After almost two hours of sitting helplessly outside the apartment gate, Jayden finally gathered enough strength to stand up and entered his apartment.
His clothes were soaked in blood and dirt, his body bruised and battered. His eyes blinked uncontrollably, and he swayed slightly as dizziness threatened to take over. Yet amidst all of this, the pain stood out... sharp, consuming, unforgettable.
Once inside, Jayden didn't bother removing his bloodied shirt or wiping the grime from his skin. He collapsed directly onto his bed, uncaring of the mess he left behind. Right now, only one thing consumed his mind—the strange interface that had appeared when he regained consciousness after blacking out from the beating.
"Infinite Wealth System? Show yourself," Jayden said hoarsely, his voice filled with curiosity despite the pain.
> [I'm always here if you need me, host.]
The system interface blinked into existence before his eyes like a holographic projection, suspended midair.
"Why am I seeing this screen in front of me? Why are you in my head?" Jayden muttered in confusion.
> [It's because I have merged with you, host. Like I said, you were chosen as the bearer of the Infinite Wealth System. I'm here to rewrite your destiny and assist you in building the greatest financial empire in history.]
Jayden's jaw dropped, stunned into silence. He hadn't expected anything remotely like this in his life, yet he found himself completely captivated by the words on the glowing screen.
"But that's... impossible. I'm just a poor guy with nothing. You must've picked the wrong person," Jayden said with a weak nod, still trying to process it all.
> [Not right, host! You should be thrilled to receive this gift, yet here you are sounding like a defeated soul. Frankly, I should abandon you, but fortunately for you, I'm bound stay with you until the end. I cannot make such a decision on my own.]
Jayden squinted at the screen.
> [Alright! Let's get to action.]
The green interface shifted, now revealing a new section filled with stats and numbers that immediately grabbed Jayden's full attention.
[Host Stats]
[Name]: Jayden Cole
[Age]: 22
[Net Worth]: $0
[Wealth Points]: 0 WP
[Assets Owned]: None
[Titles]: None
[Attributes]:
-Intelligence: 7/100
-Charm: 2/100
-Charisma: 4/100
-Confidence: 3/100
-Influence: 1/100
-Reputation: 0/100
-Combat: 4/100
"What are these?" Jayden asked, his eyebrows raised.
> [These are your current statistics, host. As you complete tasks and advance, more features will unlock, and these values will evolve.]
> [Since you already understand your Name, Age, and Net Worth, I'll break down the rest for you.]
> [Wealth Points]: These are gained alongside money from completing tasks. Their amount varies depending on task level.
[Tasks]: Divided into four tiers—Bronze, Silver, Gold, and Black. Bronze tasks are the easiest; Black tasks are the greatest.
[Assets]: These include everything you own of significant value—Cash Balance, Stocks, Real Estate, Cryptocurrencies, Businesses, etc.
[Titles]: Awarded based on achievements. Each title is linked to specific milestones in your journey to wealth and influence.
[Attributes Explained:
-Intelligence: Your ability to analyze investments, predict market trends, outsmart rivals, and strategize long-term.
-Charm: Your talent for winning people over, especially romantically. It influences social situations and connections—especially with women!
-Charisma: Unlike charm which is private and personal, charisma is public and powerful. It allows you to inspire people, lead movements, and dominate conversations or negotiations.
-Confidence: Determines your resilience in public, your ability to take risks, and how strongly you carry yourself.
-Influence: Measures your ability to sway decisions, call in favors, and shape events.
-Reputation: Reflects how society views you. High reputation opens doors to elites and fame. Low reputation keeps you hidden—but sometimes, that's useful.
-Combat: This shows your physical strength and basic fighting skills. When some punk wants to slap you, go for his nose.]
> [You can grow all these attributes by completing tasks. With commitment and courage, you can change your life, host.]
Jayden took a deep breath, rereading the stats as if to reassure himself that all this wasn't some fever dream. His eyes lingered on the words for a long time.
"So it's true... this system is really here to help me," he muttered, still unsure of how to react. And yet, a wide grin had begun to stretch across his face, refusing to fade.
> [Ready for your first task, host?]
> [The Infinite Wealth System rewards generously, no matter how absurd or outrageous the task may seem.]
"I'm ready. Let's get on with it," Jayden said, his voice now firmer.
[Task #001 (Bronze Level)]: Flirt with a rich girl and get her number.
[Reward]: $100,000
[Duration]: No deadline.
"Wait, what? What kind of task is this?" Jayden blurted out, his expression twisting in disbelief.
> [An easy one, host. It's a Bronze-level task, after all.]
"What the actual f**k? Every girl on campus hates me. I'm literally the guy they mock for sport... how the hell am I supposed to pull this off?"
> [The challenge is yours to overcome. Think about the reward—you wouldn't want to miss out just because of your low self-esteem.]
Jayden's gaze fell back on the reward: $100,000. His heart skipped a beat. It seemed almost too good to be true, but he couldn't deny the pull it had on him.
If he could somehow complete this single task, he'd go from broke to a hundred thousand dollars overnight. That kind of money could change his entire life.
"Okay, fine... I'll try," he muttered with a sigh, still visibly shaken.
> [Good choice. While there's no time limit, I suggest you act fast to free up space for new tasks. Remember, higher-level tasks bring even greater rewards.]
> [And I assume the host doesn't want to keep being a loser...]
Jayden flinched at those words. His eyes lit up with a spark of determination.
"Can you... maybe help me with some tricks or techniques to pull it off? I mean, I'm not that kind of guy," he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck.
>[Unfortunately, this is where I cannot intervene. Completing the task is entirely up to you.]
Still painted with frustration, Jayden nodded. He pushed himself up from the bed, limbs aching. Without wasting more time, he limped to the bathroom, washed away the dried blood and sweat, and cleaned his wounds as best he could.
He took a few painkillers he had leftover from grueling labor jobs. It was late. His energy was gone.
Hospitals were too expensive. Even local pharmacies were out of reach. He had no money, not even enough for good food.
And if he didn't save what little he had left... he might starve to death.