Quests

Max's phone buzzed again, pulling him from his thoughts. He glanced at the screen and saw a new notification.

Quest Available: Complete your next shift to earn 5 Coins.

He rubbed his eyes. It didn't make sense. This whole system thing didn't make sense. But if there was one thing, he was certain of, it was that he had nothing else. His job was already a nightmare, but now, with a clear goal—5 coins—he couldn't ignore it. He had to try.

Max pushed himself up from his chair, grabbed his worn backpack, and checked his watch. It was almost time to start his shift at the cafeteria. He knew that every shift, no matter how low-paying, was vital. He needed those hours, those minutes, to scrape together whatever he could to get by. But today? Today he had a different kind of hope. A different kind of purpose. Maybe, just maybe, he could finally take a step forward.

He slipped his phone into his pocket and walked out of the apartment, bracing himself against the cold. The hallway smelled faintly of burnt food and mildew. His neighbors were either asleep or absent, so the walk to the campus cafeteria was uneventful. He kept his head down, avoiding the looks of people he didn't know, and passed through the entrance of the cafeteria with a quick nod to the security guard.

"Max," Greg, his boss, called from behind the counter. "Clock in and get started. You're on cleaning duty today."

Max nodded and made his way to the back to punch in. He had never been happy about his assigned duties. It was mostly mopping floors, washing dishes, and wiping down tables—tasks that never seemed to end. The cafeteria was never empty, never quiet. He'd work for hours, surrounded by students who were too absorbed in their own lives to notice him.

But today was different. He wasn't just clocking in for another shift. He was completing a quest. The system had told him to finish his shift and he'd earn coins. 5 coins. Not a lot, but it could be the start of something. That little reward could mean food, or maybe even a boost to his next paycheck.

Max grabbed the mop and bucket, sighing as he headed into the main dining hall. He moved methodically, swiping the mop across the floors, focusing on each section of the cafeteria. His thoughts were split between the tasks at hand and the strange new system he had discovered.

He'd been working here long enough to know that no one cared about the staff. The students barely noticed him as they walked by, laughing, talking, and planning their weekends. Some of them had internships or knew people with connections. Max had nothing. He had no connections, no network, no safety net.

But with this system, maybe that could change. The idea that he could earn coins and unlock more quests—it didn't seem real, but it was happening. The more he thought about it, the more his doubts crept in. Maybe he was just imagining it. Maybe he had too many late nights and was starting to lose his grip on reality.

No. He couldn't think like that. If the system was real, he had to treat it seriously. He had to figure out how it worked.

The first part of the quest was simple enough. He cleaned the floors, wiped down the tables, and picked up the trash. There was nothing special about it, other than the fact that, in the back of his mind, he was waiting for the next notification. Waiting for the coins to appear.

When his shift finally ended, he felt a strange sense of accomplishment. It wasn't much, but he had finished the quest. Max clocked out and checked his phone.

Quest Complete: 5 Coins Rewarded.

Max stared at the notification. His heart raced. Five coins. It wasn't much, but it was real. There, right in front of him, was proof that the system worked.

He opened the Shop to check what he could buy now. The interface was the same as before: minimal, no fluff, just the essentials. Max had enough to buy a small boost.

Items Available for Purchase:

Basic Health Potion: 10 CoinsInstant Noodles: 5 CoinsJob Boost: 25 Coins

Max frowned. Instant noodles. That was it? The cheapest option was exactly what he was living off—instant noodles. He could buy them now, but they were barely a step up from the ramen he ate every other day.

The Health Potion, though, caught his attention. He didn't know what it did, but it might be useful. There was a chance it could give him an edge, something he could use if things got worse. But that was out of his reach for now. He needed more coins.

Max closed the Shop and tapped on Quests to see if there were any other objectives available. The system had only offered one so far, but maybe more would unlock as he completed tasks.

Available Quest:

Complete your next shift at the cafeteria.

Another simple task. The same task. It didn't seem like much, but Max knew better than to overlook any opportunity. He needed to keep going, to keep pushing. If he could earn a few more coins, he could make a purchase that might help him get ahead.

Max checked his Coins balance again:

Coins: 5

He needed more before he could afford anything from the shop. He glanced at the clock on his phone. He had a few hours before his next shift. He thought about how to make the most of this time. Maybe he could ask Greg for an extra shift. The more hours he worked, the more quests he could complete. The more quests he completed, the more coins he could earn.

But he wasn't sure how to approach it. He wasn't close to Greg—didn't have any rapport with him outside of work.

Max's phone buzzed again, pulling him from his thoughts.

Quest Available: Ask Greg for an extra shift to earn 10 Coins.

Max blinked. That was new. A quest that wasn't about cleaning or working directly, but just asking for an extra shift? It felt too easy. Still, he couldn't let an opportunity slip. He tapped the quest, confirming it.

He took a deep breath and walked over to Greg's office. The man was hunched over a computer, tapping away at the keyboard. Max stood by the door, shifting from foot to foot, unsure how to phrase his request. Greg didn't look up right away.

"What's up, Max?" Greg finally said, glancing over at him.

Max cleared his throat. "I was wondering if… if you needed help with any extra shifts. I could use a few more hours, if it's available."

Greg raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised. "Extra shifts? You've been pulling a lot of hours already. I thought you were burned out."

Max shrugged. "I need the money."

Greg studied him for a moment, then sighed. "Alright, I can give you another shift tonight. You'll be on cleaning again. We're short on staff."

Max nodded quickly. "Thanks."

As he walked away, the notification pinged on his phone.

Quest Complete: Ask Greg for an extra shift. 10 Coins Rewarded.

Max checked his coins again. Now he had 15 coins. It wasn't much, but it was progress. A small victory.

With the extra shift confirmed, Max headed back to the cafeteria to prepare. As he worked through the evening, his mind stayed focused on the system. He couldn't stop thinking about the quests, the coins, and the potential for something more.

By the time his shift was over, his phone buzzed once more.

Quest Complete: Complete your shift at the cafeteria. 5 Coins Rewarded.

Max checked his balance.

Coins: 20

It wasn't a lot, but it was the most money he'd seen in his bank account in weeks. The little boosts had already started to make a difference. Maybe—just maybe—there was hope. Maybe he could use this system to climb out of the hole he'd dug himself into.

The first step was always the hardest. But Max had taken it. Now, with coins in hand, he knew one thing for sure: this was only the beginning.