The night was unusually quiet, the kind of silence that wrapped itself around the city like a thick fog. Emir stood by the window of his modest apartment, gazing out at the sea of twinkling lights. The skyline was a canvas of ambition, each glowing tower a monument to someone's dreams. Soon, one of those monuments would be his—the 8th Wonder of the World.
But ambition came with a price, and Emir knew better than to ignore the signs. The shadow he'd seen earlier hadn't been a figment of his imagination. Someone was watching him, and he couldn't afford to let his guard down.
---
The next morning, Emir walked into the office with his usual calm demeanor. His coworkers greeted him with nods and quick smiles, though most were too engrossed in their own lives to notice him. It was exactly how he liked it.
"Morning, Emir!" chirped Polly, the office gossip, as she swiveled her chair to face him. Polly, whose nickname was "Parrot," had an uncanny ability to know everyone's business, often embellishing the truth for dramatic flair.
"Morning, Polly," Emir replied, keeping his tone neutral.
"Did you hear about the guy at the auction last night? The one who claimed to have powers?" she asked, leaning in conspiratorially.
Emir smirked inwardly but played along. "Powers? Sounds like something out of a comic book."
Polly grinned. "I know, right? But some people swore he made the lights flicker during the bidding war. Creepy, huh?"
"Must've been a power surge," Emir said with a shrug, his voice laced with just enough disinterest to end the conversation.
Polly pouted, disappointed by his lack of engagement, and turned back to her computer.
---
During lunch, Emir's thoughts drifted back to the skill tree. He'd been spending more freely, inching closer to unlocking Architect of the Future. The skill was tantalizing, promising him an edge in navigating the complex web of opportunities and challenges that lay ahead.
As he ate his meal, his mind wandered to the people he'd encountered recently—Zak Malik with his gadgets, Sofi El-Masri with her sharp wit and piercing gaze, and even Polly with her knack for uncovering secrets. Each one was a potential piece in the larger puzzle, but Emir couldn't yet see how they fit.
His musings were interrupted by a call from Zak.
"Emir, you free tonight? There's a private gathering—very exclusive. Thought you'd want in," Zak said.
"Exclusive, huh? What's the catch?"
"No catch, just some very interesting people. Movers and shakers. Thought it might be your kind of crowd," Zak replied with a hint of mischief.
Emir hesitated for a moment before agreeing. If nothing else, the gathering would provide him with more insights into the players shaping the city.
---
That evening, Zak picked Emir up in his flashy self-driving car, a prototype he'd been tinkering with for months.
"You've got to stop calling this thing 'Speedy,' Zak. It's embarrassing," Emir teased as he climbed in.
"Hey, don't mock the name. Speedy's a masterpiece!" Zak retorted, patting the dashboard affectionately.
The ride to the gathering was filled with lighthearted banter, but Emir's mind was already working overtime. He needed to stay sharp, especially if this event was as exclusive as Zak claimed.
---
The gathering was held in a sprawling mansion on the outskirts of the city. The air buzzed with conversations, laughter, and the clinking of glasses. As Emir stepped inside, he felt the weight of several eyes on him.
"Welcome to the lion's den," Zak whispered, grinning.
Sofi was there, dressed in an elegant gown that somehow managed to be both understated and commanding. She acknowledged Emir with a slight nod, her expression unreadable.
Throughout the evening, Emir mingled, his charm and quick wit earning him the attention of several influential figures. He listened more than he spoke, carefully cataloging every piece of information.
Near the end of the night, an older man approached him—a figure Emir recognized from news articles but had never met in person. Mr. Gorrick, a billionaire philanthropist with a reputation for eccentricity, extended his hand.
"Emir, isn't it? I've been hearing your name quite a bit lately," Gorrick said, his voice smooth and measured.
"I hope they're good things," Emir replied, shaking his hand.
"Mostly," Gorrick said with a small smile. "You've got an air about you, young man. Like you're playing a game no one else can see."
Emir's smile didn't falter, but his mind raced. Was Gorrick onto him, or was it just an observation born of curiosity?
---
Financial Update:
Total Spent: 470 million credits
Cashback Earned: 47 billion credits
Net Worth: 143.6 billion credits
Progress to Empire: 82%
---
As Emir left the mansion, a faint hum of static electricity lingered in the air. Across the street, a figure in a dark coat watched him leave, muttering into a small device, "He's progressing faster than we anticipated."