2026-09-14 23:18:24Ethan stood in front of the hospital desk, trying hard to keep his voice calm even though his heart was racing.
“I need more time for the deposit. Just one more hour. My name is Ethan Rivers. I just won the Lucky Pearl lottery — two hundred thousand dollars. I’ll bring the money right away.”
The kind older nurse, Mrs. Clara, looked up in surprise. “What’s your sister’s full name again, son? I need to check the file.”
“Sophie Rivers!” Ethan was already turning to run. He disappeared down the hallway before she could ask anything else.
Mrs. Clara blinked, then looked at the computer. Something in Ethan’s urgent voice made her pause. She changed the deadline from one hour to three hours and quietly saved it.
---
Ethan ran all the way to the Lucky Pearl Lottery shop. His lungs burned and his legs felt weak, but he did not slow down. Sophie still needed that money.
When he pushed the door open, the same Eastern woman sat behind the counter. She wore different clothes this time, but he knew it was her. She kept her head down, sewing like she had never left.
“Excuse me,” Ethan said, out of breath.
She did not look up.
“I’ve come to claim the prize. I won.”
This time his voice was louder. The woman finally raised her head. For a second she stared at him like she recognized him from a long time ago.
“Where is the winning ticket?”
Ethan felt his face get hot. In his panic he had torn the whole wire cage — still stuck to a piece of his bedroom door — off the wall and carried it across the city. He set the awkward bundle on the counter with a loud clank.
“It’s… in here. I couldn’t open the cage fast enough, so I just brought everything.”
The woman stared. Then she let out a short laugh.
“You brought the door,” she said, shaking her head. “All right. Let’s check the numbers.”
Ethan stood there, face burning. He wanted to sink into the floor. *I look like an idiot. Who carries a door to claim lottery money? She’s probably laughing at me inside. But I don’t care. I just need the money for Sophie. Please let this work.*
A few minutes later he walked out with two real checks carefully folded in his pocket. The prize was true. The money was true. Relief made his knees feel soft.
---
By the time Ethan got back to City General Hospital, the sky was already getting dark. The big building lights glowed against the glass. He hurried inside, heart pounding. He had asked for only one extra hour, but more than two hours had passed.
*What if they already moved her? What if the surgery got cancelled? What if I’m too late and Sophie is gone?*
The thought hit him so hard he stopped walking for a second. His hands started shaking. He forced himself to keep moving.
Mrs. Clara was still at the desk, talking to another family. Ethan waited, fists tight, watching the clock. Every second felt too long. The fear kept looping in his head. *Please still be here. Please don’t let me be too late.*
When the family finally left, he stepped forward fast.
Mrs. Clara looked up and gave a small smile. “You’re late.”
Ethan’s stomach dropped. “I know. I’m sorry. The shop was farther than I thought and—”
She turned the tablet so he could see the screen. The deposit window for Sophie Rivers was still open.
“I changed it to three hours,” she said quietly. “Your sister’s file showed an address in a neighborhood I know. I didn’t think you could make it back in just one hour.”
The relief hit Ethan so hard he almost sat down. “Thank you. Thank you so much.”
Mrs. Clara took the check, processed it, and nodded. “Go see her when you can. She’ll need her brother.”
Ethan left the hospital with the first real hope he had felt all day. Sophie’s surgery could happen now. She had a chance.
---
At home the apartment felt quiet and empty. Sophie’s room still smelled a little like her shampoo. Ethan sat on the edge of his bed and stared at the eye tattoo on his palm.
He pressed a finger to the mark.
A clear screen appeared in the air in front of him, just like the game windows he used to see on the library computers.
He had never been good at school computer classes. Money problems forced him to leave college and find work. But he knew games. He used to spend hours in the city library playing one called The Grand Master Alchemist. In that game a poor young man learned to make special pills and slowly became rich and powerful.
This screen felt almost the same.
“Can you understand me?” Ethan asked out loud.
Words appeared right away.
[Daily task window has closed.]
[First task complete.]
[Reward is waiting in the bag.]
[Come back tomorrow for more questions.]
Ethan frowned. “That’s all? You’re just going to tell me to wait until tomorrow?”
In the lower corner of the screen a small picture glowed — a simple leather bag, exactly like the inventory bag from The Grand Master Alchemist.
Ethan’s breath caught.
The system was not just a strange voice. It was set up like the game he loved, the one where a struggling alchemist climbed from nothing to wealth and power.
A slow smile pulled at the corner of his mouth.
Maybe this was the start of the same kind of climb.
And maybe now Sophie would get to see it too.
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Chapter 20
The loud pop of the silver pistol cut through the night air, and a small metal bullet tore straight toward Ethan's chest with deadly speed.Time seemed to slow down to a crawl. Ethan pulled Sophie behind his back with his left hand, his eyes locked on the flying piece of lead. The Nine Heavenly Path Technique surged through his veins, filling his fingers and palms with blinding speed. He did not dodge or jump out of the way. He raised his right hand in front of him and caught the bullet right out of the air between his thumb and index finger.A sharp metallic ring echoed through the quiet alley.Silence fell instantly over the entire street.David stopped smiling. His mouth stayed wide open, his eyes popping out in
Chapter 19
The heavy iron hatch sealed shut behind them, cutting off the roar of the fire and the choking smoke of the burning tower.Ethan stood in the dim light of the drainage tunnel, his arm wrapped firmly around Sophie to keep her steady. The air down here smelled damp and old, but it was clean enough to breathe. The distant sound of rushing water echoed through the concrete pipes, mixing with the low rumble of traffic far above their heads in the city streets of Lagos.We cannot stay here long, Victoria said, clicking off her small emergency flashlight to save the battery. My uncle Marcus controls the municipal security cameras. If he realizes we escaped through the drainage system, he will have every sewer exit blocked within ten minutes.Sophie looked up at Ethan, her face pale
Chapter 18
Thick gray smoke rolled through the open doorway like a creeping monster, filling the underground room with a sharp, choking chemical smell.Ethan pulled Sophie closer against his chest, wrapping his jacket tighter around her face to keep her from breathing the poisonous air. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her small hands grabbed onto his shirt.Don't worry, Sophie. I am right here. You are going to be okay, Ethan said, his voice steady even as his heart raced.Victoria stood near the edge of the smoke, coughing slightly as her face turned pale with fury. Her uncle Marcus was not just trying to trap them. He was planning to burn the entire lower level down and bury every secret of Sterling Holdings in ash.My unc
Chapter 17
The iron door slammed shut with a heavy, final sound, plunging the small medical room into total blackness.Ethan stood frozen in the dark. The cold air felt heavy against his skin. He reached down and touched the bed again, his fingers tracing the cold plastic of the oxygen mask. It was empty. The monitors were completely dead.Victoria stood near the door, her breathing shallow. Even in the dark, her voice cut through the silence with sharp surprise.This was not supposed to happen, Victoria said, her usual calm tone finally cracking. I gave strict orders. She was supposed to be kept as leverage, not moved or harmed.Ethan did not answer her. He closed his eyes and let his mind go quiet. For the past two days, sin
Chapter 16
The elevator shook violently and stopped dead between floors. The bright overhead lights blinked out completely. Only the dim, red emergency glow remained, casting long shadows across the small metal box.Victoria did not even flinch. She stood her ground in the dark cabin, her dark leather coat brushing against Ethan's arm as the robotic voice echoed from the ceiling speaker about the facility lockdown.It looks like my security team is very efficient, Victoria said, her voice entirely calm. They realized I was compromised and cut the power. We are stuck between floors, Mr. Rivers. And the air in this shaft is on a timed filter.Ethan kept the alchemical needle pressed firmly against her neck. He did not care about the lockdown or the dark elevator shaft. His mind was fixed
Chapter 15
The sound of heavy tactical boots filled the ruined office as a dozen armed guards fanned out across the room, locking down every exit. Victoria Sterling stood at the front, her dark leather coat catching the light of the city below. She looked down at David, who was still scrambling backward on the floor like a frightened dog, then turned her sharp gaze back to Ethan.Put that down, David, Victoria said again, her voice completely calm and deadly.David dropped the metal statue with a loud clatter. He scrambled to his feet, pointing a trembling finger at Ethan. Aunt Victoria! He broke in! He destroyed the office and tried to kill me! Make these men shoot him right now!Victoria did not even glance at her nephew. She kept her cold eyes fixed on Ethan.
