2:00 a.m.
Winter in Yun City cut to the bone.
The hospital corridor was filled with the faint smell of disinfectant. The pale fluorescent lights cast a sickly glow, making everyone look lifeless.
Ethan Cole sat outside the operating room on a hard plastic chair, his back slightly hunched, his hands hanging between his knees.
He had been sitting there for six hours.
Without moving.
The red light above the operating room door was still on—like a cold, unblinking eye staring straight at him.
Inside…
Was his mother.
Late-stage stomach cancer.
The doctor's words kept replaying in his mind.
"Immediate surgery is required."
"If delayed, she has at most three months."
"The cost will be at least $200,000."
Two hundred thousand dollars.
The number pressed down on his chest like a boulder.
Ethan slowly lowered his head, took out his phone, and opened his bank balance.
$37.62.
He stared at the number for a long time.
So long that his eyes began to sting.
Thirty-seven dollars and sixty-two cents.
Not even enough for a decent meal.
Let alone a life-saving surgery.
Memories flooded in.
Daytime—he worked at a warehouse, carrying heavy boxes on his shoulders, one after another.
Nighttime—he delivered food, even in the rain.
Sometimes, he was still running orders at 2 a.m.
In winter, his hands cracked from the cold.
In summer, his clothes were soaked as if he had just come out of water.
But he had never complained.
Because he always believed—
He was working for a future.
For a home.
For someone.
Ethan took a deep breath and opened WhatsApp.
In his contact list, there was one name.
Chloe Carter.
He stared at it, his finger hovering over the screen, unable to press.
Five years.
They had been together for five years.
From university…
To graduation…
To struggling together in Yun City.
At their poorest, they lived in a tiny rented room, barely ten square meters.
No air-conditioning in summer.
They couldn't sleep from the heat.
She would fan him with a handheld fan and laugh:
"When we have money one day, we must live in a big house."
Ethan had nodded without hesitation.
"I'll give you a better life."
He truly gave everything for that promise.
But now—
He couldn't even afford his mother's surgery.
Finally, he clenched his teeth and typed:
"Chloe, my mom needs surgery."
"Can you lend me $50,000 first?"
After sending it—
He stared at the screen without moving.
One minute.
Two minutes.
Five minutes.
The corridor was so quiet that only the hum of the air conditioner could be heard.
Then—
His phone vibrated.
She replied.
Ethan tapped it instantly.
Only one sentence.
"Ethan, let's break up."
His mind went blank.
Before he could react—
Another message popped up.
"I don't want to live like this anymore."
Then—
A system notification appeared.
"You have been removed as a contact."
The screen went silent.
As if nothing had ever happened.
Ethan stared at his phone for ten full seconds.
His hand slowly tightened.
His knuckles turned white.
At that moment—
The sound of a trolley came from the end of the corridor.
Several doctors walked out.
Ethan suddenly stood up, nearly knocking over the chair.
"Doctor! How's my mom?!"
The doctor removed his mask and glanced at him.
There was a trace of helplessness in his eyes.
"The situation is not optimistic."
"The surgery must be arranged immediately."
"Otherwise, she won't last three months."
Ethan's throat tightened.
"Then… can you do the surgery first? I'll find a way to pay later—"
The doctor shook his head.
His tone was calm—
But it cut like a blade.
"The hospital is not a charity."
"Prepare the money first."
Then he turned and left.
His footsteps faded away.
The corridor fell silent again.
Ethan slowly sat back down.
As if all the strength had been drained from his body.
He lowered his head and looked at his phone.
$37.62.
The number lay there quietly.
As if mocking him.
Then—
His phone vibrated again.
An unknown message.
He opened it.
"Ethan, did you really think Chloe would stay with a poor guy like you forever?"
His breathing froze.
Below it—
A photo.
In the picture—
Chloe sat in the passenger seat.
Smiling sweetly.
The soft lighting inside the car made everything look warm.
The logo on the front—
Mercedes-Benz.
The man in the driver's seat—
Was his boss.
Another message came.
"She's with me now."
"Know your place."
The phone slipped from Ethan's hand.
Fell to the ground.
With a soft thud.
He didn't pick it up.
At that moment—
The whole world suddenly felt distant.
His mother was in the operating room, waiting for money to live.
His girlfriend had left him.
His bank account had only $37.
Everything he had worked for—
Felt like a joke.
And then—
A cold voice suddenly echoed in his mind.
[Detecting host in extreme life crisis]
[Destiny Restart System activated]
Ethan suddenly raised his head.
His breathing grew heavy.
The voice continued.
[For every $1 earned, the host will receive a 10,000x reward]
[Do you wish to bind the system?]
The corridor was still silent.
The lights were still pale.
But at this moment—
Something had quietly changed.
Ethan spoke in a low voice.
"…Bind."
[Binding successful]
[Newbie mission: Earn your first dollar]
Ethan slowly lowered his head.
Looking at the phone on the ground.
The screen was still on.
$37.62.
He suddenly smiled.
A bitter smile.
But his eyes—
Gradually turned calm.
And cold.
"Alright."
"Then I'll start…"
"From one dollar."