Alex pulled up in front of Liguu Bar, a lively place with music spilling out onto the street. He scanned the area, looking for the person who had booked a ride. Instead of someone near the bar, he spotted a girl sitting alone on the nearby beach, her shoulders slumped.
He frowned. That didn't seem right. Maybe the app had the wrong location? He decided to double-check. Nope, the pin was right by the beach.
Curiosity getting the better of him, Alex got out of his Bambargine G1 and walked towards the girl. As he got closer, he could hear soft sobs. She looked really upset.
"Hey," Alex said gently, approaching her. "Are you 1823… sh-shoot?" He almost said the wrong number, catching himself just in time.
The girl looked up, her eyes red and tearful. "Yes," she replied in a shaky, crying voice.
Alex's heart went out to her. "Hey, is there something wrong? Did something happen? Can I help you with that?" he asked, his voice full of concern.
She looked at him, her expression hopeless. "No… you can't help me. A big family is going to… going to buy me from my parents."
Alex's jaw dropped. "Buy you? What family is that?" he asked, his mind racing. This sounded like something out of a really bad movie.
"The Kim family," she whispered, more tears welling up in her eyes.
Suddenly, his phone buzzed with a notification, and this one was HUGE and different from anything he'd seen before. It filled his entire screen:
"Girlfriend Mission: Help Hana from getting rid of the family and destroy Kim family and increase her interest value to 50 within 50 hours. Reward: +7 Strength Points, +70 State pt, sotty channel.com 100% ownership"
Alex stared at the notification, his mind completely blown. "Girlfriend Mission? Destroy a family? Increase her interest value?" And what was "sotty channel.com"? This was way beyond just being a go-go driver!
He looked back at the girl, Hana. Her face was full of sadness and fear. This wasn't just a regular fare; this was something much bigger. Alex felt a surge of determination. He didn't know what this "Girlfriend Mission" was all about, but he couldn't just leave Hana here.
"Hey," he said to her, his voice firm. "My name is Alex. Maybe… maybe I can help you. Tell me everything."
> [Hana] Interest value increase by +1 current value 1/100
Hana looked at Alex, a flicker of hope in her tear-filled eyes. "You… you really think you can help?" she asked, her voice barely a whisper.
Alex nodded firmly. He had no idea how he was going to "destroy the Kim family" or increase Hana's "interest value," but seeing her so distressed made him want to try. "I don't know exactly how yet, but I won't let anyone buy you if you don't want them to. Tell me what's happening."
Hesitantly, Hana began to explain. Her family was struggling financially, and the wealthy Kim family had approached her parents with a deal. They would pay off her family's debts in exchange for Hana… essentially becoming part of their household, with no say in the matter. She was terrified of what that meant.
As Hana spoke, Alex felt a knot of anger tighten in his chest. This was so unfair! No one should be treated like property. The "Girlfriend Mission" notification flashed in his mind again. So Kim family be ready? That was weird. But the part about helping Hana resonated with him.
"Okay," Alex said when Hana finished her story, his voice determined. "The Kim family, huh? We're going to figure this out. You don't have to go with them if you don't want to."
> [Hana] Interest value increase by +2 current value 3/100
Hana looked at him, a mix of disbelief and gratitude on her face. "But… they're very powerful. Everyone says you can't go against the Kims."
"Well, maybe they haven't met Pro RDK yet," Alex said with a newfound confidence, a little bit of his usual playful attitude returning. He had no idea who Pro RDK was supposed to be, but it sounded cool. He glanced at his phone. The "Girlfriend Mission" was still active, with a 50-hour countdown.
"First things first," Alex said, "where do you live? Let's get you somewhere safe for tonight."
> [Hana] Interest value increase by +2 current value 5/100
Hana gave him her address, a small apartment a few blocks away. Alex gently helped her up, and they walked towards his Bambargine G1.
As they walked, Alex thought about the mission. "Destroy the Kim family" sounded intense. He had no idea how he was supposed to do that. What do I do? He figured helping her out of this mess would probably increase that.
He opened the car door for Hana. "Get in. We'll figure this out together."
> [Hana] Interest value increase by +1 current value 6/100
Hana looked at him, a small, hopeful smile finally breaking through her tears. "Thank you, Alex."
As he drove Hana home, Alex felt a sense of purpose he hadn't experienced before. This wasn't just about getting people from one place to another anymore. This was about helping someone in real trouble. He glanced at his phone again, the "Girlfriend Mission" timer ticking down. He had 50 hours to help Hana. He had no idea what he was doing, but he knew he had to try. For Hana. And maybe, just maybe, for those "special rewards" too.
As Alex drove Hana home, a thought sparked in his mind. Qing Ruo! She was connected, wealthy, and definitely not afraid to speak her mind. Maybe she could help with this crazy Kim family situation.
He pulled over near Hana's apartment. "Hey, Hana, I have a friend who might be able to help us with this. Would you be okay with me calling her?"
Hana looked at him, still a bit uncertain but trusting. "If you think she can help…"
Alex pulled out his phone and quickly dialed Qing Ruo's number.
"Hey, Pro RDK!" Qing Ruo answered cheerfully. "Everything okay?"
"Qing Ruo, I need your help with something… kind of serious," Alex said, his tone more urgent than usual. He quickly explained Hana's situation, leaving out the weird "Girlfriend Mission" part for now.
There was a moment of silence on the other end. Then, Qing Ruo's voice turned serious. "That's awful! Buying someone? That's completely unacceptable. Of course, I'll help. What do you need me to do?"
Alex felt a wave of relief wash over him. "I'm not entirely sure yet. Maybe you know something about the Kim family? Or have connections that could help us stop this?"
"The Kims…" Qing Ruo said thoughtfully. "They're a pretty influential family, known for their… let's just say, aggressive business practices. But buying a person? That's a whole new level. Let me make some calls. I know some people who might have information and who definitely won't stand for this."
"Thank you, Qing Ruo! You're a lifesaver," Alex said, feeling a surge of hope.
"Don't thank me yet. Let's see what I can find out. Where are you right now?" Qing Ruo asked.
Alex told her he was with Hana near her apartment.
"She was jealous. I'll see what I can dig up in the next hour or so. Text me your location, and I'll get back to you," Qing Ruo said.
"Will do. Thanks again, Qing Ruo," Alex said, hanging up.
> [Hana] Interest value increase by +7 current value 13/100
He turned to Hana, who had been listening intently. "That was my friend, Qing Ruo. She's going to try and help us."
Hana's eyes widened. "You have friends who can help with something like this?"
Alex shrugged. "She's… resourceful." He didn't want to overpromise, but he had a good feeling about Qing Ruo.
They went up to Hana's small apartment. It was simple but clean. The weight of her situation still hung heavy in the air.
"For now, you're safe here," Alex told her. "Let's just wait and see what Qing Ruo finds out."
> [Hana] Interest value increase by +10 current value 23/100
The next hour felt like forever. Alex tried to keep Hana's spirits up, telling her silly stories from his go-go driving adventures (minus the really bizarre parts). Finally, his phone buzzed with a message from Qing Ruo.
"Call me ASAP. I found something."
Alex's heart pounded. This was it. He hoped it was good news. He stepped out onto the small balcony and called Qing Ruo back. "What did you find?" he asked, his voice full of anticipation.