Suddenly, one of the girls on the call, noticing the slight redness in Martin's eyes, called him out with a teasing tone. "Oh? Is our little Martin going to cry? Did he miss us this much?"
The lighthearted question broke the trance, and Martin blinked, quickly wiping at his eyes, feeling slightly embarrassed but also relieved that the teasing remained gentle. He chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Nah," he said, trying to play it off, though his voice wavered slightly. "I think I just got some dust in my eye."
The group erupted in laughter, but there was an undercurrent of affection in their voices. "Sure, sure," one of the guys laughed, "just 'dust.' We missed you too, man."
Martin smiled, the warmth in his heart growing. It felt good to be here, among friends. He realized now that while his old worldview wasn't exactly wrong, it had been limited—narrow. There was so much more out there, not just the supernatural, but the connections he had forgotten about, the small joys in everyday life that were worth holding onto.
"Okay, okay," another friend said, finally bringing some order back to the chaotic call. "Now that Martin's back in the fold, how about we all make a plan to meet up in person? It's been way too long."
The suggestion floated in the air, and Martin felt a strange blend of excitement and hesitation. But this time, he didn't want to let the opportunity slip by. These were the people who knew him before his world had shifted—before the system and the wishes, before the villa and the mystery. They were his anchor to something real, something simple.
"I'm in," he said softly, though the words carried more weight than he expected. And as he said it, Martin realized that maybe, just maybe, balancing both worlds—the normal and the supernatural—was possible after all.
The video feed settled back into its rhythm, the faces of his friends still laughing, still teasing, and Martin found himself smiling in return, the heaviness in his chest lifting just a little bit more.
Martin ended the group video call with a smile, feeling lighter than he had in days. The laughter and banter had done more for his mood than he realized, and the prospect of reconnecting with his friends in person had filled him with a strange mix of excitement and nostalgia.
They had all agreed to meet for dinner at Lakeside Grill, a trendy spot known for its cozy ambiance and waterfront view. It was a good choice, and Martin found himself looking forward to it, despite the quiet anxiety that always accompanied meeting old friends after so much time apart.
Pushing those thoughts aside, Martin slipped into his workout clothes and left his apartment, eager to continue his newly established routine. The crisp morning air greeted him as he started his light jog down the familiar streets.
His feet moved easily, each stride a reminder of the wish that had transformed his body.
Despite the change, Martin knew that maintaining this level of fitness required more than just the system's intervention. The wish had given him a boost, a head start, but it didn't mean his body would stay in optimal condition forever. He suspected that without consistent effort, he would eventually fall back into his old habits.
The wish had been immediate, but it wasn't clear if it had any lasting effects without his input. To test that theory, he pushed himself through his jog and later, during his workout at the park.
He joined a group of early morning fitness enthusiasts in the open-air gym, running through a series of exercises on the pull-up bars and benches. Each movement felt natural and fluid, his muscles responding with ease, but Martin still noted the exertion.
This wasn't the result of a wish anymore—this was his body adapting and responding to the effort he put in. Satisfied with the results, he wrapped up the session and stopped by a small deli to grab a light meal, enough to refuel after his workout but not so heavy that it would slow him down.
Back at his apartment, Martin showered, enjoying the feeling of the hot water washing away the morning's exertion. By the time he dried off and dressed, he was perfectly on schedule, returning to his laptop with fifteen minutes to spare before the critical 12:00 noon mark.
He settled onto the couch, opening his trading account. The account had already been verified, and Martin now had access to thousands of stock options from various companies. However, he knew better than to test the rebate on famous names like Tesla or Amazon. That would draw too much attention.
For now, he needed to experiment quietly.
With this in mind, he opened a blank notepad beside him and began listing ten potential companies, all in relatively obscure but promising industries.
He focused on car racing tracks, hotel chains, restaurant chains, and grand malls—businesses that were profitable but wouldn't raise too many red flags if he started acquiring shares.
His eyes scanned through the list of companies, quickly jotting down names:
1. Speedway Ventures (Car Racing Track)
2. VeloCircuit Group (Car Racing Track)
3. Prestige Lodges (Hotel Chain)
4. Oceanview Suites (Hotel Chain)
5. AeroMall Holdings (Grand Mall)
6. Capital Galleria (Grand Mall)
7. Savory Dining Group (Restaurant Chain)
8. Gastronomix Ventures (Restaurant Chain)
9. TrackStar Holdings (Car Racing Track)
10. Blue Horizon Inns (Hotel Chain)
Martin didn't care about the value of the companies. The amount of money he invested wasn't the point—the test lay in the system's rebate. What he wanted to see was how many shares the rebate would gift him after he purchased a small portion through legitimate means.
He reasoned that the system's multiplier would likely offer far more in return, and that was what intrigued him most.
As the final company name was written down, a familiar sensation swept over him. The world around him dulled, as if fading into the background, and the now-familiar chime echoed in his head, signaling that the system was active once again.
The space in front of him warped slightly, golden lines twisting and bending until they formed the now-recognizable countdown. 00:59 appeared, and the numbers began to tick down slowly, signaling the arrival of the crucial midday moment.
Martin glanced at his notepad, heart beating steadily, as the numbers counted down. He had his plan ready. This was just another test in a long series of experiments to see how far the system could take him.
"Let's see what the rebate offers me this time," Martin murmured expectantly.
As Martin hovered his finger over the purchase button, ready to buy a single stock at random, a sudden idea struck him. Why limit himself to just one investment? He was already operating within a system of impossible odds, so why not diversify and see how it played out? His trading account showed $20,000 in liquid assets, and he knew that if he played it safe, spreading the investments out would mitigate suspicion. Besides, he wanted to test the system's limits—and diversification was the perfect way to do that.
With a sense of clarity, Martin made the decision to split his assets evenly. He quickly pulled up the list of companies he had jotted down earlier, his pen tapping against the notepad as the plan solidified. Each company would receive $2,000, a modest investment for any seasoned trader, but one that held a different weight with the system in play.
His fingers moved rapidly over the keyboard, confirming his list of desired shares for all ten companies: Speedway Ventures, VeloCircuit Group, Prestige Lodges, Oceanview Suites, AeroMall Holdings, Capital Galleria, Savory Dining Group, Gastronomix Ventures, TrackStar Holdings, and Blue Horizon Inns. Satisfied with his choices, Martin tapped the button, purchasing all the shares in one go.
For a brief moment, the room seemed to hold its breath. He waited, uncertain of what would come next. He had yet to test whether or not the system's "golden minute" would be consumed by the first transaction or if it would affect all ten purchases made simultaneously. There was a part of him that worried he'd overplayed his hand—but then, the familiar sensation washed over him, signaling the system's activation.
Without suspense, the rebate was triggered as predictably as ever. The golden lines materialized in the air before him, twisting into familiar patterns that spelled out words, while a mysterious voice echoed inside his mind.
[You spent $20,000 and triggered a 4,989x rebate!]
[Reward 1: $99,780,000!]
[Reward 2: 10% Prime Shares!]
Martin's eyes widened in disbelief. His heart pounded in his chest as the numbers flashed before him. He had expected a rebate, but not this. The multiplier—4,989 times his investment—was by far the highest he had ever seen since the system first awakened.
The sheer amount of money that appeared in the first reward option left him speechless: $99,780,000.