"You're fired! Pack your trash and get out!"
The shouting was so loud that spit landed on Alex's face. He stood frozen in the middle of the office, holding a stack of cheap files. His knuckles turned white.
"Manager Wang, please," Alex said, his voice trembling slightly. "I really need this job. My rent is due tomorrow. If I don't pay—"
"I don't care if you live on the street!" Manager Wang, a fat man whose belly strained against his cheap shirt, sneered. He pointed a sausage-like finger at the door. "The company is cutting costs. You are the most useless person here. Get out!"
Alex gritted his teeth. He wanted to punch that greasy face. He wanted to scream. But he couldn't. He was a nobody. A broke orphan with $12 in his bank account.
He lowered his head, grabbed his cardboard box, and walked out. Behind him, he heard his coworkers laughing.
"Finally, that loser is gone." "He wore the same suit for three years. He smelled like poverty."
Alex walked out of the building into the scorching summer heat. It felt like the world was baking him alive. He checked his phone. One message.
Jessica: Meet me at Star Café. Now.
His heart jumped. Jessica. His girlfriend of two years. At least he had her. As long as she was with him, he could survive this.
He ran three blocks to the café, sweating through his shirt. When he arrived, he saw her. She was sitting by the window, looking beautiful in a red dress.
But she wasn't alone.
A man in a white suit was sitting next to her, his hand resting casually on her thigh. It was David, the son of a local real estate tycoon.
Alex walked over, his stomach churning. "Jessica? What is this?"
Jessica looked at him. Her eyes were cold. There was no love in them, only disgust.
"Alex, we're done," she said flatly. She didn't even blink.
"Done? What do you mean?" Alex pointed at David. "Because of him?"
David laughed. It was a mocking, grating sound. He tossed a set of car keys on the table. The Porsche logo glinted in the sunlight. "Don't be stupid, Alex. Look at you. You're sweating like a pig. You have no job, no money, and no future. Jessica deserves a real man. A rich man."
"I... I can find another job!" Alex stammered. "Jessica, we promised—"
"Promises don't pay for LV bags, Alex," Jessica interrupted. She sipped her iced coffee. "David just bought me the limited edition bag I wanted for months. You couldn't even afford to buy me dinner for our anniversary. It's over. Stop embarrassing yourself."
Alex felt like he had been slapped. The other customers were staring. Whispering.
"Look at that loser." "Getting dumped in public? Harsh."
David stood up and smirked. He pulled a hundred-dollar bill from his wallet and threw it at Alex's chest. The bill fluttered to the floor.
"Here. Take a taxi home. You look pathetic walking."
David grabbed Jessica's hand, and they walked out, laughing. They got into the Porsche parked outside. The engine roared, and they vanished into traffic.
Alex stood there. Alone. The hundred-dollar bill lay near his shoe.
He didn't pick it up.
He turned and walked out. He walked for hours until he reached the old bridge overlooking the river. The sun was setting, casting long, dark shadows over the water.
"Why?" Alex shouted at the empty river. "Why is the world so unfair? Just because I'm poor? Just because I don't have money?"
He clenched his fists so hard his nails dug into his palms.
"If I had money... I would crush them. I would make them all pay."
Suddenly, a sharp pain pierced his skull. It felt like a needle stabbing his brain. Alex grabbed his head and fell to his knees.
A cold, mechanical voice rang out inside his mind.
[DING!]
[Host's strong desire for wealth detected.]
[Binding System...]
[10%... 50%... 100%.]
[System Bound Successfully.]
[Congratulations, Host. The God-Tycoon System has been activated.]
Alex gasped, blinking tears from his eyes. A transparent blue screen appeared floating in the air right in front of him.
[Host: Alex] [Level: 1] [Balance: ∞ (Infinite)] [Current Mission: The First Bucket of Gold.] [Task: Spend $1,000,000 in the next 60 minutes.] [Punishment for Failure: Obliteration.] [Reward: Beginner's Gift Pack + 10 Attribute Points.]
Alex stared at the screen. He looked at the "Infinite" symbol next to his balance.
"Infinite?" he whispered.
He pulled out his phone. His banking app notification popped up.
[Account Balance: ERROR. Value too high to display.]
Alex's hands started to shake. But this time, it wasn't from fear.
A grin slowly spread across his face. A terrifying, crazy grin.
"You want me to spend money?" Alex looked at the city lights. "Fine. I'll spend it all."