Chapter 40: PSME: The Product Exhibition

December 17th, 2023, dawned with a clear sky, casting a soft glow over the city as Michael gazed out the window. His eyes fixed on the imposing structure of the SMX Convention Center, today's battleground for the Philippine Society of Mechanical Engineers (PSME) competition. A pivotal moment, not just for the prestige it held within the engineering community, but as a personal challenge he had set for himself—to win without the aid of his mysterious system.

The car came to a gentle stop at the curb outside the SMX Convention Center. Outside, there was a huge line of people, mostly students, wanting to get in. 

"That would be 789 pesos," the Grab driver said. 

Michael grabbed his wallet from the bag and extracted a few crisp bills to cover the fare.

"Here's 800 pesos, keep the change," Michael said, handing the money over to the Grab driver with a nod of appreciation.