Chapter 2: The Billionaire’s First Mission
Adrian stared at the glowing options on his phone.
Starter Reward Available.
Claim Reward?
▶ YES
▶ NO
His thumb hovered there, unmoving.
A free reward from an app I definitely never downloaded. He exhaled through his nose. Sure. Why not. Free is free, even when it’s fake.
Besides, what was the worst that could happen?
...My savings account would probably disappoint the hacker first.
There was no obvious scam alert telling him he’d won a luxury car. No flashing countdown demanding he claim a million dollars before midnight. Nothing. Just two buttons.
With a small shrug, he tapped YES. The screen dimmed. Then brightened.
Claim Request Accepted...
Starter Reward cannot be claimed directly.
Beginner Foundation Mission Required.
Adrian’s mouth twitched.
"Of course." A short, humorless laugh. "Of course there’s homework attached. Nothing in my life is allowed to just be free, apparently. Not even the scams."
’Fine. Let’s see how deep this goes.’
The screen dissolved into gold.
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WEALTH POINTS
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Wealth Points are the foundation of your growth.
Accumulated Wealth Points can be utilized in system gacha pulls.
50 Wealth Points= C-class Gacha pull
100 Wealth Points = B-rank Gacha pull
150 Wealth Points = A-rank Gacha pull
Adrian read it twice, arms folding on instinct.
"So it’s experience points." He said it flatly, like he was disappointed on principle. "You gave it a fancier name so it’d sound like I’m not just playing a game with my own life."
’...Which, to be fair, would explain a lot about the last two years.’
He didn’t say that part out loud. The window simply waited, patient in that unbothered way that made him feel like feeling more sorry for himself wasn’t getting him anywhere.
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STARTER PACK
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Upon completion of your first mission, a Starter Pack will be granted.
Contents are determined by mission performance.
Higher completion quality yields higher-tier rewards.
The Starter Pack cannot be purchased. It can only be earned.
His eyebrow lifted, some of the sarcasm draining out of his posture despite himself.
"...Performance-based." He said it slower this time. "So it’s not just showing up. You’re telling me effort actually counts here."
Affirmative
A beat.
’That’s almost insulting, coming from a system. Feels like it’s implying I don’t usually put in effort.’
Then, quieter, the thought he didn’t let reach his face:
’Feels like the first honest deal I’ve been offered in a while.’
He shook that off before it could sit for too long.
"Alright." He rolled his shoulders back. "So what am I actually earning it for?"
As if it had been listening for the question, the interface answered.
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INVESTMENT POTENTIAL
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Not all individuals qualify as investment targets.
Investment Potential reflects how willing a person is to act, sacrifice, or invest their own time for the Host.
Example: A woman with high Investment Potential may choose to miss a promotional exam simply to spend the day with you.
Adrian stared at the example for a second longer than he needed to.
"...Skip an exam. For me." He said it out loud, mostly to hear how ridiculous it sounded. "Sure. Yeah. Totally normal thing that happens to people."
The words came out flatter than it should’ve, more tired than bitter. Two weeks ago he’d been the guy someone planned a future with. Now he was standing in an empty apartment being told, by an app, that somewhere out there a woman theoretically existed who’d throw away her life for him.
Stop it. He shook the thought of his head. This isn’t the time to reminisce about her.
He took a soft sigh and his eyes dropped back to the screen, past the example, toward the next block of gold text waiting beneath it.
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REBATE MECHANIC
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Cashback is calculated according to Investment Potential at the time of expenditure.
Below 50% — Investment ineligible. No exceptional rebate.
At 50% — Expenditure returned in full.
At 75% — Expenditure returned at 1.5x value.
At 100% — Expenditure returned at 2x value.
Expenditure alone does not guarantee Investment Potential growth.
Adrian’s eyes moved down the numbers again and again, like his brain needed a second lap before it agreed to accept what it was reading.
"...Okay." He said it slowly, testing the word. "Okay, wait."
He shifted his weight, one shoulder dropping into that familiar slouch, phone held a little closer now.
"So it’s not just break-even." A beat. "You’re telling me I come out ahead."
The System didn’t answer. It never did, which at this moment wasn’t exactly important to him.
’Spend on someone or actually be useful to them. Get paid for it.’ His jaw tilted slightly. ’This sounds... like total BS.’
It sounded good. Way too good to be true. He should’ve closed the application. Better yet, he should’ve uninstalled whatever bizarre software had somehow found its way onto his phone.
Yet there he was, curious to comprehend what the starter reward was. Or better yet, if it could rescue him from his current broke predicament.
"Alright, System, or whatever you are." He straightened up. "How about this..."
A beat. His curiousity rising.
"prove it."
He waited. Testing his skepticism one last time before he would ever allow himself to bite.
The moving truck carrying your furniture has arrived, Adrian Hayes.
Adrian blinked.
"...No, it hasn’t."
He said it flat, certain. The delivery company had only promised sometime that afternoon. No exact time. No way for anything on his phone to-
HOOONK!
His hand froze halfway to the screen.
For a second he just stood there, phone in hand, staring at nothing while his brain caught up to what his ears had just told it.
"...No way."
He crossed the room in a few quick strides and yanked the curtain aside.
Below, exactly where the horn had come from, sat a truck with its rear doors already swinging open — two movers climbing out, one of them scanning the building entrance, clearly looking for someone.
Looking for him.
Adrian didn’t move for a long moment. His eyes went from the truck, to the phone in his hand, back to the truck.
"...Okay." His voice came out quieter than he meant it to. "Okay, that’s not something a scam app does."
’Unless the scam is somehow tracking my delivery schedule. Which...no. That’s not less concerning. That’s worse.’
He huffed something that wasn’t quite a laugh, dragging a hand down his face.
"Alright, System. You’ve got my attention."
The screen shifted before he could muttered another word.
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BEGINNER FOUNDATION MISSION
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’Foundation mission.’ He repeated inwardly . ’Hmm. My very own mission set.’
Every empire begins with a strong foundation.
A billionaire first builds his life before building his fortune.
Objectives
□ Assist in unloading all furniture ⓘ
□ Arrange all furniture inside the apartment ⓘ
□ Unpack all essential belongings ⓘ
□ Dispose of empty boxes and packing waste ⓘ
□ Accumulate 90 minutes of physical activity ⓘ
□ Eat one proper meal before the day ends ⓘ
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Mission Rewards
✨ +20 Wealth Points
🎁 Starter Reward
🔓Skill: Investment Insight (Lv.1)
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Time Remaining: 12:00:00
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Adrian stared at the countdown, watching the seconds already ticking down without his permission.
"...Twelve hours." He exhaled through his nose, some of the earlier amusement draining into something drier. "Of course there’s a clock. Wouldn’t be a system without one."
He scanned the list again: unload, arrange, unpack, clean, move, eat.
Nothing on it was strange. If anything, it was exactly what he’d already planned to do today, minus the furniture part seeing as he had already awakened a rivalry with the stairs.
’Twelve hours to get a new life with a system.’ A short, humorless breath. ’Feels kinda like a webnovel character’s life.’
He shook his head. That didn’t matter right now. Right now there were movers waiting downstairs, and a countdown that didn’t care whether he believed in it or not.
He pocketed the phone, grabbed his keys, and headed for the door.
~~~
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