and slow down the aging process.
This was some serious stuff. Luke popped the cap and downed the contents in one go.
It tasted sweet, kind of like glucose water. Could this be a scam?
But the next moment, a cool sensation spread from his stomach, rushing through his entire body.
The feeling faded quickly, but Luke could tell his body felt younger, and he had a vague sense that he'd live longer.
For anyone, extra years of life and youth are priceless treasures. The system's reward this time was clearly a game-changer.
He glanced at the other vial in his hand:
[Youth Potion (Type O): Swallow in one gulp. Effect: Extends lifespan by 15 years and delays aging by 8 years. This potion is effective only for Type O females in a close relationship with the host.]
Whoa, hold up!
Why was this one so much better than his?
Fifteen years of extra life—three times what he got—and delaying aging by eight years, a whopping four times the effect!
For most women, their peak beauty is between 18 and 28.
During those years, they're youthful, vibrant, and at their most stunning.
But time's brutal, and even with celebrities who take great care of themselves, it's hard to avoid the decline after 35.
It's just biology—humans can't fight it.
But this potion? It could take a 36-year-old woman whose prime is fading and bring her back to her 28-year-old peak!
Or give an 18-year-old girl this, and she'd stay in her youthful prime until 26!
What kind of magic potion was this?
If this thing hit the market, women everywhere would lose their minds over it.
But the system made it clear: it only works for women in a close relationship with Luke.
And it's specific to Type O females.
So, basically, it's tailor-made for Taylor?
He'd formed a bond with Yuffie, and the system hands him a potion meant for Taylor?
If he wanted one for Yuffie, who would he have to… bond with next?
Classic system move!
The system's intentions were as clear as day.
And why did the women's version give 15 years of life while his only gave 5? The reason was pretty obvious.
The system always plays its cards straight, no tricks.
Luke carefully moved Yuffie's sleeping head off his arm and slipped out of bed.
He tucked the vial away safely—he'd give it to Taylor when he got back to New York.
After that, he slid back into bed, pulled the covers over them, and held her warm body close.
The rest of the night passed quietly.
...
...
The Burj Khalifa, standing 828 meters tall with 162 floors.
Floors 155 to 162 house the building's internal operations—data centers, servers, mechanical controls, and broadcasting areas.
Those floors are off-limits to the public, but Luke's crew had secured permission to film there.
Right now, they were in a suite on the 135th floor.
This was the starting point for Luke's climbing scene, with the entire outer glass wall of the room removed.
Luke would climb from here up to the 156th floor's server room.
The weather today was perfect for filming.
Preparations were in full swing.
"No issues with the safety ropes, anchor points are secure, carabiners are good, guide rails are set…" Bob was running through his checks for the third time, showing just how seriously he was taking today's shoot.
Director Cohen was nearby, going over camera positions and filming details with the crew, making sure everything was perfect.
Luke was putting it all on the line today, and their job was to make sure his effort wasn't wasted.
They had to capture his performance flawlessly for the audience.
The other actors on set were preparing too, but most were a bit distracted.
Luke's challenge today was just too intense, and their focus was on him.
Yuffie was no exception.
Dressed in a white gown and pale yellow heels, she had an extra touch of elegance today, looking absolutely radiant.
But her eyes were glued to Luke, filled with worry she couldn't shake.
She'd only ever seen the finished versions of Luke's action scenes in theaters, never getting a real sense of how dangerous they were to film.
Even the behind-the-scenes clips didn't compare to the tense atmosphere on set.
With the window glass removed, the room was exposed to the open air over 600 meters up, and the wind howling in made everyone uneasy.
Just standing near the empty window frame was enough to make anyone with a fear of heights feel like they were about to fall, leaving their legs shaky.
And that was just inside the room—soon, Luke would be out there, free-climbing?
The thought alone was enough to make your palms sweat and your heart race.
This was Yuffie's first time on set watching her boyfriend take on a dangerous stunt, and her emotions were all over the place.
Catching her gaze, Luke turned and gave her a clenched fist, signaling she didn't need to worry.
Even though she was freaking out inside, Yuffie managed a smile and nodded.
Being the woman behind a guy like Luke wasn't easy. It meant holding back a lot of emotions and choosing to support and believe in him, no matter what.
Bob, having checked the safety gear one last time, gave the director a thumbs-up, signaling everything was ready.
Cohen immediately called for filming to begin.
Luke casually walked to the window, ready to go.
"Action!"
With the clapperboard's snap, filming began.