Objective:
- Dig deeper into the Cars 4 A Better Future scam.
- Follow the money trail.
- Expose the corruption—or profit from it.
- Decide whether to dismantle it, take it over, or play both sides.
Rewards Vary Based on Your Actions:
- Expose the scam : Gain +0.5 Wisdom, +100 LP.
- Exploit it for personal gain : Gain +0.3 Charisma, +$50,000 in “donations.”
- Take control of the operation : Gain +0.2 Intelligence, +0.2 Charisma, a steady income source, and everyone watching you closely.
Good luck. Try not to get arrested.
**
Maluck had a lot to think about with his new System Task.
This was the first time he’d been offered a Task with actual choices.
Well, technically, he could always choose to hit yes or no on previous tasks, but this? This was different.
For the first time, he had multiple directions. He could expose the scam and be some kind of white-knight hero, exploit it for his own gain like a proper villain, or go full criminal empire CEO and just take the whole thing over.
Three paths. Three different rewards. Three different ways to probably piss off powerful people.
What to do, what to do.
His stomach growled.
Ah. First, food.
He pulled out his phone and called Chloe.
“Hey, how’s the car coming along?”
A loud compressed air blast screeched through the receiver.
“…The hell was that?” Maluck asked.
“They’re purging the air vents,” Chloe said, sounding bored. “Apparently, Ron’s car had the ‘scent of desperation’ baked into it.”
Maluck chuckled. “How long is it gonna take?”
“Couple more hours,” she sighed. “They’re doing some kind of ritualistic leather rejuvenation or something. One guy literally whispered an apology to the driver’s seat before massaging conditioner into it.”
Maluck blinked. “I—uh. I don’t even wanna know.”
“Good call,” Chloe said. “What are you up to?”
Maluck stretched, cracking his neck. “Thinking about life. Morality. Ethics.”
“…You’re trying to figure out if you should become a crime boss, aren’t you?”
Maluck grinned. “Maybe.”
“Don’t do anything stupid before I get back,” Chloe warned.
“Define stupid,” Maluck said, already standing up.
Chloe groaned. “Just—ugh, I’ll call you when the car’s done.”
She hung up.
Maluck pocketed his phone and turned to the salesman.
The salesman had been patiently waiting this whole time, pretending not to eavesdrop.
“Hey,” Maluck said, clapping his hands. “I’m gonna go get some food. Can you get the financial proof and charity paperwork ready while I’m gone? I’m totally going to donate my car, but I just want to make sure it’s all legitimate, ya know? I heard some charity organizations are actually big scams.”
The salesman blinked. “You… want me to prepare the donation paperwork?”
Maluck nodded. “Yeah, just have it all ready to sign when I get back. I’ll be back in a few hours.”
The salesman smiled stiffly. “Oh! Yes, of course, sir. Take your time.”
His eyes darted toward his office door.
Maluck immediately caught that micro-expression.
‘Oh, this dude was absolutely about to make a phone call. And that was interesting.’
Was he calling his boss to warn them? Was he about to shuffle some numbers to make sure Maluck didn’t see something shady?
Either way, Maluck wasn’t gonna rush back.
Let the guy sweat a little.
With a grin, he threw his jacket over his shoulder.
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“Alright, I’ll be back later. Try not to commit any crimes while I’m gone.”
The salesman laughed a little too hard. “Ha! Haha! Of course not, sir! We’re a charity! No crimes here!”
Maluck gave him a finger gun.
“I totally believe you.”
And with that, he strolled out, whistling.
Time to get some food.
And maybe figure out his next move.
***
POV : White Glove Auto Spa – Elite Vehicle Detailing for the World’s Finest Automobiles
Chloe wasn’t about to drive around in a car that smelled like a sleazy old man and midlife crisis.
Ron had practically marinated in cheap cologne, stale cigar smoke, and whatever the hell that mystery funk was in the back seat. If she was going to be riding in luxury, the luxury needed to be real.
So, after Maluck left to do whatever vaguely semi-criminal nonsense he was up to, Chloe did some quick research.
If she was going to get the car cleaned, she might as well do it right.
And by right, she meant obscenely, disgustingly expensive.
Her goal? Finding the Most Ridiculous Car Detailer Possible.
She scrolled through SkeweSearches, skimming past the normal places with their basic-ass interior shampooing and boring wax jobs.
No.
She wanted excess.
Then she found it.
“White Glove Auto Spa – Elite Vehicle Detailing for the World’s Finest Automobiles”
The website was ridiculous.
- Every employee wore white gloves, tuxedo vests, and bowties.
- Their “basic” service cost $3,000.
- They offered platinum-infused ceramic coating.
- The phrase “Michelangelo-level paint correction” was in their ad copy.
Perfect.
She called, and a deeply pretentious-sounding man answered.
“White Glove Auto Spa. Where only the best is acceptable. How may we serve you today?”
“Yeah, hi. I need a full interior and exterior detail on a Dominion Charger R/T Hellburst. The works. Spare no expense.”
There was a pause.
“…Madam, are you certain? Our premium package starts at $9000, and….-.”
“Even better,” Chloe said, grinning. “I’ll pay $9000 but I want it done in five hours.”
A sharp inhale came through the receiver.
“…We shall make it happen.”
Chloe rolled up to the shop in Ron’s former pride and joy, its gleaming midnight blue paint already attracting attention.
She stepped out, tossing the keys to the nearest employee like a VIP at a five-star hotel.
A man who looked like he personally judged Michelin-starred restaurants for sport stepped forward. His name tag said Reginald.
He gave her a slow, appraising look.
“Madam… this is a fine vehicle.”
“Yeah,” Chloe said. “It was owned by a sleazy pawn shop guy, though, so it needs… everything.”
Reginald’s eyebrow twitched. “I see. And when you say ‘everything,’ are we speaking of the $9,000 package or…?”
“Yes…that one,” she interrupted his speech.
“Our Absolute Perfection Signature Detailing Experience is $9000. However, that level of refinement typically requires a full—”
“I’ll take it. But 5 hours, not a full day.” Chloe interrupted him, before he continued on.
The detailing began with a level of intensity Chloe hadn’t expected. The moment she handed over the keys, the White Glove Auto Spa crew sprang into action like a pit stop team at an F1 race.
The first order of business was decontamination. The car was hand-washed using filtered, pH-balanced water supposedly flown in from a glacial spring in Norway. Chloe wasn’t sure if that was necessary, but the employees murmured about it like it was holy water. Compressed air cannons blasted out every speck of dust from vents, crevices, and the undercarriage, while one particularly dedicated guy vacuum-sealed the exhaust tips.
“Uh… why are you doing that?” Chloe asked.
Reginald gave a long-suffering sigh, as if she had just questioned the laws of physics.
“Madam, even the car’s… exhalations must be purified.”
Chloe decided not to argue.
Next came the interior exorcism. A team of six specialists treated the inside like they had just walked into a biohazard site. They donned gloves and immediately went to work with industrial-grade ozone generators, annihilating the lingering stench of stale cigars and bad life choices.
The carpet? Ripped out. Deep-steamed. Reinstalled.
The seats? Soaked in a custom leather-rejuvenating serum and massaged by hand.
At one point, Chloe swore she heard a detailer whisper an apology to the dashboard before methodically buffing it with a silk cloth. She considered asking why, but some things were best left unknown.
By hour three, the paint resurrection began. Every microscopic imperfection was corrected using nano-polishing technology, while a platinum-infused ceramic coating was meticulously applied layer by layer.
A single man was assigned to the 20-inch alloy wheels. He spoke to them in hushed tones, gently polishing them like they held the secrets of the universe.
Finally, the finishing touches. The windows were treated with a hydrophobic, self-cleaning coating so elite that Reginald assured her “rain will no longer touch this vehicle unless it is worthy.”
The entire car was sprayed down with a signature scent blend of rare woods and citrus. A team of detailers stepped back in unison, crossing their arms as they admired their work like artists gazing upon a freshly completed masterpiece.
And then, at exactly five hours on the dot, the grand reveal.
Chloe returned to find Reginald standing beside the car, his hands clasped like a royal steward unveiling a newly crowned monarch.
He gave a slow, reverent nod.
“Madam,” he said, voice heavy with importance. “Your vehicle is ready.”
The garage doors opened dramatically.
The car looked brand new. No—better than new. It shimmered under the lights like a polished gem.
Chloe whistled. “Damn. It looks better than when it came out of the factory.”
Reginald nodded, completely serious. “Factory work is… adequate. We strive for divinity.”
A lower-ranking detailer wiped a single tear from his eye.
Chloe tossed the keys in her hand. “Well, this was definitely worth every cent of Maluck’s money.”
Reginald hesitated. “Pardon?”
“Nothing,” she said, grinning. “Pleasure doing business.”
As she drove off, the car purred like a satisfied beast.
For the first time in its existence, it was actually worthy of being a luxury vehicle.
And Chloe?
She happily used Maluck’s Visex card.