Real World â Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
The dim light of the cybercafé flickered, barely illuminating the rows of VR capsules lined up like high-tech coffins. The hum of cooling fans mixed with the muffled chatter of gamers lost in their own worlds.
Rei sat at the front desk, staring at his empty e-wallet balance on his cracked phone screen. RM12.50 left.
That was all he had to his name.
"Sial..." He exhaled sharply, rubbing his temples.
A notice blinked at the top of his screen:
> Final Debt Payment Due: RM7,600
Overdue: 3 Months
If he didn't pay up soon, the debt collectors would be knocking on his door. Again.
Rei leaned back in his chair, staring at the ceiling. No degree, no job prospects, and a mountain of debt from failed side hustles. He had tried everythingâreselling sneakers, crypto, even streamingânothing worked.
He needed a way out.
And that's when his eyes landed on the promotional banner outside the café window.
> "Earn Real Money in Hustle Online!"
"Craft, Trade, and Conquer the Virtual Economy!"
A VRMMO where players could make real-world cash.
This was his last shot.
The moment Rei slid into the rented VR capsule, the world around him dissolved into a swirling digital void.
A monotone female voice greeted him.
> [Welcome to Hustle Online. Please create your character.]
A glowing interface appeared before him, listing various combat classesâWarrior, Rogue, Mage, Archer.
Each came with powerful skills and flashy abilities.
But Rei already knew the problem: every combat class required upfront investment.
Gear, potions, training manualsâit was a money sink. Broke players didn't survive as fighters.
He scrolled past the list and found a tiny, neglected category: Crafting Subclasses.
Most players ignored them. In a game dominated by PvP, crafters were just NPC replacements.
Then he saw itâ
[Salvager] â A subclass specialized in recovering and repurposing broken equipment.
> Pros: Low entry cost, ability to repair and sell items.
Cons: No combat skills, weak reputation, limited market.
Rei smirked. "Perfect."
Everyone else was fighting for loot. He would take what they discarded and turn it into gold.
He hit confirm.
> [Subclass Chosen: Salvager]
A system prompt flashed in front of him:
> Warning: Salvager is a non-combat subclass. Progression will be extremely difficult. Are you sure?
Rei scoffed. "No choice but to hustle, kan?"
He accepted the warning.
In a flash of light, his new virtual life began.
Rei spawned in Batu Karang, a massive city filled with towering pagodas and futuristic holograms. A fusion of cyberpunk and Southeast Asian aesthetics.
Players in extravagant armor roamed the streets, showing off legendary weapons. Others boasted their high-level guilds and rare mounts.
Meanwhile, Rei?
He was dressed in tattered NPC-tier clothing with zero starting weapons.
A notification popped up.
> [New Player Bonus: 50 Silver Coins]
"Fifty silver? Tak cukup beli teh tarik pun..." he muttered.
Ignoring the flashy guild recruiters and traders, Rei beelined to the city outskirts.
He wasn't here to play the game the normal way.
He was here to exploit it.
And it all started with Reverse Forging.