2026-10-16 18:01:45Williams woke early and checked the System. The new message was short.
[New quest active.
Title: Find the Source
Task: Discover who truly ordered the change to the family trust within 48 hours.
Reward: 20 QR points and a basic investigation skill.
Failure: The host loses all claim to the remaining family assets.]
He already knew Raymond wanted the papers. The System said someone else stood behind him. Williams needed proof.
He left the cheap room and walked to a public library. The Basic Information Skill helped him notice small details in old newspaper files and company records. He spent three hours reading. One name kept appearing next to his uncle’s name in business deals from five years ago—Mr. Harlan, a rich man who owned several restaurants and warehouses in the city.
Williams froze when he saw the address of one warehouse. It was the same place where the fat manager had taken him twice.
The fat manager worked for Harlan.
Williams closed the files and left the library. Everything connected now. Raymond was not working alone. Someone richer and more powerful wanted the family trust.
He needed to see Aunt May again. She had helped him once. Maybe she knew more.
He called her from a public phone. She answered on the second ring.
“Can you meet me?” Williams asked. “Somewhere quiet.”
There was a long pause. “The old park near the river. One hour. Do not come to the house.”
Williams arrived early and sat on a bench under a tree. Aunt May came wearing a simple coat and a worried face. She sat beside him but did not look at him at first.
“Raymond is looking for you everywhere,” she said. “Your uncle is angry. They think you stole the papers.”
“I took what belongs to me,” Williams answered. “Who is Mr. Harlan?”
Aunt May’s hands tightened on her bag. “How do you know that name?”
“I found it in old records. He does business with Uncle. The restaurant manager works for him.”
Aunt May looked around the empty park. Her voice dropped. “Harlan lent your uncle a lot of money years ago, after your parents died. Your uncle could not pay it back. Harlan has been waiting for a chance to take the family company. Raymond made a deal with him. If Raymond gets control of the trust, he will sell part of the company to Harlan. Your uncle is too weak to stop them.”
Williams felt cold even though the sun was warm. “So the fat manager was never just angry about the meal. He was watching me for Harlan.”
Aunt May nodded. “Be careful. Harlan does not fight with words. He uses people like the manager to hurt anyone who stands in his way.”
Williams stood up. “Thank you for telling me.”
“Williams…” Aunt May touched his arm. “Your father wanted you to have that trust. Do not let them take it. But do not get yourself killed either.”
He left the park and walked toward the river. He needed a plan. He could not fight Harlan with money alone. He needed proof of the deal between Raymond and Harlan.
The System spoke again.
[Hint: Important documents often stay close to the people who sign them.]
Williams thought about the warehouse. The fat manager kept records there. Maybe the deal papers were inside.
He waited until dark. Then he went back to the industrial area. The warehouse looked empty, but a light shone from a small office window at the side. Williams moved carefully, using the skill he had gained from the earlier fight. He stayed in the shadows and reached the window.
Inside, the fat manager sat at a desk counting money. On the desk lay an open folder. Williams could see signatures—Raymond’s name and Harlan’s name on the same page.
He needed that folder.
Williams tested the back door. It was locked, but the lock was old. He found a thin piece of metal near a trash pile and worked the lock until it clicked. He slipped inside.
The manager did not hear him at first. Williams moved behind a stack of boxes and waited. When the manager stood up to put the money in a safe, Williams stepped out, grabbed the folder, and ran for the door.
“Stop!” the manager shouted.
Williams did not stop. He ran into the dark street. Heavy footsteps followed. Two men from before were already outside. One swung a wooden stick. Williams ducked and kept running. The Basic Self-Defense Skill helped him stay on his feet when a hand grabbed his jacket. He twisted free and kept going until he reached a busy road with taxis and people.
He did not look back. He jumped into a taxi and told the driver to take him far away.
In the back seat he opened the folder. The papers were clear. Raymond had signed a secret agreement with Harlan. In return for helping Raymond take the trust, Harlan would get half the family company. The date on the paper was only three days old.
Williams now had proof.
He paid the taxi and found another cheap room for the night. He hid the folder under the mattress and sat on the bed.
The System confirmed the quest.
[Quest complete.
Reward: 20 QR points and Basic Investigation Skill received.]
[QR Points: 51]
Williams felt the new skill settle in his mind. He could now see patterns faster—connections between people, places, and money.
He looked at the folder again. Tomorrow he would decide what to do with it. He could show it to lawyers. He could force Raymond to stop. Or he could use it to protect the trust until he turned twenty-five.
But Harlan already knew Williams was causing trouble. The fat manager would tell him everything.
Williams turned off the light.
Somewhere in the city, powerful people were already planning their next move. And this time they would not send only two guards.
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Chapter 012: Proof and Pressure
Williams woke with the folder still under the mattress. He checked it three times before leaving the room. The secret agreement between Raymond and Harlan was the strongest weapon he had. If he lost it, everything would fall apart.He walked to a quiet café and ordered tea. While he drank, the System gave a new quest.[New quest active. Title: Protect the Proof Task: Keep the agreement papers safe and show them to someone who can stop the deal within 24 hours. Reward: 25 QR points. Failure: The papers are taken or destroyed, and the host loses all leverage.]Williams already knew who could help. A real lawyer. Not one controlled by his uncle or Harlan.He used the Basic Investigation Skill to search for names. One lawyer appeared often in old cases against powerful businessmen—Mr. Elias, a man who had won against rich people before. His office was in a plain building on the other side of the city.Williams took a bus and arrived before noon. The office was small. The secretary
Chapter 011: The Real Face
Williams woke early and checked the System. The new message was short.[New quest active. Title: Find the Source Task: Discover who truly ordered the change to the family trust within 48 hours. Reward: 20 QR points and a basic investigation skill. Failure: The host loses all claim to the remaining family assets.]He already knew Raymond wanted the papers. The System said someone else stood behind him. Williams needed proof.He left the cheap room and walked to a public library. The Basic Information Skill helped him notice small details in old newspaper files and company records. He spent three hours reading. One name kept appearing next to his uncle’s name in business deals from five years ago—Mr. Harlan, a rich man who owned several restaurants and warehouses in the city.Williams froze when he saw the address of one warehouse. It was the same place where the fat manager had taken him twice.The fat manager worked for Harlan.Williams closed the files and left the library. E
Chapter 010: The Papers and the Price
Williams stayed in the small rented room until night came. The trust papers lay on the table under a cheap lamp. He read every page twice. His father’s signature was clear. The rules were simple. The money and the company shares could not change hands until Williams turned twenty-five. No one could move them without his name on the paper too.He had stopped Raymond for now. But Raymond would notice the papers were gone. He would start looking hard.The System spoke at last.[Quest complete. Reward: 15 QR points and Basic Information Skill received.]A quiet warmth moved through Williams’s head. Suddenly he understood how to read people better—small signs in their voices, the way they looked away, the things they tried to hide. It was not mind-reading. It was just sharper eyes and ears.[QR Points: 31 Money: 9,150,000 dollars]Still not enough for the big strength skill, but closer. Williams put the papers inside his jacket and left the room. He needed a safer place for them. A ban
Chapter 009: Shadows from the Family
Williams woke before sunrise. The cheap hotel room still smelled of old soap and damp walls. His body ached from the night before, but the new skill made the pain feel smaller. He sat up and checked the System once more.[QR Points: 16 Money: 9,150,000 dollars Basic Self-Defense Skill: Active]Still far from the strength skill he wanted. He needed more points. More quests. More ways to stand on his own feet.He washed his face, put on the same clean shirt, and left the hotel. The morning streets were quiet. He bought simple clothes from a small shop—dark pants, a plain jacket, and shoes that did not look like they came from a restaurant kitchen. After changing in the shop’s back room, he felt less like a runaway worker and more like someone who could walk without people staring.He was thinking about finding a better place to stay when his phone rang. The number was unknown. He answered carefully.“Williams?” A woman’s voice. Soft, but tight with worry. “It’s Aunt May. Your uncle’
Chapter 008: Night Trouble
Williams walked through the dark streets with no clear place to go. He had money now, but he still wore the old server uniform from the restaurant. People looked at him strangely. He needed clean clothes and a safe place to sleep.He found a small cheap hotel near the river. The man at the front desk looked at his dirty clothes and asked for payment first. Williams paid for three nights with his bank card. The man raised his eyebrows but said nothing.In the small room Williams took a long shower. The hot water washed away three days of dirt and tiredness. He put on the only clean shirt he had left and sat on the bed. For the first time in many days he felt human again.He closed his eyes and spoke quietly.“System, show my points.”[QR Points: 6 Money: 9,150,000 dollars]Still not enough for any real skill. Williams opened the store screen and looked at the list again. Strength ×2 needed 100 points. He was far away from that.He was about to close the screen when a loud knock sound
Chapter 007: The Price of Three Days
The fat manager sat behind his big desk and looked at Williams and Laura with a cold smile. Two guards stood near the door. The room felt small and heavy.“Three days are finished,” the manager said. “The money for the food is still not paid. Now I will decide what happens to both of you.”Laura’s hands shook. She looked at the floor and said nothing. Williams stood straight and met the manager’s eyes.“I will pay the fifty thousand dollars right now,” Williams said.The manager laughed. “You? With what money? You came here in dirty clothes and ate like a beggar. Do you think I believe you?”Williams took out his bank card and placed it on the desk. “Check the account.”The manager’s smile became smaller. He picked up the phone and called the bank. After a short talk his face changed. He looked at the card again, then at Williams.“How does a man like you have so much money?” he asked in a low voice.“That is not your business,” Williams said. “Transfer the fifty thousand dollars for
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