[Godavarikhani – Evening, 2011]
The golden evening light washed over the dusty lanes of Godavarikhani. Srinivas walked with a quiet pride, ₹700 warm in his pocket. His success with samosa sales and the Airpel recharge promotion had sparked something inside him—a feeling he hadn't known in his previous life: momentum.
[System Notification]
Quest Completed: Earn ₹500
Reward Granted: Business Intuition (Lv.1)
Description: Ability to sense market trends, read customer behavior, and identify potential opportunities around you.
Srinivas's eyes shifted. He noticed patterns—subtle cues he never paid attention to before. A shop sign too high to catch the eye. A cluster of people murmuring around a newspaper headline. A street hawker losing sales due to bad placement.
The world wasn't the same. Or maybe... he wasn't.
As he neared the corner of the vegetable market, he spotted a thin woman sitting on the curb with a little girl clinging to her. Their clothes were dusty, the mother's eyes sunken with fatigue.
The girl was staring silently at a nearby balloon vendor.
Srinivas's feet slowed.
[System Alert]
Hidden Quest Detected
Help someone in need without expecting a reward.
Time Limit: 60 minutes
Reward: Unknown
He exhaled slowly. "A test of character, huh?"
He approached the woman. "Aunty, is everything alright?"
She looked up, startled. "Yes, beta. Just waiting for the bus. My husband didn't get his wages… my daughter wanted to come see the market."
The girl tugged her mother's dupatta, still looking at the balloon.
Without a word, Srinivas walked to the vendor. "One red balloon, please."
"₹10," the man replied.
Srinivas paid, took the balloon, and knelt in front of the girl.
"Here. For you."
She blinked. Then grinned. A smile as pure as sunrise.
The mother's eyes welled. "You're a good boy, beta. Thank you."
[Hidden Quest Completed]
Reward Unlocked: Observation Boost (Lv.1)
Skill Info: Enhances awareness, reads micro-expressions and body language, and improves detection of hidden business leads.
Srinivas looked back at the vendor's stall. A typo in the sign: "Baloon" instead of "Balloon."
[Business Intuition Activated]
"Correct the spelling, add a catchy line, reposition the stand near the tea stall = increased visibility = better sales."
He walked back.
"Uncle, small tip—fix the spelling and write something like: 'Smiles start here.' Set your cart near that tea shop where people gather. You'll get more customers."
The vendor raised his brows. "Eh? You sure?"
"Very."
The vendor smiled. "You've got a sharp mind. Come back tomorrow—I'll give your little sister one for free."
Srinivas chuckled. "She's not my sister, but thanks. I might stop by."
As he walked away, his thoughts drifted.
"The system rewards not just smarts—but heart."
Somewhere in Maibadh, a boy named Kamal was staring at an old photograph with tears in his eyes.
And far away in Eturnagaram, a cricket jersey lay folded on a dusty table, its owner staring at the ceiling, lost in dreams he thought he had buried.
Srinivas looked up at the stars now peeking through the dusk.
"I died chasing love… I'll live chasing legacy."