The rain poured relentlessly over Ravenwood City, washing the streets in silver reflections. Ethan sat alone in his penthouse study, his eyes fixed on the holographic system panel floating before him.[System Notification: Mission Complete – "Dominate the Underground Auction"]Reward Unlocked: Wealth Enhancement Trait – Tier 3Additional Reward: New Feature Activated – "Influence Network"Ethan’s lips curved into a thin smile. Tier 3 meant his assets would now generate exponential returns, and the "Influence Network" could link him to every major player in politics, business, and even the shadows. He could now pull strings instead of breaking bones—and in Ravenwood, that was real power.But there was a catch.[Warning: The Influence Network will attract attention from high-level entities. Proceed with caution.]“High-level entities…” Ethan muttered under his breath. “Just how high are we talking?”He didn’t have to wait long for an answer.A soft chime echoed in the room—ding. The encry

The sirens wailed somewhere in the distance, but Ethan didn’t stop running. His shoes splashed through puddles as he cut across the darkened street, the cold night air biting into his skin. Behind him, a black SUV screeched to a halt, its tires smoking, and four men in leather jackets poured out, guns in hand.[System Alert: Hostile presence detected. Recommendation: Engage or Evade. Reward multiplier active due to heightened danger level.]Ethan’s breath was ragged, but his mind was calm. Finally, he thought, a real test.He ducked into a narrow alley, the stench of rotting garbage in the air, and pressed his back to the brick wall. The men’s footsteps echoed closer, boots crunching on gravel.“You can’t hide forever, Cross!” one of them shouted. “The boss wants your head!”Ethan smirked. “Then he should’ve sent more men.”[System Mission Generated: Neutralize all hostiles. Time Limit: 5 minutes. Reward: Combat Enhancement Level +1.]His heart pounded. A fight in a dark alley? It was

The lights of the penthouse glowed like molten gold against the darkness of the night. Ethan sat on the balcony, the cold breeze brushing his face as he stared at the city below.His phone buzzed.[System Notification: New Mission Unlocked] Mission: Secure a political ally in the city council within 48 hours. Reward:Influence Enhancement Trait (Level 1).Penalty: Reputation Drop (City-wide).Ethan’s jaw tightened. “Political ally? That’s a different game entirely…”The system’s cold voice echoed in his mind.“You’ve conquered the streets and the boardrooms, Host. Now you must conquer the law itself. Without influence, your empire will eventually collapse.”Before he could respond, his phone lit up again—this time with a video call request from Damian Black, one of the most feared underground brokers in the city. Ethan accepted.Damian’s scarred face appeared on the screen. “Cross… I hear you’re trying to play politics now. You’ll need more than money for that. You’ll need dirt.”Ethan

The wound in Ethan’s side burned, warm blood seeping through his shirt and sticking against his ribs as he pressed a palm against it. He had fought through worse, but the way Raven’s blade had slid across him had been deliberate—controlled. She hadn’t missed by accident. She had chosen to let him live.That was what unsettled him the most.Raven was a phantom, a contract assassin whispered about in the same circles he haunted. She worked for no one but always found herself where the money flowed thickest. If she had been sent after him tonight, that meant one thing: Councilman Grayson’s secrets were guarded by predators even darker than he’d imagined.And she’d spared him.The city lights below glittered like shattered glass scattered across black velvet, mocking him with their indifference. Somewhere beneath those neon veins, Grayson was sipping expensive bourbon, shaking hands with devils in thousand-dollar suits. Every second Ethan stood on that rooftop was another second Grayson c

The night in Blackstone was thick with rain, the streets glistening beneath the glow of neon lights. Ethan Cross leaned against his car, his coat shielding him from the drizzle as his eyes tracked every shadow that moved in the alley. His instincts screamed at him—something was off. Too quiet, even for this part of the city.The system’s cold mechanical voice echoed in his skull:[Active Mission: Unmask the Traitor]Target: Unknown – Time Remaining: 11:57:02 Reward: Shadow Manipulation Trait (Rare). Failure Penalty: Exposure of System to Enemy Forces.Ethan clenched his fists. The system never gave vague missions without purpose. “Unknown target,” it had said. Which meant the traitor could be someone within his rapidly growing empire. That possibility cut deeper than any blade.His phone buzzed. Damian.“You’re late,” Damian’s voice came through, calm yet amused. “I thought the mighty Ethan Cross was a man of his word.”“I’m here,” Ethan replied flatly. “But I don’t like surprises.”“N