Lu Kai's bike whined as he navigated the glittering chaos of Nanshan District, where skyscrapers loomed like giants draped in LED lights. The KTV lounge, Starlight Haven, was a gaudy beacon of excess—its facade dripping with gold trim and pulsing with bass-heavy music. Lu Kai parked near the entrance, where valets in crisp uniforms eyed his battered bike with disdain. He ignored them, checking his phone for the delivery details: a stack of premium soju bottles for a private room on the top floor.
His mind was still buzzing from the Karma Vault System's reward. One hundred yuan for helping an old lady? It felt like a fever dream, but the money in his WeChat Pay was real. As he hefted the delivery bag, the golden interface flickered onto his phone screen unprompted.
Karma Vault System
User: Lu Kai
Karma Points: 10
Balance: 100 yuan
New Task: Perform a moderate act of kindness within the next two hours. Reward: 50 Karma Points, 500 yuan. Penalty for failure: Loss of 5 Karma Points.
Lu Kai's eyebrows shot up. Five hundred yuan? That was more than he made in two days. But a "moderate act of kindness" sounded vague, and the penalty made his stomach twist. Lose points? What would that do to him? The system's cryptic warning about a "price" echoed in his mind, but he shoved the thought aside. He had a delivery to make, and maybe this glitzy lounge would offer a chance to test the system again.
Inside, Starlight Haven was a sensory assault—chandeliers glittering, waitresses in sequined dresses weaving through crowds of suited businessmen and giggling influencers. Lu Kai followed a hostess to a private elevator, clutching the soju bottles. The top-floor room was a world apart: plush velvet couches, a massive karaoke screen, and a table littered with empty liquor bottles. A group of twenty-somethings lounged inside, their designer clothes screaming money. And there, sprawled in the center, was Zhang Wei.
"Well, look who's back," Zhang Wei drawled, a glass of whiskey in hand. His entourage snickered, their eyes raking over Lu Kai's sweat-stained uniform. "What's this, delivery boy? You stalking me now?"
Lu Kai forced a tight smile, setting the soju bottles on the table. "Just doing my job. Enjoy your night." He turned to leave, but Zhang Wei's voice stopped him.
"Hold on. Why don't you stay? Sing us a song. Bet you'd sound like a dying cat." The room erupted in laughter, and a girl in a sparkly dress tossed a peanut at Lu Kai, missing his head by inches.
His fists clenched, but he kept his cool. "Not my scene, Zhang Wei. Some of us have to work." He headed for the door, but the system's interface pinged again, glowing brighter than before.
Opportunity Detected: Moderate Act of Kindness
Target: Unidentified individual in distress nearby. Act within 10 minutes to maximize reward. Failure to act may increase penalty.
Lu Kai froze. Distress? Nearby? He scanned the room, but all he saw were rich kids drowning in booze and ego. The system's voice, calm and insistent, spoke in his head: "Look closer."
His eyes darted to the corner of the room. A young woman sat quietly, her face half-hidden by long hair. Unlike the others, she wasn't laughing or drinking. Her hands fidgeted in her lap, and her eyes were red, like she'd been crying. She looked out of place, her simple dress clashing with the room's opulence. Lu Kai's gut told him she was the target.
He hesitated. Approaching her risked more mockery from Zhang Wei, and he had no idea what she needed. But 500 yuan—and 50 Karma Points—were too good to pass up. He took a deep breath and walked over, ignoring the jeers from the group.
"Hey," he said softly, crouching beside her. "You okay?"
She flinched, looking up with wary eyes. "I'm fine. Just… leave me alone."
Lu Kai glanced at Zhang Wei, who was now belting out a karaoke song, oblivious. "Doesn't look like you're having fun. Want me to get you out of here?"
Her eyes widened, then narrowed. "Why do you care? You're just the delivery guy."
The words stung, but Lu Kai shrugged. "Maybe I'm bored. Or maybe you look like you need a break from this circus." He nodded toward the door. "Come on, I'll walk you to the elevator. No strings attached."
She hesitated, then grabbed her purse and stood. As they slipped out of the room, Zhang Wei's voice boomed, "Yo, delivery boy! Stealing my guests now?" But Lu Kai kept moving, guiding her to the elevator.
In the quiet hum of the descending elevator, she finally spoke. "Thanks. I… I didn't want to be there. My cousin dragged me along, said it'd be 'fun.' But those people—they're awful."
Lu Kai nodded. "Yeah, I know the type. You got a way home?"
She nodded, pulling out her phone. "I'll call a Didi. I just needed to get out." She paused, then added, "I'm Mei. What's your name?"
"Lu Kai." He smiled faintly. "Take care, Mei."
As the elevator doors opened, his phone vibrated. The golden interface glowed:
Task Completed: Moderate Act of Kindness
Reward: 50 Karma Points, 500 yuan (transferred to your WeChat Pay)
New Balance: 60 Karma Points, 600 yuan
Bonus Unlocked: Insight (Minor) – Heightened intuition for 24 hours. Use it to detect hidden opportunities or dangers.
Lu Kai's heart raced. He checked his WeChat Pay—sure enough, 500 yuan had appeared. But Insight (Minor)? He felt a strange clarity, like the world had sharpened around him. As he stepped out of the elevator, he noticed a man loitering near the lounge's entrance, his shifty eyes scanning the crowd. Lu Kai's new intuition pinged: this guy was trouble, maybe a pickpocket or worse.
He could walk away, head back to his bike, and call it a night. But the system's voice whispered again: "Every choice shapes your fate." Lu Kai glanced at Mei, now safely ordering her ride, then back at the suspicious man. His 60 Karma Points burned a hole in his mind. Should he spend them? Boost his luck to avoid trouble? Or maybe… test that curse option on this creep?
Before he could decide, the man slipped into the crowd, heading toward a group of drunk patrons. Lu Kai's intuition flared again—something bad was about to happen. He gripped his phone, the Karma Vault interface still glowing, and made his choice.