Ethan Cross didn't believe in miracles. Not anymore.
He used to. Back when his mom was still alive. Back when his dad hadn't disappeared without a word. Back when he thought hard work meant something.
But now?
Now he was sitting on the cold concrete steps of his apartment building, staring at the eviction notice in his hands. The paper was damp from the drizzle that had started just minutes ago, but he didn't care. Let it rain. Let it pour. He had nothing left to lose.
His phone buzzed in his pocket. He didn't check it. Probably another message from the landlord, or worse, a bank notification reminding him that his account balance was dangerously low.
He already knew.
$3.17.
That was all he had to his name.
He looked across the street at the old café—"Bean There, Brewed That." The place had been closed for months. The windows were boarded up, the sign was faded, and weeds had started growing through the cracks in the sidewalk out front. A "For Sale" sign hung crookedly on the door, flapping in the wind like a white flag of surrender.
Ethan knew the feeling.
He leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes. Maybe if he just slept, the world would go away for a while.
Ding!
His eyes snapped open.
That wasn't his phone. It was something else. Something… louder. Sharper. Like a notification, but not from any app he recognized.
Then he saw it.
A glowing blue screen hovered in front of him, floating in midair. It shimmered like a hologram, translucent but solid, as if it were made of light and glass at the same time.
Ethan blinked. Rubbed his eyes. Looked again.
Still there.
[Wealth Ascension System Activated]
Welcome, Ethan Cross. You have been selected.
Mission 001: Acquire the bankrupt café across the street and make it profitable within 7 days.
Reward: $1,000,000 + Skill Unlock: [Money Sense Lv.1]
Failure: System termination. You will lose everything.
Ethan's heart skipped a beat.
"What… the heck?"
He looked around. No one else seemed to notice the screen. A woman walked by with her umbrella, completely ignoring the glowing message floating in front of him. A man on a bike zipped past, not even glancing his way.
Was he hallucinating?
He reached out, slowly, and touched the screen.
It didn't vanish.
Instead, it responded.
Do you accept this mission?
[Accept] [Decline]
Ethan stared at the options. His fingers trembled.
This had to be a prank. Or a dream. Or maybe he'd finally lost it. Maybe the stress had pushed him over the edge and now he was seeing things.
But the screen felt real. The air around it buzzed faintly, like static electricity. And the timer in the corner—6 days, 23 hours, 59 minutes—was already counting down.
He looked back at the café.
It was a dump. No customers. No staff. No hope.
But it was also cheap. He remembered seeing the listing online a few weeks ago. The owner was desperate to sell. The price had dropped to practically nothing—just enough to cover the back taxes and utilities.
Still, Ethan didn't have a dime to his name. How was he supposed to buy a café?
Ding!
Another message appeared.
System Credit Granted: $50,000 (Non-transferable, mission-locked)
Use wisely.
Ethan's eyes widened.
Fifty thousand dollars?
He pulled out his phone and opened his banking app. Still $3.17. But when he checked the café's listing again, the "Buy Now" button was glowing.
He tapped it.
Confirm purchase of Bean There, Brewed That for $42,000?
[Confirm] [Cancel]
He hesitated.
This was insane. He didn't know how to run a business. He didn't even know how to make coffee. What if this was a scam? What if he failed?
But then again… what did he have to lose?
He hit [Confirm].
Purchase complete. Property transferred.
Remaining system credit: $8,000
Mission 001: In Progress
Objective: Turn a profit within 7 days.
Bonus Objective: Hire at least one employee.
Bonus Reward: Skill Unlock: [Charisma Boost Lv.1]
Ethan stood up, heart pounding.
This was real. Somehow, some way, this was actually happening.
He crossed the street and stood in front of the café. The door creaked open at his touch. Dust swirled in the air. The place smelled like old coffee grounds and broken dreams.
But it was his.
He stepped inside.
The lights flickered on automatically. The system must've reactivated the utilities. The furniture was old but usable. The counter was scratched, the espresso machine looked like it hadn't been cleaned in years, and there was a dead plant in the corner.
Still, it had potential.
Ding!
New Task Unlocked: Clean and reopen the café. Deadline: 24 hours.
Reward: $2,000 WP (Wealth Points) + Reputation Boost
Ethan rolled up his sleeves.
"Alright, System," he muttered. "Let's see what you've got."