"Quest: Apprehend thieves and retrieve Rebel's Ride"
"Description: A band of thieves has stolen Rebel's Ride, a painting done by Vynzent Smit. Apprehend them and return the piece to the auction house.
Rewards:
- Synergy Points: 50,000
- Gold coins: $9,500,000
- Reputation: 60% increase in art reputation
Penalty:
- Interest would be compounded on your outstanding debt."
"Really, System?" Gar asked. "This just keeps getting better." He added sarcastically.
Gar began to observe the surroundings outside the auction house when his perception alerted him to an anomaly. The band was a group of seemingly ordinary attendees who had shifted their positions, their movements synchronized in a way that set off alarm bells in his mind.
Gar's heartbeat quickened as he realized the gravity of the situation. The group had already made atheir move on the painting and were about to escape. Instinctively, he used his Dash skill, moved at unparalleled speed, he closed the distance between himself and the thieves.
Using Shadow Step, he maneuvered behind one of the would-be thieves, his presence undetected. With a swift motion, Gar incapacitated the man, ensuring it looked like nothing more than a stumble. The thief with the painting tried to flee but Gar swept him off the ground and struck a punch in his face. He swiftly landed a kick on the other three, who all fell to the ground. Gar signalled the security personnel, who eventually came and surrounded the thieves.
Seeing as they were outnumbered, they wanted to run away and leave the painting. But Gar didn't let them, he knew that allocating 30% of his earnings at the Gambit was a pain in the ass so he couldn't afford to let the system add interest to his debt.
The security team, spurred into action, surrounded the group, cutting off their escape routes. The thieves, realizing they had been outmaneuvered and unable to leave, put up fights. They beat up some of the security personnel, but Gar was able to put them down. The security personnel pushed a red button on his phone to subtly activate a series of security protocols, effectively cornering the group.
After the thieves had been caught, Gar handed them over to the security personnel and took the painting. When the auction was resumed, Gar personally returned the painting to its original location. The auctioneer, maintaining his composure, resumed the bidding, and "Rebel's Ride" was finally sold for $60 million.
The system notified Gar of his success and his rewards. But it didn't seem to make him happy, knowing that he still owed a great amount of money to the system. He went back to the gallery where he stayed a while, observing his employees.
After enduring the boredom, he returned home. He met Emily and her mother, having a conversation and laughing. Immediately he stepped in, Rory rushed up to him. "How was work? I hope you had a wonderful time." Rory asked while smiling nervously. "It was okay and boring." Gar answered. "Since when do you care about me?" Gar inquired curiously. "That's rude of you to say, and besides, I've been dealing with some personal issues, but it's all been fixed now, so I'll be the best mother-in-law in the whole wide world." Rory said and chuckled.
"Look, it doesn't matter anymore, but I'm really tired after..." Gar said and was interrupted by the multiple notifications on his phone. He checked his phone and saw posts on social media talking about his heroic save of the Rebel's Ride. "Holy mackerel!" Gar exclaimed.
Gar's eyes widened as he scrolled through his phone, taking in the barrage of notifications. Social media platforms were buzzing with news of his heroic feat.
"Local Art Enthusiast Foils Heist!"
"Gar: The Unsung Hero of the Art World!"
"Auction House Avenger: Gar Saves the Day!"
Emily's eyes sparkled with curiosity. "What's going on, Gar?"
Gar handed her his phone, and Emily's eyes scanned the screens. "Wow, you're famous!"
Rory beamed with pride. "My son-in-law, the hero! I always knew you had it in you."
Gar shook his head, chuckling. "This system has a lot of bloody perks." Gar thought to himself.
Emily's expression turned serious. "But this is great publicity for the gallery. You should capitalize on it."
Gar nodded, intrigued. "You're right. This could be a game-changer for the gallery's reputation."
As they discussed strategies to leverage Gar's newfound fame, the system notified him of a new quest:
_Quest 1: "Property Play"_
Description: Buy out key properties surrounding Skye family assets to limit their expansion.
Rewards:
- Increased property value
- Synergy Points: 40,000
- Gold Coins: $3,000,000
_Quest 2: "Hostile Takeover"_
Description: Acquire a controlling stake in a Skye family-owned business to undermine their influence.
Rewards:
- Significant debt reduction
- Synergy Points: 60,000
- Gold Coins: $10,000,000
_Quest 3: "Art Market Manipulation"_
Description: Corner the market on rare art pieces to reduce Skye family's bargaining power.
Rewards:
- Increased art value
- Synergy Points: 50,000
- Gold Coins: $5,000,000
_Quest 4: "Alliance Building"_
Description: Form strategic partnerships with other influential families to counter the Skye family's power.
Rewards:
- Increased reputation
- Synergy Points: 70,000
- Gold Coins: $15,000,000
"Another quest? Don't I even get days off? And now it wants me to go after the Skyes!" Gar exclaimed and Emily turned to him. "What quest?" Emily asked suspiciously. "Umm... It's nothing, it's just umm... Sophia left some work undone at the Gambit, so I'll be returning there again." Gar lied. "Ok, but what does it have to do with Philip's family?" Emily asked. Gar stammered, and Rory interrupted with her request.
"Before you leave..." Rory said and smiled mischievously. "I'll need some money for some trouble that your father-in-law and I have been facing, so..." Rory explained and chuckled nervously. "Alright fine, I'll leave you my Citibank card." Gar said and handed a blue credit card to Rory. "Thank you, Gar. You're amazing." Rory accepted the card and thanked.
"One more thing, honey. The black card you used to purchase the Gambit, I've never seen a bank that uses that." Emily told. "Which bank is it?" Emily asked. "It's this...umm... An offshore bank in the Caymans that a friend of mine suggested." Garfield lied and stared straight into Emily's eyes knowing fully well that she didn't believe.
"Look, babe. I'm running late, I'll be back in a jiffy." Gar said and stormed out of the house. Rory looked at the card and smiled while Emily just stared at the window and watched Gar zoom off in his car. She knew he was hiding something; ever since Gar woke up from the coma, he had become different.