Marcus woke up before his alarm.
For the first time in months, he didn't feel dread sitting on his chest like a sleeping elephant. Instead, something unfamiliar filled him—a blend of purpose, nerves, and an electric anticipation that buzzed under his skin.
He checked his phone immediately.
[Good morning, Marcus Hale.]
[Business Stabilization Mission: Day 1 of 7.]
[Recommended Start Time: 7:00 AM.]
It was 6:12 AM.
Marcus rolled out of bed, showered faster than humanly necessary, and rummaged through his closet. He wished he had a suit—hell, a decent shirt would have helped—but all he had were faded T-shirts and two button-ups that had survived college.
He picked the less tragic one.
His Tacoma groaned when he turned the key, but it came alive on the third try. He patted the dashboard. "Come on, buddy. Don't die on me today."
The truck coughed, rattled, and—miraculously—moved.
---
### Arriving at Lone Star Laundry
Marcus pulled up at 6:59 AM.
The laundromat looked the same as yesterday: flickering neon sign, dusty windows, and a worn-out vibe that screamed "grand opening happened thirty years ago."
But today, it felt different.
Because it was *his*.
Ramon was inside already, leaning against the counter, sipping coffee from a chipped mug. He looked up when Marcus entered.
"You're early," Ramon said.
Marcus smiled. "Wanted to get started."
Ramon studied him for a moment, then nodded slowly. "You really are serious, huh?"
Marcus didn't hesitate. "I am."
Ramon motioned to a folder on the counter. "Here. Printed out what you sent me. Don't know how the hell you made a contract template appear so fast, but it looks official."
Marcus kept a straight face.
(He definitely couldn't say "Oh yeah, my invisible super-technology system made that.")
He flipped through the pages. The wording was perfect—down to legal structuring, warranty clauses, and transfer of ownership details. The system didn't cut corners.
[Contract Review: 100% legally binding.]
Marcus handed Ramon a pen. "Ready?"
Ramon took a slow breath, looking around the laundromat as if seeing his life flash in front of him.
"I ran this place for twenty-two years," he said softly. "My kids grew up here. My wife… she used to help run it before she passed."
Marcus felt a weight in his chest. "I didn't know. I'm sorry."
Ramon nodded. "It's time. I can't keep up anymore." He placed the pen to the paper. "I hope you take better care of it than I did."
He signed.
Marcus signed.
It was done.
A vibration hit Marcus's phone.
[Acquisition Finalized.]
[System Funds Released.]
[$50,000 transferred to Owner.]
[Remaining Capital: $25,042.17]
[Business Status: Pending Stabilization.]
Ramon blinked at his phone as a notification hit.
"…Holy crap," he whispered. "Money's already here."
Marcus forced a casual shrug, though inside he was screaming. "Told you I had it handled."
Ramon chuckled, shaking his head. "Kid… you're something else."
---
### The Rival Arrives (Again)
The door swung open hard enough to jingle the bell three times.
Jonathan Reeves stormed inside like a storm cloud in an expensive suit.
"You did not just finalize that contract."
Ramon stiffened. "Jonathan, calm down."
"Calm down?!" Jonathan snapped. "We had an understanding! I was going to make you a formal offer today!"
Ramon lifted a brow. "Yesterday you told me you'd *think* about it."
Jonathan froze. The system chimed in Marcus's ear.
[Opponent Caught in Inconsistency.]
[Leverage Boost: +15%.]
Marcus stepped forward. "If you wanted it, you should've acted. Business moves fast."
Jonathan glared. "You don't even know what you're talking about."
"Maybe not. But I know you lost."
Ramon's eyes widened slightly. Jonathan's face reddened.
"You think you won something? You bought a money pit. A dying laundromat in a neighborhood we're pulling out of anyway."
Marcus's pulse spiked—but he kept his expression neutral.
Jonathan leaned in close enough to smell his cologne. "This block is dead. You just wasted every penny you've got."
The system chimed again.
[Opponent Bluff Detected.]
[Actual Data: Reeves Property Holdings has plans for a redevelopment project in this area. Strategic interest: HIGH.]
[Truth Probability: 93%.]
Marcus held Jonathan's gaze.
"You sure about that?" Marcus asked.
Jonathan blinked once—too slowly.
Marcus smiled. "Because it sounded like you really, *really* wanted this place."
Jonathan's mouth tightened.
Ramon stepped between them. "Enough. It's done. You're both young. You'll live."
Jonathan turned to Marcus. "You have no idea what you just got into."
Marcus didn't blink. "Guess I'll learn."
Jonathan left with a final, tight-lipped glare.
When the door shut, Ramon let out a long exhale. "Kid… you seriously ticked off the wrong guy."
Marcus shrugged. "He ticked me off first."
Ramon stared at him—then burst into laughter.
"Alright," Ramon said, wiping his eyes. "You're officially insane. But maybe that's what this place needs."
---
### System Guidance: Phase One
The system pinged aggressively.
[New Objectives Unlocked.]
[Phase One Stabilization Steps:]
1. Repair essential machines (minimum: 6 units)
2. Deep clean customer area
3. Install modern payment system
4. Clear the back lot
5. Increase customer inflow by 20%
Marcus inhaled. "That's… a lot."
[Assistance Available.]
[Would you like to enable: Assistant Mode?]
Marcus blinked. "Assistant… mode?"
[Assistant Mode provides guidance on management, scheduling, hiring, and workflow optimization.]
"Oh hell yes. Turn that on."
[Assistant Mode — ACTIVE.]
A new voice—still neutral but slightly warmer—appeared.
[Good morning, Marcus. I will be your assistant for business operations.]
"Oh great," Marcus muttered. "Now I have two system voices."
[I can reduce vocalization if preferred.]
"No, no, it's fine. Just… help me not burn this place down."
[Understood.]
Marcus grabbed a notebook from the counter. "Alright. First target: the machines."
---
### Hands-on Work
Ramon stuck around for a bit, walking Marcus through years of accumulated damage.
"This one leaks," Ramon said, tapping a washer.
"This one's older than you."
"This dryer eats coins."
"This one just… screams. Makes a demon noise."
Marcus crouched down and opened one of the machine panels. Wires, dust, and rust stared back at him.
[Repair Required.]
[Estimated cost: $17.]
[Estimated difficulty: Low.]
[Would you like step-by-step instructions?]
Marcus nodded.
[Step 1: Detach front panel.]
He unscrewed.
[Step 2: Remove corroded wire cap.]
He replaced it.
[Step 3: Reconnect main line.]
He did exactly what the instructions said, carefully connecting wires and tightening screws. When he finished, he hit the power.
The machine hummed to life.
Ramon's eyes widened. "You fixed it?"
Marcus shrugged. "System— I mean… YouTube videos."
Ramon blinked. "Damn, maybe I should've tried that."
Marcus fixed another machine. And another. And another.
After two hours, six washers and two dryers were working perfectly.
Ramon whistled. "Kid… you might actually pull this off."
Marcus wiped sweat from his forehead. "One step at a time."
---
### Cleaning & Transformation
Next step: cleaning.
It was disgusting.
Dust. Gum under tables. Spilled detergent stains. Cobwebs. Marcus swore one of the machines had something alive in it.
But he worked through it. Scrubbing. Sweeping. Emptying trash. Wiping down surfaces. He even cleared the clutter behind the counter.
By noon, the laundromat looked a decade younger.
Ramon stared, almost emotional. "I haven't seen it this clean in years."
Marcus smiled. "Customers deserve better."
The system chimed.
[Customer Appeal +8%.]
[Business Rating: Unstable → Improving.]
---
### Lunch Break (Sort Of)
Ramon bought tacos from the stand across the street and handed Marcus a plate.
"It's the least I can do," Ramon said. "You've done more today than I did in six months."
Marcus took a hungry bite. "Thanks. Seriously."
Ramon wiped his hands. "So what's your plan after this?"
Marcus paused.
"I'm going to rebuild it. All of it. New machines, new payment system, better lighting, more customers. And then…"
"And then?"
Marcus lifted his head.
"I'm going to expand."
Ramon stared at him like he had just heard a prophecy.
"You're not joking."
"No. I'm not."
Ramon leaned back. "Kid… if anyone else said that, I'd laugh. But you? Somehow, I believe you."
Marcus felt a strange warmth in his chest.
[Motivation Boost +3%.]
---
### The First Real Sign of Change
At 1:17 PM, a chime sounded from his system.
[First Optimization Complete.]
[Business Performance: +12%.]
[Daily Customers: +2 projected.]
Marcus blinked. "Customers? Already?"
[A clean environment and functioning machines increase inflow.]
He stepped back and admired the place.
It wasn't perfect. It wasn't modern. It wasn't even fully stable.
But it was alive again.
---
### The Warning
As Marcus locked up for the day, planning to return early tomorrow, a final system alert appeared.
[Warning: Rival Activity Detected.]
[Reeves Property Holdings has initiated "Operation Blockade."]
[Expected Interference: Sabotage, legal pressure, property bids, or intimidation.]
Marcus clenched his jaw.
"So Jonathan's really going after me."
[Correct.]
A second message appeared.
[New Mission Unlocked: Defend Your First Business.]
[Failure Consequence: Loss of Business.]
Marcus stared at the glowing text.
This wasn't just about building something now.
It was about protecting it.
And for the first time, he realized:
He didn't just want to succeed.
He wanted to win.