Early the next morning, Ethan stirred awake in his bed, glancing over at Genevieve and Octavia, who were sprawled out and sleeping soundly.
A warm smile crept across his lips as he leaned down to plant gentle kisses on their cheeks before stretching and yawning like a contented cat.
As he made his way to the living room, he peered out the window to find the rain softly drizzling against the glass, with gloomy clouds casting a shadow over the day.
"Hah! It rained!" Ethan exclaimed, poking his head outside for a better look.
His family lived in the Fringe, just outside the fifth ring road of Kings City,a bustling district home to around 5 million migrant workers like him.
They resided in a modest apartment with a rent of $1,000 per month. The building housed about a hundred families spread across four floors, each sharing stories of struggle and resilience.
Shaking off thoughts of their surroundings, Ethan headed to the bathroom to freshen up while the rain continued its steady rhythm outside.
Meanwhile, Genevieve woke up and joined him in the bathroom before heading to the kitchen to whip up breakfast. She prepared a big pot of porridge along with two fried eggs,comfort food for a chilly morning.
Octavia was still snuggled under her blankets; being just five years old and in kindergarten meant weekends were perfect for lazy mornings.
Genevieve returned to their bedroom and gently lifted Octavia into her arms, cradling her little body as she stirred awake with sleepy eyes and a pouted mouth.
Ethan emerged from the bathroom just in time for breakfast.
Moments later, they gathered around the dining table where they enjoyed their hot meal together, laughter mingling with steam rising from their bowls.
After breakfast, Genevieve grabbed her bag and prepared to leave for work.
"Ethan! If you have nothing planned today, take Octavia out to play!" she called out as she slipped on her shoes.
At that moment, Octavia perked up from her dozing state at the table; her eyes sparkled brightly upon hearing those words as she looked at Ethan expectantly.
"Okay! Let's see if I'm not busy!" he replied after pondering for a moment before nodding enthusiastically.
He quickly finished his breakfast, donned his helmet, hopped on his motorbike, and drove Genevieve to work.
She worked as a clerk at a fashion design company during weekdays but also set up a stall at night markets selling trinkets and flowers when time allowed,an impressive juggling act that earned her about $3,000 monthly.
The streets of Kings City were alive early in the morning with fellow migrant workers hustling through their routines.
As raindrops splattered against his visor on his ride back home after dropping off Genevieve at her workplace, Ethan couldn't shake off an odd sense of anticipation lingering since last night's mysterious 'ding' sound.
As he sank into the living room sofa, a whirlwind of nervousness and excitement filled his eyes.
"System!" he whispered to himself, barely able to contain his anticipation.
In an instant, a shimmering blue screen rippled into view before him.
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System Panel
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Host: Ethan Carter
Age: 29
System Level: LV1
Today's Income: $0
[ Explanation:You can earn a multiplication lottery opportunity every day based on your income. At Level LV1, rewards can multiply by 2 to 12 times! ]
Ethan stared at the system statu,simple yet profound. But it was the explanation that truly captivated him.
"Is this for real?!" he gasped. If he earned $300 today and hit the jackpot with a multiplier of 12, he'd suddenly have $3,600!
Damn! His heart raced with exhilaration as he rubbed his hands together like an eager child on Christmas morning.
He turned to Octavia, who was nestled beside him with her beloved teddy bear, and planted a kiss on her cheek.
"Come on, Dad! Stop kissing my face; you'll make it ugly!" she protested playfully, pushing his face away while pouting adorably.
Her eyes sparkled with eagerness as she recalled her mother's promise that Ethan would take her out to play.
Seeing Octavia's disappointed expression tugged at Ethan's heartstrings.
He felt torn; part of him wanted to rush off to work and verify if this system was genuine while another part longed to spend quality time with his daughter, after all, it had been ages since they had gone out together.
"Sweetheart," he said gently, scratching his head in uncertainty, "how about I take you out next time? Daddy has to go earn some money now!"
Octavia's hopeful gaze dimmed momentarily but she quickly plastered on a smile and nodded in agreement.
With a sigh of guilt weighing heavily on him, Ethan realized that taking her out would mean missing out on hundreds of dollars, money crucial for their family's well-being.
"Alright then! Just remember: don't open the door for anyone you don't know!" he instructed as he stood up from the sofa.
"Don't worry, Dad! I'm not a baby; I can take care of myself!" Octavia declared confidently while twisting her little butt playfully on the couch.
Ethan chuckled softly and shook his head in disbelief as he stepped outside.
Despite being just five years old, Octavia had grown remarkably mature in their challenging environment, a fact that reassured him as he left.
Suddenly..
Ding! Ding! Ding!
His phone erupted with loud ringing just as he exited the apartment building.
He glanced at the caller ID and quickly answered. "Hey James! What's up? Is there work".
Ethan glanced at his phone, heart racing as he recognized the caller. Without a moment's hesitation, he picked up the call.
"Hey James! What's going on? Is there work?" Ethan asked, urgency spilling from his voice.
"Ethan! Get to Cinderford ASAP! There's a job waiting for you, and the pay is fantastic!" James's rough voice crackled through the line.
"Got it! I'm on my way!" Ethan replied, adrenaline pumping through him as he hopped onto his motorbike and sped off towards the location.
Twenty minutes later, he arrived at a bustling construction site filled with towering machines and workers hustling about,moving bricks, mixing cement, and more.
The air was thick with the sounds of machinery and chatter.
"Ethan! Over here!" A booming voice called out. Ethan turned to see James, a burly man with bronze skin and muscles bulging beneath his construction gear.
"Hey James!" Ethan parked his bike quickly and rushed over to him.
"No time for chit-chat! Change into your work clothes and get started. You'll earn $10 for every ten bricks you move,so hustle!" With that, James dashed off to continue moving bricks himself.
"Holy cow! That much?" Ethan thought as he wasted no time changing into his work attire.
In less than a minute, he was ready to go, jumping right into the action at breakneck speed.
The day flew by in a blur of hard labor; the construction site was massive and the workload relentless.
Ethan barely had time to catch his breath,only five minutes for lunch and two minutes for bathroom breaks,before diving back into moving bricks.
Hours passed like seconds, and before he knew it, the sun was dipping below the horizon.
As the day wrapped up, Ethan counted his earnings: $1,000 for carrying exactly 1,000 bricks all by himself!
His back throbbed in protest; his hands were sore; even his feet felt like lead, but none of that could overshadow the joy swelling in his chest.
[Today's income: $1,000]
[Would you like to enter the random multiplication lottery?]
Ethan's heart raced as he stared at the familiar blue screen that flickered to life once again.
The excitement bubbled within him, he could hardly contain his anticipation for what was about to unfold with the legendary golden finger!
"Start!" he exclaimed inwardly, and just like that, two blue dice materialized before him. Instead of the usual six faces, these dice only displayed numbers one through five.
With bated breath, Ethan silently willed them to stop.
The left die rolled to a three, while the right landed on a four, adding up perfectly to seven!
[ Congratulations to the host, you have obtained a random seven-fold increase rate ]
[ Your bank account number ending with 8812 has received $7,000, and the balance is $8,240 ]
Overwhelmed with joy, Ethan felt like he could leap three meters high! This system was nothing short of extraordinary.
With such incredible gains at his fingertips, who wouldn't wonder: would buying a house or raising children ever be a concern again?