The morning sun slanted through Ethan's blinds, cutting stripes across the mess of his apartment. He lay there, staring at the cracked ceiling, the echoes of the system's last warning still pounding in his skull.
Termination.
He could still see the word, as sharp and unforgiving as a knife edge. The system had dangled miracles before him, but it had also shown its teeth.
And now, the next command pulsed at the corner of his vision:
> [Daily Quest]
Objective: Secure a paying client for your repair services.
Reward: 15 System Points.
Time Limit: 12 hours.
Ethan rubbed his face, dragging himself upright. "So it's not enough to just survive anymore. Now I've got to build a business."
It was absurd, and yet… not. He thought of the laundromat dryer, the jukebox at Sammy's. Those fixes hadn't just earned him money—they had earned respect. The look on people's faces when he fixed the "unfixable" still burned in his memory.
He could do this. He had to.
---
Cold Starts
After a quick shower and the world's fastest shave, Ethan packed his tools into his backpack. He hesitated at the door, glancing at his reflection in the cracked mirror. His eyes were tired, but there was something new there too—an edge of determination.
The Auto-Schematic Lens flickered faintly, tracing red lines across the wiring in his light fixture. Proof that his gift hadn't been a dream.
Out on the street, the city buzzed with the energy of late morning. Food carts clanged open, office workers hurried past, taxis honked impatiently. Ethan's sneakers slapped against the wet pavement as he scanned the rows of shops.
I just need one client, he told himself. One paying customer, and the system will be satisfied.
He started with the obvious. A bakery with a sputtering coffee machine. A corner store with a cash register that jammed every other transaction. A dry cleaner with an old press that hissed dangerously.
Everywhere he went, he offered the same pitch: "I can fix this. No charge unless I succeed."
And everywhere, he was met with skeptical stares.
"We already got a guy."
"Kid, I don't even know you."
"Come back when you got references."
By noon, Ethan's stomach growled with hunger and frustration. The quest timer ticked down mercilessly: 9h 04m remaining.
---
An Unexpected Chance
Defeated, Ethan ducked into a small café to regroup. He ordered the cheapest coffee they had and sat by the window, staring at the steam curling from the chipped mug.
That was when he heard it.
"…if this damn oven breaks one more time, I swear I'll close for the day."
Ethan's head snapped up. Behind the counter, the café owner—a heavyset man with a bristling mustache—was slamming the oven door in frustration.
The timing was uncanny. Too uncanny. Ethan couldn't shake the feeling that the system was nudging him, placing opportunities in his path.
He stood, heart pounding, and approached the counter. "Excuse me, sir. I couldn't help overhearing. If your oven's giving you trouble, I can take a look."
The man glared. "You an appliance tech?"
"Something like that," Ethan said carefully. "No charge unless I fix it."
The man hesitated, then waved him toward the back. "Fine. But if you make it worse, you're buying me a new oven."
---
The kitchen was stifling, the air heavy with the smell of burnt dough. The oven sat against the wall, its display flashing error codes. Ethan crouched, his lens overlay springing to life.
Red lines traced across the machine, highlighting the cracked heating coil and a faulty temperature sensor.
He opened his backpack, fingers moving almost instinctively. Replace the coil, reroute the wiring, reset the sensor. He worked quickly, sweat dripping into his eyes.
The café owner watched, arms crossed, skepticism etched into his face.
Finally, Ethan straightened, wiping his brow. "Try it now."
The man pressed a button. The oven hummed to life, steady and strong. The error codes vanished. Heat rolled from the open door, even and precise.
The man's eyes widened. "You… you actually fixed it."
Ethan allowed himself a grin. "Told you I would."
---
The café owner scratched his chin. "Alright, kid. What do I owe you?"
Ethan hesitated. The system only said paying client. Did that mean any amount counted?
"Fifty bucks," he said finally, holding his breath.
The man handed him the cash without hesitation. "Worth every penny. You just saved me from losing a day's business."
The system chimed instantly.
> [Quest Completed]
Reward: 15 System Points Earned.
Total Points: 45.
Ethan's heart leapt. He had done it—his first official client.
But then, another window flickered open:
> [New Function Unlocked: Client Reputation System]
Word-of-mouth reputation will now influence quest availability and bonus rewards.
Ethan nearly laughed out loud. Not only had he earned points, but the system was evolving, layering complexity onto his life. He wasn't just surviving quests anymore—he was building a network.
---
That evening, Ethan trudged back into his building, exhausted but exhilarated. As he climbed the stairs, he nearly collided with Lily, who was carrying a grocery bag.
"Whoa," he said, steadying her. "Sorry."
She smiled faintly. "It's okay. You look… different today."
"Different how?"
"Less… tired. More like you've actually had a win."
Ethan chuckled. "Maybe I did."
She studied him for a moment, curiosity flickering in her eyes. "You're always rushing out with that backpack. What exactly do you do?"
Ethan froze. He couldn't tell her the truth—not yet. But lying outright felt wrong.
"I… fix things," he said carefully. "Machines, mostly."
Her smile widened. "So you're the building's secret handyman."
"Something like that."
She shifted the bag in her arms. "Well, if you ever feel like fixing my old heater, I wouldn't say no."
Ethan's chest warmed. "Deal."
---
Later, sprawled on his bed, Ethan pulled up the system catalog. With 45 points, he could now afford several mid-tier items. His eyes lingered on one in particular:
Energy Efficiency Booster (25 Points).
A device that could cut power consumption in half for any machine.
If he installed something like that in the café oven—or anywhere, really—people would line up to hire him.
But before he could decide, the system pulsed again.
> [Next Daily Quest Generated]
Objective: Upgrade a client's machine using advanced technology.
Reward: 25 System Points.
Time Limit: 24 hours.
Ethan's throat went dry.
This wasn't about fixing anymore. The system wanted him to introduce futuristic technology into the real world.
And once he did, there would be no going back.