"I swear, if I don't find a way to make money soon, I'll start eating air for dinner."
I stared at my bank account. Balance: $3.47.
Rent was due in three days. I had no job. No skills. No future. The only thing I had was a dream—to play Treasure World Online, the most hyped game of the decade. It wasn't just a game. It was a goldmine. People were making real money selling in-game treasures. Some guy found a "Cursed King's Ring" and sold it for $50,000. Another dude found a legendary ship and auctioned it for $200,000.
Me? I couldn't even afford the $200 game package.
I sighed and scrolled through the TWO forums, torturing myself with stories of players getting rich. My stomach growled. I checked my fridge—half a bottle of ketchup and a single slice of bread. The true survival game.
Just as I was about to close my phone in frustration, a notification popped up.
> CONGRATULATIONS! You've won the Daily Scratch-Off Lottery!
Prize: $500,000
I blinked. Then blinked again.
"…Huh?"
I checked my lottery ticket—the one I bought as a joke with my last spare dollar. The numbers matched.
I actually won.
My hands trembled. My heart pounded. My soul left my body.
"OH MY GOD, I'M RICH!"
For the first time in my miserable life, I saw hope. No more instant noodles. No more dodging my landlord. I could finally buy the game!
I rushed to the lottery office, claimed my winnings, and felt true power as they handed me a check. I was unstoppable.
And then…
I got scammed.
Like an idiot, I trusted a "financial advisor" I met online. A smooth-talking conman who promised to "double my money" through "special investments." I gave him everything except for a few thousand.
Poof. Gone.
…
…
I lay on my bed, staring at the ceiling in silence.
After an eternity of self-hatred, I checked my remaining balance. $1,500 left. Enough for one last gamble.
"…Screw it."
I clicked BUY on Treasure World Online. If real life wanted to screw me over, I'd make my fortune inside the game.
3 day's has pass.
The game arrived instantly.
That was weird. TWO had a two-week delivery waitlist, yet my copy appeared in my account immediately. Even stranger, instead of the normal version, the installation screen read:
> Installing: "Treasure World Online – Beta Access Version"
…Beta?
I didn't sign up for any beta. The game wasn't even in testing anymore—it was a fully released MMO.
I hesitated for a second. Then shrugged.
"Well… if it works, it works."
I hit LAUNCH.
The screen flickered. The air around me buzzed. My screen glitched for a split second, and then—
[WELCOME, BETA TESTER.]