The morning light filtered through the haze over Neo-Shanghai, casting a pale glow across the city's jagged skyline. Jun Xi stood by his shattered window, the damp air curling in, his dark eyes fixed on the phone in his hand. 7,947 Union Coins. That's where he'd landed after last night's VortexCoin haul and the system's midnight interest—378 UN stacked on his 7,569 profit. Day four of five, and he was 80% to the mission's 10,000 UN goal. Close enough to taste, but he wasn't stopping there. His lips curved into a faint, calculative smirk. He'd doubled his money twice now—once more, and he'd bury the mission under a pile of cash.
He set the phone down on the counter, next to his chipped mug of instant coffee, and sipped the bitter brew. 7,947 UN at 5% was 397 UN daily—nice, but trading was the real engine. Yesterday's 3,700 had jumped to 7,569 in hours. If he pushed 7,900 today, hit another 100% spike, he'd clear 15,000 by nightfall. With interest, he'd be at 16,000 by midnight—over 50% past the goal with a day to spare. "System," he said, his voice steady, "update me."
"Mission: Reach 10,000 UN in 5 days. Current funds: 7,947 UN. Time remaining: 2 days, 11 hours. Progress: 79.47%."
"Almost there," he murmured, tapping the phone against his palm. "Let's finish it today." He liked the rhythm—each win feeding the next, the system's hum a constant in his skull. He pulled up the crypto exchange, scrolling with intent. VortexCoin was cooling off—0.28 UN, down 10%—but the forums were alive with a new contender: EclipseCoin. 0.25 UN per coin, up 40% in eight hours, whispers of a whale pumping it hard. Risky, volatile, perfect.
He leaned against the wall, the damp chill seeping through his jacket, and ran the math. 7,900 UN would buy 31,600 EclipseCoins. A 50% jump would net 11,850 UN; a 100% would hit 15,800. "Big fish," he muttered, his smirk sharpening. "Let's hook it." He tapped in the order—7,900 UN, leaving 47 UN as a buffer—and watched it clear. 31,600 coins, his now. "Go big or go home," he said, pocketing the phone.
He couldn't sit on this—not with the stakes climbing—so he grabbed his jacket and headed out. The street buzzed: vendors flipped skewers on grills, a kid darted by with a drone toy, hovercars whined above. Jun Xi kept his pace steady, aiming for TechFix. Lina's voice from last night lingered—skeptical but sold, her sharp eyes locked on his. She'd bought in, and today he'd tighten that net. The new PC was due, and he needed her gears turning faster.
The shop's sign flickered as he stepped in, the air warm with solder and static. Lina was behind the counter, unboxing the sleek black tower he'd ordered—matte finish, blue vents glowing faintly. She glanced up, her dark hair loose, her jumpsuit smudged with grease. "Right on time," she said, nodding at the rig. "Your quantum beast's here—5,000 UN, as promised. Cash ready?"
Jun Xi grinned, pulling out his phone and flashing the screen: 7,947 UN. "More than ready. EclipseCoin's my play today—7,900 in. Should hit 15,000 by tonight if it pops."
Her eyebrows lifted, but she kept her cool. "15,000? You're not messing around. What's the endgame, Jun Xi?"
He leaned on the counter, his tone smooth but deliberate. "Endgame's big—tech empire, money machine, maybe space someday. I'm at 8,000 now, doubling daily. You keep the hardware humming, I'll keep the cash flowing. 10% of profits you touch—deal's still on."
She set the PC down, crossing her arms, her gaze piercing. "Space, huh? You're either crazy or a visionary. Alright, I'm in—tech's mine. This rig's yours, paid up. What's next?"
"Next, you tune it," he said, tapping the tower. "Crypto trading, AI coding—push it to the edge. I'll be back tomorrow with more. Dinner again tonight—9 PM, Jade Noodle. Bring ideas."
She smirked, leaning closer. "You're relentless. Fine—9 PM. I'll bring specs, you bring results."
"Always," he said, holding her gaze with a flirty edge. "See you then." He left with a nod, her eyes trailing him, and stepped into the street with a quiet buzz in his chest.
By 1 PM, EclipseCoin hit 0.38 UN—a 52% jump. His 31,600 coins were worth 12,008 UN. He let it ride, checking at 4 PM: 0.51 UN. A 104% spike. 16,116 UN. He sold, the funds landing at 15,955 UN after fees. A low laugh slipped out, his pulse steady despite the rush. "Over the line," he murmured, pocketing the phone. Midnight would add 797 UN, pushing him to 16,752—66% past the goal, a day early.
He cleaned up at home—black shirt, fresh jeans—and hit Jade Noodle by 8:50 PM. Lina walked in at 9 sharp, sweater swapped for a dark jacket, a tablet under her arm. She slid into the seat, her eyes locking on his. "Results?" she said, pouring tea.
He slid his phone over: 15,955 UN. "Told you—15,000 and change. Mission's done, and I'm not stopping."
She stared, her cool cracking for a moment. "You're a freak," she said, handing it back. "16,000 in four days? Alright, here's my end." She tapped the tablet, pulling up a spec sheet. "PC's tuned—crypto algorithms, AI frameworks, ready to roll. I can code too—basic stuff. What's the next play?"
He leaned back, sipping tea, his grin sharp. "Next, we build. I've got cash, you've got tech. Start small—trading bots, maybe apps. We'll scale fast. You in deeper?"
She paused, then nodded. "Deeper. Bots sound good—profit split's fine. Let's net something big."
"Big's my specialty," he said, his tone flirty but firm. "To the net tightening."
She clinked her cup against his. "To not getting caught."
Midnight chimed as he walked home, the system pinging: "Mission complete. Funds: 16,752 UN. Reward: 20,000 UN + Advanced Coding Skill. Total: 36,752 UN. Next mission pending." He smirked into the night. The net was tightening—on the city, on Lina, on everything. He was just getting started.