His remonstrance elicited approving nods from the assembled eminences. For Lumina City's mercantile axiom espoused harmonious coexistence - each titan dominating their respective domains while respecting others' turf.Yet Tiktoc's inaugural salvo was a cataclysmic price war underpricing every commodity to $1 - even million-dollar luxuries shamelessly pillaged from their brimming larders.Moreover, by severing their upstream suppliers, Tiktoc metaphorically plundered these moguls' warehoused provisions."I am Adam." He responded with feigned humility. "One of Tiktoc's principal overseers. May I inquire as to your identity, good sir?""The Chairman of Lumina City's Commerce Council." The patriarch's eyes flashed with condescending hauteur. "On behalf of our entire mercantile consortium, I demand Tiktoc immediately cessate these market-subverting acts. Persist, and we shall collectively ostracize your enterprise.""Collective ostracization?" Emboldened by Evan's patronage, Adam scoffed d
Adam remained unruffled. "As I stated, you lack the requisite standing. Or was my meaning unclear? Mr. Smith believes only a select few in Lumina City are fit company."The suited man's fury boiled over as he raised a fist. "Insolent whelp! Riding on another's coattails, are you? I'll see this place razed even if it costs my position - starting with teaching you some respect!""Restrain him!""Give the pup a thrashing!""He has earned such chastisement with his disrespect!"The crowd urged the irate man toward violence as tensions mounted."Enough of this impertinence!" A commanding baritone resonated through the hall as a septuagenarian elder, a tall, ravishing Beauty, and two vigorous men in their prime strode in - Old Mr. Clark of Clark Group, Daisy, Mayor Dominic Taylor of Lumina City, and District Mayor Samuel Walker of Lumina District had finally arrived.The dignitaries' presence stilled the unrest as the assembled officials and moguls turned in deference. Meanwhile, the civil
In that moment, they had no doubts - this youth's deft maneuverings one month prior, culminating in the dollar frenzy currently holding Lumina spellbound, demonstrated his capability to achieve market supremacy if he so willed.But could he truly command the requisite fortune? This dollar craze amounted to flinging bundles of cash into the populace's eager grasp - an exorbitant outlay no matter one's wealth.Dominic, Samuel, and Old Mr. Clark shook their heads forcibly, as if to dislodge the thrall of Evan's pronouncement, their rational faculties reasserting to doubt his immense claimed resources.Daisy's porcelain bosom trembled - while aware of Evan's affluence, she had never fathomed such staggering, terrifying depths. A tendril of skepticism snaked through her too."Monopolizing the markets eliminates competition, stifling Lumina's economic vitality," Old Mr. Clark rejoined gravely, his merchant's instincts sensing the youth might indeed command sufficient fortune to challenge -
Yet Evan demanded no recompense - this was to be a gratis endowment, with Clark Group retaining all accrued profits merely for bearing Tiktoc's imprimatur. Heavens, what unfathomable opulence enabled such absurd munificence? Had Evan's wealth truly outstripped all responsible disbursement? Dominic and Samuel too stared agog, recalling the $400 million largesse witnessed in Evan's hometown, a trifling figure dwarfed by this billionaire bequest bestowed upon another.Verily, when paired with such an unfettered spendthrift, one allied oneself with divinity itself!"My second demand." Evan's imperious gaze roved over them as he stated softly, "I shall remain an unseen hand - no need to burden kith and kin with entanglements. You shall be the public face managing affairs. Outside this chamber, I am Jesse Smith, the veiled master of Tiktoc and, ultimately, Lumina's entire commercial sphere."His pupils flared artic. "Any breach shall be...addressed accordingly."He stamped once, the conc
While his cult of personality enthralled the masses below, Evan had already extricated himself from the curtained salon, ascending to a third-story balcony overlooking the frenzied auditorium like some numinous divinity surveying his creation."There - is that not Tiktoc's master? I've heard their overlord is a mere youth!" Sharper eyes discerned his shadowed silhouette, prompting others to squint futilely upwards in hopes of glimpsing this dreaded subjugator whose singular might had cowed Lumina's indomitable institutions."Hmph, I am the man your combined strengths shall never overmaster," Evan declared in ringing tones as his backed hands drifted skyward, aloft on unseen cosmic tides.In that moment, Evan's entire silhouette shimmered with a radiant golden aura, ascending gracefully amidst the awestruck gazes of the crowd, as if a divine being holding the power of life and death."I, Bear Furniture, wish to join Tiktoc, just as Clark Group has done!" The owner of Bear Furniture cr
"Now then, let me see just how much I've amassed! I've scarcely spent a dime of my own; it must be quite a fortune by now!"Evan accessed the "Loser's Funds" ledger in his consciousness - only to reel in shock. Good God, over $700 million! How did I accrue such unfathomable wealth in the mere month since I last checked? Seven hundred million! If I were but an ordinary student, that could bankroll lifetimes of excess! Squandering $1,000 daily would still take 19 years to go broke! And I've only reached the second tier; the balance swells by $200 each second. Should I attain the third tier at $300 per second... I could quite literally burn through mountains of cash! To tear down the highway in my Bugatti Veyron, littering a trail of banknotes in my wake! At that moment, Adam's call came through. "Mr. Smith, our objective to unify Lumina City's commerce has largely succeeded! The scions of wealth and power have organized a gala to celebrate, and they've extended an invitation to us -
Evan harbored no concern over potential disruption; at such affairs, those with self-awareness invariably gravitated towards the nucleus, where scrutiny shone brightest.Yet this time, his expectations proved mistaken. Even as he relished his surreptitious feasting, two pairs of eyes had locked malignantly upon him from across the hall.Slipping from the sycophantic throngs, the snaggle-toothed Anthony Taylor nursed a glass of wine as he approached Evan's direction, Derek Walker in tow. In truth, from the moment of Evan's arrival, Anthony had marked his presence, yet as the mayor's son and centerpiece of this very gala, he could scarce extricate himself until finally addressing the last deferential well-wisher. Together, these two represented Lumina's greatest "Princeling" scions.Their convergence instantly commanded the hall's rapt attention."Why are those young masters heading towards that vagrant?""Could that casually-dressed fellow be some hidden blueblood?""Impossible, this
"A summer intern?"Idly swirling his wineglass, Richard Wealth's eyes glinted with sly bemusement. Ah, such delicious theater unfurling before him!It seemed he need not even stir the proverbial pot - these consummate fops would undoubtedly vent their ire upon this audacious gatecrasher. Perfection!True to expectation, Samuel Walker's scion Derek hurled the first salvo."What business has a menial temp like you at an affair like this?""Do not sidle soclose to our Daisy, you irksome gnat - you are unfit to even lift her skirts!" "Daisy, you remain too naive, without an ounce of social experience. Sheltered maidens like you inevitably fall prey to the feigned rebellion of callow youths. Yet what future can he provide? He has neither status nor fortune!"Derek's spittle-laden tirade showered Evan's unfinished repast as the princelings rounded on their target. Having scant affection for Derek, Daisy felt her ire rising at his denigration of Evan, her porcelain cheeks flushing crimson