I sat in the dim light of the hideout, the glow of the laptop reflecting in my eyes. The regular job boards were a waste of time. I needed a platform that matched the power of my Academic Genius.
"UIA," I whispered, "find me the highest tier. I need challenges that even the Elites can't touch."
UIA: Accessing The Golden Veil, Master. This is a restricted network for the world's top 0.01% of researchers and geniuses. I am bypassing the entry trials now.
The screen shimmered into a deep gold. I scrolled past thousands of "impossible" tasks until one caught my eye.
[PROJECT: THE SILENT ENGINE]
Client: Anroud Dynamics
Task: Design a propulsion core with zero thermal signature and zero acoustic vibration.
Bounty: ☆5,000,000 Star Cash.
"Five million Star Cash just to solve it," I mused. That was 510 million creds. But as I looked at the blueprints, I realized the tech was worth far more.
UIA: Master, I suggest a different strategy. Do not just take the bounty. Solve the engine, but demand 10% ownership of the patent. My data indicates that once this is built, it will dominate 80% of the global transport market.
"And then?" I asked.
UIA: Then, we sell that 10% back to them. I have better plans for our future capital than waiting for yearly royalties. We need liquid assets to build SIGLAV CORP's true foundation.
The Negotiation
I took the name Anomaly and submitted the core solution. It took exactly fifteen minutes. The response from Anroud Dynamics was immediate—and panicked. Their lead engineers had been stuck for a decade; a "ghost" had just solved it in minutes.
The negotiation was intense. I turned down the initial bounty. I demanded 10% of the engine's lifetime rights. When they realized they couldn't build it without my final stabilization codes, they grew desperate.
"I will sell my 10% ownership back to you right now," I typed. "The price is 120,000,000 Star Cash."
They tried to bargain. They offered 50 million, then 80 million. But with UIA's guidance, I held firm. I knew they couldn't afford to let a competitor get this tech.
Anroud_Admin: One hundred and twenty million Star Cash... This is unprecedented. You are asking for the treasury of a small nation.
"I am giving you the future of transportation," I replied. "Take it or I log off."
Five minutes later, the gold seal appeared on the screen.
Prompt: Contract Signed. ☆125,000,000 Star Cash (Bounty + Buyout) has been transferred to your encrypted SIGLAV CORP vault.
A Billion-Cred Beginning
I leaned back, my breath hitching. 125 million Star Cash.
UIA: Master, at the current exchange rate, you now possess 12,750,000,000 Creds.
Twelve billion, seven hundred and fifty million.
I looked at my hands. They were still the hands of a 15-year-old boy living in a dusty hideout. But on the digital map of the world, I was now a titan. I had enough money to buy cities, hire armies, and fund research that would change the course of human history.
"UIA," I whispered. "What's the 'better plan' you mentioned?"
UIA: Step one was capital, Master. Step two... is power. We need to move. Anroud Dynamics is already trying to trace this connection. We cannot stay in this suburb any longer.
Early the next morning, before the sun could even peek over the horizon, I woke the girls up. I had prepared a warm, hearty breakfast—the best I could manage in our small hideout.
"Wake up, you two," I said softly, a bright smile on my face. "Today is a big day."
Doah rubbed her eyes, looking confused. "Sadd? Why are you up so early?"
"Pack your things," I told them. "We aren't staying here anymore. We are moving to a luxury area in the heart of the city today."
Tersa jumped up, nearly knocking over her chair. "A luxury area? But Sadd, that costs a fortune! Are you sure?"
"I'm sure," I said, my voice full of confidence. "Eat up. We have a lot to do."
The New Fortress
While the girls were packing their few belongings, I contacted the bank. I didn't want a simple apartment. I needed a fortress.
"I need a high-end luxury house," I told the bank manager over my new phone. "My budget is 500,000,000 creds. It must have the highest security systems available—biometric locks, reinforced walls, and private guards. It also needs to be near the best schools for my sisters."
The manager's voice shook. "Five... five hundred million? Yes, Mr. Venan! We have the perfect estate in the Diamond District. It was built for a retired general. It's private, beautiful, and the most secure home in Awiebo."
But I wasn't done. My mother and Mr. Calsius were still in that small village in the "Monsters' Den." I wanted that land to become a place of hope.
"I also want to start a massive development project in my home region," I continued. "I am setting aside a budget of 4,000,000,000 creds. I want to buy the surrounding lands and build a modern city there—hospitals, schools, and paved roads. I want that forest to be a gateway, not a prison."
The bank was in a frenzy. They had never seen someone move billions so casually. Their top digital experts tried to look into my history, trying to find out where this "child" got such wealth. But the UIA was like an invisible wall. Every time they tried to trace me, they hit a dead end. To them, I was a ghost with a golden touch.
A few hours later, a line of sleek, black armored cars pulled up to the edge of the dusty suburbs. The neighbors stared from their windows, wondering why such expensive cars were in this poor area.
I walked out of the abandoned house, carrying my bag of books and tech. Behind me, Doah and Tersa followed, looking around in awe.
"Is that for us?" Tersa whispered, pointing at the lead car.
"Yes," I said, opening the door for them. "From now on, you don't have to be afraid of the dark or the hunger. We are SIGLAV CORP now."
As the cars drove away toward the shining towers of the Diamond District, I looked back at the old house one last time. It was the place that gave us shelter when we had nothing. Now, we were going to a place where we would have everything.
SIGLAV CORP Budget Check
New Luxury Estate: -500,000,000 Creds
Hometown Project: -4,000,000,000 Creds
Remaining Balance: ~8,250,000,000 Creds