Zaky lay back on the stiff hospital bed, his heart still pounding from the brief encounter with the boy. He had made an offer—his very first attempt at a sale. It was a tiny thing, barely meaningful in the grand scheme of things, but it represented something important: the beginning of his journey. The candies were cheap and insignificant, but they were also the key to completing his first mission.
He glanced at the glowing message hovering faintly in the corner of his vision:
[Mission 1: Sell an Item and Earn Your First Profit]
It was still there, waiting, pulsing with a faint light, like a reminder that the smallest step forward was still progress. Even the simplest of exchanges mattered. The system didn't ask him to make a fortune right away—just a single sale. But that simplicity didn't make it feel any less daunting.
Zaky exhaled slowly, his breath shaky with anticipation. Everything depended on that boy returning. What if he didn't come back? What if he couldn't find the extra five hundred rupiah? Doubt gnawed at the edges of Zaky's thoughts.
He fought the urge to dismiss everything as silly. The system was real. He knew that now. The glowing text and the voice in the darkness weren't hallucinations—this was something bigger than him. It was strange and unexplainable, but it was real.
The voice's words echoed once more in his mind: "Every journey begins with a single step."
He clenched his fists. He had to finish this mission. He couldn't back out now. Even if it was just a bag of candies—this was the start of something bigger.
Time seemed to crawl. Minutes passed in agonizing slowness, the seconds ticking by like molasses. Zaky kept his eyes glued to the door, waiting for the boy to return. Each creak of the hospital floor outside sent a flicker of hope through him, only to fade when the sound passed his room.
His thoughts wandered as he waited. Why had the system chosen him? What had the voice meant about hunger—was it really just about his dream of getting a sports car? Or was there something deeper, something Zaky hadn't even admitted to himself?
He thought back to his life before the accident: the teasing, the bullying, the shame. Every cruel word and mocking laugh had left a scar, making him feel smaller and smaller. He hated the way people looked at him—like he didn't matter. But now, for the first time in his life, he had a chance to change all of that.
A soft knock interrupted his thoughts. Zaky sat up, his heart leaping. The door creaked open, and the boy from earlier poked his head in, grinning from ear to ear. "I got it!"
The boy stepped into the room, holding out a crumpled five-hundred-rupiah note triumphantly. "I asked my sister for it," he explained proudly.
Zaky felt a strange mix of relief and excitement wash over him. This was it. His first sale. He reached for the bag of candies on the nightstand, pulling out a small piece and holding it out.
The boy handed him the two crumpled notes—one thousand rupiah in total—and took the candy with a gleeful smile. "Thanks!" he chirped before skipping out of the room.
As the door swung shut, Zaky stared at the coins and bills in his hand, his heart pounding with disbelief. He had done it. The sale was real. It wasn't much, but it mattered.
Suddenly, the glowing notification in his vision pulsed brightly, and a soft chime echoed in his mind.
[Mission 1 Complete: Sell an Item and Earn Your First Profit]
The message shimmered, then shifted into a new notification:
[Reward: Basic Knowledge of Small-Scale Transactions]
Zaky blinked, feeling a strange warmth spread through his mind—like a lightbulb flickering on. It wasn't a physical sensation—more like a quiet realization taking shape. He suddenly understood something that hadn't made sense before:
It wasn't about the candy. It was about the value people placed on things. Even the smallest item had worth if someone wanted it enough. And the act of selling—convincing someone to make an exchange—was a skill in itself.
Zaky sat back, the crumpled bills still clutched in his hand. This was the lesson the system had given him—understanding that value wasn't fixed. It wasn't just about money or expensive things. Value was about perception.
And with that knowledge came a flicker of confidence.
A new notification appeared in his vision:
[Mission 2: Identify an Opportunity in Your Environment and Make a Trade]
Zaky stared at the message, his heart beating faster. The system wasn't going to stop with one sale. It wanted him to keep going—to find new ways to make exchanges, to learn more with each step.
He let out a slow breath. The first mission had been easy enough, but this next one felt different. Identifying an opportunity wasn't as straightforward as selling candy. He would have to think—really think—about what people needed or wanted.
The hospital room felt a little smaller, a little more confining, as Zaky considered his next move. He didn't know how long he would be stuck in the hospital, but that didn't matter. The mission was clear: find an opportunity, make a trade.
He glanced around the room, searching for inspiration. What did the people in the hospital need? The doctors, the nurses, the patients—was there something he could offer? Something small, but valuable?
His mind whirled with possibilities. He thought about the nurse who had brought his breakfast—what if she needed help? Maybe there was something he could do in exchange for a favor or a small reward.
He thought about the other patients—perhaps they wanted something to brighten their day. Was there a way to offer them a small comfort? A service?
The voice in his mind returned, soft and encouraging. "Opportunity is everywhere, Zaky. You only need to see it."
He nodded to himself, a small smile forming on his lips. He was starting to understand.
This wasn't just about completing missions—it was about changing the way he looked at the world. The system was teaching him to see beyond the surface. Every interaction, every object, every situation had the potential to be an opportunity. He just had to find it.
For the first time in a long while, Zaky felt something stir within him—a sense of purpose.
He wasn't just a poor kid trying to survive anymore. He was on a mission. A mission to become wealthy, one step at a time. And with each mission, he would gain the knowledge and skills he needed to climb higher.
Zaky leaned back against the pillows, a small spark of determination glowing in his chest. The system had given him a gift. It was up to him to use it.
The journey was just beginning. And Zaky was ready to take the next step.
He stared at the new mission hovering in his vision: [Identify an Opportunity in Your Environment and Make a Trade.]
"I can do this," Zaky whispered to himself, gripping the crumpled bills a little tighter.
And for the first time in his life, he truly believed it.