Karl wandered through the mall corridor, his eyes gleaming with anticipation as he opened the app to check his next quest.
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[Tutorial Quest 17/20]
Objective: Change the way a group of people perceives cleanliness in public spaces.
Example: Make them feel that cleaning up their surroundings is a heroic act worthy of pride.
Reward: +20 Uncommon Points
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Karl chuckled at the quest description.
"This is starting to sound like some elementary school cleanliness campaign," he muttered. "But it could be interesting."
He glanced around, searching for the perfect spot for his new experiment. Near the food court, a group of college students sat at a long table, casually enjoying their meals while carelessly tossing trash around—used tissues, plastic straws, and food wrappers cluttering the surface.
Karl smirked.
"Target locked."
He opened the app and began typing:
"People in this area will feel that keeping their surroundings clean is a symbol of social status—cool and classy."
Without hesitation, he pressed [YES] and leaned against a nearby wall to observe the effect.
---
The change happened within seconds. One of the students, a long-haired guy in a leather jacket, suddenly stared at his leftover burger wrapper with a contemplative expression. With a dramatic motion, he picked it up and tossed it into the nearest trash can, then returned to the table with a satisfied grin.
"You guys ever think," he said, crossing his arms, "that keeping things clean actually shows a person's character?"
A short-haired girl turned to him and nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I guess. People who are neat and care about the environment look more... sophisticated."
One by one, they followed suit. They began cleaning up their food scraps and tissues, as if it were the most prestigious activity in the world. One even pulled out a bottle of hand sanitizer and proudly offered it to the group.
Karl covered his mouth, stifling a laugh.
"My god, this is more effective than any green campaign."
A guy who had previously been indifferent noticed his friends wiping down the table with such seriousness. Not wanting to be left behind, he grabbed a napkin and started wiping the surface as well.
"I should start paying attention to small things like this. Clean people definitely get more respect."
The others nodded in agreement, and even people from nearby tables started joining in. In less than five minutes, the area transformed into a cleaner space than it had been before they arrived.
Karl peeked at his phone screen.
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[Tutorial Quest Progress: 17/20]
[Uncommon Points: 240]
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"This app really can change the world… in the most ridiculous ways," Karl chuckled. "Alright, next."
He strolled casually toward another section of the shopping mall, opening the app to check his next quest.
---
As Karl walked past the escalators, his eyes remained glued to his phone, curious about the next mission. But before he could read the details, an all-too-familiar and unwanted voice called out from behind.
"Karl? Still wandering around in public?"
The voice was laced with sarcasm and condescension. Karl turned around and found a woman standing there, arms crossed. Her hair was tied up in a ponytail, and light makeup gave her a sharp, serious look.
Sasha.
A former colleague from his previous job. She was infamous for her cynical attitude, always belittling Karl for his supposed lack of ambition and half-hearted approach to work.
"Oh, Sasha. Still busy complaining about other people?" Karl replied flatly.
Sasha scoffed, giving him a once-over.
"I'm surprised. Where are you working now? Or are you still an unemployed drifter wasting time at the mall?"
Karl smirked, slipping his phone into his jacket pocket.
"Wandering around a mall can be considered a job if you're creative enough."
Sasha raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed.
"Oh really? So now you think you're some kind of mall influencer or something?" She folded her arms, her expression growing even more condescending. "You barely showed any progress at your last job. And now you're just getting even more pathetic."
Karl merely chuckled, but in his mind, an idea was already forming.
His app could change the way people perceived common sense. If only he had finished his tutorial quests, he could have given Sasha the punishment she deserved.