The afternoon sun streamed through the office windows, casting long shadows across Jin-woo's desk as he dove back into the Jeong Fashion financial reports. With the "Detail-Oriented Professional" title bonus boosting his accuracy, he flew through the remaining data cross-checking purchase orders, reconciling bank statements, and mapping out exactly where the inventory tracking system had gone wrong.
WORK IN PROGRESS UPDATE:
• Reconciled 12 months of cash flow data: +40 EXP
• Mapped inventory discrepancies across 8 store locations: +35 EXP
• Current EXP: 185/200
• SKILL IMPROVEMENT: "FINANCIAL PATTERN RECOGNITION" – NOW LEVEL 2
◦ Bonus increased to +20% accuracy when analyzing financial data
• TASK PROGRESS: 85% COMPLETE
"Jin-woo-ssi! You've been at it nonstop since morning take a break!"
Jin-woo looked up to find Yoo Min-jung, one of the firm's junior accountants, standing beside his desk with a can of iced coffee in her hand. She was a few years younger than him, with bright eyes and a habit of bringing snacks to share with the team during busy projects.
"I'm fine, Min-jung-ssi," he said, though he'd completely lost track of time his stomach reminded him he'd only eaten one steamed bun all day.
"Mr. Choi already told everyone you're leading the Jeong account now congratulations!" She set the coffee down on his desk. "But even superhumans need to eat. I bought gimbap from that place you like near the station."
As Jin-woo reached for the gimbap, the system flickered to life again this time with a new type of notification he hadn't seen before.
NEW CATEGORY UNLOCKED: "INTERPERSONAL RELATIONSHIPS"
• ACTION DETECTED: COLLEAGUE SHOWS APPRECIATION AND CONCERN
• REWARD: 15 EXP + "TRUST BUILDER" BUFF
◦ Buff effect: +20% to teamwork efficiency for 24 hours
• NOTE: Positive workplace relationships contribute to long-term success – nurture them well!
"Thank you, Min-jung-ssi," Jin-woo said, genuinely grateful. He'd always kept to himself at work, too focused on his tasks to build relationships, but maybe the system was trying to tell him something important. "Would you… would you like to sit with me while I eat? I could use your help with something, actually."
Min-jung's face lit up. "Really? I'd love to! I've been wanting to learn more about complex inventory systems you're the best at that stuff in the office."
As they worked together, Jin-woo discovered that Min-jung had a knack for organizing data visually something he'd always struggled with. With her help, they created a color-coded spreadsheet that made the inventory issues easy to understand at a glance.
TEAMWORK PROGRESS:
• Collaborated to create visual data presentation: +50 EXP
• Mentored junior colleague: +30 EXP
• TASK COMPLETE! BASE REWARD AWARDED: 200 EXP + 50,000 WON BONUS
• BONUS OBJECTIVES COMPLETED:
◦ Identified root cause of inventory issues: +100 EXP
◦ Proposed actionable solutions: +150 EXP
◦ Current time: 5:47 PM – 3 HOURS 13 MINUTES EARLY: +75 EXP
• TOTAL EXP GAINED: 605 EXP
• LEVEL UP! YOU ARE NOW LEVEL 2
◦ LEVEL UP BONUSES:
◦ +10% to all work speed
◦ +5% to mental stamina
◦ Unlocked "Skill Tree" feature
• NEW TITLE UNLOCKED: "RELIABLE TEAM LEADER" – LEVEL 1
◦ Bonus: +15% to project management efficiency + +10% to team morale
A warm wave of energy washed over Jin-woo as the level-up bonuses kicked in. The fatigue he usually felt by late afternoon was completely gone instead, he felt alert and ready to take on more work. He checked his phone and realized he still had an hour before his evening CPA class was scheduled to start.
"Min-jung-ssi, thank you so much for your help," he said, transferring the visual spreadsheet to his laptop. "I have some time before class would you be okay if I quickly draft up the improvement proposal for Jeong Fashion?"
"Of course! I'll help you proofread it," she said enthusiastically. "Plus, I want to see what solutions you're thinking of I know they'll be brilliant."
NEW TASK INITIATED: "DRAFT JEONG FASHION IMPROVEMENT PROPOSAL"
• DESCRIPTION: Create a comprehensive plan to fix inventory tracking issues and improve overall financial efficiency
• BASE REWARD: 300 EXP + 75,000 won bonus
• BONUS OBJECTIVES:
◦ Include cost-benefit analysis: +125 EXP
◦ Create implementation timeline: +100 EXP
◦ Get colleague feedback and incorporate suggestions: +50 EXP
• SPECIAL NOTE: Ms. Jeong has expressed interest in seeing proposals immediately – early submission may yield additional rewards
Working with Min-jung, Jin-woo drafted the proposal in record time. He used his upgraded financial analysis skills to create a detailed cost-benefit breakdown that showed exactly how much money Jeong Fashion could save with his recommended changes. Min-jung's feedback helped him make the language clearer and more accessible for non-financial executives.
By 6:30 PM, the proposal was complete polished, professional, and ready to send. Jin-woo attached it to an email to Ms. Jeong and Mr. Choi, then packed up his bag for class.
As he walked to the subway station, he checked his bank account on his phone the 50,000 won bonus had already been deposited, along with a note from Mr. Choi saying the additional bonus for completing the report early would be added at the end of the month.
Fifty thousand won, he thought, a small smile touching his lips. That was enough to cover his sister's medication for two months, or pay for a premium CPA review course. He'd been so used to watching his bank balance slowly shrink that seeing it grow felt almost surreal.
SYSTEM MESSAGE:
You've taken your first steps toward transforming your hard work into tangible results. Remember every task you complete, every relationship you build, every skill you develop adds up. The path ahead won't be easy, but you'll never have to wonder if your efforts are worth it again.
Now, prepare for your next challenge your CPA class. The system has detected an opportunity to maximize your learning there.
Jin-woo's evening class was held at a small academy in the Gangnam district, a forty-minute subway ride from his office. He usually spent the journey reviewing notes, but today he opened the system's newly unlocked "Skill Tree" feature instead.
SKILL TREE – ACCOUNTING & FINANCE BRANCH
• LEVEL 1 SKILLS:
◦ Financial Pattern Recognition (Level 2)
◦ Data Organization (Level 1)
◦ Report Writing (Level 1)
• UNLOCKABLE LEVEL 2 SKILLS:
◦ Tax Strategy Planning (Requires 400 EXP)
◦ Audit Preparation (Requires 350 EXP)
◦ Financial Forecasting (Requires 500 EXP)
• SPECIAL SKILL: "CPA EXAM MASTERY" UNLOCKS AT LEVEL 5
◦ Effect: Significantly increases retention of exam material and improves test-taking performance
Jin-woo had 605 EXP saved up enough to unlock one of the level 2 skills. He thought about his upcoming exam and decided to invest in Tax Strategy Planning, which would be crucial for the individual and corporate tax sections of the test.
SKILL UNLOCKED: "TAX STRATEGY PLANNING" LEVEL 1
• COST: 400 EXP
• REMAINING EXP: 205
• BONUS: +25% to understanding of tax codes and regulations + +15% to ability to identify tax optimization opportunities
When he walked into his CPA class, Jin-woo felt like he was seeing the material with new eyes. The tax concepts that had seemed confusing and dry just a few days ago now made perfect sense he could follow the instructor's explanations easily and even caught a small error in one of the example problems.
"Excellent catch, Mr. Lee!" the instructor said when Jin-woo pointed it out. "You have a keen eye for detail have you been working in tax planning?"
"Not yet, sir," Jin-woo replied, "but I'm hoping to specialize in it after I pass the exam."
LEARNING PROGRESS:
• Mastered 3 new tax concepts: +60 EXP
• Corrected instructional material: +40 EXP
• Answered 5 advanced questions correctly: +25 EXP
• CURRENT EXP: 330
• SKILL IMPROVEMENT: "TAX STRATEGY PLANNING" NOW LEVEL 2
◦ Bonus increased to +35% understanding of tax codes + +20% tax optimization ability
• NEW TASK INITIATED: "PREPARE FOR CPA EXAM SECTION 1"
◦ DESCRIPTION: Master individual tax law section by end of next month
◦ BASE REWARD: 500 EXP + "Exam Confidence" buff
◦ BONUS OBJECTIVE: Score 90% or higher on practice test: +200 EXP + 100,000 won study grant
Class ended at 10 PM, and Jin-woo usually went straight home to rest before his weekend shifts at his uncle's restaurant. But tonight, he felt energized so much so that he decided to stop by the restaurant early to help out.
His uncle's place, Hanok House, was a small traditional Korean restaurant in the Insadong district, known for its homemade kimchi and bulgogi. When Jin-woo walked in, his uncle, Park Dae-hyun, was scrubbing floors while his aunt, Mi-young, was wrapping leftover food to give to local homeless shelters.
"Jin-woo-ya! You're supposed to be resting," his uncle said, looking up with a worried expression. "You work too hard when was the last time you had a proper day off?"
"Don't worry about me, uncle," Jin-woo said, rolling up his sleeves. "I have some energy left let me help you finish up here. Plus, I want to talk to you about something."
As he mopped floors and helped pack food boxes, Jin-woo told his uncle and aunt about being put in charge of the Jeong Fashion account and the bonuses he'd earned. His aunt's eyes filled with tears as he explained he'd be able to cover his sister's next medical bill payment in full.
"Our family is so lucky to have you," she said, squeezing his hand. "Your sister always says you're her hero."
FAMILY RELATIONSHIP PROGRESS:
• Shared good news with family: +75 EXP
• Helped with restaurant closing tasks: +50 EXP
• Demonstrated responsibility and care: +40 EXP
• CURRENT EXP: 495
• NEW TITLE UNLOCKED: "DEVOTED FAMILY MEMBER" LEVEL 1
◦ Bonus: +15% to emotional resilience + +10% to ability to stay focused under pressure
• SYSTEM NOTE: Strong family support is a key component of long-term success your loved ones are your foundation.
By midnight, the restaurant was spotless and the food boxes were ready to be delivered the next morning. Jin-woo sat down at one of the wooden tables, and his uncle brought him a bowl of warm doenjang jjigae and a small glass of makgeolli.
"Jin-woo-ya," his uncle said, sitting across from him. "I know you've been struggling, but I've never seen you look like this before. You seem… different. Happier, somehow."
Jin-woo took a sip of makgeolli, thinking about the system that had changed everything in just one day. He couldn't tell his uncle the truth how would he even explain it? But he could tell him what he'd realized.
"I guess I finally understand that hard work isn't just about surviving, uncle," he said. "It's about building something for myself, for our family, for everyone who counts on me. And for the first time… I feel like it's actually going somewhere."
As he spoke, his phone buzzed with a text message from Ms. Jeong, the CEO of Jeong Fashion:
"Mr. Lee your proposal is outstanding. I want to meet with you first thing Monday morning to discuss implementation. I also have a friend who owns a chain of hotels they're looking for someone with your expertise. Would you be interested in consulting for them as well?"
SPECIAL OPPORTUNITY DETECTED: "EXPAND CONSULTING PRACTICE"
• DESCRIPTION: Take on additional consulting work for multiple clients
• REWARD: Variable EXP based on project complexity + significant financial compensation
• NOTE: This opportunity will require careful time management the system can help you optimize your schedule to balance all responsibilities
Jin-woo looked out the restaurant window at the quiet Insadong streets, illuminated by paper lanterns and streetlights. Seoul was still awake delivery drivers were making their rounds, convenience store clerks were stocking shelves, and people all over the city were working hard to build their lives.
But now, he wasn't just one of them. He had a system that would ensure every hour he spent working, every skill he learned, every goal he achieved would be rewarded. The system wanted him to work hard and for the first time in his life, Jin-woo couldn't wait to do exactly that.