By sunrise, Jason Chen wasn't sleeping.
He sat cross-legged on his mattress, eyes glued to the glowing system panel in front of him like a man possessed. Hunger gnawed at him. Fatigue tugged at his limbs. But his focus was razor sharp.
> [Suggested Task: Invest in Street-Level Business.]
[Option 1: Food Cart License – Cost: $2,000 | Reward: Business Template Unlocked + Daily Income Stream]
[Option 2: Digital Side Hustle – Cost: $1,000 | Reward: Passive Crypto Bot + Social Influence Tracker]
Jason didn't hesitate.
> [Select: Food Cart License]
> [Transaction Complete.]
[Location Recommended: East Avenue Station Exit 2 – High Foot Traffic, Low Competition.]
A man with no options would see a food cart as desperation.
Jason saw his first empire brick.
---
8:43 AM – East Avenue Station, Exit 2
The city bustled. Suits rushed by with coffee cups. Teenagers loitered with headphones. Street noise clashed with car horns. Jason stood in a vacant corner beside an old newspaper stand, holding a folded blueprint and a prepaid permit sent instantly to his email via the system.
Behind him stood a rented pushcart painted matte black, clean and sleek. The sign:
"Iron Brew – Wake the Hell Up."
> [Cart Customization: +10% customer curiosity. Added system feature: Dynamic Pricing.]
He grinned.
Jason had never sold coffee in his life. But the system installed a flash of knowledge in his mind—brewing ratios, milk textures, caffeine blends. He wasn't just winging it.
He was loaded with data.
> [Time-Limited Buff: Hustler's Edge – First 6 Hours of Business = Triple Earnings.]
The first customer—a bleary-eyed salaryman—stopped at 9:01 AM.
"What's this?"
Jason smiled. "Stronger than Starbucks. Half the price. Free shot of hazelnut today."
The man hesitated.
Then bought two.
By 10:00 AM, Jason had a line of eight people. By 11:00 AM, he had a rival.
---
11:12 AM – Arrival of Trouble
"Hey, kid! This is my turf!"
Jason turned to see a burly vendor stomping over from a cart twenty meters down. His apron read "Kong's Brewhouse." His arms were folded. His voice thundered.
"You can't just set up here!"
Jason stayed calm.
"This is public sidewalk. I've got the permit." He showed it.
Kong grabbed it, squinted, and clicked his tongue.
"New guy, huh? Don't know how things work around here. This is East Avenue. You pay fees. To me."
Jason's smile didn't waver.
> [Optional Quest Triggered: Dominate Local Street Vendors – Phase 1: Outsell Kong's Brewhouse.]
[Reward: $5,000 + Territorial Passive: Street King I]
He leaned in slightly, his voice low but steady.
"You know what your problem is, Kong? You sell coffee like it's 2005. Times change."
Kong scoffed. "Let's see how long you last, rookie."
The crowd shifted uncomfortably.
Jason turned back to the next customer.
"Three minutes, and it's free," he said.
People started timing him.
---
1:30 PM – Break Point
> [Daily Sales: $947. Pending Bonus Applied.]
[System Boost: Word-of-Mouth Multiplier Engaged – Nearby Traffic Increase by 25%.]
Jason wiped sweat from his forehead. His arms ached from non-stop pouring and steaming, but his smile never faded.
Kong watched from afar, arms crossed, jaw tight.
Jason saw the look.
He was winning.
But then—
> "You're Jason, right?"
The voice was soft. Feminine. Curious.
Jason looked up.
She was stunning—long black hair tied into a ponytail, dressed in a fitted navy blazer and jeans. No makeup, no high heels. Just clean elegance and piercing brown eyes.
"I saw your name on the app," she said, holding up her phone. "Iron Brew. You're trending on GrubLink."
> [New Variable Detected: Unknown Female, Affinity Score: 74%]
[Possible Encounter Type: Romantic / Business Ally]
Jason blinked. "Sorry, what app?"
She smiled faintly. "You're the talk of three forums and a coffee review site. People are saying 'the East Avenue guy is either a genius or insane.'"
He laughed. "Bit of both."
"I'm Vanessa," she said, extending a hand. "Vanessa Liu. I manage vendor partnerships at Blaze Market."
Jason shook her hand, intrigued. "Big e-commerce group?"
"Very," she said. "And we're scouting independent creators to onboard for street-to-digital expansions."
> [System Alert: Major Opportunity Incoming. Accepting her proposal may trigger Early Expansion Arc.]
Jason narrowed his eyes.
This wasn't luck. This was momentum.
"I'm listening."
---
2:15 PM – Kong's Desperation
Jason stepped away for a five-minute break. Vanessa waited with him near a street bench, talking projections. Jason took it all in—but his ears still caught the commotion behind them.
Kong was shouting again.
"—he's stealing my business! He's manipulating prices!"
Jason didn't turn. He didn't have to.
The crowd chose with their feet.
Iron Brew's line doubled. Kong's withered.
Jason sipped his own brew and smiled.
---
4:00 PM – System Report
> [Daily Profits: $1,983]
[Objective Completed: Outsell Kong's Brewhouse]
[Reward: $5,000 + Street King I (Customers trust your product more than nearby competitors)]
> [New Objective: Scale to 3 Locations within 7 Days]
[Reward: $25,000 + Staff Recruitment Feature Unlock]
Jason returned to the garage that night not with shame—but with cash, data, and a partner's business card.
He lay on his mattress with a grin that wouldn't fade.
---
Elsewhere – Vanessa's Apartment
Vanessa Liu poured herself a glass of wine and opened her laptop. Jason's name was already on the Blaze priority file.
> Jason Chen – Vendor Prospect, Tier 1 Potential
"Gritty. Charismatic. Extremely adaptive. Likely scalable."
She tapped the screen thoughtfully.
That smile… it wasn't just business.
---
Jason's Garage – That Night
Jason pulled up the system panel one last time before sleep.
> [Net Worth: $7,142]
[Passives: Hustler's Edge (Temporary), Street King I, Charisma Lv.1]
[Allies: Vanessa Liu (Business Potential: High / Romantic Potential: Medium-High)]
> [System Suggestion: Maintain contact with Vanessa. She may be key to your first leap.]
He stared at the ceiling with his hands behind his head.
"Step one," he whispered. "Done."