The moment Marcus stepped out of Lone Star Laundry, the evening breeze hit him like a shock of reality. His hands were still trembling. His heart still pounding. His bank app still showing numbers he had never seen before in his life.
Balance: $25,042.17.
It wasn't millions. It wasn't life-changing forever money.
But it was *powerful*.
It was momentum.
It was the first breath of a life he had only dreamed about.
Marcus Hale, fired and broke that morning… was now a business owner.
He stared at the cracked sidewalk beneath his feet and exhaled slowly. "What… what did I just do?"
The system answered immediately.
[You completed Mission 1.]
[You made your first acquisition.]
[You have taken your first step toward financial autonomy.]
Marcus rubbed his face with both hands. "This is insane."
[Correction: This is progress.]
A faint smile pulled at the corner of his mouth. "Yeah… yeah, okay. Progress."
He took three steps forward—
And the man in the suit grabbed his shoulder.
Marcus nearly jumped.
"You think this is funny?" the man snapped. His jaw was tight, his eyes narrowed with a cold, controlled rage. "You think you can just stroll in and steal my deal?"
Marcus didn't flinch. CEO Presence still lingered like a quiet force behind his spine.
"I didn't steal anything," Marcus said calmly. "You just weren't fast enough."
The man's nostrils flared. "Do you have any idea who you're messing with?"
"No," Marcus said. "But I'm sure you're about to tell me."
The man straightened his suit jacket. "My name is Jonathan Reeves. I work with Reeves Property Holdings."
Marcus froze.
Reeves Property Holdings wasn't some neighborhood investor. They owned half the commercial spaces in the northwest part of the city. They were serious.
Very serious.
Jonathan leaned in. "We were planning to acquire this entire block over the next two years. That laundromat was the first step. And now, because of you, the entire chain is disrupted."
Marcus swallowed hard. "Sounds like a planning issue on your end."
Jonathan's expression darkened.
"You're done," he said softly. "You're not competition. You're a joke who got lucky."
The system chimed.
[Host Threat Level: Low.]
[Opponent Influence Level: Moderate.]
[Opponent Underestimation: Extreme.]
[Recommended Response: Controlled Confidence.]
Marcus exhaled. "Whether I'm a joke or not depends on what I do next."
Jonathan stared at him for a long, tense moment.
"…We'll see how long you last," he said finally. Then he turned and walked away, phone already in hand, barking orders to someone on the other end.
Marcus watched him go.
That was his first enemy.
His first real obstacle.
His first rival.
He didn't know whether to feel terrified… or excited.
Maybe both.
---
### Heading Home
Marcus walked home under the streetlights, tired but buzzing with adrenaline. His mind raced with the weight of everything he'd just done.
He bought a business.
A real business.
He had capital.
He had a mission.
He had a rival.
But he also had a problem.
He had zero experience running anything.
He pushed open the door to his small apartment. The AC rattled. The fridge hummed. Everything was exactly as depressing as when he left.
Except him.
He was different now.
Marcus sat at his table and opened his phone.
[New Feature Unlocked: Business Dashboard.]
A clean interface filled the screen.
— Lone Star Laundry Co. —
Status: Acquired (Pending Contract Finalization)
Condition: Poor
Monthly Revenue (Projected): $1,200
Monthly Revenue (Optimized): $14,000
Immediate Issues:
• Broken machines
• Outdated systems
• Low customer retention
• No marketing
• Hidden asset undeveloped
Marcus blinked. "Wow… okay. That's a lot."
Another window slid open beside it.
[New Skill Unlocked: Basic Analysis Lv.1]
[Provides guided steps for stabilizing newly acquired businesses.]
A checklist appeared.
— STABILIZATION PHASE —
1. Secure contract paperwork
2. Repair critical machines
3. Clean and restore customer areas
4. Develop hidden asset
5. Launch basic advertising
Marcus leaned back.
"This system is insane… but I'm not complaining."
His phone buzzed again.
[Rival Entity Detected.]
[Reeves Property Holdings has flagged your acquisition as an obstacle.]
[Pressure Level: Low… for now.]
Marcus groaned. "Of course they did."
[New Mission Available.]
— MISSION 2: Stabilize Your First Business —
Objective: Raise Lone Star Laundry to "Stable" rating within 7 days
Reward:
• $10,000 Capital
• Skill Upgrade: CEO Presence Lv.1
• Feature Unlock: Assistant Mode
Penalty:
• Business Downgrade
• Rival Pressure Increase
Marcus stared at the prompt.
"Seven days… to repair that whole place?"
[With guidance, this is achievable.]
He rubbed his temples. "Yeah, sure. If I don't sleep."
Then another thought hit him.
"Wait… how do I even finalize the contract? I don't have lawyers. I don't even have a printer."
[Assistance Available.]
[Would you like to generate a legally binding acquisition contract template?]
Marcus blinked. "You can do that?"
[Yes.]
"…Do it."
His phone downloaded a document instantly.
A real contract.
Professional.
Detailed.
Everything included.
Marcus whispered, "Holy—this system really is cheating."
[Success requires execution, not luck.]
He chuckled. "You're starting to sound like my mom."
[She sounds wise.]
A small laugh escaped him before he could stop it.
---
### The Family Call
He knew he shouldn't. He knew he should wait. He knew he should get the business stable first.
But he couldn't resist.
He dialed his mom.
She picked up on the second ring. "Marcus? Honey? Everything okay?"
He swallowed. "…Yeah. Better than okay."
"What's wrong? You sound weird."
He took a breath. "Mom… I bought a business."
Silence.
Then: "You what?"
"It's a laundromat," he said. "Small. Needs work. But it's mine."
Another silence—longer this time.
"Oh, Marcus…" she whispered. "Is this because you got fired?"
His chest tightened. "You knew?"
"Baby, they took your badge this morning. Your sister's friend's mom works in the building."
Marcus groaned loudly. "Oh my—"
"Marcus," she said gently, "you're under so much pressure. You don't need to do something drastic out of panic."
"It's not panic," Marcus said firmly. "This is real. I have the contract. I have the funds. I'm going to make this work."
His mom hesitated. "…If anyone can, you can. I just… I don't want you getting hurt."
Marcus felt something warm in his chest.
"I won't," he said. "I promise."
They talked for a few more minutes before he hung up.
As soon as the call ended, the system chimed.
[Family Motivation Boost Achieved.]
[Productivity +5% for 24 hours.]
Marcus rolled his eyes. "Okay, that's kind of weird… but I'll take it."
---
### Planning the Next Step
Marcus opened the business dashboard again.
He needed to:
• Sign the contract tomorrow
• Start repairs
• Clean the place
• Deal with Reeves Property if they showed up
• Turn a failing laundromat into something people actually wanted to use
Then, another system window appeared.
[Recommended Action: Visit tomorrow at 7 AM.]
[Customer Flow at that time: Low.]
[Owner Availability: High.]
[Risk of Rival Interference: Moderate.]
Marcus rubbed his chin. "Rival interference… meaning Jonathan?"
[Correct.]
"Yeah, figures."
He stood from the table.
Tomorrow was going to be chaos.
But for once… the good kind.
He brushed his teeth, washed his face, and stared at himself in the bathroom mirror.
Same cheap apartment.
Same worn clothes.
Same tired eyes.
But something in his expression had changed.
He looked more certain.
More focused.
More… dangerous.
"Let's rebuild a laundromat," he whispered to himself.
The system chimed softly.
[Preparations logged. Good luck, Marcus Hale.]
He turned off the light.
And slept better than he had in years.