The locksmith worked quickly, twisting tools and clicking as the lock responded. Ethan watched, holding his breath as the timer in his head ticked down every second.
Finally, with one last turn, the definitive "click" sounded and the door swung open.
"Done, kid." said the locksmith, packing up his tools. "All yours."
Ethan let out a sigh of relief and pulled out his phone to pay, checking his app: he barely had any balance left after transferring the $5,000 to the landlord.
"Ah… well, this is all I've got." he said, tapping a few times on the app.
"Thanks." The locksmith nodded as the transfer notification popped up.
As he walked down the hallway, the man turned and laughed.
"Wow, kid! That white-glove slap… those rich pigs and their wives… getting back at them by taking their wife? Pretty good revenge, huh?"
Ethan froze for a second, caught between shock and embarrassment.
[Ha ha ha… even the locksmith noticed, champ. Congrats, your heartbreak reputation is officially in town.]
"Uh… hey…" Ethan said, trying not to blush. "That was… I don't know…"
[Don't play dumb, Einstein. Even honest workers comment on your adventures. You're leaving a mark.]
Ethan shook his head as he closed the door, feeling both relief and embarrassment.
"Well…" he whispered. "At least I'm inside now."
[Yep… and next time you use your money for high-level revenge, make sure you've got enough balance. Because now you're back to zero. As always.]
Ethan sighed and collapsed against the wall, shaking his head.
"Damn it…" he muttered.
[Relax, little Tesla. Every fall just makes the next adventure more fun.]
Ethan finally entered the apartment, closing the door behind him. He collapsed onto the couch, scanning his things with a mix of exhaustion and disbelief.
"God… what a crazy day…" he muttered, shaking his head. Every second from the fight with the landlord to the money transfer had been a rollercoaster.
His stomach growled loudly, reminding him he hadn't eaten since morning.
[Mission update: New objective available.]
Ethan frowned, sighing.
"Another mission now? What the hell?"
[Mission: Get something to eat.]
Reward: +5 Lux, +$5000.
Ethan blinked, incredulous.
"Eat…? That's it? After everything that happened, this is the mission you give me?"
[Listen, Einstein. Not all missions have to be exciting or chaotic. Sometimes you need to enjoy the little pleasures in life.]
Ethan rolled his eyes, crossing his arms as his stomach growled again.
"Well… I guess this isn't too hard. But $5000 for buying food? What kind of system are you?"
[Hmph… let's just say I'm rewarding your survival… and fun doesn't always come with adrenaline.]
Ethan sighed, shaking his head, while a slight tickle in his ear made him smile without realizing.
[Heh heh… enjoy it, champ.]
Ethan left the apartment, walking with tired but determined steps. His stomach growled like it had a mind of its own. In front of him was a small hot dog stand, steaming and smelling delicious.
"Perfect… something quick and cheap," he muttered, approaching hopefully.
He pulled out his phone to pay, checking his banking app. His heart sank.
"What…? Zero! Literally zero dollars."
[Ha ha ha… I give you a food mission and don't give you money. Ingenious, huh?]
Ethan clenched his teeth, frustrated.
"Damn it! How am I supposed to buy anything if I'm at zero?"
[Well, well… time for creativity to shine. Oh right… you don't have enough yet, champ.]
Ethan stopped in front of the stand, staring at the steaming hot dogs. The smell was almost torturous. His stomach growled again.
"Okay… okay… I need to think. No money… how do I get food?"
[Options, Einstein. There are always options. Ask, steal, negotiate, flirt with the vendor? Or maybe… use your prodigy genius skills to invent something. Just saying.]
Ethan frowned, crossing his arms and scratching his head.
"This… this is a problem. I can't just sit and wait for something to fall from the sky."
[Heh… careful, Einstein. If you end up asking for free food, make sure it's not your last mission out of hunger.]
Ethan sighed and started pacing, evaluating the place, thinking of increasingly crazy plans while the system kept laughing in his head.
"Wait… what if… I can use my Lux points to buy food?"
[Ha ha ha… brilliant, Einstein. Yep, I can give you money in exchange for your points. A bargain: $100 per Lux point.]
Ethan's eyes widened, a little surprised.
"Seriously? That's more than enough!"
[Of course… but remember, every action has consequences. There are no free gifts in life.]
Ethan pulled out his phone, converted 10 Lux points into money, and approached the stand.
"Good evening, I'll take… two hot dogs and a soda, please," Ethan said, scanning the QR code to pay with the newly acquired funds.
The vendor looked at him curiously, but accepted the payment.
[Ha… nothing like the feeling of buying food with cosmic power points, huh, Einstein?]
"Shut up… I'm enjoying this," Ethan muttered as he received his order.
He grabbed the hot dogs and soda, thanking the vendor as he walked away. Suddenly, a question popped into his mind and he said it out loud:
"Wait… you were going to let me buy with Lux anyway? So why even bother?"
[Ah, Einstein… this is how I'll teach you life: not by showing you how it's done, but by letting you figure it out yourself. Epic, right?]
Ethan chuckled under his breath, swinging the bag with food. His stomach growled happily, and for the first time since the mission madness, he felt like he could enjoy a quiet moment… even if just for a brief instant.