Ethan Cole had never been afraid of a clock before. But now, as he sat in the dim glow of his apartment, staring at the red digits crawling forward, he felt the press of time like a weight on his chest.
12:17 a.m.
The quest pulsed in front of his eyes like a cruel dare:
> Quest: Acquire $100 through any legal means before sunrise.
Reward: 20 System Points.
Time Remaining: 5h 43m.
It wasn't the money itself that scared him—though he barely had ten dollars to his name, and his fridge looked like a wasteland. It was the implication. This system wasn't a toy. It was a contract, and contracts had consequences.
"Legal means," he muttered, running a hand through his unkempt hair. "So I can't rob a corner store."
His stomach twisted at the thought of penalties. He didn't know what the system would do if he failed a quest, but given its power, the possibilities weren't comforting.
He needed the money. Now.
---
Ethan paced his tiny apartment, mind racing. At this hour, options were limited. No pawn shop would take his broken laptop. He couldn't exactly walk into a job interview.
He leaned against the counter, eyes flicking to the Auto-Schematic Lens overlay still faintly visible in his vision. Red lines traced the flaws of every appliance in his kitchen—the microwave's worn magnetron, the fridge's rattling fan motor.
And then it hit him.
Repairs.
He had a gift now, an ability no mechanic in the world could match. He could see flaws instantly, pinpointing issues that would take professionals hours of guesswork.
"Alright, System," he whispered. "You want me to hustle? Let's hustle."
He grabbed his tool kit, shoved it into a backpack, and stepped into the rain-soaked night.
-
The city was quiet, streets shimmering with reflected neon. Streetlamps flickered, buzzing like tired insects. Ethan tugged his hood low against the drizzle and scanned the rows of darkened buildings.
Most shops were closed, but a faint glow spilled from a 24-hour laundromat down the block. The hum of washing machines pulsed through the glass. Ethan's pulse quickened.
Inside, a balding man in a grease-stained undershirt cursed under his breath at a stubborn dryer. He kicked it, scowling.
"Piece of junk!"
Ethan swallowed his nerves and stepped inside. "Excuse me… is that broken?"
The man glanced up, eyes narrowed. "Yeah. Damn thing's been eating quarters all week. You know a repair guy?"
Ethan hesitated only a second. "I am one."
The man arched a brow, skeptical. Ethan adjusted his backpack strap. "I can take a look. No charge unless I fix it."
The man studied him for a long moment, then shrugged. "Fine. If you can get it working, I'll pay you fifty."
---
Ethan knelt by the dryer, pulling tools from his pack. He slipped on the lens, and instantly, glowing red lines traced the problem: a bent coin sensor and a worn-out fuse. Easy fixes.
He popped the casing, straightened the sensor, and swapped the fuse with a spare he carried. Within minutes, the dryer hummed to life, steady and strong.
The man's jaw dropped. "I've had three techs look at that, and none of them could figure it out."
Ethan forced a smile. "Guess I got lucky."
The man dug into his pocket and handed him two twenties and a ten. Crisp bills. Ethan's hands shook as he accepted them.
$50. Halfway there.
And then the system chimed.
> [Bonus: First Repair in Public Completed]
+5 System Points Earned.
Ethan's breath caught. So it wasn't just about daily quests—there were hidden achievements too.
---
He needed another fifty. Fast.
As he stepped back into the rain, the clock ticked mercilessly forward. 1:04 a.m. Four hours left.
He scanned the street, searching for opportunity. Bars. Late-night diners. Anywhere with broken machines.
At the corner, a neon sign flickered: Sammy's Grill – Open All Night.
He ducked inside. The diner smelled of burnt coffee and fried grease. A waitress wiped counters while a cook muttered over the grill. In the corner, an old jukebox sputtered, the music warbling off-key.
Ethan's lens highlighted it immediately: cracked amplifier wire, loose speaker connections.
Perfect.
He approached the waitress. "Hey, your jukebox is busted."
She sighed. "Yeah, been like that for months. Repair guy wants three hundred just to look at it."
Ethan's heart pounded. "What if I fix it for a hundred?"
She raised a brow. "You serious?"
"One hundred. Tonight. No fix, no charge."
She exchanged a glance with the cook, who shrugged. "If the kid wants to try, let him."
--
Ethan knelt, heart hammering, and opened the panel. The glowing overlay showed every flaw like a roadmap. He reconnected the wire, tightened the loose terminals, and adjusted the circuit.
Thirty minutes later, he pressed the switch.
The jukebox hummed. Lights flared, and suddenly the smooth voice of an old jazz singer filled the diner.
The waitress's eyes widened. The cook grinned. "Well I'll be damned."
She pulled a wad of bills from the register, counted out five twenties, and pressed them into Ethan's hand.
"One hundred, like you said."
Ethan clutched the money, chest tightening.
$150.
The system chimed.
> [Quest Completed]
Reward: 20 System Points Earned.
Total System Points: 20.
And again—
> [Bonus: First Major Repair in Business Establishment]
+10 System Points Earned.
His vision swam with the glow of numbers. Thirty points in one night. Enough to buy more than scraps.
He stumbled back into the night air, rain slicking his hair to his forehead. His hands trembled as he pulled up the catalog again.
New options shimmered in his vision, unlocked by his growing points:
SmartBio Patch – 20 Points.
Nano-Repair Kit – 30 Points.
Energy Efficiency Booster – 25 Points.
His breath caught. The Nano-Repair Kit. A handheld device capable of mending metal fractures and worn circuits instantly. With that, he could fix anything—cars, elevators, even industrial machines.
But it would cost all his points.
His thumb hovered over the option, torn between greed and caution. Before he could decide, another notification appeared.
> [Daily Quest Chain Unlocked]
Tomorrow's Quest: Secure a paying client for your repair services.
Reward: 15 System Points.
Ethan stared. So the system wasn't just pushing him to survive—it was forcing him to grow. Building income, reputation, and connections.
And the realization made his stomach flip. This wasn't just about gadgets. It was about reshaping his life.
By the time he trudged back into his building, soaked to the bone, dawn was bleeding into the horizon. He dragged himself up the stairs, every muscle aching with exhaustion.
At the second floor landing, a door opened. Lily stepped out, hair tied in a messy bun, carrying a bag of trash. She blinked in surprise when she saw him.
"You're up early," she said, smiling faintly.
Ethan forced a laugh. "Couldn't sleep."
She tilted her head, studying his drenched hoodie and the grease on his hands. "Looks more like you've been working all night."
He hesitated, then shrugged. "Something like that."
Her eyes softened. "Well… whatever you're doing, don't burn yourself out." She offered a small smile, then headed toward the stairs.
Ethan stood frozen, heart pounding—not from the quest this time, but from the warmth in her voice.
For the first time in years, he felt like maybe he wasn't invisible.
--
He collapsed onto his bed, dripping water onto the sheets, and opened the catalog again. The Nano-Repair Kit still glowed, tantalizing. Thirty points. One purchase away.
But just as he reached for it, the system pulsed again.
> [System Notice]
Warning: Quests will increase in difficulty as Host progresses.
Failure to adapt may result in Host Termination.
Ethan's blood froze.
Termination.
The word hung in his mind like a blade over his throat.
He had earned his first victory, but the game was only beginning. And now, he understood the stakes were far higher than money, inventions, or even survival in the city.
The system didn't just want him to succeed.
It demanded it.