The next day, Vincent began his search in earnest. He sat hunched over his laptop in his tiny apartment, scrolling endlessly through online listings. Building after building, picture after picture—none of them fit. By noon, he was already meeting the first of several real estate agents.
"This place is spacious enough," one said eagerly, pushing open the doors of a narrow corner unit.
"Spacious?" Vincent muttered, ducking his head under a sagging ceiling beam. "I can barely stand straight in here."
Another agent tried her luck later in the day, leading him to a glass-front property downtown. "Prime location, perfect for a restaurant," she beamed.
Vincent glanced at the price and nearly choked. "At that rate, I'd be serving gold-plated rice."
The days blurred together. Five long, frustrating days of hunting, each ending the same way: nothing but disappointment. Some buildings were hidden away in alleys no customer would ever find. Others were far too small to hold the crowds he was used to. The few that were decent were priced so high, he wondered if the owners had mistaken him for a billionaire instead of a street chef.
By the end of the third day, Vincent dragged himself into his apartment and slumped against the couch. Sweat clung to his shirt, his patience stretched thin. With a flick of his hand, he pulled up the system's holographic screen.
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[Mission Update]
Mission: Set up a restaurant
Rewards: | Unlock 2 new recipes | +50 points | +10 increase across Strength, Speed, Agility & Intelligence | +5 increase all core stats | Restaurant Blueprint — Grade C | Support Unit Protocol Unlock|
Time Limit: 4 days
Penalty: Failure will result in the host's termination
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"At this rate…" Vincent muttered, dragging a hand through his hair, "…I'll really be eliminated." His voice was flat with exhaustion. "Who knew restaurant hunting would be this hard?"
The glowing rewards mocked him from the screen. Recipes, stats, even a blueprint—none of it mattered if he couldn't finish the mission. What use were promises if they vanished with him in four days?
Just then, his phone buzzed. Vincent hesitated before answering. It was one of the real estate agents.
"Mr. Locke," the woman's voice came bright and urgent, "I think I've finally found the perfect building for you."
Vincent raised a brow. "Perfect? Forgive me if I don't sound convinced. I've heard that several times already this week."
"I understand, sir, but this one really does meet all the criteria you asked for. It's large, accessible, and the landlord himself is eager to rent it out. In fact…" she paused, lowering her voice as if sharing a secret, "…he's offering a heavy discount just for you. He's a fan—he watched the National Culinary Master competition. He said it would be an honor to have the Culinary Master's restaurant in his building."
Vincent blinked, caught between relief and suspicion. "A discount because he's a fan? That's… new."
"I can arrange a showing immediately. What do you say?"
Vincent sighed, leaning back into the couch. "At this point, I'll take any hope I can get. Fine. Let's meet tomorrow.
"Understood. You won't regret this, sir."
The call ended, leaving Vincent staring at the dimmed phone screen. His pulse beat a little faster—was this the break he needed, or just another dead end?
"Well," he muttered to himself, "I hope this really is the perfect one… or else I'm doomed."
The next morning, Vincent arrived at the address the real estate agent had given him.
The building stood at the corner of a busy street, its wide frame impossible to miss. From the outside, though, it looked like a relic of another age—paint peeling from the brick walls, rust clinging stubbornly to the shuttered windows, and weeds curling up from cracks along the pavement.
The agent, a smartly dressed woman with a bright smile, waved at him from the entrance. "Mr. Locke! Glad you could make it."
Vincent shook her hand firmly. "So this is it?"
She nodded eagerly. "Ground floor, incredibly spacious, excellent location. It used to be a textile warehouse decades ago, then a storage depot, but the business went under years back. Since then, it's been collecting dust. The owner says he'd rather see it thrive under someone else's hands than rot away."
Vincent stepped inside. His eyes widened at the sheer size. The interior was shabby—stained floors, broken light fixtures dangling, walls with faded patches where paint had peeled away. Yet the potential was undeniable. The hall stretched long and wide, with high ceilings and more than enough room to handle the kinds of crowds that had once packed the park.
He ran his palm along a cracked pillar, his mind racing. It'll need a ton of renovation… and cleaning… but it's perfect. Big enough for growth, not hidden away, and within budget.
His lips curved into a grin. It checks all the boxes.
"Let's sign," Vincent said simply.
Minutes later, the deed and documents were signed, the agent left with a congratulatory smile, and Vincent was left standing in the echoing space alone. Dust motes floated lazily in the shafts of sunlight breaking through the grimy windows.
Then—
Ding!
A chime split the silence. The holographic system screen shimmered into the air before him.
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Congratulations, host. You have completed your first mission.
Mission: Acquire a restaurantStatus: Completed
Rewards Granted:
• +2 new recipes unlocked
• [Dragonfire Chili Garlic Noodles](Mid-Tier Recipe): Grants temporary stamina recovery boost to those who eat it (+10% recovery over one hour).
• [Heavenly Ember Stew](High-Tier Recipe): A rich broth that permanently enhances vitality by +2 for the first consumption.
• +50 points
• +10 increase across Strength, Speed, Agility & Intelligence
• +5 increase across all core stats
• Restaurant Blueprint — Grade C
• Support Unit Protocol Unlock
Status Window
Name: Vincent Locke
Level: 2
Core Stats:Strength: 16
Speed: 18
Agility: 15
Intelligence: 14
Stamina: 40/40
Vitality: 13
Fatigue Resistance: 23
Recovery Speed: 9
SEU balance: 55
Congratulations, host. You have successfully leveled up to Level 2.[Current Level: 2]
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Vincent blinked at the screen, then flexed his hands. He felt it immediately—a surge in his muscles, like hidden springs coiled tighter, waiting to release. His body felt lighter, faster, sharper.
"Alright… let's test this."
He spotted a heavy metal filing cabinet shoved into the corner, one that looked like it had been abandoned for years. Rust had eaten into its frame, and even moving it normally would've required tools or at least two strong men.
Vincent gripped its edge, braced his feet—then pulled.
CRRRRNNNK!
The cabinet groaned before snapping in half under his grip, drawers twisting and clattering to the floor in a thunderous crash.
Vincent froze. "…Holy shit." He stared at his hands like they belonged to someone else. "That… wasn't supposed to happen."
He looked at the screen. "System, what's my threshold? How far can these stats go?"
[Threshold for all core stats is 100. However, increases become progressively more difficult as stats rise. Additionally, the higher your level, the greater the experience required to progress further.]
Vincent whistled. "So, sixteen in strength already lets me rip a steel cabinet apart? Damn. If that's just sixteen…" He trailed off, the possibilities buzzing in his head.
Shaking himself back to focus, he eyed the list again. "Alright, what's this blueprint about? And why's it Grade C?"
[The Restaurant Blueprint is a structural and functional template for your restaurant. Grade C indicates a basic framework—sufficient for a functioning establishment, but limited in features and expansion potential. Completing assigned tasks will gradually unlock portions of the blueprint, allowing renovation, design, and specialized upgrades.]
"So I can level up my restaurant the same way I level up myself?" Vincent asked.
[Correct. Blueprints also have grades. Completing missions and special conditions will raise the grade, unlocking advanced functions.]
He chuckled. "So my restaurant levels up like a video game. I'll take it."
His gaze shifted. "Now… tell me about this Support Unit Protocol."
[Support Unit Protocol unlocks the ability to summon allies to assist in culinary and non-culinary missions. Units are automatically loyal and bound to the host. However, each summon requires available Support Slots and SEU expenditure. Units vary by tier. Higher-tier summons demand significantly higher SEU.]
The screen displayed tiers in neat glowing lines:
Tier I — Basic Support: 50 SEU
Tier II — Skilled Support: 150 SEU
Tier III — Elite Support: 400 SEU
Tier IV — Master Support: 1,000 SEU
Vincent groaned loudly. "A thousand SEU?! What am I summoning, the ghost of Gordon Ramsay?"
[Progression requires investment, host.]
He rubbed his temples, muttering, "Yeah, yeah, 'investment'…" Still, he couldn't hide the flicker of excitement. The thought of summoning someone completely loyal to him, someone who could carry part of the burden, was beyond tempting.
Then another notification popped up.
[New Feature Unlocked: Daily Tasks]
Vincent's eyes lit up.
[Daily Tasks will provide repeatable objectives. Completion grants SEU, points, and potential unlocks tied to restaurant growth and blueprint expansion.]
"So not only do I get stronger," Vincent said slowly, a grin spreading across his face, "but now I've got a way to farm SEU and keep this whole machine running."
His laughter echoed through the empty warehouse. "Alright system, hit me with the daily tasks."