Around 2 A.M., a muffled shout yanked Vincent awake.
From the next room, a woman's voice hissed, sharp and pissed.
"You said you'd pay upfront, you cheap bastard!"
A man's low growl shot back, "Shut it, you got your cut." Glass clinked, maybe a bottle hitting a table.
Vincent groaned, rolling onto his side, too damn tired to care. 'Just another night at the Stardust…' he thought.
The arguing faded, and he drifted back to sleep.
***
BEEP BEEP
They system's alarm blared at dawn, dragging Vincent out of bed.
"Fuckin' relentless," Vincent muttered as the neon-blue text flashed in front of him.
He pushed through the daily workout, then headed back to his room. A hot shower eased the aches from yesterday's brawl, though the bruises and dried blood still clung to him. He felt sharper than before. Stronger.
Pulling on a fresh hoodie, he grabbed his notebook and stepped outside.
At the motel's front door, he nearly collided with a woman strutting out. She had curves, a tight dress, hells clicking against the pavement. Her face, however, was caked in heavy makeup, lipstick too red, eyeliner too thick.
She gave him a sultry smile, leaning in close. "Well, damn, handsome. Leaving so soon? Could use some company."
He smirked, but kept it loose. "Tempting, but I got shit to do, sweetheart."
His eyes flicked to her wrist—faint bruises, barely visible under the foundation. Another marked her cheek. She noticed his glance and laughed, brushing it off.
"Rough night, big guy. You should see the other guy."
Vincent didn't answer, just nodded and walked toward the reception desk. The woman strolled ahead, hips swaying, throwing flirty jabs as she signed the checkout sheet.
"Bet you're trouble," she purred.
Vincent grinned, sidestepping the bait. "More than you know." He kept it casual, not too polite, though the bruises stuck in his mind.
Behind the counter, Stephanie watched the woman with a mix of pity and disgust. After she left, Vincent leaned in. "Who the hell was that?"
Stephanie snorted, tossing the key the woman had handed over into the bin. "Candy. Local working girl. Hangs around dives like this, fleecing lonely guys. Probably got those bruises from a john who didn't pay up. She's in here every few weeks."
Her tone softened slightly. "Rough life, but she's no saint."
Vincent nodded, already pushing the thought aside. Candy's troubles weren't his fight, not unless the system forced him into it. He had Marcus and Voss to deal with.
The system pinged again, nudging him forward.
[Task Progress: Establish Local Influence — 70% Complete.]
***
By 10 A.M., Vincent stepped into Reed's Hardware. The bell jingled as he entered.
Marcus stood behind the counter, sleeves rolled up, sorting through inventory. Without a word, he slid a contract across the counter, giving Vincent a pointed look.
"Read it. Sign it. Don't waste my time."
Vincent scanned the terms—18 percent discount, two orders a month, 500-dollar minimum. Exactly what they had agreed on. He signed with a quick scrawl and pushed the contract back across the counter.
"We're good, Marcus. First order's coming next week."
Marcus grunted, filing the papers away. "Better not fuck me over, kid."
"Wouldn't dream of it," Vincent said, smirking.
The system chimed.
[Task Progress: Establish Local Influence — 90 percent complete.]
[Objective Completed: Secure contract with Marcus Reed.]
One down. Now for Voss.
***
By noon, Vincent was back at Redline Garage. The rusted sign creaked in the wind. The lot was quieter than yesterday, just one SUV parked.
His knuckles still ached from the fight, but the system's Qi buzz kept him steady. He pushed open the door, the stench of oil and smoke hitting him.
Voss was alone, leaning against a workbench, cigarette hanging from his lips. His bruised throat was a reminder of Vincent's grip.
Despite that, he still grinned. "Back for round two, motel boy? Got a death wish?"
Vincent didn't flinch. His voice was cold. "I'm here to make things clear. The Stardust is off-limits. No trouble, no bullshit. You stay out, we're good. You don't, and I'll burn your whole operation down."
Voss flicked ash onto the floor, laughing. "Big fuckin' balls, I'll give you that. But you think one beatdown scares me? You're in deep, kid."
[Tactical Awareness Module: Active.]
The system buzzed, sharpening Vincent's focus.
"I don't need you scared," Vincent said, stepping closer. "I need you smart. Keep your crew away, and we both win. Push me, and you're done."
Voss's grin faded slightly, but he held his ground. After a beat, he smirked, leaning back. "You want peace? Fine. But you gotta meet the big boss. My crew answers to him. You wanna run this show, you talk to Dario."
Vincent clenched his jaw. A bigger player? This ran deeper than he thought, but backing down wasn't an option.
"Set it up," he said. "And while we're at it, I'm taking point on your outfit. Your crew, your deals—they go through me now."
Voss's smirk twisted into something amused. "You're a crazy bastard, but I like it. I'll call Dario. But don't cry when he chews you up."
"Worry about yourself," Vincent shot back, turning for the door.
The system updated.
[Task Progress: Neutralize Local Threat — 80 percent complete.]
[Next Step: Meet Dario within 48 hours.]
[Reward: Tactical Awareness Module Fully Unlocked.]
***
Vincent stepped into the cold, adrenaline still humming through him. Voss was handled for now, but Dario was a new problem. Taking control of the gang's business was a risk, but the system wasn't pushing him to survive. It was pushing him to dominate.
Back at the motel, Stephanie raised an eyebrow as he passed. "Still alive, huh?"
"For now," Vincent said, grinning, heading to his room. He had more work to do.
The system updated his progress;
[Qi Cultivation: 30 minutes completed.]
[Basic Breathing Technique — Level 1 Progress: 20 percent.]
[Qi Energy: Latent Potential — 4 percent Unlocked.]
Vincent smirked. The system wasn't just helping him survive. It was forging him into a weapon.