When Alex arrived at the junkyard, it was a few minutes past three. The place was quiet, and he guessed everyone was probably inside—understandable, given how hot the day was. Rusted, broken-down cars littered the area, waiting to be dismembered, and Alex had a hard time even finding the entrance.
He had guessed correctly—because the moment he stepped through the door, twelve pairs of eyes turned to stare at him. Alex froze, unsure of what to say or do. Since he didn't know who the boss was among the six men gathered there, he couldn't go directly to anyone either.
"Ah, you must be Spenser's boy," one of the men said in sudden realization, breaking the increasingly awkward silence Alex had dragged in with him.
Alex shifted uncomfortably, not knowing what to do with himself. His uncle had simply told him to come here, but he hadn't mentioned what kind of arrangement he'd made with his former boss.
"Yes, good afternoon, sir," Alex said quickly, not wanting to offend anyone. He knew all too well that getting off on the wrong foot would make staying here unbearable.
The man only laughed and patted him on the shoulder approvingly. "We just finished dinner. There's a bowl for you over there." He gestured behind him to a table where the other men sat, empty bowls in front of them. "Eat up and rest for a bit. I'll get you settled in after."
Alex glanced at the closed bowl sitting on the table. It hadn't been touched, and he was surprised the man had gone out of his way to buy him food just because of his uncle.
"You didn't have to," Alex said, hesitant. He didn't want to owe anyone more than he already did and tried to politely decline the meal.
Seeing his reluctance, the man chuckled. "Your uncle paid for that. It'd be a shame to let it go to waste." Then he returned to the table, finishing the last of his chicken.
Still slightly doubtful, Alex approached the table and asked, "Did he really pay for it himself?"
"Do you want me to show you the transfer receipt?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow.
That was enough to convince Alex. He pulled out the last empty chair and muttered a quiet hello to the man beside him. The bowl was still warm—it hadn't been sitting there long. As Alex opened the lid, the aroma of egg fried rice filled his nose. His stomach growled greedily.
He had never had anything like this before. Especially not with egg, or meat. His aunt always gave the best parts to her children and left him with the scraps.
"Thank you for the food," he murmured to no one in particular, picking up the spoon. The first mouthful nearly brought tears to his eyes—but he wouldn't cry here. Not over food. Even if it was the most delicious thing he'd tasted in years.
By the time he finished eating, the others had left the table. The portion was a bit large, and it had taken him longer to finish, but his hunger was thoroughly satisfied. A small smile lingered on his lips. Facing the world on a full stomach really did make a difference.
He didn't even want to drink water, afraid it would wash away the taste—but eventually, he did, making his stomach bulge a little.
Feeling relaxed for the first time in a while, Alex leaned back in his chair. His thoughts drifted aimlessly, too slippery to catch or examine. He let his mind run wild in the haze.
---
>{Hello Host, I'm glad you're finally in a better state of mind. Would you like an explanation of the system now?}
Alex was startled out of his daze by the familiar-yet-unfamiliar voice. He sat up, looking around—but, once again, there was no one there.
"It's you again. Who are you?" he asked warily.
>{I am your assistant, bound to you by the system. Would you like an explanation now, Host?}
Alex hesitated. He wasn't sure how to respond. Curiosity tugged at him—he rarely felt that emotion, and it refused to be ignored—but fear lingered too. What if this voice drove him insane?
In the end, curiosity won.
"Explain," he said quietly.
>{I am happy the Host is finally willing to listen. The System is an entity distributed across two worlds every million years, to pass down wealth gathered by the gods—wealth that is now useless to them.}
>{This wealth is converted into money, properties, and skills for the one chosen by the System.}
>{In both worlds, the System selects one person at random to bind with and grant access to these rewards. The binding period lasts fifty years. Once the time is up, the System unbinds, but everything the Host has acquired—money, skills, properties—remains permanently.}
>{You, Host, have been chosen by the Mortal World's System. Your binding reward was sent to your account in Heaven View Bank yesterday. You may access and use the funds however you wish. The exact total can be confirmed when you visit the bank.}
>{You will—}
"Wait," Alex cut in, shaking his head. "Two worlds? You mean there's another world besides this one? And gods?"
>{Host does not need to worry about that for now. You are not yet at the level where answers can be provided.}
>{As I was saying—you will receive a fixed monthly allowance of 10 million starting next month. The funds can be used freely.}
>{Other ways to earn include:}
1. Completing tasks – rewards will be given according to the difficulty.
2. Spending – for every 500,000 spent, you earn 10 points. Points can enhance attributes, level up skills, or be exchanged for money. (500 points = 100 million). Spent money does not include money loaned or given to others.
3. Earning (lvl 1) – income over 500,000 will be multiplied by 2x. Income does not include money lend from others.
4. System satisfaction – the System may grant rewards based on its evaluation of your actions.
>{However, failure to complete tasks will result in loss of money, properties, or skills. The severity of the penalty depends on the importance of the failed task.}
>{This is all Host needs to know for now. The System advises you to visit the bank soon and improve your living conditions. Your first task will be issued tomorrow morning upon waking. Please take all tasks seriously.}
>{I shall leave you to yourself for now. Have a nice day, Host.}