1:08 PM – Midtown Campus Cart, Day 4
Jason stood under a cloudy sky, watching students swarm Ami's cart. Her hands moved like clockwork—one hand pouring, the other collecting bills, her voice bright and friendly.
"Thanks for choosing Iron Brew!" she called with a smile.
> [Cart No. 2 Sales Today: $684]
[Customer Satisfaction: 92%]
The system feed scrolled beside Jason's vision like a stock ticker. Profits were flowing. Street buzz was growing. Even Kong had shut down for two days straight.
But Jason's instincts buzzed uneasily.
It was too quiet.
Too smooth.
---
2:30 PM – Vanessa's Office, Blaze Market HQ
Jason paced across Vanessa's sleek corner office. She watched from her desk, legs crossed, a smoothie in hand. The skyline shimmered beyond her glass windows.
"I want to expand to Mercury Plaza next," he said. "Office workers, fast flow, prime lunch traffic. I'll run it myself for the first two days."
Vanessa nodded slowly. "I've already seen your projections. Smart move. But are you ready for that kind of pressure?"
Jason frowned. "You doubting me now?"
"No," she said, standing and walking toward him. "But I know the kind of people Mercury Plaza attracts."
She stopped close—too close.
"Big sharks. Real estate hustlers. Corporates. And some... less legal players."
Jason didn't flinch. "Let them come. I'm not scared of suits or thugs."
She gave him a small smile. "That's why I invested in you."
He hesitated. Something in her voice had shifted. Warmer. Softer.
But before he could say more, her office door opened.
A man stepped in—polished gray suit, slicked-back hair, smile too smooth to trust.
"Jason Chen, right?" the man said, extending his hand. "Name's Marcus. Regional expansion director, Wavetech Brands."
Vanessa's smile stiffened.
Jason's grip stayed firm, but his expression darkened. "Wavetech?"
Marcus continued, unfazed. "We've been watching your rise. Blaze isn't the only company that knows value when it sees it. We'd like to buy Iron Brew outright. Thirty thousand, cash. Today."
Jason blinked.
> [Critical Decision Alert: Accepting Buyout Ends Street Path – Switches to Corporate Storyline]
[Warning: This path eliminates future system growth options]
He didn't even need to think.
"No."
Marcus blinked. "No?"
Jason folded his arms. "Iron Brew is just the beginning. Thirty grand won't even buy me peace of mind."
The air thickened.
Vanessa said nothing—but her eyes sparkled.
Marcus chuckled. "Then we'll see how long your empire lasts. Good luck, kid."
He left, just like that.
Jason turned to Vanessa. "That was a setup?"
She exhaled. "They caught wind of your numbers. I didn't invite him. But I didn't stop him either."
Jason's eyes narrowed. "Why not?"
Vanessa looked away. "Because I wanted to see what you'd choose."
---
5:12 PM – Jason's Garage
Jason opened the system dashboard. His hand trembled slightly as he reviewed today's reports.
> [Total Assets: $17,914]
[Branch 3: Mercury Plaza – Status: Under Preparation]
[Warning: Competitor Interference Detected]
He clicked it.
A report window opened—Anonymous tip:
> "Your Midtown employee, Ami Tanaka, is negotiating with Kong behind your back."
Jason froze.
What?
> [Optional Task: Investigate Employee Disloyalty]
[Reward: Loyalty Enforcement Tool + Trust Stat Upgrade]
He grabbed his hoodie and headed straight for Midtown.
---
6:00 PM – Alley Behind Midtown Cart
Jason didn't approach the cart. He circled around the back alley, quiet as a shadow.
He heard voices before he saw anyone.
"—he doesn't pay you what you're worth, does he?" Kong said, voice greasy and low. "I'll triple your cut. You bring your customers to my new stall."
Ami's voice came next. "That's... tempting, but—"
"But nothing. You're working for a guy with two carts and big dreams. I've got five years in this game. I bounce back faster than you think."
Jason's heart pounded.
> [Emotion Surge Detected: Anger + Focus. System Boost Applied – Observation Mode: Active]
He stepped around the corner, calmly.
"I knew you'd come crawling back eventually, Kong."
The man flinched. Ami spun, startled.
"Jason—!"
He raised a hand. Calm, but deadly cold.
"Save it."
Kong sneered. "You really think you can keep people loyal with smiles and system tricks?"
Jason stepped closer, eye to eye.
"No. But I can keep them loyal with vision. Something you never had."
Then, turning to Ami, he asked softly, "Is this who you are? Taking cash behind my back? Selling out in your first week?"
Ami's face flushed. "I didn't take anything! He came to me. I didn't agree."
Jason stared hard. "Then walk away. Right now."
She hesitated... then stepped past Kong and joined Jason's side.
Jason didn't smile. "This is your last warning, Kong. Try again... and I won't just outsell you. I'll erase you."
He walked away, Ami beside him, the alley quiet behind them.
---
9:30 PM – Blaze Market, Rooftop Bar
Vanessa invited him out "just to cool off."
Jason sipped soda, not alcohol—he needed his head clear.
"Rough day?" she asked, voice gentle under the starlight.
He chuckled bitterly. "I thought making money was the hard part. Turns out, it's trusting people."
She looked at him for a long moment. "You know, I used to run a fashion startup. Five years ago. Got crushed by bigger brands. Took me a year to climb out of debt."
Jason glanced at her, surprised. "You?"
She nodded. "So yeah. I know what it's like to watch everything you build nearly burn down."
For once, she didn't sound like a business exec.
Just... real.
Jason leaned back. "What would you have done, if you had a second chance?"
She turned to face him. "Probably what you're doing right now."
Their eyes locked.
The silence between them felt electric. Familiar.
But Jason looked away. Not yet. Not now.
Too many enemies. Too much at stake.
---
12:00 AM – System Alert
Back in his garage, the system pinged loud and sudden.
> [New Threat Detected: Wavetech Brands has launched "Flash Brew," a copycat cart line, 3 blocks from Mercury Plaza.]
[Sabotage Risk: High]
Jason gritted his teeth.
They weren't going to buy him out.
They were going to bury him.
> [New Task: Defend Your Territory]
[Win: Gain "Corporate Slayer" Title – Increases resistance to sabotage and hostile offers.]
[Lose: Mercury Branch shuts down permanently.]
He stood, fists clenched.
This was war now.
And Jason Chen didn't lose wars.