The sun began to set, casting a golden glow over the streets. Himawan leaned against his stand, watching Riku calmly sip iced fruit tea, unfazed by the earlier encounter with the thugs. Miyuki, on the other hand, paced nervously.
"Should we call the town guards?" she whispered, biting her lip.
Himawan shook his head. "No. We need to handle this ourselves. If we start relying on others every time a problem shows up, we'll never grow."
Riku gave a lazy shrug. "I'm good if they come back. We just gotta hold our ground."
Himawan appreciated the cool confidence, but he knew they needed a plan. The wealth system wouldn't let him off easy—it was throwing these challenges at him for a reason.
[Mission: Protect Your Business.]
Task: Defend your stands from interference.
Reward: ¥3,000, Security Enhancement Badge.
"Here's what we'll do," Himawan said, motioning for them to gather closer. "We keep both stands open, but we spread out. If they show up again, we'll be ready to stop them. Miyuki, you stay here at this stand with me. Riku, man your station. If anything goes wrong, we signal each other. Got it?"
Riku gave a thumbs-up. "Easy. Let's see what these guys are made of."
Miyuki looked nervous but determined. "I trust you, Himawan."
As the sun dipped below the horizon, the streetlights flickered on. The bustling daytime crowd thinned, and a tense silence filled the air.
Then, just as Himawan predicted, the thugs returned.
The three men swaggered down the street, heading straight for Riku's stand. One of them kicked over the small crate that served as a stool.
"You've had your fun," the leader sneered. "Time to pay the toll."
Riku stood up slowly, stretching his arms. "Nah. I think I'll pass."
The leader's grin turned into a snarl. "Wrong answer."
Just as things were about to get ugly, Himawan appeared from behind the stand, holding a metal thermos like a makeshift weapon. Miyuki followed closely, standing her ground beside him.
"Hey," Himawan called out. "If you mess with our business, you mess with all of us."
The leader looked Himawan up and down and scoffed. "What are you gonna do, lemonade boy? Squeeze us to death?"
Riku chuckled. "He's got jokes."
Miyuki's expression hardened, surprising even Himawan. "We're not afraid of you," she said firmly. "Leave, or things will get messy."
The tension in the air grew thick. The thugs seemed ready to lunge, but then a sharp ding echoed in Himawan's mind.
[New Feature Unlocked: Influence Bonus.]
Task Update: Use Diplomacy or Leverage Connections.
Himawan grinned as an idea popped into his head. "You know," he said casually, "the local guards patrol this area. I happen to be friends with the niece of one of the senior officers."
The leader hesitated, glancing at Miyuki. "You serious?"
Miyuki folded her arms, playing along. "Do you really want to find out?"
The other thugs shifted nervously. "Come on, man," one of them muttered. "Let's not make this worse."
The leader spat on the ground, clearly frustrated but unwilling to push further. "Tch. This isn't over." With that, he waved his goons off, and they slinked into the night.
[Mission Completed: Protect Your Business.]
Reward: ¥3,000, Security Enhancement Badge Unlocked.
As the thugs disappeared, a wave of relief washed over the trio. Miyuki exhaled, her tough act melting into a nervous laugh.
"That was... intense," she admitted.
Himawan gave her a playful nudge. "You were awesome out there."
Riku shrugged, finishing the last of his iced tea. "Easy win."
Himawan checked his system interface. The extra ¥3,000 appeared in his balance, along with a new badge that granted enhanced protection for his businesses—likely a perk to prevent future incidents.
[New Mission Unlocked: Establish a Third Location.]
Task: Open a new stall in a high-traffic area.
Reward: ¥10,000, Early Market Leader Badge.
Himawan's eyes lit up as he read the new mission details. "We're not just surviving—we're expanding."
Miyuki smiled. "Looks like we're in for the long haul, huh?"
"That's right," Himawan said confidently. "This is only the beginning."
He glanced at Riku. "You ready to manage more locations?"
Riku grinned. "As long as I get free tea, I'm in."
With the thugs dealt with and their business growing stronger, Himawan knew they were on the right track. There would be more challenges ahead—bigger ones—but they'd overcome them.
The road to riches wasn't just about making money—it was about learning to protect what you build, one step at a time.