The Master Programmer

Checking out his main page and his Stats, Jason thought about the huge amount of progress he had made in just two weeks. He had been practising, fostering relationships with everyone, and consistently maintaining his commitment to the missions he undertook. |———————————— || Master Programmer System || Stats | Missions | Items | Store | ————— Your Current Missions: —> Make your Sexy Boss Fall For You (19% done) —> Take Revenge on the Grumpy Middle-Aged Landlord (29% done) —> Take Revenge on the Goons (87% done) —> Get Your First Subordinate! (68% done) ————————————| |———————————— | Master Programmer System || Stats || Missions | Items | Store | ————— Name: Jason Cross MC (Master Coins): 250 Level: 17 Stats: (No Change) —————> Dexterity (Agility, Flexibility) → 22 Strength (Speed, Power) → 25 Constitution (Endurance, Health) → 21 Intelligence (Memory, Reasoning) → 22 Charisma (Charm, Persuasion) → 29 Wisdom (Intuition, Adaptability) → 17 Spirit (Mental State, Character) → 10 <————— ————————————| He had gotten a ton of MC and massive level-ups too. He was doing well, and yet his Items available in the store were still the same old potions. He was eagerly anticipating the moment when he would make significant progress and have new purchasing options available. Anyway, in all this time, Jason had not been idle. Even though his days were spent mostly on work, he still took time to develop relationships with the people he needed to develop them with. With Veronica, Jason was always there for her, and he would talk to her, giving her advice when she asked for it, and seeking advice sometimes just to make sure she knew she was valued. He had even been working on some automations for her, and he was going to be sharing the technology with her to make her business run faster than ever. This seemed to earn Jason a ton of appreciation from her. Yet, she was still distant from the time when her obsession with him would reach its peak. It might take some time, but Jason was confident that he would achieve it. With Emily Grayson, what he did was effectively just talk to her through texts because she was a shy girl who never actually went out. She was one of those people who spent their days on the internet. Jason was okay with that. And right now they were getting to know each other. It was still early days, but it was good progress. Jason had been ignoring the Goons, and afterwards, he would pass by their usual hangout spot. Some days, he would smile and wave at them, but they would just stare back in silence, clearly affected by the situation. Encountering the person who had assaulted them was understandably distressing. They felt pressured even though they were not actively doing anything to provoke the situation. And with Oliver, Jason had been very busy. After all, Jason spent almost twelve hours at the office. Which meant he had ample amounts of time with the man. "Oliver!" Jason exclaimed, stepping forward and clasping Oliver's hand in a firm handshake that transitioned smoothly into a friendly dap. "Man, it's always good to see a face I like to see." Jason said this very simply, but in actuality, there was more to it. Oliver had a complex about his face. Jason was trying to get him to be comfortable around him, and it was working. The more he said this, the more Oliver would understand that others liked his face, even if he didn't like his own face. That would make him like Jason just for the mere fact that he responded so positively every time he saw him. Oliver chuckled, visibly relaxing. "Good to see you too, Jason. You've been busy lately." Jason smirked. He and Oliver had been hanging out at lunches after that first day. Oliver was someone who normally ate his lunch in his office, but ever since that day, he and Jason had been handing out together in the cafeteria and it was time for him to go ahead and do exactly that. Jason nodded, his smirk softening into an earnest smile. "Busy is good. It means we're moving forward, right?" He paused, letting his words sink in before adding, "And I'm glad we ran into each other. I've been wanting to talk to you." This wasn't just casual conversation; Jason was employing pacing and leading. By mirroring Oliver's casual tone and rhythm, Jason created a sense of alignment and trust only for him to then lead the conversation in the direction he wanted it to go. He did this all the time, with everyone he spoke to, and when he did it, he managed to get them to build rapport with him very quickly even creating an environment of alignment that made others accept his ideas easier. As the elevator continued its descent, Jason leaned in slightly, his voice dropping to a friendly, conspiratorial tone. "Hey, what are you up to tonight?" Oliver shrugged, a hint of hesitation creeping into his expression. "Probably just heading home, maybe watch some shows. Nothing big. What about you? Hanging out with your girlfriend? Girlfriends?" Jason let out a mock groan, shaking his head. "Girlfriends? Eww! I only have one wife. I'm married to the Game. And with regards to your plans… Boo~! You're telling me a high-earning HR manager at Reno Ventures, someone who knows and connects everyone, is spending a Friday night on the couch?" Jason chuckled, the corners of his eyes crinkling. "Oliver, that's practically a crime. I don't know if you know this, but I can say for sure that the world is calling your name. They want to see you. They are begging to see you. They need you, Oliver. You have to show your face tonight! Come with me!" Oliver couldn't help but laugh, the sound breaking through his usual reserved demeanour. "I'm not much of a drinker, Jason. It's just… not my thing." Jason placed a hand on Oliver's shoulder, his touch both grounding and encouraging. "Who said anything about drinking? Tonight's about cutting loose, having fun, and forgetting about work. Trust me, you'll thank me later." The man looked at him and sighed, saying, "Man, I don't know why, but when you start speaking like this, I just cannot say no to you." Jason chuckled when he heard this, but inwardly he knew why this was happening. Jason's use of anchoring was subtle but it was everywhere. The touch on the shoulder, paired with his positive and confident tone, created a psychological anchor, an association between Jason's suggestions and the idea of enjoyment. The first time Jason did that, Oliver had admitted that that thing was normally done by his father, and it was something that used to make him uncomfortable. Jason quickly realized he could turn the concept around, stepping into his father's shoes, but with a positive twist that he'd naturally adopt because of the underlying influence of authority.. "No. It's because you know…" Jason said with a smirk as he leaned back. "You know that what I have to say is important. I like that about you. Your capacity to listen not only to me, but to your voice that you have been suppressing all this time. So what you do say? Are we going out?" Oliver sighed, shaking his head but smiling nonetheless. "Alright, alright. You win." Jason's grin widened, a victorious glint in his eye. "That's the spirit! Let's make this a night to remember." As the elevator doors slid open, Jason greeted every passing colleague with a warm smile and a personal touch. "Hey, Paul! Those biceps are looking good!" "Mia, you're killing it over there!" Even the receptionist received a cheeky wink and a promise to bring her coffee as long as she brought him something even more special than that. Oliver watched in awe as Jason moved through the lobby like a magnet, effortlessly drawing people in. "You're incredible, you know that?" Oliver said as they stepped outside into the crisp evening air. Jason chuckled, brushing off the compliment. "It's not magic, Oliver. It's a system. People like to feel seen, valued, and connected. It's about learning their names, understanding their stories, and treating them like the rockstars they are." "Look at me. I've been doing the same thing with you. That's why you feel so connected with me, right? Because I see you. If you want to be like me… It might be a bit difficult… but it's certainly not impossible." Oliver heard these words and then chuckled, saying, "How about you teach me? I know you've been giving me tricks, and they're working. But I'm still not at your level yet." Oliver looked at Jason, his eyes radiating need. "I want to learn..." "Okay, but you have to keep it a secret…" Jason said looking around. He then leaned in, lowering his voice as if sharing a secret. "You can emulate people's behaviour. And it's actually pretty simple too. Think of it like building a character. You break down habits into actions and actions into thoughts and behaviours. Replicate what works, refine what doesn't, and soon enough, you'll be able to model someone's behaviour." Oliver shook his head, his smile tinged with disbelief. "It makes sense… But why though? You make it sound so easy." "It is easy," Jason said, his tone rich with encouragement. "The hard part is getting out of your own way. People are people's own worst nightmares most times. How many times have you held yourself back because of your own limiting beliefs?" After hearing those words, Oliver wanted to say something, but he really did not know what to say. It was true. All of it. He held himself back a lot in life. And now, it might be that he was doing the same thing. And Jason was opening up his eyes to it all. Unbeknownst to Oliver, Jason was maneuvering into a role that would soon have Oliver turning to him for virtually everything. He was establishing himself as a mentor, and before long, he would be seen as a glorious leader and ruler.