Dave woke up the next morning, his mind still buzzing from the events of the previous day. He had spent the night thinking about the possibilities the system offered, but now reality was calling. He had to go to work.
As he dressed, his phone rang. Seeing "Mom" flash on the screen, he hesitated for a moment before answering. "Hi, Mom."
"Dave! How are you, sweetie? It's been a while since we heard from you," his mother's warm voice filled the room, instantly making him feel a little guilty for not calling sooner.
"I'm good, just busy with work," Dave replied, trying to keep his tone light.
"And how's work going? Still at that office job?"
"Yeah, still at the same place," Dave said, glancing at the clock. He was running late, but he didn't want to rush the conversation. "It's, you know, the usual stuff—nothing exciting."
"Well, don't work yourself too hard, okay? We miss you. And how are your sisters? Have you spoken to them recently?"
"Yeah, I talked to them last week. They're doing fine," Dave lied, realizing he hadn't actually checked in with his sisters in a while. "I'll give them a call soon."
"Good, good. Just don't forget to take care of yourself too, alright? We worry about you."
"I know, Mom. Thanks. I'll be fine."
After a few more minutes of small talk, Dave ended the call, feeling a mix of comfort and sadness. He missed his family, but there was so much he still needed to figure out.
As he walked to work, the system's voice suddenly chimed in his mind, startling him. *"Good morning, Host. Remember, you are eligible for rewards beyond money. Today, your return may be different."*
Dave raised an eyebrow. 'Different how?'
But the system remained cryptic, leaving Dave to wonder what it meant. He arrived at his office and settled into his desk, the mundane tasks of the day feeling even duller compared to the excitement of the system. During his lunch break, he decided to test the system again. He went online and bought a $20 gift for a friend's upcoming birthday, curious to see what would happen.
Moments after the purchase, his phone buzzed. Dave opened the banking app, but this time, instead of seeing a cash deposit, he received a notification from a delivery service. The message stated that a package was on its way to him—a "special reward" for his purchase.
Confused but intrigued, Dave returned to work, his thoughts occupied by what might be inside the package. As the day dragged on, he couldn't help but glance at his phone, wondering what the system had up its sleeve this time.