The quiet discussion between Agela and the model backstage had no effect on the competition itself.
On the runway, young, beautiful, well-proportioned models flowed across the T-stage one after another, like products moving smoothly along an assembly line.
Seated directly in front of the runway, Jason had a completely different viewing experience from the audience farther back.
From his perspective, models walked straight toward him one by one.
It was far more engaging than he had imagined.
Watching on a screen could never compare—a woman who looked only average on television could be genuinely stunning in real life.
The only minor regret, in Jason's eyes, was that most of the models were a little too thin. They were excellent as clothes hangers, but they didn't quite match his personal aesthetic.
Their appearances were decent, but few seemed to reach an eight-point level.
That changed when Model No. 16 stepped onto the runway.
Jason's eyes lit up slightly.
She stood around 5'9", with a well-balanced physique. Her legs were strong, long, and straight, carrying a sense of power and athleticism as she walked forward—almost overwhelming the frame with presence.
She had an oval face and slightly elongated eyes, giving her a clean yet striking look.
Beside him, Grace noticed Jason's expression. She leaned closer and whispered with a playful smile,
"Mr. Carter, she's beautiful, isn't she? Those legs are incredible—long, straight, and strong. She must run regularly."
"I'm a little jealous," she added softly. "I wish I had legs like that."
Jason smiled.
"Don't sell yourself short. Your legs are great too. A bit of softness has its own charm."
"And besides," he added calmly, glancing briefly at her, "you have advantages she can't compare to."
Grace's face warmed slightly.
Instead of shrinking back, she straightened instinctively.
Model No. 16, Paige, walked with confidence and authority, reaching the end of the runway in moments.
Her gaze swept downward almost unconsciously.
Seeing a young man seated in the VIP position—rather than the usual fashion mogul—she showed the faintest flicker of surprise.
Looking more closely, she saw that he was strikingly handsome, with a refined, gentle demeanor—like someone straight out of an old-money legend.
The woman beside him was also beautiful, dressed entirely in designer pieces.
Especially the lynx-fur coat—it was breathtaking.
It was obvious this young man possessed extraordinary financial power.
System Notification
Name: Paige
Age: 21
Height: 175 cm
Weight: 56 kg
Appearance: 8.3 / 10
Favorability: 0 → 20
The moment passed quickly. Paige couldn't linger and soon walked back down the runway.
Several models followed, but none stood out—until Model No. 22 appeared.
Once again, Jason felt a quiet sense of surprise.
She was nearly the same height, but her aura was entirely different.
She carried a mature, composed presence, dignified and calm, yet her eyes were subtly captivating. Wrapped in form-fitting silk, her figure was soft and full, moving with gentle rhythm as she walked.
Grace leaned closer again and whispered,
"Do you like this one, Mr. Carter?"
"She has that mature charm—fresh but dignified. Elegant, yet alluring."
Jason chuckled.
"What is this—are you acting as a runway judge now?"
Grace laughed softly.
"If a judge talked like this, they'd be fired immediately."
"I'm just appreciating beauty," she said lightly. "Girls like looking at beautiful women too, you know."
Jason raised an eyebrow, amused.
He'd heard that before.
Seeing it now, it seemed there really was some truth to it.
Another Name, Another Reaction
Model No. 22, Wendy, reached the end of the runway quickly.
She, too, showed a hint of surprise when she saw Jason in the front VIP seat. Her gaze lingered for a fraction of a second longer than it should have.
System Notification
Name: Wendy
Age: 22
Height: 173 cm
Weight: 58 kg
Appearance: 8.5 / 10
Favorability: 0 → 15
As Wendy turned and walked back, Jason leaned back slightly in his seat.
The competition continued.
But without anyone noticing—
The balance backstage, in the audience, and in several heartswas quietly beginning to shift.
Wendy struck two elegant poses at the end of the runway, then turned and walked back with measured grace. Her steps were light, her posture refined, and her figure swayed naturally as she moved.
For a long while after that, no new favorability notifications appeared.
Until—
Model No. 32 stepped onto the runway.
The moment she appeared, a wave of gasps rippled through the audience.
She was tall—easily 5'11", and with high heels, she towered even more impressively above everyone else.
Her proportions were exceptional. Curves and lines were perfectly balanced, and her exposed skin gleamed under the lights, delivering an overwhelming visual impact at first glance.
Strictly speaking, her facial features were slightly less refined than Julia, Shenna, or Victoria.
But on the runway?
The sheer dominance of her height and figure made her presence even more striking.
When Jason saw her, a random thought flashed through his mind—
If she ever cosplayed as Boa Hancock from One Piece, she'd be flawless.
Beside him, Grace was also visibly surprised. She leaned in and whispered,
"Mr. Carter, her physical conditions are absolutely top-tier. She might lack a bit of polish and the aura of a top supermodel…"
"But with these proportions," Grace added softly,"that hardly matters."
Jason nodded slightly, offering no comment, simply watching with an appreciative gaze.
A Comic-Book Presence
As Model No. 32 drew closer, her height became even more striking up close.
From Jason's seated angle, she seemed impossibly tall—as if filming her legs in slow motion from bottom to top would take an entire minute.
Her proportions felt exaggerated, almost unreal, like something drawn straight out of a graphic novel—yet everything fit together perfectly.
She carried herself with a faint aloofness. Her gaze swept across the audience only briefly, as if nothing there truly interested her.
But the system betrayed the truth.
System Notification
Name: Erica
Age: 20
Height: 180 cm
Weight: 63 kg
Appearance: 9.1 / 10
Favorability: 0 → 15
After her, several more models walked the runway.
Then another caught Jason's attention—
A very slender woman with a delicate, refined face.
She was thin—almost fragile—but there was a sharp elegance to her presence.
System Notification
Name: Nana
Age: 25
Height: 174 cm
Weight: 44 kg
Appearance: 8.0 / 10
Favorability: 0 → 20
After that, no further favorability increases appeared.
Jason wasn't sure whether the remaining models simply didn't reach the eight-point threshold, or whether some did but didn't trigger favorability changes.
Either way, he was satisfied.
He was only sitting here watching a competition—
And his favorability had already increased by quite a bit.
At this pace, it really was effortless.
An Observation
Jason leaned back slightly.
To increase overall favorability, one simply had to go where beautiful women gathered.
With his current looks, status, and financial power, favorability accumulated naturally.
A little from each person—
Added up quickly.
Perhaps in the future, he could consider visiting model agencies, drama academies, entertainment companies, and similar places more often.
Backstage Rumors Explode
Meanwhile, backstage discussions had completely spiraled out of control.
Everyone was talking about the handsome man who had taken Cloud's seat.
"Did you notice? Cloud didn't show up today."
"And that insanely handsome guy took his place."
"That seat has always belonged to Mr. Cloud alone. Who exactly is this Mr. Carter?"
"Could he be his son?"
"Don't be ridiculous. I heard he never had children."
"Then maybe he was busy and let him represent him?"
"But that alone proves how extraordinary his identity must be. There were so many big names here, yet he overshadowed all of them."
"And the woman sitting next to him—did you see her outfit?"
"That lynx-fur coat alone has to be worth two million."
"From that, you can tell his financial power is terrifying."
"I think I heard someone call him Mr. Carter."
"Three minutes. I want all the information on that Mr. Carter."
Models lived in a world of fame and wealth.
They were realistic people.
Even the elderly Cloud Lord had countless people eager to curry favor—but without opportunity.
Now—
The person sitting in his place was young, handsome, and clearly powerful.
To say they weren't curious would be a lie.
Ears That Heard Too Much
Wendy Wen listened carefully, her attention fully caught.
When she heard that the lynx-fur coat alone was worth over two million, her eyes lit up.
Wendy — Favorability +10
Nearby, Nana also listened intently.
When she heard repeated mentions of Jason's extraordinary status and background, her expression shifted with open curiosity.
Nana — Favorability +10
Backstage, the only people who actually knew Jason were Agela.
They exchanged a brief glance—
And said nothing.
Neither of them had the mood to introduce him.
Their minds were completely occupied by one burning question—
Was Jason Carter really about to go bankrupt…
Or had she made the worst misjudgment of their lives?
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