Luck sat on the short stairs outside the motel, squinting at the translucent window that had suddenly materialized in front of him.
The system had customized its own interface to fit his preferences, and he couldn't help but shake his head, caught between laughing and being amazed.
The heads-up display was an exact copy of HEO, the game that had stolen countless nights of sleep from him. At least that part was familiar.
It featured a dark orange background that allowed the surroundings of the motel to peek through, adding an unexpected layer of depth.
The interface glowed softly, presenting information in a clean and organized layout. Icons danced along the edges, their pulsing lights inviting him to click.
He studied the information the system provided, gradually piecing things together.
First, the system wasn't inside him. No, it was linked to the motel itself.
Which was actually good news, because it meant there wasn't some kind of unknown entity lurking in his soul or brain like in those novels he used to read.
No mysterious voice whispering commands or meddling with his thoughts.
'Let's see… Status,' he muttered, clicking the icon shaped like a house.
The window transitioned.
O - O- O - O - O - O
Property Name: [BLANK]
Status: Rundown Motel
Rooms:
> 2 basic bedrooms
> 1 empty store
> 1 common living room
> 1 cheap utility room
> 2 shared bathrooms
Special Rooms:
> None
Property Market Value : 100 E-Coins.
Property Debt : 12,000 E-Coins
Property Tax : 10 E-coins per month
O - O- O - O - O - O
He ran a hand through his hair, muttering, "So I'm managing a dump. How exactly did that old man manage to run this place into the ground?"
Luck now referred to his mysterious grandfather as the "Old Man," a title laced with bitterness.
He hated him for putting him through all of this. If it weren't for the inheritance, he could be back in his room, lost in a video game, free from the responsibilities and chaos that now surrounded him.
But the Old Man was the least of his problems.
What he was worried about right now was being trapped here. Even after gaining the system's approval, he quickly realized that he still couldn't leave the boundaries of the motel.
It was like an invisible barrier was keeping him. No matter how many times he tried, he couldn't get beyond it.
[DING!]
[First Mission: You are a new, aspiring entrepreneur, someone destined to follow in the mysterious footsteps of your grandfather. But before you dive in and start earning millions, how about naming your property first?]
Reward: Bronze Box
'Naming the property, huh? '
It seemed ridiculous—naming the place like that would magically fix anything. Still, it was a start. Maybe giving the motel a name would help it feel less... rundown.
'Alright, let's see… what do I even call this place?'
He rubbed the back of his neck, thinking it over. A name could mean a lot, right?
Maybe it would give the place an advantage. Or maybe it was just another pointless task.
He looked around at the decrepit building, the overgrown weeds, the flickering "VACANCY" sign that looked more like a warning than an invitation. Nothing about this screamed potential or comfort.
'Can't call it Paradise or anything like that.' He snorted. 'False advertising might actually be illegal.'
His eyes fell on the broken windows, the dusty lot, and the faded paint. It was rough, but maybe he could lean into that.
'What about... Final-stop Motel? '
'Has a gritty, honest ring to it. Feels like a place people come to when they've run out of options and was tired of life.' He chuckled, half amused, half resigned.
The system rang, and a new message appeared:
[Property Name Confirmed: Final-Stop Motel]
[Reward: Bronze Box earned!]
Luck blinked in disbelief, "Wait, that's the name now?"
He rubbed his temples, cringing at how awful it sounded.
'I was kidding! Who names a place that?'
But it was too late. The system had accepted it, and a small, bronze-colored chest appeared in front of him.
He was frustrated and wanted to scold the system, but his life depended on it, so he decided to just suck it up.
'Alright, let's see what you've got for me,' he muttered, grabbing the bronze-colored chest and opening it.