"This is really weird," Maximus whispered to himself as he placed a palm against his chest, feeling his heart pound against it like it was about to jump out.
"Just to confirm…" Maximus grabbed his smartphone and logged into his bank app to determine if this whole thing was legit or one big hoax.
Tap! Tap! Tap!
"Huh?!!!" his jaw dropped when he saw his account balance.
$1,000,100.90.
"What the actual fuck!"
"It's real… where did all this money come from!"
He refreshed his bank balance over and over again to test, but the result was the same each and every single time.
Ti-ring!
~Prime, you have been given a task.~
~OPEN to view~
~___~
More information flashed across his view, distracting him from the contents of his smartphone.
"Ummm… Open?" he murmured.
~New Investment Project Ready!~
~Objective> Transformation Of A Deserted Mobile Kitchen~
~Location> Will be promptly downloaded into hosts memory~
~Estimated Investment Capital> $12,000~
~Return On Investment> 80%~
Maximus's mind raced as he glared at the holographic screen.
'Mobile Kitchen? How in the hell…'
Then he took in a deep breath and started to think of the possibilities with this new found discovery.
It just made him a millionaire overnight, that alone was promise that it could make him into so much more.
Hope.
That was what he was feeling now. Ever since the accusations flushed his life down the drain, he had been drowning and will soon be out of air. But now he had the chance to push back, to swim and take a deep breathe of fresh air.
»»»«««
It took him a couple hours to settle down. His thought kept playing a thrilling game of squash in his head, causing him to loose hours of sleep.
But now he was calm, and the tension in his chest and the weight on his shoulders had died down.
He sat up slowly, rubbing his temples.
Glancing to his coffee table, the carton delivery box came into view.
The events of last night played in his head like a highlight reel, the short, fat delivery man, the activation of the Investment God System and finally, the messages that had followed.
It was all too overwhelming at that moment, but after having a couple hours to think, he realised this— This system, the pill, it was all a blessing in disguise.
With a huge sigh, he pushed himself off the couch and walked towards the bathroom. Looking down carefully to avoid getting nicked by the numerous broken tiles in there.
The bathroom mirror just above the sink was dirty, but he could still see his face.
Nothing had changed about his looks, he still had his crappy look, his beards haad grown patchy and dark skinned face was dry with lots of couch lint here and there on it.
His eyes had palpable eye bags underneath, due to the lack of sleep.
"Hmpph!"
Maximus let out another sigh as he bent over and opened the cabinet under the sink and pulled out a used shaving stick.
Shaving in silence, a reel of memories hit him like a freight tain.
How his friends deserted him, his mom the only family he had left in the world, and finally: his girlfriend Keisha who left immediately he started feeling the heat.
When he was done, he splashed water on his face and looked at himself in the mirror.
"That looks… better…" he murmured to himself drying his face with a dirty towel.
In a matter of minutes, he showered and put on new clothes and was out of the house and into the city.
Stepping out of his apartment building, his eyes scanned the streets.
The city was half and half way point for opportunity. On one hand, it was a place filled with opportunities and one the other hand, it was an unforgiving terrain that crushed peoples dreams without remorse.
There were skyscrapers, buzzing markets, crazy crowded walkways and a very active nightlife.
Business men in suits and their brief cases brushed past the walk ways and vendors shouted about their lastest sweet deals, be it electronics or whatever consumable.
Maximus kept his head down, and shoved his hands deep into his trouser pockets.
He found the closest bus stop and just at that very second, a bus rolled to a stop just at the curb where he stood. Maximus climbed into the bus and paid the driver before locating a seat.
His mind was laser focused on the only thing that was important to him at that moment.
Which was the task the system gave him to accomplish.
It wasn't the kind of bounce back hed like but he didn't have a choice, and for good measure, this was the first time he left his apartment in two days.
The task was clear. Transform the mobile kitchen…
"...For the better of cause…" Maximus mumbled to himself.
He wasn't sure how the million dollars materialized into his account, but he was damn sure all this was not a mistake.
After about fifteen minutes of driving, the bus came to a stop and Maximus stepped off without any hesitation.
Just as he stepped his foot on the asphalt, his eyes rested on it.
At the far end of a deserted alleyway, was an old rundown food truck with hushed paints and peeling surfaces. Its tires had surely seen better days and most of it metal parts were rusted.
Maximus raised an eyebrow as he walked closer to get a better view.
"You have got to be kidding me…" he said with a very audible volume.
Just then a slight nudge tucked on the back of his neck, it was unnatural and he knew it. It dragged several times and he knew what he had to do.
The Investment God System was calling on him, but it couldn't materialise until he summons it.
"Come forth…" he said.
Ti-ring!
~Investment Destination~
"For christ sakes…"