The mission and the gamble
Trrring trrring!
The sharp, repetitive sound of an old alarm clock jerked John awake. His groggy eyes blinked rapidly at the unfamiliar white ceiling, his mind caught between sleep and wakefulness. The sensation was disorienting—he had lived through this moment before, yet it felt so real, so immediate.
A faint musty smell of old furniture clung to the air, the creaky wooden bed beneath him as stiff as he remembered. Sunlight filtered through worn-out blinds, casting jagged stripes of gold across the room. Everything was exactly as it had been before.
A sharp intake of breath.
"Holy cow… it's really not a dream."
John lay motionless, listening to the rhythmic ticking of the clock on the nightstand. His heartbeat thundered in his chest as reality sank in.
The regrets of his past life—the wasted opportunities, the pain, the choices he had long wished to undo—were now rewritten. He had returned to 2009, and this time, he wasn't going to squander the gift of a second chance.
Still, a gnawing sense of doubt clung to the edges of his thoughts. Could this really be happening?
He inhaled deeply and exhaled slowly.
"Only one way to be sure."
"Status," he whispered, almost afraid to break the illusion.
Like a holographic projection from a sci-fi movie, a translucent blue panel materialized in his vision.
---
Prime Origin System: Active
User: John Smith
System Level: 1
Cultivation: N/A
Multiplication Factor (Current): 5
System Shop: Unlocked
System Points: 0
Stats:
Strength: 10
Agility: 11
Dexterity: 5
Wisdom: 9
Charm: 10
Luck: 10
Others:
Inventory (New):VR eldoria Kingdoms, smart fabric suit, Quantum storage drive
Passive Income (New): APPL Stock at $21.
Bitcoin at $0 10000 coins ( Total: $10500 )
Missions: None
Skills: None
Influence Points: None
---
John's gaze locked onto the Passive Income section, and his heart skipped a beat.
"New functions? I haven't even leveled up yet!"
This was unexpected. From all the web novels he had devoured in his previous life, he knew systems typically unlocked features gradually as the user progressed. But his had changed overnight.
The Inventory was self-explanatory, but Passive Income? That was a game-changer. It meant the system was already working in the background, setting up a financial foundation for him.
Before he could process it further—
Ding!
A robotic voice, now slightly familiar, echoed in his head.
---
Mission Generated
Mission: Stable Income
Description: As the user of the Prime Origin System, you cannot be without a purpose. Find any means (fair) to make $100,000 consecutively for three months.
Completion Time: 90 Days
Reward: 1,000,000 System Points and a New System Function
Failure: The system will be offline for 1 year.
---
John sat up instantly, his breath uneven.
$100,000 a month? For three months?
For a normal teenager, such an expectation would be absurd. But John wasn't normal. He had a system, knowledge of the future, and a mission.
The reward alone was insane—a million system points? That could probably buy some crazy upgrades.
His fists clenched. Failure wasn't an option.
Shaking off his lingering thoughts, he stretched his lean, well-defined frame, throwing on a fresh T-shirt and jeans. As he stood before his old mirror, his reflection stared back—raven-black hair, piercing eyes, and the sharp cheekbones of a man who had already lived twice.
Then, his stomach rumbled.
"A mission can only be accomplished on a full stomach."
---
The warm aroma of crispy bacon and buttery eggs filled the kitchen as John stepped in. Seated at the table were his mother, Sarah, and younger sister, Amelia.
Sarah was her usual radiant self, her silky blonde hair tied loosely as she flipped pancakes. Amelia, a 16-year-old with bright ocean-blue eyes, sat cross-legged, scrolling through her flip phone.
"Good morning, Mom. Amelia. What are we having this morning" John greeted, a grin spreading across his face as he sat down.
Sarah chuckled. "Good morning, sweetheart. Hope you're hungry. Just a simple breakfast—Scotch eggs, bacon, and milk."
"Yeah, yeah," Amelia muttered with a smirk. "A typical morning, except for the fact that you're actually here."
John paused, feeling a twinge of guilt. In his past life, he had neglected his family, too obsessed with chasing success in the wrong ways.
"Not this time."
"Well, get used to it. You're going to be seeing a lot more of me."
He dug into his food, savoring every bite. As he ate, an idea began to form.
"I need to start moving quickly. The betting plan is my best short-term option. But I'll also need to build something more stable for the future."
Finishing his meal, he set his fork down. "Mom, I'm heading to Schmidt's place today. Got a few things to take care of, ohh and I am going out with your car today mom."
Sarah gave him a knowing look. "Just be careful. And bring the car back in one piece."
John smirked. "Of course, Mom."
Just as he reached for the car keys, Amelia rushed after him.
"Wait for me, John! You're dropping me off at school!"
With an exaggerated sigh, he waved her in.
---
After dropping Amelia off, John headed toward Schmidt's house.
Schmidt—his closest friend from high school—was the perfect person for this job. Smart, good with numbers, and more importantly… he knew everything about sports betting.
An hour later, John pulled up in front of a modest suburban house.
As he got out, a lanky, blonde-haired teenager leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, a cocky grin plastered across his face.
"Well, well, if it isn't John Smith in the flesh," Schmidt said, mock surprise dripping from his voice.
John rolled his eyes. "Come on, we just saw each other at graduation. It's been two days."
Schmidt smirked. "Still, you only show up when you need something."
They exchanged a quick brotherly hug before heading inside.
---
Schmidt plopped onto the couch, his smirk fading into curiosity.
"So? What's up?"
John took a deep breath. "I want to place a bet. A big one."
Schmidt's eyebrows shot up. "What? You? The guy who used to call gambling a fool's game?"
John shrugged. "Things change."
Schmidt leaned forward. "Alright, how much are you thinking?"
John held up six fingers.
"Six hundred bucks?"
John shook his head.
"Wait… six thousand dollars?!"
Schmidt nearly choked. "Dude, are you insane?"
John smirked. "Just help me set up a betting account."
After some grumbling, Schmidt set up the account and deposited the $6,000.
"Alright, what are we betting on?"
John paused. "What's today's date?"
Schmidt blinked. "Bro… you don't even know the date? It's April 5th, 2009."
And then it hit him.
John grabbed a pen and paper, quickly scribbling down game results from memory.
Los Angeles Lakers 88, Los Angeles Clippers 85.
Manchester United 3, Aston Villa 2.
Luton Town 3, Scunthorpe United 2 (after extra time).
Schmidt's jaw dropped. "Exact scores?! John, are you high?"
John smirked. "Just place the bets."
A few minutes later, Schmidt whistled.
"Dude… these three bets alone have an 8,400x payout. If you win, you'll make… $50.4 million."
John's heart pounded. With his Multiplication Factor of 5—
$252 million.
A slow, rare smirk spread across John's face.
"We're going to be rich, Schmidt."