The next morning, sunlight filtered through the grimy window into Alex's small room, a stark contrast to the cold, rainy night before.
The first thing he did upon waking was to check if the system interface was still there.
The blue holographic screen appeared instantly at his mental command, perfectly intact. The energy bar read [10/10].
[Daily Tasks Refreshed.]
Three new tasks appeared:
[Task 1: Complete 50 squats. Reward: Stamina +0.2, $20.]
[Task 2: Memorize 50 new words (non-native). Reward: Intelligence +0.2, $15.]
[Task 3: Prepare a nutritionally balanced breakfast. Reward: Stamina +0.1, $10.]
The rewards had increased! Alex felt a surge of motivation. It seemed that as he completed tasks, the difficulty and rewards adjusted dynamically.
More importantly, he felt better than ever. His body was light, his mind clear. The soreness from last night's run was barely noticeable. That +0.1 stamina and agility boost had far exceeded his expectations.
But there was no time to bask in it. Reality still pressed down. Counting the crumpled $45 from last night, plus a few remaining coins, he was still far short of next week's rent. And his e-bike was still broken.
"First, the bike. No repair, no deliveries," he resolved.
After washing up, he dove into the tasks. Squats until his thighs burned, words until his head spun, and with the system-rewarded cash, he bought eggs and bread to make a breakfast.
[Ding! Daily Task 1 completed. Reward issued…]
[Ding! Daily Task 2 completed. Reward issued…]
[Ding! Daily Task 3 completed. Reward issued…]
A series of notification sounds like the sweetest music. His attributes steadily improved—and more importantly, another $45 in cash filled his pockets! Adding yesterday's, he now had $90.
His assets nearly doubled, and his strength, agility, and intelligence all showed tangible improvement. He felt like he could punch through a wall—though, of course, that was just a sensation from his surging power.
Still, $90 plus his meager savings was about $60 short for rent and bike repairs. System energy was down to 1 point (refreshing tasks and completing them might consume energy? He would have to experiment).
He pushed the flat-tire e-bike to a familiar neighborhood bike repair shop run by an older Chinese master. Fair pricing, solid skills.
But today, the shop was closed, a note on the door reading: "Family emergency, closed for a week."
Alex's heart sank. Another nearby shop, "Tony's Bikes," was notorious for overcharging and rude staff. But he had no choice.
Gritting his teeth, he pushed his bike to Tony's. A burly man in grimy overalls, thick beard, and a cigarette dangling from his mouth leaned at the doorway—Tony himself.
"Hey kid, what's up?" Tony exhaled smoke lazily, glancing at Alex's battered bike and worn clothes with disdain.
"Flat tire. Can you fix it?" Alex tried to keep his tone calm.
Tony kicked the tire, inspecting it, then glanced at the bent basket. "Oof… not light damage. Not just the tire—the rim might be bent, brakes need checking. This junk isn't worth fixing."
"I just need the tire patched. How much?" Alex insisted, aware of Tony's usual tactic of overcharging.
"Patch? Ha. Look at you, broke as you are. I'll give you a 'discount'—$40. Take it or leave it."
"Forty bucks?" Alex flinched. "That's half a new tire! Chen Laotou charges only ten!"
"Chen who? That's Chen. I'm me," Tony waved dismissively. "Take it or leave it. Don't block my business." He read Alex's urgency and pressed the advantage.
Alex's chest tightened. Outrage—blatant extortion! But he needed the bike. Just as he was about to cave—
[Instant Task Triggered: Protect Your Dignity]
[Objective: Refuse extortion and force Tony to fix the tire for no more than $15 using reasoning or force.]
[Reward: Strength +0.5, System Energy +5, $30.]
[Failure Penalty: None (but you lose money and feel humiliated).]
An instant task! And the rewards—especially the +0.5 strength—were huge!
The system injected Alex with newfound courage. His eyes changed—no longer timid, but sharp.
He lifted his gaze, staring at Tony's slightly widened, surprised eyes. "Fifteen dollars. Fix it or not."
Tony blinked, not expecting this meek-looking kid to bargain—so firmly. "Kid, you're dreaming. Forty. Not a penny less!"
"This tire's just a standard puncture. Ten minutes max. Materials cost less than two bucks. Fifteen is more than fair," Alex said calmly, his boosted intelligence calculating fast.
Tony faltered, embarrassed and irritated. "I said forty! Take it or leave!" He reached to push Alex's bike away.
Before, Alex would have recoiled. But with +0.2 stamina and the preemptive confidence of the +0.5 strength reward, he stood firm. He had had enough of being toyed with.
As Tony's hand reached the handlebars, Alex grabbed his wrist!
Tony's eyes widened. He struggled, but Alex's grip felt like iron—shockingly strong! (+0.2 stamina + pre-ear