The weight of Alice's revelations hung over Jhon like a dark cloud. Viktor Kastov wasn't just another businessman—he was a man with power that stretched far beyond normal corporations. This wasn't just a race to wealth anymore; this was survival, and the stakes were life or death.
Jhon stood outside the café, staring at the bustling streets, the people walking by oblivious to the game being played in the shadows. His mind was racing. He had to figure out a way to protect himself—fast.
Fortune System: [New Task: Prepare for Conflict. Objective: Build defenses against the Midnight Consortium. Reward: 20,000 FP.]
The system's cold, clinical tone almost seemed mocking. Jhon closed his eyes for a moment, taking a deep breath. It was time to strategize, but he wasn't sure where to begin. He had money, influence, and the Fortune System at his disposal, but the enemy was a ghost in the darkness, pulling strings far beyond his reach.
Fortune System: [New Skill Available: "Corporate Defense" – Helps protect businesses from hostile takeovers and sabotage.]
[Cost: 5,000 FP]
Jhon didn't hesitate. He bought the skill, feeling the familiar rush of knowledge flood his mind. It wasn't much, but it was a start. He quickly scanned through the new strategies the system had granted him, ideas and methods to fortify his business, making it harder for outsiders to infiltrate or destroy his growing empire.
He needed more. Corporate defense wouldn't protect him from what was coming. Viktor Kastov wasn't just a businessman—he was a puppet master, someone who could ruin lives without lifting a finger.
Jhon knew the type. These were the men who played with nations like pieces on a chessboard. If Viktor saw him as a threat, it meant that he had already become too powerful for the shadows to ignore.
Fortune System: [New Task: Gather Intelligence on Viktor Kastov and the Midnight Consortium. Reward: 30,000 FP.]
Jhon immediately accepted the task. Information was his most valuable weapon right now. He needed to know everything about Viktor—his operations, his weaknesses, and, most importantly, who else was involved.
===
The Midnight Shadow
Jhon knew where to start. Marcus. The man was dangerous, but he had warned Jhon. Whether it was out of genuine fear or a twisted sense of morality, Marcus knew something. If anyone could help him find a way to get to Viktor, it would be Marcus.
Later that night, Jhon drove to a remote warehouse on the outskirts of town, where Marcus operated out of sight. The darkened streets were eerily quiet, only the distant hum of the city keeping the atmosphere from suffocating him entirely.
As he stepped out of the car, he saw Marcus leaning against a wall, smoking a cigarette. His expression was unreadable as Jhon approached.
Marcus: "I figured you'd show up sooner or later."
Jhon didn't waste time with pleasantries.
Jhon: "Tell me about Viktor Kastov and the Midnight Consortium."
Marcus raised an eyebrow, flicking the cigarette to the ground and crushing it under his boot.
Marcus: "You're in way over your head, Jhon. Kastov isn't someone you can outsmart or buy off. He's part of something bigger, something that controls entire economies."
Jhon's patience was running thin. He had already realized that much. What he needed was a way to fight back.
Jhon: "I know what he is. I'm not asking for a history lesson. I need information—weaknesses, contacts, anything that can help me defend myself."
Marcus let out a low chuckle, shaking his head.
Marcus: "You don't defend yourself from Viktor Kastov, kid. You survive him, if you're lucky."
Jhon clenched his fists, feeling frustration rise in his chest. He wasn't some scared little kid anymore. He had power, wealth, and the system on his side. There had to be a way.
Jhon: "Everyone has a weakness, Marcus. Even him."
Marcus studied him for a long moment, his eyes hard and calculating. Finally, he nodded, as if coming to a decision.
Marcus: "Alright, fine. There's a man—used to be part of Kastov's inner circle until he got burned. Goes by the name Vlad. If anyone knows how to hurt Kastov, it's him. But finding him? That's another problem. Vlad's been off the grid for years. Rumor is, he's hiding somewhere in Eastern Europe, laying low."
Jhon took in the information, his mind already racing with possibilities. Finding Vlad was his next move. He could use his resources and the Fortune System to track him down, but time was of the essence.
Marcus: "Be careful, Jhon. Going after Kastov means you're stepping into the kind of war you don't come back from."
Jhon looked Marcus square in the eye.
Jhon: "I don't have a choice."
===
The Hunt for Vlad
Over the next few days, Jhon threw himself into the task of tracking down Vlad. He poured over the system's intelligence-gathering options, using his FP to purchase high-level data analysis and deep web tracking. Every thread led to another dead end, but Jhon refused to give up.
He couldn't afford to.
Then, finally, a breakthrough. A report from a hidden database in Russia flagged a recent financial transaction connected to someone matching Vlad's description. Jhon smiled to himself—it wasn't much, but it was a start.
Fortune System: [New Task: Locate Vlad. Reward: 40,000 FP.]
The hunt was on.
Jhon pulled in every favor he could, contacting underground information brokers, private investigators, and using every tool at his disposal to narrow down Vlad's location. Each day brought him closer to finding the man who could help him bring down Viktor Kastov.
But with each step forward, the shadows seemed to close in tighter.
===
A Warning in Blood
One evening, as Jhon returned to his penthouse, a package was waiting for him. The box was small, wrapped in plain brown paper with no return address. A chill ran down his spine as he approached it.
He opened the box slowly, his instincts telling him this was another warning.
Inside was a small vial of blood, and a note that simply read:
"Stop looking for Vlad."
Jhon's hands trembled as he stared at the blood. His mind raced, wondering who it belonged to. The message was clear enough—back off, or there would be consequences.
But Jhon wasn't the kind of man who backed down.
Fortune System: [New Task: Ignore the Warning and Continue the Search for Vlad. Reward: 50,000 FP.]
Jhon clenched his jaw. He would find Vlad, no matter what.
===
Alice's Descent
While Jhon was focused on locating Vlad, Alice had her own demons to face. She hadn't told Jhon everything about her involvement with Viktor Kastov, and the weight of her guilt was starting to crush her.
She spent her days in hiding, moving from one cheap motel to another, constantly looking over her shoulder. The fear of being found was consuming her. She had thought she could escape Viktor's grasp by warning Jhon, but deep down, she knew it wasn't enough.
One night, as Alice stared at the cracked ceiling of her latest hideout, her phone buzzed. She hesitated before picking it up, dread gnawing at her insides.
Unknown Caller: "You can't hide forever, Alice."
Her blood ran cold. She knew the voice—it was Viktor's right-hand man, Luka.
Luka: "If you're smart, you'll come back and fix this mess before it gets worse. Jhon Gray can't save you, Alice. No one can."
Alice's hand shook as she dropped the phone onto the bed. She was trapped, and the walls were closing in.
===
The Final Lead
Back in his office, Jhon finally received the confirmation he had been waiting for. Vlad had been located—hiding in a small village in Romania. It was time to move.
But Jhon knew that going after Vlad would trigger a response from Kastov's people. He couldn't afford to go in blindly.
As he prepared for the trip, Jhon glanced at the Fortune System once more. It was the only thing keeping him one step ahead, but he couldn't shake the feeling that it was pushing him toward something far darker than he had imagined.
With a deep breath, Jhon made his final preparations. He was going to find Vlad and uncover the truth behind Kastov's empire.
And he wasn't coming back until he had a way to destroy it.