Jason stared at his phone, the unknown caller's words still ringing in his ears.
"You're not the only one playing the game."
A chill ran down his spine.
Up until now, he had thought this system was his alone—some bizarre, one-in-a-billion phenomenon that had changed his life overnight.
But now?
Now he had competition.
And if someone else had access to their own version of this system, what did that mean for him?
Was he being watched? Tracked?
Jason took a deep breath, pushing aside the unease creeping up his neck.
This wasn't a time to panic.
If there was someone else in this game, that just meant one thing—
He had to win.
And to win, he needed to keep moving forward.
His eyes flicked to the system interface.
A new notification had appeared.
New Mission: Purchase a vehicle worth at least $30,000.
Reward: 3x return.
Jason's pulse quickened.
$30,000?
That was almost everything in his account.
This wasn't like before, where the missions had been relatively low risk.
Now, the system was pushing him.
He could walk away from this mission and play it safe.
Or—
He could gamble everything and turn $30,000 into $90,000.
Jason smirked.
The choice was obvious.
The Dealership Gamble
Jason arrived at the Harrington Luxury Auto Showroom just as the sun was rising, its golden rays reflecting off the sleek metal bodies of high-end sports cars lined up like trophies.
The place reeked of money.
And today, he was ready to spend big.
A sharply dressed salesman, a man in his early forties with a polished demeanor, approached with a well-practiced smile.
"Good morning, sir. Looking for something in particular?"
Jason ran a hand through his hair, glancing at the cars.
"Something fast. Something that makes a statement."
The salesman's smile widened. "Then you're in the right place."
He gestured towards a matte-black Audi R8, its sleek curves practically screaming power.
"$32,000," the salesman said smoothly. "Low mileage. Absolute beast on the road."
Jason's heart pounded.
This was it.
He pulled out his card, forcing himself to stay calm as he swiped.
The machine beeped.
Transaction Approved.
The moment the receipt printed, Jason's phone buzzed.
Mission Complete!
$90,000 has been deposited to your account.
Jason let out a slow breath, his fingers tightening around his phone.
New Balance: $92,307.45.
He had just walked in here with $30,000.
And now he was leaving with an Audi R8 and $90,000 more.
It was official—he was unstoppable.
Or so he thought.
The Rival Appears
As Jason exited the dealership, keys in hand, a sleek black McLaren P1 pulled into the lot.
The car was a monster—aggressive, low to the ground, and easily worth millions.
Jason frowned. Who the hell was driving that?
The door swung open, and a tall man in his mid-twenties stepped out, dressed in a crisp navy suit with a Rolex gleaming on his wrist.
His blond hair was neatly styled, and his sharp blue eyes locked onto Jason like a predator spotting prey.
Jason immediately got a bad feeling.
The man smirked, strolling over casually.
"So," he said, his voice dripping with amusement. "You must be Jason Reed."
Jason stiffened. "Who's asking?"
The man chuckled. "No need to play dumb. You got the call last night, didn't you?"
Jason's pulse quickened.
This guy…
He was the other player.
The man extended a hand.
"Elliot Carter. Heir to the Carter Financial Empire. And, like you… a participant in this little 'game.'"
Jason didn't shake his hand.
Instead, he crossed his arms. "And what exactly do you want, Elliot?"
Elliot's smirk widened.
"Just to introduce myself," he said smoothly. "After all, we're both climbing the same ladder. But the thing is—"
His gaze flicked to Jason's new Audi with mild amusement.
"Some of us are climbing faster than others."
Jason clenched his jaw.
He had just spent $30,000 on a car.
But Elliot had just rolled in with a million-dollar McLaren like it was pocket change.
The gap between them was huge.
Elliot chuckled, taking Jason's silence as an answer.
"Well," he said, turning back toward his car. "I'm sure we'll be seeing each other again."
He shot Jason one last smirk.
"Try to keep up."
Then, with a roar of the engine, Elliot sped off, leaving Jason standing there, fists clenched.
Jason exhaled sharply.
He had thought he was winning.
But Elliot Carter had just made one thing clear—
This game wasn't just about making money.
It was about who could dominate the competition.
And Jason?
He hated losing.