The vending machine swallowed his last coin.
Jason Chen stared at the flickering screen, fists clenched. Nothing. Not even the cheap instant noodles popped out.
"Seriously?" he muttered. "Even you're against me now?"
A gust of cold wind swept through the underground parking garage. His breath misted in the air. He shoved his hands into the thin pockets of his delivery uniform and trudged back to the corner where his mattress lay behind stacked cardboard boxes. This wasn't even a storage unit—it was an abandoned spot near the boiler, where no one cared to look.
No one except her.
Emily.
Her name still hurt. Her perfume still haunted him. And tonight, like every other for the past two weeks, he couldn't stop remembering what she'd said.
> "Jason, I can't keep dating a loser. You have no future. My new boyfriend? At least he owns a car. You sleep beside rats."
She left him for his manager. Lucas Tang. That smug bastard with slick hair, a leased BMW, and zero soul. The same Lucas who fired him yesterday.
> "You're a liability, Jason. No car, no growth. Plus… personal reasons," Lucas had said with a grin.
Yeah. "Personal reasons."
Jason lay on his mattress, staring at the ceiling's water stains. His phone battery was dead. His dreams were deader. At 23, he had nothing—no family, no savings, and now, no job. Just memories of working himself to the bone for people who didn't give a damn.
His jaw clenched.
"Screw them all."
But then—
> [System Initialization Complete. Binding to Host…]
[Welcome to the Wealth Domination System.]
[Do you accept the Terms of Power?]
Jason bolted upright.
"What the hell—?"
A glowing panel hovered in the air before him, pulsing with golden light. Letters shimmered, sharp and impossibly real. He blinked. It didn't disappear.
> [Accept: Yes / No]
He pressed "Yes" before he could question his sanity.
The light flared.
> [System Bound: Jason Chen]
[First Task: Crush your enemy Lucas Tang. Reward: $10,000.]
[Bonus Path Unlocked: Secret Investment Access – Tier F]
Jason's breath caught.
Was this a dream? A breakdown? Delusion?
But the system didn't wait.
> [Daily Guidance: Lucas Tang will be having dinner at Noire Bistro with Emily at 8:00 PM.]
[Optional Objective: Publicly humiliate target. Reward: Charisma +1.]
His hands trembled. Noire Bistro? That was the luxury rooftop restaurant on Westline Avenue. Only high rollers went there.
His stomach growled—but his pride screamed louder.
Jason stood up.
---
8:01 PM – Noire Bistro
He barely made it in. The valet took one look at his torn hoodie and laughed.
Jason didn't flinch. He didn't need to be let in. The System gave him what he needed.
> [Unlocking Temporary Access: Credit Line – Prestige Card – One Use]
[Funds Loaded: $5,000]
He walked through the marble lobby like he belonged. The host scanned the card. Her smile turned syrupy.
"Welcome back, Mr. Chen. Table for one?"
Jason didn't answer. He saw them first—Emily and Lucas—seated at a candlelit table near the window. She looked radiant. He looked smug.
Jason walked straight to them.
Lucas looked up, confused—then amused.
"Well, well," he said. "Did someone sneak in to clean dishes?"
Emily's face changed. Shock, then guilt, then annoyance.
"What are you doing here?" she hissed. "You're embarrassing yourself."
Jason smiled.
"No. I'm here to thank you."
Lucas raised an eyebrow. "For what?"
Jason leaned in, calm.
"For showing me rock bottom. So I know how high I'll climb after this."
> [Optional Objective Completed: Public Humiliation – Reward Received]
[Charisma +1 | System Shop Unlocked]
Lucas stood up, sneering. "Security—"
But before he could finish, the host returned.
"Mr. Chen, your private suite is ready."
Lucas blinked. Emily gawked.
The host turned to Jason. "Your black truffle steak and 1996 Château Margaux have been prepared, sir."
Jason turned and walked, spine straight, heart thudding.
He didn't look back.
---
10:32 PM – Underpass Shelter
Jason returned to his corner. The food was long gone. So was the rush. But something burned inside him—a spark.
He opened the system panel again.
> [Main Quests Unlocked:]
Establish Passive Income Source (Reward: $50,000 + Property Card)
Earn Your First Million (Reward: System Upgrade + Skill: Market Vision)
Dominate Local Market Within 6 Months (Reward: Tier D Investment Access + Mansion Unlock)
> [New Passive: Charisma Level 1 – Slightly more persuasive in negotiations.]
Jason stared at the screen.
He wasn't dreaming.
His stomach still ached. His hands were still calloused. He was still broke.
But not for long.
---
Elsewhere – Lucas' Condo
Emily sat on the bed, staring at her phone. Jason's name trended on a local thread—"Mystery Young Tycoon Shows Up at Noire, Outsmarts Manager in Public."
"Lucas… are you sure Jason's broke?"
Lucas chuckled. "Please. The guy smells like engine grease. It's probably some lucky break or borrowed credit card. He'll disappear by next week."
But Emily wasn't convinced. Her eyes lingered on Jason's photo. He looked different tonight—confident. Dangerous, even.
She bit her lip.
---
Back in the Garage
Jason stared at the city lights from a cracked window. The world hadn't changed.
But he had.
> [Next Objective: Invest in Street-Level Business. Suggested: Food Cart License, Disrupt Lucas' Client Base.]
He grinned.
Let the war begin.