Wayne Pierce sat on the edge of his sagging mattress, staring at his banking app.
Balance: $0.39
It felt like the cruelest punchline in the universe. Thirty-nine cents. Not enough for a coffee, not even enough for a cheap dollar-store snack.
[Quest Alert: Primary Objective – Survival ]
[Earn $100 legally within 48 hours.]
[Rewards: +1 Level | +3 Stat Points | System Shop (Basic Tier) Unlock]
[Failure Penalty: System Lockout for 30 Days]
"Legally?" he muttered. "You mean I can't just rob a store?"
The system didn't respond. It never did. It only delivered prompts, rewards, consequences. Cold and mechanical.
Wayne rose, grabbing his threadbare jacket and worn sneakers. His stomach growled, but he ignored it. The nearest pawn shop was twelve blocks away.
—
Two Hours Later.
"This isn't worth anything," the pawn shop clerk said flatly, pushing back the cracked MP3 player Wayne had dug out of a shoebox.
"It still works."
The clerk raised a brow. "Barely."
Wayne forced a smile. "I'll throw in headphones. Vintage. Retro. Almost nostalgic."
The clerk sighed and reached under the counter. "Five bucks. Final offer."
Wayne took it. No pride left to lose.
[+5 Credits Earned | Quest Progress: 5%]
—
Midday.
He tried selling old clothes. A battered coat from high school fetched $2.13. A cracked wristwatch from his uncle got him another $6. By mid-afternoon, he had scraped together $17.49.
[Quest Progress: 17%]
Wayne collapsed onto a public bench, fingers numb from the wind. The system pinged again:
[Side Quest Available – Dignity in Deeds: Assist someone without asking for reward. (0/1)]
Almost sarcastic.
He rolled his eyes—then noticed an elderly woman struggling to carry grocery bags across the icy pavement. He hesitated, then stood up.
Come, Five Minutes Later.
"You didn't have to," the woman said, breathless as they reached her apartment steps.
"I wanted to," Wayne replied.
She paused, opened her purse, and pressed a crumpled $5 into his hand.
"I insist."
[Side Quest Complete | +5 Credits | +0.1 Charisma | +1 Effort Point]
Wayne blinked. The system updated instantly. His fingers clenched around the bill.
He walked away smiling.
—
Evening.
By nightfall, desperation had taken over. He started collecting bottles and cans from the park trash bins, rinsing them off at a nearby fountain.
That's when he met his "rival."
A wiry, street-smart teen—maybe fifteen—with sharp eyes and a mouth that didn't stop moving.
"You new?" the kid asked. "This is my turf."
Wayne shrugged. "There's turf for garbage?"
"Bottles, man. Recycling center gives cash. You're cutting into my income."
Wayne was too tired to argue. "We split it."
The kid grinned. "Only if you can keep up."
One Hour Later.
They hustled through alleyways and restaurant backdoors, arguing and laughing as they fought over who found what first.
Wayne, older and more focused, won out by organizing the load and negotiating better with the recycling clerk.
They made $21 together. Wayne took $12.
The kid grinned, tossing him a thumbs-up. "You're all right, old man."
"I'm twenty."
"Same thing."
[Quest Progress: 34%]
[Hidden Stat Gained: Adaptability +0.3]
—
Nighttime -After Hours.
Wayne trudged back to his apartment, exhausted. He opened his stats tab, watching tiny gains tick upward.
[STR: 3.01]
[DEX: 2.05]
[END: 2.34]
[WIS: 4.1]
[WILL: 3.5]
[CHAR: 2.1]
Still pitiful. But not unchanged.
He stared at the glowing prompt on his HUD.
[You are 66 credits away from unlocking the real game.]
The system didn't pity him.
And he didn't want pity anymore.
Wayne fell asleep with sore muscles, aching feet, and a strange warmth blooming in his chest.
Small but still very present. A bit of Hope.