Aiden woke up with the first rays of sunlight illuminating his room. The clock read 6:00 in the morning, and he could already feel the familiar vibration of his cell phone indicating pending notifications. Rubbing his eyes, he got up, walked to the large window of his room, and looked out at the city.
After quickly getting ready, Aiden went down to the dining room, where a full breakfast awaited him. Fresh breads, selected fruits, and a cup of strong coffee were arranged perfectly. He sat at the table, picking up the tablet next to him to check the latest updates on his projects. It was then that a holographic sound rang out, and a new system notification appeared before his eyes.
『Task』
『Acquire Sys Comp.』
『Time Limit: 10 Days
Rewards: 50,000,000,000 Credit』
『Status: ○ Not Completed』
Aiden raised an eyebrow, his lips curving into a bright smile. "Interesting," he muttered, closing the hologram with a flick of his hand.
He pulled out his cell phone and dialed Ada directly.
"Ada, send me what we agreed on," he said quickly as soon as the call was answered.
"The bank is still evaluating the terms of the deal," Ada's professional voice replied on the other end.
Aiden sighed in frustration. "Hurry this up, Ada. I don't have the time in the world for their bureaucracy."
"Understood, sir. I'll press the analysts directly."
Hanging up, Aiden leaned back in his chair, his thoughts racing. The deadline was tight, but the numbers were compelling. He needed Sys Comp., and nothing would stop him from getting it.
Aiden finished his breakfast quickly, his mind already plotting the next steps. He knew that acquiring Sys Comp. in just 10 days would require more than money; it would require strategy, influence, and even some unconventional methods.
Walking to his office inside the mansion, Aiden began mentally listing the resources he could allocate to this operation. He activated a panel on the wall, and a giant holographic screen appeared, displaying Sys Comp's financial data.
"Falling earnings... devalued stock... multiple pending lawsuits," he muttered as he analyzed the numbers. "But their technology is promising. If I can get Lyco out of the game, this will be a gold mine."
He accessed his banking system, checking the funds available for the initial investment. His fingers ran across the screen as he calculated the variables. "50 billion in reward credits… worth every penny of the investment."
Aiden knew he had to act on several fronts. He needed to publicly undermine Lyco, secure internal alliances within Sys Comp., and ensure that shareholders were willing to sell their stakes.
Aiden picked up the phone again, this time calling one of his media contacts.
"Tommy, I need a favor," he said as soon as the call was answered.
"Aiden, old man, what do you need?" the friendly voice on the other end answered.
"I want you to publish an article about the Sys Comp lawsuits. Focus on CEO Lyco's mismanagement and the financial impact he's having on the company. Use the data I'm sending you now."
"This will make easy headlines, but it's going to cost me a few favors. You know how it goes."
"Consider it done. I'll wire you a bonus as soon as the article is published," Aiden replied coolly, ending the call.
He opened a confidential file on his tablet, containing detailed evidence of Lyco's management errors, and sent it directly to Tommy. "This should shake up the morale of the shareholders," he thought as he finalized the transfer.
A little while later, Ada called back.
"I've managed to expedite the process with the bank. The credit will be available within 24 hours."
"Excellent. Now contact Matthew at our construction subsidiary. I want him to analyze Sys Comp's physical assets. Assess the value of the land, equipment, and patents."
"Understood. Anything else, sir?"
"Yes. Prepare a report on Sys Comp's major shareholders. I want to know who is most likely to sell their shares."
"That will be done immediately."
In the meantime, Aiden decided to visit one of the city's leading business clubs to sound out some contacts. He knew that many of Sys Comp.'s shareholders frequented the place, and a casual conversation might be the first step toward convincing them to sell.
Dressed in an impeccable suit, Aiden arrived at the club, where he was immediately greeted by the manager.
"Mr. Baskerville, it's a pleasure to see you again," the man said, bowing slightly.
Aiden simply nodded, walking straight into the main room. There, he spotted a small group gathered at a table, laughing and drinking. Among them was one of Sys Comp.'s shareholders, a man named Victor Hayes.
With a confident smile, Aiden approached. "Victor, it's been a while since we last met."
Victor looked up in surprise, but quickly stood up to greet him. "Aiden! What a surprise. What brings you here?"
"Business, as usual," Aiden replied, grabbing a chair and sitting down next to him. "But also a little fun. I heard you've been having a hard time lately."
Victor laughed sheepishly. "Yeah, things haven't been easy. Sys Comp. is going through a rough patch."
"Well, maybe I can help with that," Aiden said casually, swirling the glass of whiskey in his hand.
Victor raised an eyebrow, intrigued. "What do you have in mind?"
"Why don't we discuss this in a more private setting? I have a few ideas that could be beneficial to both of us," Aiden suggested, giving him a pointed look.
Victor hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded. "Okay. Let's talk."
Back at his mansion, late that night, Aiden was reviewing Ada and Matthew's updated reports. Everything seemed to be lining up perfectly. He had the bank's approval, a plan to destabilize Lyco, and the attention of several shareholders.
The system issued a new notification:
『Mission Updated』
『Progress: 35%』
Smiling at the holographic screen, Aiden muttered, "This is getting more and more interesting."
Heading toward an operations room in the mansion, Aiden laughed out loud, "and it's going to get more interesting."