Chapter 2 - Mark

Arthur clicked the last application, "Inventory." Instantly, a box appeared on the mobile screen. In this box, he saw two items: a golden box and a piece of paper. He guessed that this inventory was akin to those in-game inventories where he could store anything. The main question was how he would retrieve the golden box and paper from the mobile.

Perplexed, he clicked on the paper, and it instantly materialized in his hand. The simplicity of tapping to retrieve astonished him; he never thought it could be so straightforward.

Staring at the paper, its content unknown, he discovered it was instructions for his mobile.

"Instructions:

- You can use your regular mobile phone functions on this device.
- If you lose or break your phone, don't worry. This mobile will automatically come to you and repair itself.
- As your level increases, more applications will unlock.
- Use fame points to upgrade your skills and status.
- Special applications are invisible to others.
- Level up by gaining sufficient experience."

As he finished reading, the paper vanished. "So, these are the instructions," Arthur murmured. "But, yeah, it's time to see the golden box," he said, quickly tapping it. The golden box appeared in his hand. Without hesitation, he opened it, and golden light surrounded him. After a while, the light disappeared, but Arthur felt no apparent difference.

Curious, he thought about checking the status application, which surprised him.

"Status:

Name: Arthur Farnandes
Level: 1
Job: Newbie detective
Mystery points: 0
Strength: 13
Agility: 11
Intelligence: 10
Physique: 12
[A/N: Normal human status point is 10.]

Skills:

- Cooking (Level 2) [You can cook food.]
- Detective (Level 2) [You can solve mysteries.]
- Martial Art (Level 3) [You can fight properly using martial arts.]
- Kickboxing (Level 2) [You can fight using kicks.]
- Driving (Level 2) [You can drive your car.]
- Lie Detector (Level 1) [You can detect if anyone is lying.]
- Observation (Level 1) [You can observe anything or anyone.]"

He noticed his detective level had increased to level 2, and he had acquired new skills like lie detection and observation.

Back to the present, Arthur returned to his room and dressed up in a black T-shirt, a black jacket, black jeans, and black boots. Today marked the beginning of a new life, and the attire matched the occasion. Considering it was December, he wore the jacket.

Mark had instructed him to come to the Candle cafe, located 1.4 km from his home. Opting not to walk, he pulled out his old motorbike, purchased during his time in detective college.

Five minutes later, Arthur arrived at the cafe, parked his bike, and entered.

"Hey, Mark, how are you?" He waved to his best friend and approached him.

"Hey man, why so serious? Did I make you wait long?" Arthur asked Mark, noting his serious expression.

"No, man, sigh. It's just this case; it's got me speechless," Mark replied with a sigh.

"Hey, man, chill. Why worry about it? It's my case, so let's focus on it," Arthur said, maintaining a cheerful demeanor. Mark Barron was not just a friend but a brother. Muscular with sharp eyes and black hair, Mark had been Arthur's steadfast companion, always there even in dire situations.

"Stupid!! Why don't you understand that this is your last chance? If you make a mistake like before, and the client reports it to the authorities, your detective license will be banned. You know what happens if your detective license gets banned? You won't be able to receive any cases. Understand? If that happens, you won't be able to fulfill your dream," Mark warned.

These words warmed Arthur; he was fortunate to have such a caring friend. Mark had excelled in detective college, becoming the best student. After graduation, he became a police detective, and with his father as the police chief, Mark joined the force. Already solving two cases, Mark had earned some holiday.

"Shess… don't worry, dude. This time, I won't make any mistakes. It's my promise. So, chill, bro, and tell me about the case. Why didn't the client contact me?" Arthur asked him.

"Nothing, the client came to me to solve the case, but I told her I'm very busy at the moment. I recommended you, my friend, a talented detective. So, now you understand how you got this case?" Mark explained, sipping his coffee.

"Thank you, dude. Seriously, thank you very much. And don't worry. This time, I will solve this case without a mistake," Arthur declared confidently.

"Now, back to our main point. Tell me the details of this case," Arthur prompted him. With his newfound level 2 detective skill, he was confident in solving it quickly.

"Wait, sometimes. I already called the client. They will arrive here quickly, so you can ask them about the case," Mark informed him.

To be continued."