The elevator hummed quietly as it climbed the 88 floors of Titan Tower.
Leo adjusted his black suit jacket, his reflection flickering in the chrome walls — calm on the surface, but his eyes burned with calculation.
> 💼 [Career: Investor & Infiltrator – Week 1 Activated]
🎯 Objective: Infiltrate the Billionaire Syndicate
💰 Bonus Objective: Identify any other System Users within the circle
🧠 Reward: Strategic Manipulation (Level 2) + Access to Syndicate Network
Aria's holographic form flickered faintly beside him, her tone serious for once.
Aria: "Remember, Leo — everyone in that room could buy and destroy empires overnight. Don't trust smiles."
Leo smirked slightly.
Leo: "I don't trust anyone with perfect teeth and dirty money."
The elevator doors opened.
---
The Billionaire Circle
The private penthouse wasn't a room — it was a world of gold and silence.
Crystal chandeliers hung from black ceilings, and holographic stock charts danced midair.
At the center, Victor Han raised a glass.
Around him sat seven figures — the "Seven Seats of Power." Each controlled an industry: energy, biotech, crypto, media, arms, AI, and politics.
Victor Han: "Gentlemen, and lady, meet Leo Fan. Our newest player."
Their gazes cut through him like lasers.
One of them — a woman with silver hair and a diamond on her wrist — smiled faintly.
Woman: "So this is the 'Digital Ghost' who ruined Xinrui Corp. Bold move for a child."
Leo kept his composure.
Leo: "Children dream. I execute."
The room chuckled. Even Victor smiled approvingly.
---
The Test
Victor motioned to a massive screen.
Victor Han: "Every new member must prove their value. You'll be given a target — a crumbling startup. You have 48 hours to either destroy it… or turn it into a profit."
A file appeared before Leo.
> Target Company: NeuroEdge AI
Status: Near bankruptcy
Employees: 43
Tech: Unstable neural learning system
Public Trust: 12%
Aria whispered instantly in his mind.
Aria: "Leo… this company's tech resembles early system AI design. Someone inside might be another host."
Leo's eyes narrowed.
Leo (thought): "Then this isn't just a test — it's a trap."
---
Midnight Strategy
Back in his apartment, the air buzzed with data streams as Leo began scanning NeuroEdge's systems.
Suddenly, code fragments pulsed with familiar quantum patterns — the same kind Aria used.
Leo: "Someone's tampered with their AI core. Someone with a system."
Aria's tone darkened.
Aria: "Confirmed. Signal detected — another system entity: The Broker System."
Leo leaned back, exhaling slowly.
Leo: "Looks like I'm not the only player in this game anymore."
---
The Unknown Message
At 2:37 a.m., his laptop screen glitched — letters forming one by one in crimson font:
> [To the "Digital Ghost"]
"Stay out of NeuroEdge. This is your only warning."
— The Broker
Aria scanned the signature.
Aria: "Encrypted using System-grade frequency. He's powerful, Leo."
Leo cracked his knuckles.
Leo: "Then I'll show him what happens when you threaten a ghost."
> 🧠 [Skill Activated: Strategic Manipulation (Level 1)]
⚡ Subskill: Psychological Counterplay
Leo began drafting a plan — not to destroy NeuroEdge, but to take it over from the inside.
---
The Shadow Deal
By dawn, Victor Han received a report that left him speechless.
NeuroEdge's stock price had risen 40% overnight.
A mysterious investor under the alias Specter Capital had just acquired full control — that investor was Leo.
Victor Han (grinning): "Well played, Leo Fan. Welcome to the Syndicate."
But as the members applauded, one man in the shadows didn't move.
He wore a silver pin shaped like a broken circuit.
The Broker (coldly): "Let him enjoy his moment. The real game starts now."
---
> 💼 [Mission Update]
✅ Objective Complete: Infiltrate the Billionaire Syndicate
⚠️ Hidden Path Unlocked: Rival System Detected — The Broker System
🎯 Next Mission: Unmask The Broker before he strikes.
Leo (quietly): "So it begins… system versus system."
---