“Excuse me, do you know how much a room costs here?”The hotel receptionist glanced at Lucas's worn suitcase before giving him a polite smile. “Our cheapest room is eighty dollars per night, sir.”Lucas checked his wallet. “Do you have anything cheaper? Even a small room without room service?”“I'm sorry, sir. That's our lowest rate.”“Right. Thank you.”He turned away before the receptionist could notice his embarrassment.Outside, Lucas stood beneath the hotel lights, staring at the money in his hand. Eighty dollars might not mean much to some people, but to him, it was almost everything he had left.He couldn't afford a hotel. He couldn't afford a motel, either, and the guesthouses he had checked online weren't much better.“Three years of marriage, and this is what I've got to show for it,” he muttered.His phone buzzed. For a moment, he hoped Victoria had called to explain herself, but it was only a notification from his bank.Lucas laughed bitterly. “Of course. Why would she cal

Lucas stared at the glowing screen floating in front of him.He blinked, rubbed his eyes, and looked again. The screen remained.“Okay, this is officially concerning.”He slowly waved a hand through it. His fingers passed through empty air.“Either I am hallucinating, or that truck did more damage than the doctors realized.”[Host, your mental faculties are functioning within normal parameters.]Lucas nearly jumped out of bed.“Who said that?”Pain shot through his body, and he immediately regretted shouting.“Ouch! Damn it!”He looked around the room, but nobody else was there.“Who is speaking? Show yourself!”[Please remain calm. I am communicating directly with your consciousness. No physical entity is present in your hospital room.]Lucas stared at the screen.“You are inside my head?”[Affirmative.]“Fantastic. I have officially lost my mind.”[That conclusion is inaccurate. I am the Billionaire System, and I have successfully bound myself to you.]Lucas went silent before letti

Lucas was still admiring the balance in his bank account when the system screen changed.[Host, your first official mission is ready.]He immediately straightened in bed.“Finally. I was beginning to think you planned to keep me here admiring my money all day.”[MISSION ISSUED: THE FIRST STEP TOWARD GREATNESS][Objective: Spend $1,000,000 from your original bank account within 24 hours.][Time limit: 24 hours.][Mission reward: One exclusive luxury mansion and an additional $1,000 in former-value funds.]Lucas stared at the screen.Then he read it again.“Spend one million dollars?”[Correct.]“In twenty-four hours?”[Correct.]He let out a disbelieving laugh.“You do realize I woke up in a hospital bed, don't you? I have no house, no business, and no money in my account apart from the reward you just gave me. Where exactly am I supposed to get a million dollars?”[Your transferred reward has already been converted into the current monetary scale. The mission requires you to spend one

Lucas's stomach growled so loudly that he winced.He had been unconscious for an entire week, and throughout that time, infusions had kept him alive. Although the doctors had assured him that his condition was stable, nobody had yet given him the kind of meal he was desperately craving. Now that he had a luxurious private suite and money to spend, he was determined to change that.He pressed the call button beside his bed.A few minutes later, a professionally dressed woman entered the room with a pleasant smile.“Good morning, Mr. Bennett. I'm Clara, the private ward concierge assigned to assist you with your non-medical requests. How may I help you?”“I'm hungry,” Lucas admitted. “Terribly hungry, actually. I want a proper meal, something nutritious, delicious, and filling. Could you recommend a few dishes?”“Certainly, sir. We work with several premium restaurants, including a four-star establishment that offers private-ward dining services. I can arrange a menu for you and coordin

[MISSION COMPLETED SUCCESSFULLY.]Lucas stared at the notification, and before he could say anything, the system screen transformed. A series of new messages appeared, each one more exciting than the last.[Congratulations, Host. You have successfully completed your first mission and exceeded the required expenditure. Your designated rewards have now been issued.][Reward One: Aurelius Estate.][Reward Two: $1,000 in former-value funds. The funds have been credited to your system account and are available for use.][Property acquisition and ownership transfer have been completed successfully. Aurelius Estate is now legally registered in your name, including the designated buildings, furnishings, collections, and associated facilities. All required ownership documents have been settled.]Lucas slowly sat up.“Wait. It's already mine?”[Affirmative, Host. The ownership transfer is complete. No further payment or auction procedure is required.]For several seconds, Lucas simply stared at