The next morning.
The city of Detroit was still waking up — the sound of distant traffic, the smell of coffee from the diner downstairs, and the familiar chill of early dawn.
Henry sat at his desk, staring at the glowing $10,000 balance on his phone.
He'd stayed up all night testing every possibility.
The money was real. Transferable. Usable.
And the timer floating beside it was ticking down:
[Time Remaining: 11 hours 52 minutes]
Mission: Spend $10,000 within 24 hours.
Reward: 10× Return.]
Henry rubbed his face, still in disbelief.
"Spend ten grand... in one day? And the more I spend, the more I earn?"
The logical side of him screamed it was impossible. But logic had no place in a world where floating golden text appeared out of nowhere.
He looked at the cracked mirror on his wall — unshaven, messy-haired, a man who'd stopped caring how he looked.
If this system was real, he could change that.
A few hours later, Henry stepped out of a men's boutique downtown.
He'd never been in one before. The scent of cologne, polished marble floors, and designer suits made him feel out of place.
A young clerk approached, smiling professionally.
"Good morning, sir. Looking for something formal?"
Henry hesitated — then remembered the words from last night:
Live grand. The richer your life, the stronger you become.
"Yeah," he said with newfound confidence. "I'll take a full set. Suit, shoes, watch — the best you've got."
The clerk blinked, surprised. "Of course, sir! Right this way."
Thirty minutes later, Henry walked out wearing a sharp navy suit that fit him perfectly.
For the first time, he saw someone new in the reflection — not a broke student, but a man who looked like he belonged in a boardroom.
His phone buzzed.
[Money Spent: $3,200]
Progress: 32%]
He exhaled. "This better work."
Henry's next stop was the coffee shop near his old campus, the same one he used to study in while counting quarters.
As he stepped inside, a familiar voice called out.
"Henry?"
He turned — and froze.
Standing by the counter was Emily Watson, his old college friend.
Long brown hair, warm eyes, and the same kind smile that once helped him through his toughest days.
She blinked in surprise. "Wow, you look… different."
Henry chuckled awkwardly. "Yeah, uh, new suit."
Emily laughed softly. "Guess you finally got that promotion, huh?"
He smiled, but inside, a golden notification appeared in the corner of his vision:
[Potential Target Detected.]
Name: Emily Watson.
Initial Favorability: 25%.
Favorability Bonus Multiplier: 2.0×.]
Henry's breath caught. "No way…"
He pulled out his wallet and gestured to the counter. "Two cappuccinos. And whatever she's having — my treat."
Emily blinked. "You sure? You used to fight me over paying last time."
He grinned. "Consider it… an investment."
They sat together, chatting over coffee like old times. Emily talked about her new job, her dreams, her frustrations — and Henry just listened.
When she smiled at him, genuinely, he heard it again:
[Favorability +5%.]
And when she laughed —
[Favorability +3%.]
Then another chime echoed in his mind.
[Mission Completed.]
$10,000 Spent. Calculating Rewards...]
Reward Multiplier: 10× + 2.0× (Favorability Bonus)]
Total Earnings: $200,000 Credited.]
Henry nearly dropped his phone.
"Two hundred thousand…?" he whispered.
Emily tilted her head. "Hmm? You okay?"
He quickly smiled. "Yeah, just— thinking about something."
That night, back in his apartment, Henry stared at his bank account.
$200,000.00
It wasn't a dream.
He clenched his fists, heart pounding with excitement and fear.
"So it's real. All of it."
The golden screen shimmered again before him.
[Congratulations, Host.]
You have completed your first investment.
Supreme Tycoon System Level: 1 → 2.]
New Feature Unlocked: [Business Creation Menu].
Henry grinned as his reflection glowed in the golden light.
"The world runs on money…"
"Then I'll be the one running the world."