1 A Call From Toretto (Edited on 27/10/2023)

[Late at night]

The quietude of the night was abruptly shattered by the persistent ringing of a phone, "Dingding! Dingding!" It insisted on being answered, as if it had an important secret to share.

In response to the relentless ringing, an arm slowly emerged from beneath a cozy quilt, its owner reluctantly reaching for the phone. With some effort, the phone's cover was opened, and the answer button was pressed.

A muffled voice emanated from under the quilt, "Give me a reason within ten seconds, or I promise you will never get a part from me for your car ever again." The threat, while not particularly menacing, carried weight within the circle of those who knew the man and his unparalleled skills in modifying and repairing cars.

Realizing the need for a more persuasive tone, he added, "Don't even think about me modifying it for you ever again."

On the other end of the line, a grinning bald man identified himself, "It's me, Dom."

"Hey, Jack, I need your help," he continued, a sense of urgency in his voice.

"Darn it, Dom, don't you know what time it is? It's 3 am!" Jack grumbled, reluctantly extricating himself from beneath two slumbering companions.

Despite the awkwardness of the situation, he moved with utmost care not to disturb the two girls.

"I know, Jack, but it's urgent," Dominic Toretto stated as he sat down.

"I need you to modify some cars for me."

Jack reminded him of his rules, "You know my rules, Dom. You should remember them, right?"

"Of course, Jack, how could I forget? But it's personal this time," Toretto replied.

"Alright," Jack consented after a moment of contemplation.

"And it's a big deal," Toretto emphasized.

"How big is it?" Jack inquired as he got out of bed and put on his vest before moving to the villa's living room.

"Are you going to rob the central bank?"

Toretto assured him, "No, of course not. That bank is too low-end. We're going to steal from the rich and give to the poor this time."

Jack poured himself a glass of fine aged wine and, raising an eyebrow, asked the question on his mind, "But it's not in your nature to be a hero who robs the rich and helps the poor. What's the real reason?"

Toretto finally revealed, "Alright, Jack, you got me. My sister is pregnant."

Jack's eyes widened in surprise, "Are you sure?"

"Of course, would I ever lie to you about something like this?" Toretto responded.

"Damn it," Jack exclaimed, standing up. "I want to make it clear that I'm innocent, Dom. I've never touched your sister!"

"What?" Toretto was momentarily shocked, then burst into anger, "Screw you, Jack! I know it's not yours!"

"That's a relief," Jack sighed, reclining back on the sofa. "Although I initially became your brother because of your sister, I've kept my promise. I've never laid a hand on her."

Toretto couldn't resist a final jab, "Really? Weren't you the one who claimed you became my friend because of my driving skills?"

Jack shrugged off the comment casually, "Well, let's just say that's one of the many reasons I became your brother. Thick skin, remember?"

"So, whose is it... Is it Brian O'Connor's? Please don't tell me it's his," Jack asked with a hint of concern.

"Unfortunately, yeah," Toretto confirmed. "So..."

"I see. You're trying to settle down for good and make a last-ditch bid to get some money for the future?" Jack interrupted, his curiosity piqued.

"Yes," Toretto nodded, his determination evident.

"Actually, if you just want money, I can..." Jack began to suggest something, but Toretto cut him off.

"Jack, you know me," Toretto interjected. "I haven't reached that point yet."

"Okay, but I will always be here, Dom. Don't forget that. So when is it gonna go down?" Jack inquired, relinquishing his initial idea.

"Also, where is the location, and who is your target?" Jack added, wanting to get all the details.

"Rio," Toretto disclosed. "Soon, we plan to rob Hernan Reyes, the biggest drug lord in Rio. There's gonna be 100 million in cash!"

Jack shook his head in amazement, "So you aren't messing around this time. You know how risky it will be... He's like a local overlord around there."

"It's okay, Jack. Isn't this just my usual style of operation?" Toretto chuckled.

"Yeah, that's true," Jack acknowledged. "Is this going to be the last time?"

"Of course, it will be the last time," Toretto affirmed. "After this, there will be no shortage of money!"

"Interesting, the money hasn't even reached your hands yet, but you, my friend, have already become rich," Jack commented, shaking the empty wine glass in his hand with a casual air.

"However, you also know that I rarely take on jobs like this nowadays. If you're going to carry it out, then I might not be able to..." Jack hinted at his usual rule.

Toretto, knowing how to appeal to Jack, revealed, "I have a new teammate, Jack. You might have heard of her, Gisele Yashar."

"Ah, Dom! You know me all too well. I'm in," Jack sighed in resignation.

"Give me the address, and I'll arrive in... um... two days later with what you want. By the way, how many cars do you need?" Jack offered his assistance.

"Four? Well, okay, wait for the good news!" Toretto replied before hanging up.

Jack tossed the phone aside, downed the remaining wine in the bottle in a single gulp, and reclined on the sofa, deep in thought.

"Finally..." Jack "looked" at the interface in his mind and sighed.

"Is it finally time for opening up a new world?"

On the interface in his mind, Jack's entire body appeared as a 3D holographic figure with a commanding aura and a handsome appearance. It slowly rotated, and above the projection, there was a title.

[Profession]

"Auto Mechanic ▪ Intermediate (990/1000)"

[Title bonus:]

"Strength ▪ 110"

As a mechanic, a strong body was a necessity for the job.

"Intelligence ▪ 110"

Intelligence was crucial for modifying cars as desired.

"Mechanic Skills ▪ Advanced"

Jack could quickly understand and change any feature of a car.

"Car Driving Skills ▪ Intermediate"

As unusual as it sounded, a mechanic needed decent driving skills to test the cars he worked on.

[Tools:]

"Dimensional Wrench ▪ Legendary"

This wrench had a knack for appearing and disappearing at will.

Jack skipped the peculiar introduction and focused on his projection. Another interface emerged.

[Jack Ashborn]

Number of professional titles held: 1

Opportunities to open up new worlds: 0 (Jack anticipated gaining one opportunity after the upcoming heist)

Body attribute value: 110

Intelligence attribute value: 110

Unassigned attribute points: 0

"Finally..." Jack "looked" at the interface in his mind and sighed. "With the 10 points I'll be getting after this heist, I can upgrade my profession to the Advanced level and open the path to my next world."