The silence that came after Adam's taunt was a long one. Almost as it the world itself was waiting to see if he would take it back.
Adam could see surprise on the faces of the surrounding people.
The guy with the keys stared at him, disbelief flickering across his face before it twisted into something sharper.
"Say that again you bastard."
Adam's heartbeat slammed against his ribs. It was too late to back out now though.
Behind his eyes, the system pulsed.
---
[Time Remaining: 06:58]
[Target: High Arrogance Sensitivity]
[Current Perception: 12% — Insufficient]
---
Twelve percent?
What does that even mean?
"Hey," the guy snapped, taking a step forward. "I'm talking to you."
Up close, he was taller. Adam wasn't short by any means but he didn't have the time to go around body building which it seems his target had done. The guy also had the kind of presence that usually made people step back.
Usually.
Instinct screamed at him to apologize. To laugh it off. To shrink.
Say you were joking.
End this.
But then something cold settled in his chest. It wasn't confidence; at least not yet.
But something steadier. It called itself the Arrogance system.
If this was real…
Then backing down wasn't an option.
He exhaled slowly.
Then looked at the car. It was sleek and polished.
But he had noticed something.
A small detail.
The badge. It was not the newest model.
Not even close.
He knew it because he had a part time job in a car wash and a lot of fancy cars came in.
---
"…I don't repeat myself," he said calmly.
A ripple moved through the group. Adam could hear murmuring from the rest at the back.
---
[Perception Increased: 21%]
---
The guy's expression darkened.
"Oh, I get it," he said, laughing once. "You're trying to be funny."
"I'm not."
---
[Perception Increased: 28%]
---
"Then what are you doing?" someone else chimed in. "You're dressed like a begger, and you're acting rich?"
There it was.
The truth. The thing that could end this instantly.
His stomach tightened.
---
[Warning: Contradiction Detected]
[Current Strategy: At Risk]
---
Think.
Think.
Arrogance alone wasn't enough.
He had to make them believe it.
---
His gaze shifted back to the car.
Then to the keys spinning lazily in the guy's hand.
And then—
He tilted his head slightly.
Almost… unimpressed.
"You think owning that makes you rich?"
---
Silence! A sharper one this time.
---
[Perception Increased: 41%]
---
The guy scoffed. "It cost more than anything you've ever touched."
"Maybe," Adam said, shifting his weight to look the guy in the eye.
He paused a bit so his next words would make the desired impact.
"But it's still outdated."
---
[Perception Increased: 57%]
---
"You're bragging about a model that lost value the moment you drove it out," he continued, voice steady now. "And you're acting like it's something impressive."
Each word felt like stepping on thin ice.
One wrong move and he might just find his face planted on the sidewalk.
The guy's jaw tightened.
"You don't even have a car."
---
There it was.
The killing blow.
The truth.
---
[Perception Fluctuating…]
[51%… 46%…]
---
His pulse spiked as the meter constantly reduced.
Say something.
Anything.
---
"…Why would I?" he said.
"I don't waste money on things that depreciate."
---
[Perception Increased: 72%]
---
Someone in the group shifted.
Another glanced at the car.
Doubt.
Just a little.
But enough.
---
The guy noticed it too.
And that was worse than anything.
"…You're talking a lot for someone with nothing."
[Time Remaining: 01:12]
[Perception: 72% — Threshold: 75%]
---
So close.
Too close to fail now.
---
Adam's gaze didn't waver.
Didn't drop.
Didn't flinch.
He was in a zone he had never been before.
---
"If you think I have nothing," he said quietly, "then you don't understand what real money looks like."
Adam felt it now.
The final silence. It was deep and unsettling. But it meant he had won.
---
[Perception Increased: 89%]
---
The guy didn't respond immediately.
Didn't laugh.
Didn't speak.
For the first time he hesitated.
---
[Mission Complete]
---
A sharp chime rang in his head.
---
[Reward Granted: $100 × Multiplier (×3)]
[Total Earned: $300]
---
Everything froze.
Then—
---
[Balance Updated: $300.00]
---
Adam's breath caught.
It worked.
He would have to check if it actually deposited into his account but he believed it would work.
---
"…Whatever," the guy muttered suddenly, looking away. "You're not worth my time."
But it didn't sound as confident as before.
Not quite.
They group turned away and their conversation resumed but something had changed.
Slightly.
And Adam felt that change was irreversible.
---
He stood there for a moment longer before walking away.
Three hundred dollars.
Just like that.
It wasn't much money in the grand scheme of things but Adam had to work twenty hours a day to earn an amount like that.
---
Slowly, he looked down at his empty hands and clenched it.
A small, disbelieving smile formed on his face.
If he could get $300, then he could also get $30,000.
Heck! He might even be able to get $3,000,000
"…So this is how it works."
His smile faded.
Just a little.
Because now, he understood something important.
This wasn't free money.
It was a game.
And while this mission had no penalty, it didn't mean others wouldn't have.
Behind his eyes, the system pulsed again.
---
[New Mission Available]
[Spend at least $100 on food]
[Time limit- 40 minutes]
Adam glanced back at the restaurant that started this whole thing.
"I definitely love this system"