Chapter 2: Time Is Money
1074 Words
Alexis gazed with concern at the young man seated across from her.
Bent deeply at the waist, he had buried his face between his knees, his body trembling faintly.
*Is he unwell?*
The thought flickered through her mind. Perhaps she should ask—if he were truly ill, she could call 911 for him. After all, his phone had died.
As she hesitated, a stifled sob reached her ears.
Alexis’s eyes widened in surprise.
*Is he… crying?*
But he looked to be in his twenties, a working adult like himself. What kind of hardship could reduce him to tears in public?
*Ah… is the world of adulthood truly so unforgiving?*
After what felt like an eternity, Aaron gradually steadied himself, regaining control of his emotions.
Embarrassed by his lapse, he hastily wiped his face with the sleeve of his cotton shirt, erasing the traces of tears before lifting his head.
He pretended as though nothing had happened.
Noticing his movement, Alexis quickly averted her gaze, feigning ignorance of the scene that had just unfolded.
*“Ding! Next stop: New York University. Please exit promptly.”*
The bus’s intercom crackled to life just as the vehicle lurched to an abrupt halt.
Both passengers instinctively gripped the nearest handrails.
With effortless grace, the young woman rose to her feet, offering Aaron a small wave before making her way toward the exit.
Aaron watched as she stepped off the bus and headed toward NYU’s western gate. *So she’s a student there.*
In a way, they were neighbors—Aaron lived in East Harlem, El Barrio, one of the city’s most economically disadvantaged areas.
His own stop was next, closer to home.
---
Even at nearly midnight, East Harlem pulsed with life.
New York’s summer nights rarely settle before two or three in the morning.
Navigating the brightly lit alleyways, Aaron finally reached his rented apartment.
The single studio, barely forty square meters, showed its age. Natural light was scarce, forcing him to keep the lights on even during the day.
But it was affordable—just $800 a month.
In a city as exorbitant as New York, such bargains were nearly extinct.
Flicking on the overhead light, he tossed his wallet onto the threadbare sofa and retrieved a bottle of chilled water from the fridge.
*Gulp, gulp, gulp…*
Only after draining it in one go did he feel somewhat revived.
Slumping onto the couch, he lazily fished out a charger, plugged in his phone, and set it on the nearby power strip.
He hadn’t forgotten his promise—to transfer that $2 via Whats'Y'App to the girl from the bus.
Integrity mattered to Aaron.
Two dollars might be trivial, but a promise was a promise.
As he rested, he intermittently checked his phone’s charging progress. The BLU device, with its sleek glass panels and metallic frame, was his most extravagant purchase this year—a budget-friendly yet premium-looking gadget.
Once the screen displayed 10% battery, he reached to unplug it.
Unnoticed, droplets from the condensation on the water bottle still clung to his fingers.
The moment the charger disconnected, a blue arc of electricity crackled across the worn-out power strip.
*Zap!*
Aaron’s body was seized. His muscles locked, every hair standing on end as his phone tumbled onto the sofa.
Time blurred before he finally exhaled sharply, bolting upright. Rubbing his tingling hand, he frantically patted himself down.
*Everything’s still intact. No missing “parts.”*
Just as he was about to relax, a chime echoed in his mind, accompanied by a flash before his eyes.
**[Ding! Congratulations. The Tycoon System has been activated.]**
**[As its host, your time is now currency.]**
**[Current System Level: 1]**
**[Earnings: $0.01 per second.]**
**[Upgrade Progress: 0/10,000 EXP]**
**[Note 1: Every dollar spent grants 1 EXP.]**
**[Note 2: At midnight, the previous day’s earnings will be deposited into your bank account.]**
**[Note 3: Each system upgrade grants a lottery draw. Higher levels increase the odds of rare rewards.]**
**[Note 4: All funds are post-tax and legally sourced.]**
*A… system?*
*A real tycoon system?!*
Blood rushed to Aaron’s head. His face burned, his pulse raced, and his limbs tingled with adrenaline.
As a modern young adult, he was no stranger to web novels. Short videos and live stream systems were a well-worn trope.
But…
*Had fortune finally smiled upon him?*
In over two decades of life, luck had never favored him like this.
For now, the origins of the system don’t matter. Nor did the immediate calculations of potential earnings.
The pressing question was: *How could he verify its authenticity?*
As if reading his mind, another prompt appeared.
**[To summon the system interface, mentally recite “System.” To dismiss it, recite “Retreat.”]**
Without hesitation, Aaron whispered inwardly, *“System.”*
A vibrant holographic screen materialized before him, suspended midair like something from a sci-fi film. It displayed all the details from the earlier announcement.
Reaching out, his hand passed straight through the illusion.
*So it’s intangible…*
Steadying his breath, he mentally commanded, *“Retreat.”* The screen vanished.
*It was real. All of it.*
Dazed, he sat motionless for minutes before finally snapping back to reality.
Now, the true implications began to sink in.
Invoking the system once more, he scrutinized every word.
Two lines stood out:
**[Earnings: $0.01 per second.]**
**[Upgrade Progress: 0/10,000 EXP.]**
So, from this moment onwards, every second granted him a cent.
*Not much on its own…*
But a minute had sixty seconds. An hour, sixty minutes. A day, twenty-four hours.
*How many seconds was that?*
Grabbing his phone, he punched the numbers into the calculator.
*86,400.*
*Eighty-six thousand dollars a day?!*
*That couldn’t be right…*
Recalculating, he realized his error—he’d forgotten to multiply by 0.01.
*$864 daily.*
Over thirty days, that totaled $25,920.
*Under thirty grand.*
While his current monthly earnings barely topped $4,000, even $30K wasn’t staggering in a metropolis like New York.
But the system could level up.
10,000 EXP would unlock Tier 2, presumably with higher yields.
Aaron’s focus sharpened. *The priority was rapid progression.* Only by ascending the tiers could the rewards grow substantially.
The system would disburse yesterday’s earnings at midnight. A glance at the clock—11:30 PM. In thirty minutes, he’d have his proof.
As for the deposit destination, he had only two cards: a Chase debit and credit. The funds would surely land in the former.
- Writer
