Chapter 7: Claiming Rewards & Facing Setbacks
Leon Carter leaned back in his chair, staring at the glowing numbers on his phone screen.
[Total Cash on Hand: $125,172]
[Total Earned: $144,954]
[Time Left: 2 Days, 12 Hours]
His heartbeat slowed as he exhaled, absorbing the reality of his progress.
The $50,000 mission was complete, and he had gone far beyond the target. What started as a desperate scramble to complete the challenge had turned into something much greater.
But before making his next move, he needed to officially claim his reward.
Choosing the System Upgrade
The Financial God System chimed, bringing up a sleek, futuristic menu.
[Mission Completed: Earn $50,000]
[Reward Unlocked: System Upgrade!]
A new notification popped up:
Choose One of the Following Permanent System Features:
1. Investment Leverage Mode – Borrow capital for high-stakes deals.
2. Business Insight Mode – Analyze small businesses for hidden value.
3. Market Manipulation Alert – Detect artificial stock price movements.
Leon's eyes darted between the options. Each of them had the potential to shape his financial future in a different way.
• Investment Leverage Mode would allow him to take out loans beyond his current wealth, letting him engage in deals that were otherwise out of reach. But it came with a risk—debt could ruin him if he made the wrong moves.
• Business Insight Mode would let him analyze small businesses, detecting undervalued opportunities that could provide long-term, passive income. It was a solid choice, but required patience.
• Market Manipulation Alert would grant him the ability to detect stock market shifts in real time, helping him avoid sudden crashes and take advantage of market rebounds.
Leon rubbed his chin.
Stocks had already been a major source of profit for him, but this recent experience showed how dangerous unexpected drops could be. If he had known about the crash earlier, he could have positioned himself to profit instead of scrambling to react.
Decision made, he tapped the screen.
[Selected: Market Manipulation Alert]
[Feature Permanently Unlocked]
The system flickered for a second before confirming:
[Upgrade Applied!]
[Stock Market Scans Now Include Risk Alerts]
Leon's fingers drummed on the desk.
With this, he could avoid bad trades and maximize safe investments. No more flying blind.
An Unexpected Market Crash
Just as he was about to research his next investment, a red warning flashed across the screen.
[Stock Market Update: AI Stock Crashes by 40%]
[Total Loss: -$4,000]
His pulse quickened.
Yesterday, the AI stock had dipped 30%, and he had assumed it would recover. Now, it had plummeted even further.
His original $10,000 investment was now worth only $6,000.
Leon clenched his jaw.
If the stock kept dropping, he might lose everything on that investment.
But then, the Market Manipulation Alert activated.
[Warning: Institutional Buy Orders Detected]
[Prediction: Stock Price Recovery in 6-12 Hours]
His brows furrowed.
Big investors were buying the dip, meaning this crash was likely temporary.
Instead of panicking, he made a bold move—he doubled down.
Leon bought an extra $10,000 worth at the lower price, bringing his total investment to $20,000.
Now, all he could do was wait for the bounce-back.
Exploring Bigger Investments
To distract himself from staring at the stock charts, Leon pulled up a list of potential investment opportunities.
Two options caught his attention:
Option 1: Buy a Profitable Café
• High-Traffic Location
• Asking Price: $120,000
• Monthly Profit Potential: $8,000
The café had been running for five years with consistent revenue. The current owner wanted to retire, meaning this could be a safe, long-term income stream.
With $125,172 in cash, Leon could buy the café outright.
Option 2: Enter a Commercial Property Auction
• Market Value: $1,200,000
• Starting Price: $400,000
• Potential Profit: $500,000+ Flip
This was a high-risk, high-reward move. If he could win the auction at a low price, he could resell it quickly for an easy six-figure profit.
But there was a problem—he didn't have $400,000. He would need investors or a bank loan to make it happen.
Leon cracked his knuckles.
His next move would shape his financial future.
The Market Strikes Back
A few hours later, Leon's stock alert chimed.
He refreshed his portfolio.
The AI stock had recovered—and then some.
[Stock Market Recovery: AI Stock Up 60%]
[Profit Earned: +$5,600]
Instead of losing $4,000, he had turned it into a solid gain.
Leon leaned back in his chair, exhaling.
This was proof that trusting the system worked.
He had nearly panicked and sold at a loss, but now he had earned even more by playing it smart.
Now, it was time to decide:
• Play it safe with the café?
• Go big with commercial real estate?
Leon stared at the numbers on his screen.
The safe choice would guarantee steady income, but the bold choice could change his life forever.
For the first time in his life, he wasn't afraid to take risks.
Whatever he chose, he was ready for the next level.