Chapter 2.Noah gave up on sleep around two in the morning. He had checked his bank balance three times already.$64.Still the same.Three dollars had turned into thirty. Noah needed to know if that had really happened or if the system had simply glitched.Early the next morning, he left his apartment and stopped at a breakfast place he had passed countless times without ever going inside.Today, he ordered the food he usually looked at through the window. Eggs, toast, bacon, and coffee.The total came to $10.He handed over his debit card. The moment the payment went through, Noah pulled out his phone.A notification appeared.[Purchase: $10]He waited.A second passed then another notification popped up.[Reward: $100]Noah opened his banking app.$154.“So it’s real.”One transaction wasn't enough. Before he started spending recklessly, Noah needed to know what the catch was.On his way to the bus stop, he bought a $2 ticket.His phone vibrated again.[Purchase: $2][Reward: $20]

Chapter 4.After buying Maya’s building, Noah began looking for other properties to meet the system’s requirements. He needed three income-generating assets to unlock Level 3, but he had no intention of spending money just to complete a mission.If he was going to buy something, it had to be worth owning even after the system deposited its reward.His next opportunity came when he found an old commercial building in the city center. The location was promising, but most of the businesses inside had closed. Paint peeled from the exterior walls, several windows were cracked, and the sign above the entrance looked as though it hadn’t been replaced in years.The asking price was $3 million.Noah decided to inspect the property himself before making an offer. He met the owner, a middle-aged man who looked worn down by months of worry. After showing Noah the ownership documents and explaining the building’s condition, the man rubbed both hands over his face.“I never wanted to sell this plac

Chapter 6Seven days before the grand opening, Golden Plate was finally starting to look like a real restaurant again.New tables filled the dining room, and the freshly painted walls gleamed beneath the hanging lights. A few workers were still putting the finishing touches on the entrance, while the kitchen echoed with the clatter of equipment as Ethan tested the newly installed appliances.Noah checked the preparation list in his hand. The renovation was nearly complete, but there was still plenty to sort out before they could welcome their first customers.“How many staff have we hired?”Maya checked the figures on her tablet. “Six servers, two cashiers, three kitchen assistants, and two cleaners. Everyone has confirmed their schedule.”“Hire two more servers for the dinner rush.”She looked up. “We don't know how many customers we'll get yet. If the place is half-empty, we'll still have to pay them.”“And if we're busy and the service falls apart, those customers might never come

Chapter 8Victor Hale moved faster than Noah had expected.Two days after his visit to Golden Plate, a renovation crew showed up at the abandoned upscale restaurant across the street. When Noah arrived that morning, workers were already mounting a new sign above the entrance.HALE'S — FINE DININGMaya appeared beside him, carrying two cups of coffee. She handed one to Noah and stared at the sign."He's really opening a restaurant right under our noses."Noah took the cup. "At least we won't have to go far to see how he's doing."Maya turned to him, looking for any sign that he was joking. "Victor doesn't throw money around without a reason. I heard he's hired two chefs from Michelin-starred restaurants. And with his family's connections, I wouldn't be surprised if half the city's influential people have already booked tables before the place even opens."Across the street, workers unloaded crates from a delivery truck."Sounds like they'll have plenty of people willing to give them a

Chapter 10Noah found Ethan in the kitchen, standing in front of a rail crowded with unfinished orders. The customer satisfaction score on his phone was still stuck at 89%. They had two hours left before the mission expired, and the number hadn't recovered."How many are we behind?" Noah asked.Ethan pointed toward the rack on his left. "Three tables have been waiting for over half an hour. Two other orders are almost ready, but if another server takes the wrong plate to the wrong table, I'm sending everyone home."Noah checked the tickets. Some had been sitting there since before Daniel fell ill. With Ethan covering an extra station, new orders had kept coming in until the backlog became unmanageable."Which ones can we get out first?"Ethan tapped two tickets. "Those. They just need the finishing sauce. After that, I have to get back to the Golden Roast.""Get those two out now. Tell the servers to double-check the table numbers before they take anything."Noah flagged down a passin