2025-08-05 16:21:50The city was quieter now.
The storm had passed, leaving behind wet pavement that reflected neon lights and headlights like a mirror of shattered glass. Ethan sat under a flickering streetlamp, soaked in rain and sweat, but somehow... lighter.
Alive.
[Wealth Enhancement Trait – Level 1 Activated.] [Passive Effect: Business Instinct Boost +10%. Negotiation +5%. Opportunity Awareness +20%.]
The words hovered across his vision like they were stitched into the air. No screen, no glasses, no projection. Just there.
His breathing slowed.
Was this real?
He’d just made over a thousand dollars in a day. He’d sprinted through traffic, dodged pursuers, outpaced fate itself. All because a voice in his head had told him he could.
And it had worked.
He’d done the impossible.
For the first time in a long time, Ethan Cross didn’t feel like trash.
He felt like something more.
7:03 A.M.
Ethan pushed open the door of a 24-hour laundromat and dropped a few damp bills on the counter.
“Use the dryer?” the woman behind the counter asked, glancing at his wrinkled clothes.
“No,” he said, offering a small smile. “I’m buying this shirt.”
He held up a cheap button-down and a pair of black jeans. They weren’t designer. They weren’t new. But they were dry, clean—and his.
As he changed in the tiny bathroom and caught sight of himself in the mirror, he felt something shift.
No more the delivery boy soaked in rain and pity.
He stood straighter.
His jawline looked sharper.
His eyes clearer.
It wasn’t vanity—it was clarity.
[Trait Active: Confidence Perception Aura +2%.]
[System Tip: First impressions now have slightly elevated impact.]
A strange smirk curved his lips.
Was this what power felt like?
8:12 A.M. — Metro Center Café
The little café buzzed with early morning chatter, clinks of coffee mugs, and the hiss of milk steamers. Ethan grabbed a seat in the corner with a black coffee and a toasted sandwich. He’d barely taken two bites when someone slid into the chair across from him.
“Didn’t expect to see you again,” said a familiar voice.
He looked up. His chest tightened.
“Cassandra,” he said, flatly.
She wore a cream-colored blazer, her makeup perfect, her nails sharp and polished like claws. She didn’t smile.
“Relax,” she said. “I’m not here to mock you.”
“Strange. That’s usually your thing.”
She sighed, clearly annoyed. “I saw the video.”
“What video?”
She pulled out her phone and turned it around. A grainy security cam clip played of Ethan diving across a street to save a delivery box from falling under a car, then pushing through traffic to reach a building.
“She’s gone viral,” Cassandra muttered. “People are calling you ‘Delivery Man X.’”
Ethan blinked. “That’s ridiculous.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What’s going on with you? Yesterday, you were nothing. Now you’ve got money, a trending tag, and somehow landed a contract with Madison Print & Co.?”
His heart skipped. “What?”
“I checked the logs. They posted on social media—‘Proud to support local startups. First courier partnership signed with Ethan Cross Logistics.’”
[System Update: Media Coverage Triggered. Reputation Boost +5.]
He smiled despite himself. The system wasn’t playing games.
“You should be careful,” Cassandra said. “When people rise too fast, they tend to crash harder.”
“I’ll take my chances,” he replied, sipping his coffee.
She hesitated, then stood. “Watch yourself, Ethan. Liam doesn’t like competition.”
“Then he should’ve stayed in his lane.”
Her eyes narrowed. “You really think you can take on people like us?”
“No,” Ethan said, rising to his feet, eyes locked on hers. “I know I can.”
She didn’t respond.
She just turned—and walked out.
[New Mission Unlocked.]MISSION 002: Win Your First Business Negotiation. Time Limit: 6 Hours. Target: Secure a 3-Month Contract from a Local Vendor. Reward: Trait – Negotiation Boost Lv.1 Penalty: System Freeze for 12 Hours.
[Hint: Choose your opponent wisely.]
Ethan left the café, blood pumping faster than caffeine could ever provide.
He had six hours to lock down a contract.
His mind buzzed. The Wealth Enhancement trait helped, but the negotiation boost was essential if he was going to start building an empire.
He scrolled through his contacts and business cards, searching for someone small enough to consider him... but big enough to make a difference.
Then he saw the name: Manny Ortega – Ortega Electronics.
The man ran a chain of tech repair kiosks in the Metro area. Ethan had delivered parts to him before. The guy was known for being tough but fair—and a ruthless negotiator.
Perfect.
9:42 A.M. — Ortega HQ
Manny Ortega was short, stocky, with a thick beard and sharper tongue. He leaned back in his squeaky leather chair, eyeing Ethan with mild amusement.
“You got balls, I’ll give you that,” he said, swirling his espresso. “But a week ago, you were delivering ramen. Now you want a courier contract?”
“I can offer same-day delivery on tech parts across the city. I’ve already handled eight clients in the past twelve hours. Madison Print is on board.”
Manny snorted. “One swallow doesn’t make a summer, kid.”
[System Passive Engaged: Wealth Enhancement Active. Instinct Surge Detected.]
Ethan leaned forward, tapping the desk lightly.
“What if I make you a deal? First month free. You pay zero. If I fail a single delivery, the contract cancels. If I meet your targets, we go to paid terms from month two.”
Manny’s eyebrow twitched. He tapped his ring on the desk. “Risky. For both of us.”
“But no cost to you. And if I succeed, you gain a reliable logistics arm—cheap and fast.”
[System Trigger: Opponent Hesitation Detected.][Temporary Persuasion Boost Activated.]
“Alright,” Manny said finally. “One month. Screw me over, and you’re done.”
Ethan stood, offered a firm handshake. “Deal.”
[MISSION COMPLETE.][Reward: Negotiation Boost Lv.1 – Unlocks Enhanced Persuasion During Business Deals.] [New Sub-System Unlocked: Client Trust Bar – Monitor Satisfaction Levels.]
As Ethan stepped back into the street, sunlight breaking through the clouds, he felt it again—momentum.
He was moving.
He was building.
He wasn’t just surviving anymore.
He was rising.
[Next Mission Unlocking…][Warning: Side Conflict Approaching. Prepare for retaliation.]
His phone buzzed.
A message popped up from an unknown number.
“You don’t know who you’re messing with. Get ready to lose everything. — L”
Ethan stared at the screen, jaw tightening.
Let them come.
He was no longer the man who got dumped and laughed at in public.
He was Ethan Cross.
And the city had no idea what was coming.
Previous Chapter
Latest Chapter
Blood on the Streets
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
Blood on the Streets
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 Invisible War
The city skyline shimmered under the dying glow of dusk. Ethan sat in the back of his sleek black Maybach, his fingers drumming lightly on the armrest. The hum of the city felt different tonight. Quieter. Like it was holding its breath.“Host,” the system’s voice suddenly rang in his mind, sharper than usual. “New hidden quest detected. Warning: This task will directly impact your survival.”Ethan’s eyes narrowed. “Go on.”Hidden Quest: Eliminate the Invisible Hand. Time limit: 72 hours. Reward: Shadow Authority Trait. Penalty for failure: All accumulated traits will be locked for 14 days.Fourteen days without his enhancements? That was practically asking to be killed in the city’s cutthroat underworld.“Details,” Ethan demanded.The system’s holographic panel flashed in his mind. It displayed a map with three glowing red points scattered across the city. “The Invisible Hand is a covert network controlling political puppets, black-market trade, and assassins. They have marked you for
The Offer He Couldn’t Refuse
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 Hidden Mission
Ethan woke up before sunrise, the city still wrapped in darkness. His body felt different—lighter, sharper, as if every cell was humming with energy. The system’s reward from last night still echoed in his mind.[New Trait Unlocked: Strategic Intuition] Your ability to predict outcomes and read opponents has been enhanced by 300%.It wasn’t just a title. He could feel it working. Every sound in the apartment, every faint movement outside the window, his mind analyzed instantly.Still, something gnawed at him. The last mission had been too easy. The system was never generous without a reason.“System,” he said quietly. “What’s the catch?”For a moment, there was only silence. Then the cold, mechanical voice responded:[Hidden Mission Activated: Survive the Next 72 Hours]Reward: Unknown. Failure: Permanent loss of one unlocked trait.Ethan froze. “Survive? What’s coming?”[Information withheld. The challenge has already begun.]His instincts kicked in immediately. He grabbed his phone a
The Reward and the Threat
The air in the abandoned factory still smelled of dust and fear. Ethan stood over the unconscious body of Carl Vance, the loan shark who had been terrorizing half the district. His men were sprawled across the ground, groaning and clutching their wounds.Ethan wiped the blood from his knuckles, his breathing steady. Inside his mind, the familiar cold chime rang out.[Mission Complete: Neutralize Carl Vance and his crew.][Reward: Combat Mastery Lv. 2 Unlocked.] [Bonus Reward: System Upgrade Available.]He froze. System upgrade? That was new.[Initiating Upgrade…][Estimated Time: 30 seconds.]Ethan’s muscles tensed as warmth surged through his veins, followed by a wave of clarity. Every sense sharpened—his hearing picked up the faint drip of water three rooms away, his eyes caught the twitch of a man’s finger before it even moved.When the voice returned, it was… different. Deeper. More commanding.[Upgrade complete. New Feature Unlocked: Shadow Network.] [You may now recruit and contro
You may also like
An Understated Dominance
Marina Vittori10.8M viewsWAR GOD'S REVENGE
Ardy-sensei82.0K viewsSecretly Rich Son in Law
Banin SN188.0K viewsUnknowingly The Billionaire's Heir
Winner Girl77.0K viewsMarried To My Secretary
Seenbi6.4K viewsThe Vengeful Comeback of Vincenzo Inzaghi
Divine pen835 viewsJeremy Waltz: A Billionaire Incognito
Grim534 viewsThe CEO Nobody Knew
EMILY EVA288 views