The aroma of coffee mixed with the sound of rain falling on the sidewalk.
The small shop "Midnight Brew" was warm and lit by amber lights that contrasted with the night.
Camila and Blake sat by the window.
Blake held the cup with both hands, trying not to look nervous.
The system had been silent since the bridge, but its presence was felt, like a hum in his mind.
Camila watched him with curiosity.
—So, you said you work near the bridge?
Blake nodded.
—More like worked. —The tone was harsher than he wanted.
She noticed it quickly.
—Wow, did something happen?
Blake took a deep breath. For a moment he thought about lying again, but something inside him —perhaps the "Language of Seduction"— pushed him to tell the truth.
—Let's just say… they played dirty. They blamed me for something I didn't do, and since no one believed me, I lost the job. A day that was, to say the least… interesting.
Camila rested her elbows on the table, looking him straight in the eyes.
—Unjustly?
Blake nodded.
—Yes. I guess sometimes life decides things that aren't in your control.
Camila looked at him with a bit of interest and empathy.
—That sounds awful.
Blake suddenly felt the air grow lighter. His words seemed to resonate in a different way. As if every emotion was being amplified.
—And you, Camila —he asked, leaning forward slightly—, did you also need air or were you running away from something?
Camila smiled faintly.
—A bit of both. I work at a marketing agency. They promised it was "creative and free," but all I do is create campaigns for boring people.
Blake raised an eyebrow.
—So you make people buy what they don't need.
She laughed. —And you seemed so innocent.
> [Interest +14%]
Total progress: 64%
Passive skill activated: "Emotional Synchrony." Allows detection of the dominant emotion in a conversation.
A slight vibration ran through Blake's mind for an instant. Suddenly he managed to sense a subtle change in Camila's voice.
She wasn't just talking: she was listening to him intently.
And that was extremely rare.
---
An hour later, they left the café.
The rain had stopped, and the mist covered the streets with a silver veil.
Camila walked beside him, clutching her bag.
—Well, Blake. I guess the coffee wasn't such a bad idea —she said with a smile.
Blake smiled too.
—Didn't trust me? I was going to be a great idea.
> [Interest +10%]
Total progress: 74%
The system flashed with a red notification.
> [Side mission unlocked: "Perfect Goodbye"]
Objective: Make Camila think of you before she falls asleep.
Reward: +$300 and charisma upgrade.
Time limit: 02:00 AM.
Blake checked the time.
1:24 AM.
[Damn, that's an incredible reward, three hundred dollars for just that… But I barely have time…] he thought.
As they walked, he noticed the air growing colder. Camila shivered slightly, and Blake —without thinking— took off his jacket which, though a bit wrinkled, still kept out the cold.
—Here, you'll catch a cold.
Camila looked at him, surprised.
—And you?
—Ha, please, I'm used to the cold.
> [Interest +15%]
Total progress: 89%
Camila hugged the jacket.
—Not every day a stranger is this kind.
Blake glanced at her.
—Maybe I won't be such a stranger next time.
She smiled.
—Next time?
—Depends on whether you like telling stories over a good coffee —said Blake, confident.
Camila laughed softly.
—You're quite the rogue. Fine, I'll think about it.
> [Progress: 95%]
[Final condition pending: voluntary physical contact.]
Blake stayed quiet for a moment. The system showed him clearly the final step. He had to make it natural.
Camila stopped at the corner.
—Well, this is where I live. Thanks for walking me, Blake.
—Next time I'll charge for taxi services —he replied, smiling—. I didn't know a night that started so badly could end like this.
Camila hesitated for a moment… then leaned in to give him a quick kiss on the cheek.
—Good night, Blake.
> [Conquest progress: 100%]
[Reward obtained: +$300, +10 charisma points, skill "Passive Attraction" unlocked.]
The air around Blake seemed to vibrate. A warm energy ran through his body.
The system glowed intensely.
> [Congratulations, host. First conquest completed.]
[Influence level increased. Energy pattern detected in exponential growth.]
Blake smiled as he watched her enter the building.
> [Suggestion: analyze your target's data to learn from the interaction.]
Do you wish to open emotional record? [Yes] [No]
—Yes —he whispered.
A series of holographic screens opened before him.
Graphs, key moments, phrases that raised interest.
The system analyzed everything.
> "Optimal strategy: authenticity combined with vulnerability."
"Probability of success in future interactions: 52%."
Blake laughed. —So even love has a formula, huh?
---
When he arrived at his small apartment, the system showed his updated balance.
Digital account: $400.00
Current level: 2 (Initiate)
Active skills:
Alpha Instinct (detects hidden interest)
Language of Seduction (modulates voice and tone according to emotional state)
Emotional Synchrony (identifies dominant emotions)
Passive Attraction (increases initial interest in new interactions by +5%)
Blake collapsed onto the bed.
—Four hundred dollars… in one night just for talking to a stranger, and to think I wanted to end it all tonight.
He stared at the ceiling.
—Seriously, is all this real?
Now he had a system that promised him money and a second chance.
> [New mission available: "Rise Socially."]
Objective: obtain a job or contact with someone of medium or high influence.
Reward: $2000 and unlock of the "Automatic Investment" function.
Blake sat up.
—Someone of medium or high influence? In Aurora City that means money or reputation…
He thought of Camila. She worked in marketing, at an important agency. Maybe that could serve as a bridge.
But the system seemed to have another idea.
> [Recommendation: Target detected – Valeria Chen. Influencer. Influence Level: Medium-High.]
[Location: Lux Avenue Mall, 10:00 AM.]
Blake checked the time.
2:37 AM.
—Perfect. You won't even let me sleep, bastard.
> [Success does not wait, host.]
Blake let out a tired laugh.
—Alright. Let's see how far this goes.
He closed his eyes, but sleep was slow to come.
The idea that he could build a new life from scratch kept him awake.
He was no longer the man who gave up on a bridge. Now, thanks to this new system, he had found a purpose.
Dawn came with a bright glow over the buildings of Aurora City.
Blake got up, checked his reflection in the mirror, and noticed something different.
His gaze was no longer the same.
It was firmer and much more alive.
> [Status update: Visible charisma increased.]
[Effect: +10% probability of successful interaction.]
Blake buttoned his shirt, took a deep breath and smiled.
—So, Valeria Chen, huh? Let's meet.
The system responded.
> [The next stage begins. Each conquest will not only make you richer… it will bring you closer to total control of Aurora City.]
Blake closed the door behind him, and the sound of the city enveloped him.
With cars passing, voices everywhere and an overwhelming number of ads…
The world that never stops.
But now, for the first time, it was starting to play in his favor.