No, you're kidding me, Mark thought, reading the parameters with disbelief. This was absurdly easy. Buy the diamond for a million, immediately give it away for a million back.
This was probably how the Platinum level worked. Supplement tasks. Quick opportunities that required instant reaction.
"I'm leaving, bro," Mark said to Alex, already standing as he spotted Elena and her security detail disappearing through the exit in the distance.
"The night is still young though," Alex said, confused by the sudden departure. "Don't you want to network? That's half the point of these things."
"You don't have sufficient time to explain your reasoning, Mr. Lidorf," the system voice chimed in urgently. "When a Quick Quest is issued, the player must react instantly. Hesitation equals failure."
"I got what I came for," Mark said simply, already moving toward the exit.
He walked quickly through the auction hall, drawing divided attention from wealthy attendees who wanted a word with the mysterious young bidder, but the ongoing auction kept most of them in their seats. He pushed through the main doors into the cool night air.
He was lucky. He caught sight of Elena just as she was entering a sleek black Bentley. Her bodyguard was already moving to close the door behind her.
Mark jogged over before the car could pull away. "Hey," he called out, slightly breathless.
"Please maintain distance, sir," the bodyguard responded immediately, stepping between Mark and the vehicle with professional efficiency. Large man, military bearing, clearly trained for this.
"I just want a word with Miss Volkov," Mark said.
"Miss Volkov doesn't speak to people without a scheduled appointment," the guard replied flatly. "You'll need to contact her management. Now please excuse us, sir."
It was clear from his tone that Elena either didn't want to meet strangers, or someone was being extremely overprotective of her. Probably both.
"Okay," Mark said, turning to leave. But as he did, the car door opened from the inside.
"You wanted a word with me?" Elena's voice carried surprise and curiosity. She leaned out slightly. "Get in the car."
"I'm sorry, Miss Volkov, but I cannot accept that," the bodyguard insisted, his jaw tightening. "Security protocols—"
"Then I'll get out of the car and talk to him on the street," Elena said with the calm authority of someone used to getting her way. "Your choice, Dmitri."
The guard's face showed clear displeasure, but he stepped aside. Mark entered the back seat, the leather interior smelling of expensive perfume and new car scent.
Elena was beautiful in person—early twenties, delicate features, dressed in that elaborate pink gown that probably cost more than most cars. But there was something in her eyes. Loneliness, maybe. Or just exhaustion from living inside whatever golden cage her life had become.
The bodyguard entered the front passenger seat with obvious reluctance, sitting rigid with disapproval. The driver started the engine without a word.
"Mr. Lidorf, correct?" Elena asked as they pulled away from the auction house.
"Yeah. Mark Lidorf. And you're Elena, right?" Mark kept his tone casual, friendly.
"Elena Volkov," she confirmed, then spoke to Dmitri in the front. "Please raise the partition."
She was asking for the soundproof glass divider that separated the back seat from the front. Privacy glass for private conversations. The bodyguard clearly wanted to refuse—his entire job was protecting her, and closing off his ability to hear felt like a violation of protocol.
But after a tense moment, he pressed the button. The glass slid up smoothly, sealing Mark and Elena in their own quiet space.
"I'm so sorry about Dmitri," Elena said immediately, her voice softer now that they had privacy. "I'm always on a very strict schedule. The only way to have an unscheduled conversation with me is to catch me during transit." She explained it matter-of-factly, but Mark could read between the lines. There was someone controlling every aspect of her life. Father, probably. Or manager. Or both.
"I understand," Mark said, even though he didn't really. That level of control sounded like a prison with leather seats.
"You said you wanted a word with me?" She turned to face him more fully, genuinely curious about why this young man had chased down her car.
"Yeah. You caught my attention in there during the bidding," Mark explained smoothly. "And I didn't want to leave without at least saying hello. So when I saw you leaving—"
"I get it," she smiled, and it transformed her face completely. Made her look younger, less controlled. "Are you trying to—" Their eyes met and held for a moment.
"Not really," Mark cut her off gently, understanding what she was implying but needing to redirect. They had limited time and he needed to build rapport fast. "Though I would definitely like to take you to dinner sometime. If you're allowed to have dinner with strangers."
Elena's smile widened. In the rearview mirror, Dmitri's eyes were practically boring holes through the back of Mark's head, clearly not impressed with this development.
"I'd say that request is kind of complicated given my circumstances," Elena replied carefully. "But it's worth trying. Give me your phone."
Mark handed over his phone without hesitation. She typed something in quickly—probably her number, possibly with notes or conditions.
"That guy is seriously pissed off right now," Mark said, noticing Dmitri's expression in the mirror. Speaking loud enough that the guard could read his lips if he wanted to.
Elena chuckled, a real laugh that suggested she didn't get many opportunities for humor. "You're funny. Has anyone ever told you that?"
Mark could see it clearly now. She was loving this spontaneous interaction, this brief moment of something that wasn't scheduled or controlled or pre-approved. Her life probably wasn't as easy as it looked from the outside. Money didn't equal freedom.
He reached into his jacket pocket and removed the velvet box. Handed it to her with both hands, like it was something precious. Which it was.
"I thought I came for this," he said quietly. "But you deserve it more than I do."
Elena opened the box with surprised, careful hands. Her eyes widened when she saw the Bloodglass sitting there, throwing red light across her face in the dim interior.
"Mark, this is—" she started, but before she could finish, the car slowed to a stop.
The partition slid down immediately. "Mr. Lidorf, your time is up," Dmitri announced, already opening his door to come around and let Mark out. His tone made it clear this wasn't negotiable.
"He clearly doesn't like you," Elena whispered with a smile, lowering her voice conspiratorially as Dmitri opened Mark's door.
"Thank you, Mr. Lidorf," she said more formally, handing his phone back. Her fingers brushed his for just a moment. "For the conversation. And for... this."
She gestured slightly at the box, still seeming stunned by the gift.
Mark stepped out onto the sidewalk. They were already back in the city proper, maybe ten minutes from where they'd started. The whole interaction had taken less than fifteen minutes but felt longer.
Dmitri closed the car door without saying a word to Mark. Didn't even look at him. Just returned to his position in the front seat and the Bentley pulled away smoothly, red taillights disappearing into the city traffic.
Mark stood there on the empty sidewalk, watching it go.
[QUICK QUEST: COMPLETE | OBJECTIVE ACHIEVED: Bloodglass delivered to Elena Volkov]
[REWARD: $1,000,000 DEPOSITED]
[CURRENT BALANCE: $3,000,000.00]
Three million dollars. Mark pulled out his phone and checked the number Elena had entered. It was there, along with a note: *Dinner sounds nice. But it might take a miracle to arrange. - E.V*
He smiled despite himself. Elena Volkov was locked in a gilded cage, and she knew it. But at least now she had something beautiful to look at while she was trapped there.
And Mark? Mark was three million dollars richer than he'd been this morning.
"That was well executed, Mr. Lidorf," the system voice noted with something almost like approval. "You're learning to read opportunities and act on them without overthinking. This is progress."
Thanks, I guess.
"The Platinum tier will feature more Quick Quests like this one. Rapid decision-making. Social manipulation. Resource optimization. Your performance tonight suggests you're ready for increased complexity."
Mark started walking. No rideshare this time—he could afford one, but the walk felt necessary. Time to process everything that had happened. Time to think about what came next.