Early winter wind cut through the narrow alley like a knife, carrying the stench of rotting garbage from the dumpsters. Ryan huddled in the corner of his run-down rental, his thin jacket doing nothing to keep out the bone-chilling cold. The dim incandescent light flickered on and off, casting a gloomy glow over the peeling walls.
He stared blankly at the crumpled bills in his hand—$23.50. That was every last cent he had in the world.
"Bang bang bang!" Violent knocks slammed against the tattered, gap-ridden wooden door. The landlord's shrill, rough voice followed, cutting through the door like a drill: "Ryan! Open up!"
"It's the 3rd! Where's my rent?! Don't tell me you're broke again!" Mrs. Higgins' voice dripped with impatience and contempt. "I already gave you a one-week extension! No $300 today, pack your junk and get out! I don't keep deadbeats around!"
Ryan's body trembled. He clutched the $20-odd dollars so tight his knuckles whitened. He didn't dare make a sound, let alone open the door. He knew once he did, he'd get more than just yelling—he'd be tossed into the street with his rags.
This 10-square-meter hovel was the cheapest he could find—slap in the middle of the city's slums, surrounded by addicts and thugs. Even so, the $300 monthly rent felt like a boulder on his chest.
He used to work part-time at a nearby fast-food joint, $12 an hour. 10+ hours a day, 7 days a week—barely scraping by. But last week, he got fired. Spilled a soda on a customer, and the boss, Mr. Carter, didn't even give him his final paycheck—said it covered the dry-cleaning.
Since then, he'd been job-hunting like a madman. No diploma, no skills—rejected everywhere. The odd jobs he found paid just a few dozen bucks a day, not even close to the rent.
"Ryan! I know you're in there! Quit playing dead!" The knocks got louder, the old door creaking like it would fall apart any second. "Five minutes! If you don't open up, I'll break the door down—and you'll pay for that too!"
Ryan closed his eyes, despair washing over him. He could already picture himself on the street. In this freezing winter, no roof, no food—he'd be dead in days.
Just as he hit rock bottom, his beat-up smartphone—dying battery and all—suddenly lit up. A message popped up, from a sender with a string of weird symbols he'd never seen.
Curiosity got the better of him. He picked it up. The message was short: "Detected host in extreme despair. Eligible for binding. Ultimate Cashback System activated. Accept binding?"
Ryan frowned. Cashback system? Binding? That sounded straight out of the web novels he'd read when he was bored. Total fantasy—how could that be real?
He was about to delete it—definitely spam or a scam—when Mrs. Higgins' yelling outside got even worse. "One minute left, you bastard!"
Despair flooded him again. Screw it—what if it's real? What if this system could save him? Better to try than die waiting.
His fingers trembling, he typed "Yes" and sent it.
The second the message sent, the phone screen exploded with golden light. Ryan jumped, almost dropping it. Then, a mechanical voice boomed in his head:
"Ding! Ultimate Cashback System successfully bound to host: Ryan."
"Ding! Welcome to the Ultimate Cashback System. Core function: The more you spend, the higher the cashback rate. All cashback funds are 100% legal—zero risks!"
"Ding! Welcome gift unlocked: $1000 cash. Funds transferred to your bank card. Please check!"
Ryan froze. A voice in his head? A cashback system? $1000 for free?
He fumbled to open his mobile banking app. His hands were still shaking so bad he could barely unlock the phone. But when he got in—there it was: a transfer notification from a legitimate financial institution. Amount: $1000!
The money was already in his account! His balance had gone from $23.50 to $1023.50!
"Is this… real?" Ryan muttered, staring at the screen wide-eyed. He pinched his thigh hard—sharp pain made him wince. Not a dream. This was actually happening!
The system's mechanical voice sounded again:
"Ding! Welcome gift delivered. Current cashback rate: 100%. Unlock 150% rate when cumulative spending hits $1000. Unlock 200% at $10,000. No upper limit on cashback rate!"
"Ding! Reminder: All spending qualifies for cashback—food, shopping, rent, investments, you name it. System auto-calculates and credits cashback instantly!"
Ryan finally snapped out of it. This system was real! He'd just gotten $1000 for free, and every dollar he spent from now on would come back—even more if he spent big!
Despair vanished in an instant, replaced by explosive excitement. He felt reborn! Rent? Food? Being looked down on? None of that mattered anymore—not with this system!
"Ryan! Time's up! I'm breaking this door down!" Mrs. Higgins roared. A loud "CRASH" echoed—she'd started hitting the door with something heavy.
Ryan took a deep breath, slipped his phone into his pocket, and stood up. The fear was gone. He walked to the door and pulled it open calmly.
Mrs. Higgins stood outside—fat, middle-aged, face twisted in rage. She held a baseball bat, cheeks flushed. When she saw Ryan, she raised the bat, ready to swing.
"You bastard! Took you long enough! Where's my rent?!" she screamed.
Ryan stared at her calmly. "Rent's $300, right? I'll pay now. And I'll prepay a full year."
Mrs. Higgins froze. She lowered the bat, sneering. "Prepay a year? Are you nuts, Ryan? That's $3600! Where'd you get that kind of cash? Steal it?"
The neighbors who'd gathered to watch snickered. Everyone knew Ryan was broke—could barely afford to eat. Prepaying rent? Total delusion.
"Cut the crap, Ryan," a bald neighbor said, cigarette hanging from his lip. He'd always looked down on Ryan. "Can't pay? GTFO and stop wasting Mrs. Higgins' time."
"Yeah, he's lost it," another woman laughed, covering her mouth. "Must be starving and hallucinating."
Ryan ignored their mockery. He pulled out his phone. "Mrs. Higgins, do you take mobile payments? I can transfer now. Or do you want cash? I'll run to the ATM."
Mrs. Higgins eyed him suspiciously. She didn't believe it, but Ryan looked dead serious. She hesitated. "I take mobile payments. Transfer now. If you're messing with me, I'm calling the cops!"
Ryan nodded, pulled up the payment app, and typed in her account info. He entered $3600. "You sure you want the full year? Once I transfer, I'm staying here for 12 months—no kicking me out for any reason."
"Of course! Just transfer the money, and it's a deal!" Mrs. Higgins said eagerly. $3600 was a big chunk of change for her—she had to take the chance.
Ryan didn't hesitate. He tapped "Transfer."
A second later, Mrs. Higgins' phone pinged. She fumbled to check it. When she saw the transfer notification, her eyes bulged, mouth dropping open wide enough to fit an egg.
It was clear as day: $3600 received. Sender: Ryan.
"This… this is real? I actually got $3600?!" Mrs. Higgins stammered, hands shaking as she stared at the screen. She checked it three times—no mistake. The money was in her account!
The neighbors saw it too. Their laughs died instantly, faces frozen in shock. The bald guy dropped his cigarette on the ground, staring at Ryan like he'd seen a ghost.
How'd Ryan get that kind of money? Win the lottery? Inherit a fortune?
Ryan looked at Mrs. Higgins' shocked face. "Got the money? Good. I'm not moving out now."
Mrs. Higgins snapped back to reality, nodding frantically. "Got it! Got it! Ryan, I'm so sorry for yelling earlier—forgive me!" Her face twisted into a sycophantic grin. She reached out to pat his shoulder, but Ryan stepped back, avoiding her.
"Just remember our deal," Ryan said flatly. He didn't want anything to do with her.
Then he turned to the bald neighbor who'd mocked him. The guy jumped back, terrified. He'd never thought Ryan would strike it rich—now he was scared of revenge.
Ryan just glared at him coldly, then closed the door and went back inside.
Inside, Ryan leaned against the door, letting out a long breath. Excitement bubbled up inside him. He'd just spent $3600—with the 100% cashback, that money should be back in his account any second.
Sure enough, the system pinged:
"Ding! Host spent $3600. 100% cashback triggered. $3600 credited to your bank card. Please check!"
Ryan opened his banking app again. Wait—his balance wasn't $1023.50. The cashback hit instantly, so after transferring $3600, his balance became $1023.50 + $3600 = $4623.50!
He stared at the $4623.50, eyes shining. He'd never had this much money in his life! With this system, spending = making money. It was insane!
He thought of Mr. Carter, the fast-food boss who'd stiffed him. Of his ex-girlfriend Lisa, who'd dumped him for a rich guy. Of everyone who'd laughed at him, looked down on him.
Not anymore. He wasn't the poor, pathetic Ryan from before. With the Ultimate Cashback System, he'd make it big. And everyone who'd ever looked down on him? They'd regret it—big time.
Ryan walked to the window and opened it. The cold wind hit his face, but he didn't feel it. He stared at the city's bright lights, a fire igniting in his chest—ambition, hunger for success.
He checked his phone—8 PM. He hadn't eaten dinner. Time to treat himself. A big, fancy meal—not just to fill his stomach, but to test the system's cashback again.
He changed into his cleanest clothes, grabbed his phone and keys, and headed out. Mrs. Higgins was still standing by her door, grinning like a fool when she saw him. Ryan ignored her, striding straight out of the alley.
Walking down the street, everything felt different. The streetlights, once dim and gloomy, now looked bright. People passing by no longer gave him that "poor loser" look.
He spotted a fancy restaurant not far from the slums—elegant decor, waiters in suits. Back in the day, he wouldn't have dared step foot inside. Now? He walked right in.
No hesitation, no fear.
A waiter approached, polite. "Sir, how many in your party?"
"Just me," Ryan said calmly.
"Right this way, sir." The waiter led him to a window seat, handing over a menu. "Here's our menu. Take your time."
Ryan opened the menu. The prices made his eyes widen—$198 steak, $88 wine, $58 dessert. Normally, he'd bolt. But now, he just smiled.
He pointed to the priciest items. "T-bone steak, medium rare. Foie gras, lobster soup, and your most expensive red wine. Oh, and that dessert too."
The waiter raised an eyebrow—this guy was dressed casually, but ordering like a millionaire. But he kept his smile. "Absolutely, sir. Your order will be right out."
Once the waiter left, Ryan leaned back, staring out the window. He felt relaxed, euphoric. This fancy meal was basically free—100% cashback, after all.
What he didn't know was that a beautiful woman nearby was watching him, curious. She wore a black dress, long golden hair framing her face—Sophia, the restaurant owner's daughter. She'd never seen someone dress so simply but order the priciest dishes like it was nothing.
Sophia sipped her coffee, eyes locked on Ryan. Who was this guy?
Ryan didn't notice her stare. He was too excited about his first fancy meal with the system. He started plotting his next moves—big house, nice car, his own business. He'd be the one everyone admired now.
Soon, his food arrived—steak sizzling, lobster soup fragrant. Ryan's stomach growled. He picked up his knife and fork, ready to dig in. Then the system pinged again:
"Ding! Detected host dining at high-end restaurant. Special task unlocked: Spend over $1000 here. Complete to unlock advanced function: Designated Area Cashback Bonus. Accept task?"
Ryan's eyes lit up. A special task? Advanced function? "Accept!" he thought instantly.
"Ding! Task accepted. Current spending at this restaurant: $868. Need $132 more to reach $1000 target."
Ryan glanced at his food—$868 so far. He needed $132 more. He picked up the menu again, ready to order another dessert. Then he felt a stare. He looked up—and locked eyes with Sophia.
Sophia froze for a second, then smiled and raised her coffee cup in a small toast.
Ryan felt a little awkward. He nodded back, then looked away. He had no idea this random encounter would bring him unexpected surprises—and trouble—later.
He quickly ordered an expensive dessert and a glass of juice—$156 total. Now his spending hit $868 + $156 = $1024, over the $1000 target.
"Ding! Congratulations! Special task completed. Advanced function unlocked: Designated Area Cashback Bonus. 50% extra cashback for high-end dining, luxury shopping, and more!"
"Ding! Host spent $1024 at high-end restaurant. 100% base cashback + 50% bonus = 150% total cashback. $1536 credited to your bank card. Please check!"
Ryan was over the moon. Not only did he get a free fancy meal—he made an extra $512! This system was a game-changer!
He dug into his meal, grinning. His life had just done a 180. But more challenges and surprises were coming. How would he use the system to build his empire? And what would happen with Sophia?
After finishing his meal, Ryan paid the bill and walked out. The night breeze felt nice, refreshing. He checked his phone—balance was $4623.50 + $1536 = $6159.50. He smiled. "Tomorrow, new phone first. Then? Time to make some real money!"
As he walked back to the rental, a black car followed slowly in the distance. The window rolled down—inside was the bald neighbor who'd mocked him earlier. He stared at Ryan's back, eyes greedy. "That guy's definitely hit the jackpot. Gotta find a way to get a cut of that…"