Chapter 6 | The Secret Reward

[Run 10 kilometers, do 100 push-ups, 100 sit-ups, 100 pull-ups.] 

[Completion reward: secret.] 

[Mission failure penalty: divorce from your wife.]

Erland was stunned. Was this system a personal trainer? Why was it giving him tasks like an athlete's workout routine? The most annoying part of the mission was the penalty: divorce from his wife.

[Player Erland Colvin, the system will start the countdown. Complete your daily mission target before the time runs out.]

The screen turned into a timer. He had 24 hours to complete the mission. Erland didn’t want a divorce; even if he had to die, he would never let Ainsley go.

"Arghhh! Crazy system!"

"Erland!"

Ainsley was shocked as Erland suddenly ran out of the room, sprinting at full speed. He hadn't even finished his fried rice.

"What’s going on?" Ainsley worried.

Due to the daily mission, Erland spent his day exercising.

Erland's breath was heavy, sweat pouring down his temples. He had run 8 kilometers in a marathon.

Two more kilometers to complete the daily mission, not to mention the push-ups, pull-ups, and sit-ups. His energy was drained.

"This is torture!" Erland collapsed on the grass. He stopped in a park, his vision starting to blur.

[Player Erland Colvin, you have completed 25% of your daily mission. 75% of the tasks remain.]

"I know! You don’t need to remind me!"

The transparent screen changed messages.

[The penalty of divorce awaits you.]

"Yes! I remember! I won’t fail! I don't want to divorce Ainsley! Hah, hah, hah." Erland wiped his sweat.

[18 hours remaining.]

Erland got up, feeling like he was carrying a heavy load of hundreds of kilos. His legs were cramping, his muscles screaming in pain, unable to run anymore.

"For my marriage with Ainsley!" Erland shouted. He had been running from morning till noon.

Damn, he had to finish his daily mission before evening. Erland had a night shift at work. He couldn't skip because his family needed the money.

"Run! Run! Run! Even if my legs break, I must run!" he screamed.

By six in the evening, Erland finally completed the daily mission. He was completely out of energy. His body collapsed in the sand.

Erland passed out for an hour in front of an elementary school. He woke up at seven in the evening.

"In thirty minutes, I'll be late to the factory!" Erland quickly ran. His body reeked of sweat. He hadn't bathed.

Without much ado, Erland got ready hastily. He took a quick shower, barely scrubbing with soap and water. His shoes were mismatched. He was in a rush.

"Honey, I’m leaving now! Please take care of the house. Lock the door from inside. Don’t open it for anyone except me or Mom!"

Ainsley nodded obediently. Erland kissed her forehead and quickly rode his old scooter. The factory was quite close to their rented house, as Erland had chosen to live in the industrial area.

The system hadn’t appeared yet, though Erland was eagerly awaiting the secret reward.

Erland sped up his scooter. The supervisors had already arrived. Other factory workers were lining up.

"Boss, here comes the kid now."

Erland was shocked when Mr. Teddy approached. The fat man with a big belly suddenly smacked Erland's helmeted head.

"Idiot!"

"Sir! What did I do wrong?"

"Still asking? Don’t you see the time? The factory opened ten minutes ago. Do you think this is your parents' factory? Coming late as you please! Lazy!"

Erland's forehead was poked, belittled.

"This is my in-laws' factory."

"Oh, nice, nice, admitting to being the in-law of the factory owner?"

Erland got hit again.

"Don't you realize you're just considered trash by the Thompson family?" The supervisor spat.

"If you were really their in-law, you'd be working here as a boss, not a laborer!"

Mr. Teddy looked smug when Erland saw the job title pin he wore.

"Aren't you jealous? Just admit it, because your position is lower than mine."

Erland smiled thinly. "Why would I be jealous? You’re a supervisor because you suck up to the Thompsons. You’re lower than me, Sir."

"You little bastard!"

The man tried to hit Erland again, but this time Erland dodged.

"You dare to fight back now?" Teddy challenged angrily.

Because the factory’s alarm started ringing, indicating work was beginning. Teddy, who had raised his hand to hit Erland, stopped his action. He smirked, "Get in there! Poor laborer!"

Erland remained silent, his fists clenched. If that fat man wasn’t his superior, Erland would have hit him.

Other factory workers began lifting coal to the furnace. Erland did the same. But something was different; all the coal felt quite light.

"Usually, I would struggle, but this time my body feels so light."

Erland smiled and started working seriously. Within an hour, he had moved more than 2 tons of coal.

"What’s happening to that loser? Where is he getting the strength to carry all that coal alone? Is someone secretly helping him?"

Six senior men watched with hatred. They were seniors who always bullied Erland at the factory, paid by Teddy to harass Erland.

[Player Erland Colvin, your stamina has been restored. Stamina increased tenfold. Congratulations on completing the daily mission. The secret reward has been sent to the storage menu.]

The system’s storage menu appeared, containing a Pandora's box with an unknown content.

'Will I get money again?' Erland hoped the secret reward would be a large amount of cash.

"Hey loser, why are you grinning to yourself?"

One of the senior leaders put his arm around Erland’s shoulder.

"Half of the coal you moved today, add it to our performance record. You should know you have to pay a tax. Remember, you have to respect your seniors here."

"Hahaha, right! As a junior, you must obey Erland!"

"These seniors will let you go today if you comply."

"Just accept it, man. You're lucky your seniors only ask you to give up half your bonus. Better than going home beaten up."

"Besides, all that money will be wasted on your wife's treatment. Instead of spending your money on a dying woman, why don't you come with us to the night club? Lots of sexy women there. You can choose one with big boobs, a nice ass, or who’s wild in bed."

Erland clenched his fists, his neck veins bulging, and his face darkened with rage.

"Buddy, I know your wife Ainsley is sickly. She probably can't please you in bed. That's why we’re inviting you to find a healthy, sexy woman to satisfy you. If you're confused about choosing, we'll help. We know some beautiful prostitutes there."

"Bastards!"

Blam! Two of the six seniors were flung backward, almost into the coal furnace. Erland had hit them simultaneously.

"You scum! My wife Ainsley can’t be replaced by cheap women like them! My wife is too noble to be compared to such whores!"

[System synchronization in progress. Pandora's box opened. Secret reward activated.]