Morin went through his routine analysis.
He ignored the [Physical] stat. There was no need to check his current level. He only needed one reference point-being able to stand toe-to-toe with Superman under the sun.
As for the "Seven Degrees" brand camera...
At first glance, it felt redundant. It overlapped heavily with the [Photographer Anywhere] skill from his previous [Photographer] profession. For now, Morin couldn't see what practical use it actually had.
The biggest surprise-and the largest source of uncertainty-was the [Master Key].
According to the description, a key would automatically generate next to a "vessel."
But what counted as a [Vessel]?
And what exactly was a [Key]?
Were these literal definitions-an actual container and a physical key as understood by normal people-or abstract concepts that could be interpreted from multiple angles?
That distinction mattered.
It was the difference between a useless garbage skill and a god-tier ability that interfered with conceptual reality itself.
Take a River God as an example.
If it was just a common river god recognized by the masses, it would only be mildly powerful. But if it was a conceptual-level existence...
Then you'd get situations like:
"The Milky Way is also a river, isn't it?"
"I'll have to experiment later and see."
By the time he finished thinking, Morin had already bought a phone and a SIM card.
He had also locked onto the target of his current operation.
Sam Witwicky.
The protagonist of the first few Transformers movies.
As for later on... well, there wasn't much to be done about plot armor failing after the actor left. The same applied to the original female lead, Michaela.
Anyway, according to the original plot, neither of them ended up with particularly good futures. If you put it one way, they got to experience things most people would never see in a lifetime. For some, dying after that might even feel worth it.
As for how Sam and Michaela themselves felt...
Who knew?
Morin didn't know yet. Those events hadn't happened.
Though one thing was certain.
Michaela's looks were absolutely top-tier.
"These are items left behind by my great-great-grandfather when he explored the Arctic. This telescope is fifty dollars. And this-the crown jewel-the glasses my great-great-grandfather wore at the time. These glasses witnessed many things alongside him. I haven't even set a price for them yet..."
Inside the classroom, Sam was introducing the glasses that carried the coordinates to the AllSpark.
The glasses destined to drag his ordinary life into something extraordinary.
Right now, he only planned to sell them to scrape together enough money for his first car.
Unfortunately, the classroom wasn't filled with adventure enthusiasts or antique collectors. On top of that, the item didn't even count as a real antique, especially since it was damaged.
Naturally, no one wanted it.
Even the teacher nearby couldn't take it anymore.
"This is my classroom, not your flea market."
Sam looked discouraged, but in the end, he still managed to convince the teacher to give him an A.
With two thousand dollars secured and three As in hand, he could finally hold his father to his promise. His father would pay the remaining balance for the car.
Just as Sam excitedly walked out of the school building to find his father and claim his prize, someone called out.
"Sam! Sam Witwicky!"
Sam stopped and turned.
The man was handsome, looked young, and wore a warm, friendly smile that made him feel approachable.
"Hello? Can I help you? Do I know you?" Sam asked.
"I know you, but you don't know me," Morin said calmly. "I was there when you were presenting those items in class."
"Oh... really?" Sam was taken aback.
"Yes. You were clearly a bit nervous," Morin said with a chuckle. "The thing is, I have a hobby related to historical items, especially those tied to exploration. I'm very interested in what you were showing. So... if you're willing to sell?"
"Oh-oh! Of course!" Sam immediately perked up, his gaze shifting from stranger to potential benefactor. "Which one are you interested in?"
"The glasses," Morin said. "They contain information that's very important to me."
"But... they're just glasses." Sam didn't quite understand, but he still took them out. "And I haven't set a price yet."
"How much do you want?" Morin asked.
"How much can you give?" Sam didn't miss the chance to negotiate.
"I have a hundred thousand dollars on me right now. Don't worry, it's legal," Morin said. "If you're willing to accept installments later, I can give you more in the future."
"Hey... buddy... are you okay?" Sam's gaze shifted from benefactor to psychiatrist.
Who would pay a hundred thousand dollars for a pair of glasses?
Even if they were solid gold, they wouldn't be worth that much.
Not to mention they were ordinary glasses. Not even a proper antique.
"I'm fine. I just don't like using cheap tricks to deceive people," Morin said evenly. "I'm willing to pay what the item is worth. Even though I already know what's on them, I'll choose to be honest."
"There's a secret recorded on these glasses. A secret that will drag you into a terrifying series of events. Sell them to me, and I can guarantee you a life of luxury where you can do whatever you want."
"Uh... buddy, are you sure you're okay?" Sam took a step back. "How about I call 911 for you?"
"This is a hundred thousand dollars."
Morin handed him a bag.
Sam instinctively took it.
When he saw what was inside, his eyes almost popped out of his head.
Cash.
Real cash.
Stack after stack, neatly packed. Brand new.
Sam glanced left and right. No one was paying attention.
He looked back at Morin and asked carefully, "Is this... real money?"
"Of course it's real," Morin said.
This was the hundred-thousand-dollar allowance provided by the system space each time. There was no way it was fake.
"Can I... can I check it?" Sam's mind felt blank.
"Go ahead," Morin replied.
To avoid trouble, Morin had already blocked the awareness of everyone nearby.
"This... it's actually real!"
Sam opened a stack and checked the bills one by one.
He was even more confused.
Even if he had somehow grabbed the only real stack, that alone was ten thousand dollars. Enough to buy a decent new car.
Sam couldn't process it.
"You didn't rob this from somewhere, did you?" he suddenly asked, suspicion creeping in.
"Absolutely not," Morin said with a helpless smile. "Otherwise, I wouldn't be using a public identity to trade, right?"
"If you sell, this hundred thousand is yours. More will be deposited later. It's all legal and traceable. You can spend it however you like."
"What's actually on these glasses?" Sam asked despite himself.
He didn't think Morin was a fool, which only made the situation harder to understand.
Did they really contain some earth-shattering secret?
"I can't tell you," Morin said, shaking his head. "Or rather, if I told you, I wouldn't pay for them anymore. Not this hundred thousand, and not what comes after."
"The choice is yours."
Sam hesitated.
Curiosity...
Or a hundred thousand dollars.
The choice didn't take long.
"Alright."
Sam handed over the glasses, gripping the bag tightly, as if the money might suddenly grow wings and fly away.
"Pleasure doing business with you. Congratulations," Morin said with a smile.
"To be honest... this still feels unreal," Sam said.
"But it's the truth," Morin laughed suddenly. "Because I'm running a test."
"A test?" Sam froze.
"Yes. A test. My partner is nearby filming everything," Morin said, pulling out a tablet. "I'm a content creator, just starting out, so I decided to go big."
"This test was about whether human curiosity could beat a hundred thousand dollars. And I chose you."
"You don't mind being the protagonist, right? Don't worry. I'll blur your face and name. Look-just like this."
After watching the footage, Sam blurted out, "Oh my god. Your editing skills are insane. You finished it already?"
"It's nothing. I have a professional team," Morin said, waving a hand. "And cheats."
"Then... then... this money..." Sam suddenly tensed.
"It's a legal transaction," Morin said. "You can tell your parents exactly where it came from. The video will be on my channel soon. You can watch it with them."
"I'm not short on cash."
"My god..."
That was all Sam could say.
He didn't know how else to react.
"Well, congratulations again," Morin said.
He shook Sam's hand, handed him a slip of paper with the channel name, and left.
Watching Morin walk away, Sam tightened his grip on the bag.
A strange sense of loss washed over him.
Like something important had slipped away.
But it didn't last.
His attention was quickly swallowed by the weight in his hands.
He was rich.
Morin looked at the glasses containing the AllSpark's location.
There was information on them, but it was encrypted. Without Cybertronian algorithms, deciphering it would be difficult.
He didn't care.
He already knew where the AllSpark was.
The deal with Sam wasn't just about giving him a chance to choose his own fate.
It was also Morin's first video.
As for the test, it was half true.
Morin had told the truth.
Whether Sam believed it or not was his own business.
People always face choices.
And after choosing, they walk the path and pay the price.
There are always gains and losses.
Morin had told Sam everything.
The choice was Sam's.
His conscience was clear.
At some point, Morin realized his status and power had reached a level where deception felt unnecessary. Instead, he preferred watching how people reacted when faced with temptation.
"Now then..."
Morin smiled.
The footage finished processing, and the completed video was uploaded.
"The Autobots and Decepticons should be coming soon..."
That outcome was almost inevitable now.
So the question was-
Would Autobots or Decepticons count as "vessels"?
What kind of "key" would the [Master Key] generate for them?
A physical key?
Or a controller capable of issuing direct orders?
Those were secondary.
What Morin truly cared about was the AllSpark.
An artifact capable of granting life to machines.
Something that broke the boundary of life itself.
A divine artifact, without question.
Given its role in the movies, there was no doubt.
So...
Could he take it?
And use it himself?
For example-
What would his Universal Vehicle become after transforming?
And what about his Mecha-Aatrox suit?