The cool night air hit him as he stepped outside, and Alex breathed it in like it was his last chance to make something happen today.
His mind raced with possibilities.
Who needed help at night? He walked around the block, glancing at the various apartments and stores nearby.
It wasn't like he had much money to offer, so handing someone a few bucks wasn't going to cut it.
After walking for a few minutes, he found himself standing in front of a convenience store.
He figured he could at least try something—holding the door open for someone seemed like a decent start.
Just as he stepped toward the entrance, a woman emerged, balancing a bag of groceries and a coffee.
She caught the door just in time, smiling at Alex with a soft "thanks."
"Uh, no problem," Alex muttered.
That wasn't exactly what the Quest App had in mind.
She hadn't looked like she was in need of help—just trying to carry her groceries without spilling coffee.
Still, she appreciated his gesture.
Feeling somewhat unsatisfied, he made his way down the street.
He tried again a few blocks away. This time, he saw a man trying to fix a flat tire on his bike.
"Hey, do you need help?" Alex asked, stepping forward.
The man gave him a puzzled look.
"I'm fine, just need to tighten this a little," he said, already tightening the bolts.
Alex scratched his head, confused.
Wasn't this supposed to be about helping someone who actually needed help? Everyone seemed to be fine on their own.
"Okay, well... Good luck, I guess?" Alex offered, stepping back awkwardly.
The man gave him a nod, clearly not needing any more assistance.
Alex wandered through the streets, each attempt to help feeling increasingly futile.
Every person he encountered seemed perfectly fine.
He opened doors, offered directions, even tried to help a group of teenagers struggling with their phone's screen protector (which they clearly didn't need help with—Alex had no idea how to apply one anyway).
He sat down on a nearby bench, frustrated.
"What am I missing?" he muttered aloud, looking up at the dim streetlights.
"They need help, but no one's actually asking for it…"
It wasn't long before his mind wandered back to the Quest App. Maybe he was overthinking it. Maybe it wasn't about big gestures or dramatic rescues.
He sighed, rubbing his temples. He'd tried.
But as he began to turn back toward home, something caught his attention.
He saw a woman in a police uniform, her back pressed to a brick wall, looking around in panic.
A man in a hoodie had dashed past her a moment ago, and she seemed to be fumbling with her radio, trying to call for backup. Alex paused, narrowing his eyes.
The woman was clearly distressed, her movements erratic as she glanced down the street, her hand resting on her gun holster.
She was looking for something, or someone.
Alex's heart skipped a beat. Was this... the person in need of help?
He wasn't sure why, but something clicked in his mind.
'This woman actually needed help.'
He could tell by the way she was frantically searching, looking over her shoulder.
She was alone, clearly out of her element.
Alex's instincts kicked in.
He approached her cautiously, making sure to appear non-threatening.
"Hey, uh, do you need help?" he asked in a slightly cheeky tone, though there was real concern in his voice.
"I know a shortcut that can catch up with the guy you're chasing."
The woman looked him over, suspicious, her breath coming in shallow gasps.
"Who are you? What are you talking about?"
Alex didn't hesitate. "I live around here," he explained quickly.
"I've seen that guy before. If you're looking for him, I can help you catch him."
The officer stared at him, weighing his offer.
"You know this guy?" she asked, her voice tinged with both skepticism and a hint of relief.
"Yeah," Alex said, nodding enthusiastically.
"I've got a shortcut that'll take us right to him. It's not far. But you've gotta move fast."
The officer hesitated, but the distress in her eyes was unmistakable.
"Alright, show me the way," she said, her voice calm but firm.
Without wasting another second, Alex led her down the back alleys, through familiar shortcuts he'd discovered while exploring his neighborhood.
The air felt tense, the night alive with the sound of distant footsteps. He had no idea how fast the thief had gotten away, but he was pretty sure they could catch up.
They sprinted down a narrow alley, and Alex could feel the officer gaining confidence as they moved quickly.
She was good—better than he expected—but he could see the exhaustion setting in as she moved through the dark streets.
Finally, after a few twists and turns, Alex stopped suddenly.
He heard faint sounds of movement from behind a dumpster. The thief was just ahead.
Without thinking, Alex gestured for the officer to stop and crouched down.
He glanced at her, his voice low.
"We've got him. Ready?"
The officer nodded, her breath coming in quick bursts, but her eyes were focused.
They crept closer to the dumpster. With a quick motion, the officer lunged forward, grabbing the thief by the shoulder and slamming him into the wall.
"Gotcha!" she barked, as the thief struggled.
Alex stepped back, watching with a grin. The officer had everything under control now, but it felt good to have been part of something that actually mattered.
As the officer cuffed the thief, she turned to Alex, her face softening with gratitude.
"Thanks. I didn't know what I was going to do if I lost him. You really saved my ass there."
"No problem," Alex said, shrugging nonchalantly.
"Just glad I could help."
Later, after the police took the thief away, Alex walked home with a sense of accomplishment.
He'd finally completed the quest—and it was nothing like the little attempts he'd made before. This time, he had actually helped someone in genuine need.
He pulled out his phone and opened the Quest App to check the completion message.
[Quest Complete]
Reward: ???