Lenny immediately got up from the floor, rushed to the counter, and grabbed his phone — completely ignoring the fact that he was still half-naked.
The soft glow from the phone screen cast gently on his face.
[Task completed!]
> You have been rewarded (3) v-points for completing [Task #4: Participate in Johan's Game].
> You have been rewarded an additional (5) v-points for completing [Optional Task: Win the game].
Lenny's mind went blank for a couple of seconds, momentarily unsure of what to think or feel. But soon, a wide grin crept up on his face.
'…Finally! Yes! I actually got them, wow. Now … uh, I have to think. The shop, yes, the shop feature. With these v-points, I can now try out that instant recovery capsule from the shop.'
As he contemplated and recalled his prearranged plans, Lenny moved about joyfully, walking in circles.
But then, he suddenly froze at the sight of another notification.
[Achievement unlocked!]
In Top Idol, a sudden animation of trumpets blaring accompanied a large trophy with a titled ribbon at its base.
[Bronze Trophy]
"Beginner" ~ Congrats! You completed your first task.
Lenny nodded in acknowledgment, not thinking much of the bronze trophy. He felt it was similar to common achievements in games that didn't mean anything or serve any purpose beyond offering the gamer a sense of accomplishment.
That was until he was notified again …
> You have been rewarded (8) v-points.
> You have been granted a cash prize of $10,000.
Lenny barely had time to react before his mobile banking app pinged with a credit alert.
[Top Idol Co. has sent you $10,000.00.]
Staring at his phone, Lenny's face froze in disbelief.
He went over to the mobile banking app, WiPay, and refreshed it multiple times, believing it to be some sort of mistake.
However, his balance still read ten-thousand six dollars, eighty-nine cents — $10,006.89!
Lenny remained rooted to the spot, fixated on his phone screen.
Unanticipated tears quietly trickled from his eyes, tracing a silent path down his cheeks.
He briefly wiped his eyes with his free hand, but the tears fell even more.
"Hic… Hic…"
A torrent of emotions overwhelmed him, plunging him into an uncontrollable weeping session. These were tears born of pain, years of suffering, and anguish, mingled with newfound joy, happiness, and hope.
His knees weakened, and he gently rested his upper body on the counter, sobbing uncontrollably and snorting, ugly crying.
After all these years and all his relentless struggles, it felt as though there was nothing left for him in this world. He had given up and succumbed to the despair that had plagued him.
Every night, he slept, wishing he would wake up from the nightmare he called his life. Every morning, he woke up, wishing he had died in his sleep.
Every time he looked in the mirror, he confronted the face of his own self-loathing.
Every time he called his mother, Sarah, and heard her tired voice, he was reminded of how much of a failure he was. For her not to worry, he continued to maintain the lie that he had completed college and was employed as a manager at a prestigious company.
Every time he was with friends, he was reminded that he was truly alone in the drifting planes of this treacherous mortal coil. His laughter and smiles were hollow. A stark contrast to the emptiness he felt inside.
Day in and day out, he felt like a living dead man, a soulless failure trapped in an existence bereft of meaning. Walking purposeless and directionless into the inevitable unknown.
He fell so sick once that he couldn't move, and had neither money to buy drugs nor anyone to cater for him, only lucky the illness lasted only a few days. Since then, he often likened himself to the terminally ill in hospitals, lamenting that at least they were fortunate enough to have society acknowledge their existence.
He knew if he ever fell seriously ill again, with no way to work and no way to pay for medical bills and rent, he would undoubtedly die in a ditch somewhere or in the sewers.
There was no one for him. He was doomed to live a life that headed down a path with a grim fate awaiting him at the end, which seemed very near.
But now, he glimpsed hope — hope for a better life, hope for a brighter future, hope for a new sun.
Like teetering at the edge of an unfathomable abyss, then plummeting into the darkness below, only to be caught by an outstretched hand of hope.
He had finally been given a chance.
This was his chance to win—his means to escape the heavy shackles of the grim fate that awaited him. Now, if he truly willed, he could take the reins of his destiny.
Therefore, what more was left to say? He was going to give it his all!
…
[Rule #1: Only admins can send invitations to join Top Idol.]
…
After about 10 minutes, Lenny's crying session came to an end. He picked up his clothes, which were still on the counter, and headed to the staff bathroom.
Standing in front of the mirror, still half-naked, a soft smile graced his face, as though it were commonly there.
'…I should do this quickly. Closing time is almost near…' he thought curiously.
Lenny now possessed a substantial sum of 16 v-points, ripe for experimentation and investment. So, he decided to follow the plan he had formulated earlier when he had scoured through the app during the store's downtimes.