Under the cover of night, Sushi had tightly packed his bags, ready to leave the city and its headaches behind. But just before he took his first step toward the "Great Escape," the system window flickered before his eyes once again.

  "Huh? The damn system again?" Sushi grumbled sarcastically. "What now? Planning to gift me another piece of rotten cloth as a farewell present?"

  The system didn't react to his mockery. Instead, a single prompt appeared:

  **[Quest: Save the Alley]**

  **[Reward: 100 Gold Coins]**

  "A quest? Saving that decrepit alley for just a hundred gold coins?" Sushi shouted into the void. "Are you mocking me! My life is worth far more than a few coins. Goodbye!"

  Sushi turned around and marched toward the city gate with wide, decisive strides.

  *Clink!*

  The system notification rang. Sushi stole a glance:

  **[Reward: 101 Gold Coins]**

  Sushi stopped dead in his tracks. Silence reigned for a moment, then his face suddenly contorted into an expression of dramatic, fabricated pain. He dropped to his knees, placing a hand over his heart with exaggerated emotion. "Oh... who am I kidding? How can I leave that poor old man all alone after all those beautiful memories? My tender heart... it simply cannot take it!"

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  He squinted one eye secretly to see if the system would add a 102nd coin, but the screen remained still.

  "Tsk... a powerhouse system that knows how to haggle," he muttered, standing up briskly and dusting off his knees as he headed back to the alley.

  ---

  The old man was desperately trying to heat a rusty tin of food when he spotted Sushi's silhouette approaching. He stood up in shock. "Sushi? Why do you look like someone who was about to travel with that massive bag on your back?"

  Sushi flashed a confident smile. "Bag? Oh, I just bought some essential supplies, since I've decided to stay here with you until I kick those fools out and teach them a lesson!"

  The old man's eyes widened with foolish joy. "Oh! As expected of the 'Egg Crusher'! You really are a hero who can solve the world's problems!"

  *?Solve the world's problems?.. You're so sweet and naive, old man,?* Sushi thought as he entered the shack. *?If it weren't for the system offering me 101 coins, I would have left your backside here to face its fate alone!?*

  Sushi tossed a bag of hot food in front of the man. "Stop eating that junk you call food. I brought a real dinner. Let's eat inside."

  While the old man devoured the food greedily, Sushi sat in silence, his mind working like a high-speed calculator. Noticing Sushi's distraction, the old man asked through a mouthful, "Why aren't you eating, son?"

  "Your ancestors' legacy is about to be demolished over your head in three days, and you still have an appetite?" Sushi mocked coldly.

  The old man replied, food still in his mouth, "Since the matter is in your hands, why worry? Anyway, there's a famous 'Defender of Justice' with an office nearby. I think he might be able to help you."

  Sushi's eyes gleamed. "A defender of justice? You mean... a lawyer?"

  "What's a lawyer?" the old man replied stupidly.

  "Never mind... tell me everything you know about him." Sushi listened with intense focus until the old man finished. A devious smile crept onto his face. *?It seems the path to my gold just got shorter than I thought!?*