Chapter 10 - The Countdown Begins
Dave sat on his couch, staring at the system's countdown timer.
Weekly Mission:
"Accumulate 50,000 System Points in 7 days."
Time Remaining: 2 days, 15 hours, 26 minutes.
System Points Earned: 30,000.
'20,000 more system points,' Dave thought, frustration bubbling up. He had tried everything—investments, high-risk purchases, and quick flips—but hitting 50,000 system points in just a week was proving to be tougher than he anticipated. His recent fight with the thief had only been a brief distraction. Now, the reality of the mission loomed large over him.
The worst part was the unknown. He had no idea what the system's punishment would be for failing the mission. And it wasn't like he could just let it go. The penalties had to be severe. The system had already shown how powerful it was by rewarding him with huge sums of money and rare items. He could only imagine what it could take away.
---
The next morning, Dave woke up early and checked his account balance. He still had a significant amount of money left—enough to keep making more moves—but the problem wasn't how much cash he had. It was the ratio.
**System Points Conversion:**
$1,000 = 1 system point.
He'd have to spend $20 million in 2 days just to finish this mission, and that wasn't realistic. His investments were solid, but there was no way he could liquidate enough assets in time.
---
**Time Remaining:** 1 day, 8 hours, 12 minutes.
**System Points Earned:** 35,000.
Dave sat at his desk, scanning his computer screen for potential investments. He was tempted to go all-in on a medium-sized tech company that was rumored to be bought out, but the risk was too high. He could lose everything.
'I'm running out of time,' he thought, anxiety creeping in. His hand hovered over the keyboard. 'Maybe I'm overthinking this. If I just keep spending, I can make up the points.'
But something held him back. What if this wasn't the right way to go about it? The system had given him incredible power, but it also seemed to test him, push him to his limits. Maybe this mission was another test.
---
Later that night, Dave headed to the gym to work off some stress. The system had been generous with daily missions, and the exercise routines had been beneficial to his body. He felt stronger, faster, more capable. But even with his improved physical condition, the weight of the weekly mission pressed down on him.
**Time Remaining:** 10 hours, 56 minutes.
**System Points Earned:** 40,000.
After finishing his last set of push-ups, Dave sat on the bench, sweat dripping down his face. He had a sinking feeling. The mission was slipping through his fingers, and he was running out of time. 'This is impossible,' he thought.
---
With only a few hours left on the clock, Dave tried one last effort. He liquidated some smaller investments, buying up high-value items with the hope that they would push him closer to his goal. He spent $5 million on luxury watches, $3 million on rare art, and another $2 million on collectibles. Every purchase brought him a bit closer, but it wasn't enough.
---
Time Remaining: 3 minutes, 20 seconds.
System Points Earned: 48,000.
Dave's heart raced as he stared at the countdown timer. He was so close, but there wasn't anything more he could do. 'Just 2,000 more points,' he thought, pacing around his apartment. The system had brought him this far, but now it seemed like it was taunting him. Was this some kind of cruel joke?
He checked his bank account. 'If only I had a bit more time…'
---
Time Remaining: 10 seconds.
System Points Earned: 48,000.
Dave's breath caught in his throat as the final seconds ticked away. He had never failed a system mission before, and now he was about to find out what happened when he did.
5... 4... 3... 2... 1.
**Mission Failed.**
The notification flashed in front of his eyes, and his stomach dropped. He braced himself, waiting for the punishment. But nothing happened. For a brief moment, there was only silence, and the world seemed to hold its breath.
Then the screen flashed again.
**Penalty Incoming.**
But before Dave could process it, everything around him went black.