Chapter 1: The Day I Hit Zero​The cardboard was thin against the cold concrete floor of the abandoned warehouse in Apapa. Outside, container trucks rumbled past, their heavy engines shaking the very ground I slept on.​I hadn't eaten in two days. My stomach wasn't even cramping anymore; it was just a hollow, aching void.​Emeka Osei. First-class Economics degree. The boy my mother called "Professor" since I was nine. Now, I was just another ghost in the Lagos night.​I stared at the cracked ceiling and laughed. It was a dry, ugly sound.​Three weeks ago, I had a life. I had a future. I had the Zenith Capital Group interview—the biggest investment firm in Africa. I had crushed every technical question. I was seconds away from the handshake that would change my family’s destiny.​Until my uncle walked in.​Chief Boniface Osei. The man who paid my school fees. The man who sat at the head of the boardroom table and looked at me like I was a cockroach.​"This candidate," my uncle had said

Chapter 3: The Casino Butcher​The Eko Hotel & Suites was glowing like a diamond under the Victoria Island moon.​I stepped out of a yellow taxi—the last time I would ever sit in one—and adjusted the lapels of my suit. It was the same suit I had slept in on a cardboard box forty-eight hours ago, but now, with ₦50,000,000 sitting in my bank account, it felt like armor.​"Oga, you can't park that rickety thing here," the valet sneered, waving the taxi away. He looked at me, his lip curling. "The private gala is for VVIPs only. Entry fee alone is five hundred thousand."​I didn't say a word. I just pulled out my phone and showed him the balance.​The valet’s eyes nearly popped out of his head. He stuttered, his back bending into a deep bow. "Ah! Welcome, Chairman! My apologies, sir! This way, please!"​Money doesn't just talk in Lagos; it commands.​I walked into the VIP lounge. The air was cool, smelling of expensive cigars and aged cognac. In the center of the room, a high-stakes poker

Chapter 5: The Price of Disrespect​The dust hadn't even settled on my takeover of Omoni Heights before the first scavenger arrived.​I was sitting in the Director’s office—my office now—overlooking the chaotic streets of Marina. The air conditioning was finally working, a luxury the previous staff hadn't tasted in months.​[DING!][Mission Update: Consolidate Power.][Objective: Neutralize the 'Scavenger' without spending a single kobo of your own capital.][Reward: Silver Sovereign Level 3 (Wealth Aura) Preview.]​A knock at the door interrupted the System’s chime. It wasn't the soft, respectful knock of my new receptionist, Blessing. It was the loud, arrogant bang of someone who thought they still owned the room.​The door swung open. Prince Ola walked in, flanked by two lawyers in suits that cost more than their ethics.​"Emeka," Ola sneered, leaning against my mahogany desk. "I heard you played a little trick on the creditors. Very clever. But you’re playing in the deep end now,

Chapter 7: The Governor’s Gala​The Eko Hotel Grand Ballroom was a sea of shimmering lace, designer tuxedos, and the heavy scent of old money. Crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling like frozen rain, reflecting the ambitious smiles of Nigeria’s elite.​I stepped out of a black Rolls-Royce Phantom—the first major purchase for Omoni Heights. In Lagos, you don't just arrive; you announce your existence.​[DING!][New Mission: The Public Execution.][Objective: Attend the Gala and humiliate Chief Boniface in front of his primary investors.][Reward: ₦200,000,000 + Wealth Aura Level 2.]​"Emeka, are you sure about this?" Chidi whispered, adjusting his driver’s cap. He looked terrified just being in the parking lot. "These people... they eat guys like us for breakfast."​"They used to, Chidi," I said, checking my reflection in the tinted glass. I was wearing a bespoke charcoal-grey tuxedo that cost ₦2.5 Million. It fit like armor. "Tonight, I’m the one setting the menu."​I walked toward

Chapter 9: The Vault of Secrets​The car stopped in front of the Zenith Capital building. It was late. The streetlights were the only things moving. I looked at the tall glass tower. This was the place where my father worked until the day he died. This was the place where my uncle, Chief Boniface, turned me into a beggar.​[DING!][Mission: The Midnight Audit.][Objective: Enter Vault #4 and find the 'Osei Legacy' file.][Reward: ₦300,000,000 + Market Pulse Level 2.]​"Emeka, this is a bad idea," Chidi said. He was looking at the security guards at the door. "Those men are armed. They don't care about your new suit or your fancy car. They only care about the Chief's orders."​"The Chief doesn't own this building anymore, Chidi," I said. "I own 15% of the shares. I am the boss now."​I got out of the car. I walked straight to the front door. Two guards blocked my way. They were holding rifles.​"The building is closed," the first guard said. "Go home."​"I am Emeka Osei," I said. I did