6:45 AM – Mercury Plaza, Day 5
The morning wind sliced through Jason's hoodie as he stood at the far end of Mercury Plaza. This district wasn't like the student zones or sleepy corners where he'd thrived so far—this was shark territory.
Suits moved like wolves. Everyone walked fast. Eyes locked on screens. No one made small talk.
And right at the heart of it—Flash Brew.
Polished chrome cart. Holographic pricing. Staff in pressed uniforms. Their setup looked like a million-dollar food tech startup.
Jason watched a corporate woman sip their espresso, nod, then smile at a staff member in a Wavetech apron.
> [Competitor Branch: Flash Brew – Day 1 Sales Projection: $4,500]
[Sabotage Risk: Confirmed]
[Targeting: Iron Brew Mercury Launch]
Jason gritted his teeth.
They copied everything—his cart design, pricing tier, and even his drink names. But what really pissed him off was the location—exactly 200 feet from his designated corner.
"They think I'm just some street guy with good luck," Jason muttered. "Let's show them what strategy looks like."
---
8:10 AM – System Interface
> [Task Active: Defend Your Territory]
[Optional Module: Guerrilla Launch – Activate?]
[Reward: Brand Hype Boost + 'Corporate Slayer' Passive Buff]
Jason activated it.
> [Guerrilla Launch Activated – "Event Coffee Drop" Ready]
[System Suggestion: Deploy Flash Crowd Incentive Strategy]
[Budget Required: $1,000]
Jason poured in the funds instantly.
Next, he fired out three timed social media ads—targeting freelancers, junior execs, and remote workers with one phrase:
"FREE Signature Latte – Limited to the First 300 Cups – Today Only."
Then he turned to Ami, who stood beside him in a fresh uniform, eyes wide as she read the alert on her phone.
"You're serious?" she asked. "Free?"
Jason nodded. "We bleed a little now… so they drown later."
---
9:00 AM – Mercury Plaza Chaos
By 8:58, there were already 20 people lined up at Iron Brew's new cart.
By 9:15, there were sixty-seven.
Jason and Ami worked like clockwork, pouring free drinks, adding small thank-you notes, even snapping photos for their promo page.
Customers began tagging them:
> "#IronBrewDay – better than Starbucks, cheaper than my ex."
"Jason's latte changed my whole Monday mood."
Flash Brew's staff began to fidget. Their manager—a man with a Bluetooth earpiece—stepped out, surveying the line.
He made a call. Then disappeared back inside.
Jason didn't care.
> [Hype Multiplier: x4.6]
[New Follower Count: +3,248]
[Iron Brew Mercury Sales (Free Product Value): $1,520]
[Flash Brew Current Sales: $641]
"Let's go," Jason muttered.
> [New Buff Unlocked: Local Hero – First 3 Branches receive a permanent +10% revenue bonus.]
---
12:45 PM – Blaze Market Rooftop
Vanessa practically ran toward Jason when he arrived, sweaty and flushed from the cart.
"Are you trying to break the market?" she laughed. "I just got a call from an investor who thought Iron Brew was a national chain."
Jason slumped into a seat. "We gave away more than we sold. But the reach…"
"You tripled your online engagement in six hours," she said, showing him the dashboard on her tablet. "This is insane."
He leaned back, staring at the skyline.
"I want Flash Brew gone in a week."
Vanessa's smile faded. "You really want war?"
Jason looked at her. "No. I want domination."
She stared at him for a long moment. Then she walked around his chair, leaned in slightly, and whispered, "Then I guess I'll need to double your funding."
Jason blinked. "What?"
Vanessa tapped a button on her phone. "I just transferred another $10,000 into the expansion pool. You've earned it."
He stared. "No equity?"
Her lips curved into something unreadable. "Not yet."
He couldn't tell if it was admiration… or something else.
But before he could respond, her hand brushed against his arm. Warm. Deliberate.
"You're not just growing a brand, Jason," she said. "You're becoming a storm."
He looked at her hand.
Then her lips.
And then turned away.
"Let's see how far the storm goes."
---
4:20 PM – Flash Brew Backlot
Jason watched from the alley as Flash Brew's staff unloaded a fresh delivery truck.
It was full of imported beans, designer syrups, and eco cups.
Too premium for a one-cart launch.
Jason narrowed his eyes.
> [New Alert: Flash Brew Backed by Shell Entity "Wavetech Street Holdings"]
[Legal Sabotage Risk: Medium]
[Offer Incoming: Trademark Dispute Filed]
Jason's phone buzzed.
A text from an unknown number:
Play the game, or lose your cart. You've been warned.
Jason stared at the message for ten long seconds.
Then he opened the system's secret function:
> [Activate: Legal Counter Module – Requires $2,500]
He confirmed it.
> [System Constructing Shell Company: Iron Wolf Beverages LLC – HQ Registered]
[Auto-Lawyer Program Online – Defending Trademark Rights]
Jason exhaled slowly.
He wasn't just a coffee guy anymore.
He was a corporation now.
---
7:00 PM – Garage Apartment
The sun dipped behind the rooftops as Jason leaned back in his chair, laptop open, business dashboards blinking with green arrows.
$22,300 net in assets.
Three operational carts.
Full digital presence.
And a war chest growing every day.
But what lingered in his mind wasn't numbers—it was the look Vanessa gave him. The way her touch lingered. The way she believed in him… or claimed to.
He couldn't afford to fall for the wrong person now.
But he also couldn't ignore that every time she looked at him, something stirred.
> [New Relationship Tracker Unlocked – Vanessa Liu: 54% Trust, 28% Attraction, 18% Uncertain Motives]
Jason frowned. "System… can I trust her?"
> [System Response: Trust is a human decision.]
He laughed under his breath.
Of course it was.
---
11:00 PM – Final Report
> [Daily Summary]
Mercury Cart Total Value Generated: $4,570
Flash Brew Total Value Generated: $1,800
System Insight: Competitor morale decreasing. Investor interest increasing.
*Optional Task Tomorrow: Launch Loyalty Card + Midnight Brew Challenge (viral marketing test)]
Jason stared at his reflection in the dark screen.
The system gave him power.
The street gave him purpose.
And Vanessa?
She gave him... possibilities.
But war wasn't over.
It was just beginning.