He double-clicked the .exe file, and to his surprise, it launched instantly—no installation process, no loading screens. It just opened, ready to use.
Without overthinking, he uploaded a dummy video file, matching the size of the original movie—a massive 2.24 TB file. The upload completed in an instant. A second later, a compressed file appeared with a download option. The new file size? Just 224 GB.
"What?" His eyes widened in disbelief. Was this even possible? Forget the insane speed of the software—how could it achieve 10x compression? Did it strip out crucial data? Typically, compression software prioritized data integrity over size reduction, but this...
His hands trembled slightly as he clicked on the downloaded file. It opened instantly. Heart pounding, he hit play. The video ran smoothly—crystal clear, with perfect audio. No stuttering, no missing frames. He exhaled sharply, his mind racing.
Was this the breakthrough he had been looking for?
Needing to be sure, he copied the file to an external hard drive and tested it on another computer. The result was the same. 224 GB, fully intact.
It worked.
But a new worry crept in. If he uploaded the original movie for compression, could it get leaked? He needed assurances—written confirmation from the company itself.
He quickly searched for customer support and, in the process, stumbled upon the subscription plans. Until now, he had been using the free version. His eyes widened when he saw the premium tiers—the highest plan, for $3,000 a month, claimed up to 90x compression.
"Godly..." he muttered.
Without hesitation, he subscribed to the elite plan and re-ran the test. This time, the software compressed the same 2.24 TB file down to 24 GB in a single second.
He opened the file and checked every frame, every second of audio. It was flawless. Not a single byte lost.
Excitement surged through him, but he forced himself to focus. One last thing remained—confirmation from the company. He couldn't risk this without official assurance.
He quickly drafted a professional email and hit send. Just as he was about to call customer support, a new email popped into his inbox.
His breath caught.
It was an official response from Future Tech, the company behind the software.
His fingers trembled slightly as he opened it. The email, signed by the CEO, assured that all uploaded data was completely secure and was deleted immediately after compression.
A slow smile spread across his face. The efficiency was astonishing—less than a minute had passed since he sent his request, and he already had his answer.
Without wasting time, he connected the hard drive containing the original movie and uploaded it. A second later, a 90x compressed file was ready.
Holding his breath, he ran multiple checks, scrutinizing every detail. Minutes passed, then more. When he finally sat back, he was smiling.
Everything was intact.
The only limitation was that the same software was required for decompression, but even the free tier supported 90x decompression. It was a minor inconvenience compared to what this technology could achieve.
His eyes flickered to another feature—the encryption option. A custom password could be set for added security. He ran a quick test, compressing and encrypting a file. It worked seamlessly.
This was a game-changer.
Until now, they had been using separate software for encryption. But now, a single program could handle both compression and security.
Realizing the potential, he immediately shared the discovery in Hollywood's internal industry groups.
Compression software was essential in every sector. And this?
This was about to shake the entire industry to its core.
---
Sanjay, unaware of the storm brewing around him, was busy exploring the capabilities of his AI.
"Iris, how many downloads so far?"
[100,000 downloads, Host.]
"Not bad," he mused. It had only been a day since the release—there was still plenty of time for it to gain traction.
'Ting.'
A notification popped up on his interface, linked directly to his bank account through Iris.
'An amount of 27 billion rupees has been credited to your account.'
Sanjay exhaled in relief. "Finally, the money came through."
This was the payment from Oracle for his software. The amount was in line with his expectations. After currency conversion, the total had been 33 billion rupees, but taxes and transaction fees had deducted 6 billion.
This money would be the foundation of his technological empire.
After handling immediate matters, he transferred 50 million rupees to his parents for their new house. With that done, he turned his attention back to Future World.
His balance showed 500 million quarks. He also ensured Maya had enough resources by leaving additional gold behind.
There weren't many messages requiring his attention, but today, he had something significant in mind—buying a house.
While the hotel he had been staying in was comfortable, it limited his movements. He needed a more permanent, private space. An apartment—spacious, secure, and high-end—would be ideal.
Iris provided details about the real estate market. With the ever-growing population, standalone houses on land had become rare, starting at 10 billion quarks. That wasn't his focus. A luxury penthouse in a prime location would be a better fit.
After browsing various listings through AR, he settled on a penthouse priced at 200 million quarks. Without hesitation, he placed the bid and, within moments, received an electronic key in his email. The apartment was fully ready for occupancy.
Packing up his things, Sanjay checked out of the hotel, hailed a taxi, and headed toward his new home. As the vehicle approached the towering skyscraper, he tilted his head up, eyes following its height—it seemed to pierce the sky. His new residence was somewhere among the clouds.
At the entrance, facial recognition granted him access without any need for verification—his data had been uploaded the moment he finalized the purchase.
Stepping into a private elevator, he ascended to the 250th floor. The doors slid open, revealing his penthouse.
He took a deep breath as he stepped inside, immediately captivated by the breathtaking view. Floor-to-ceiling transparent glass windows showcased the city from an altitude few could dream of. It felt as if he were floating among the clouds.
With Iris already integrated into the apartment system, he took a guided tour of his new home.
Though the main entrance was on the 250th floor, the penthouse extended across four additional floors. It featured 15 bedrooms, a private pool, a gym, a bar counter, a gaming room, and several other high-end amenities. Fully furnished, it required no extra purchases—every detail exuded luxury and comfort.
Sanjay sank into a plush couch, letting out a satisfied sigh. His investment had been worth it.
"Iris, the house is in your hands. Keep it secure when I'm not here."
[Understood, Host.]
[I will purchase a household attendant AI and a few androids to maintain cleanliness and security.]
"Go ahead."
As he gazed out the massive window, he let his thoughts wander.
What was the next step in his journey?
'Ting.'
A message popped up on Sanjay's interface. It was from Maya.
"Sanjay, are you free?"
He quickly typed back. "Yes, what's up?"
"Good. I need help—I'm in a bit of a mess. Can you come over?"
"Sure."
"Okay. Come to my shop as soon as you can."
Sanjay stretched lazily before pushing himself off the sofa. He took the lift down, hailed a cab, and headed straight to Maya's shop.
When he arrived, he noticed the shop was closed. He knocked on the door.
"Maya, you there?"
A faint sound came from inside, followed by the side door clicking open. He stepped in, and the door shut behind him. He walked past the counter, heading toward the back where Maya usually worked.
She was sitting in front of a computer, her fingers flying across the keyboard.
"Good, you're here." She turned toward him, her face tense. "How good are you in a fight?"
Sanjay raised an eyebrow. "A fight?"
"Yeah. With guns," she clarified, a bit flustered.
He blinked. "Never held one."
That wasn't entirely true—he had handled one back in a medieval world, but he'd never actually used it on another person.
Maya cursed under her breath, running a hand through her hair. "Damn it."
"What's going on?" Sanjay stepped closer, his voice steady despite his growing concern. "Tell me."
She took a deep breath before speaking. "We're in trouble."
He frowned. "What kind of trouble?"
"Remember the gold you gave me? I sold it through a mediator. Turns out, he got caught by the police. And it's only a matter of time before they squeeze our location out of him."
Sanjay's stomach tightened. If they tracked him down, he'd become a fugitive. All his efforts, his money, his future—they'd be gone. He couldn't let that happen.
"Alright," he said, his voice firm. "What do we do?"
Maya pulled up a map on her screen. "The best option we have is to hijack the convoy transferring him to a high-security prison. He'll be interrogated there, and if that happens, we're finished. The route they're taking is mostly deserted, so we have a chance."
Sanjay's eyes widened. "Hijack a convoy? I was thinking more along the lines of hiring a lawyer..."
Maya shook her head. "We don't have that kind of time. Listen, you won't have to do much. I just need backup for the retreat. I'll handle everything else. Can you at least pull the trigger if needed?"
Sanjay hesitated. He wasn't confident, but could he at least fire a gun? It wasn't just about him—it was about his survival. He had no choice.
"Okay," he said, exhaling. "Let's do it."
Seeing the determination in his eyes, Maya smiled. "Good. Follow me."
She stood up and walked deeper into the shop. Sanjay followed, his mind racing with everything that could go wrong. After a short walk, they arrived at a locked door. Maya punched in a security code, and the door slid open with a soft hiss.
Sanjay's breath caught in his throat.
The room was filled with weapons—rows of futuristic guns mounted neatly on the walls. They looked like something straight out of a sci-fi video game.
Maya picked up a sleek, long-barreled sniper rifle and handed it to him.
"Here. Take this."
P.S:-
Schedule for updates:
1 Chapter everyday, 2 Chapters on weekends
50 Power Stones- 2 extra chapters
200 Power Stones- 5 extra chapters
50 Golden Tickets- 5 extra chapters
Happy reading everyone!