Ding! My System Turns Your Arrogance Into Cash

Chapter 16: The Guest of Honor

Dean Henderson stood frozen, his eyes darting toward the door as if looking for a way to escape.

"You are no longer in charge of this project, Henderson," Nicholas said, his voice flat and dangerous.

"Mr. Peterson... please," the dean pleaded, his voice cracking as he tried to find his footing.

"I was only trying to protect the university's interests. I didn't know—"

"I don't care what you knew," Nicholas interrupted, his words cutting through the dean's excuses.

He needed to teach this corrupt man that power could be stripped away just as easily as it was abused.

Nicholas pointed a single, commanding finger toward the heavy wooden exit doors.

"As the majority owner of this facility, I am barring you from ever entering this laboratory building again," Nicholas said, his hands steady in his pockets.

Before Henderson could say another word, Nicholas shifted his gaze to Vivian and her crew. They still had a grateful look on their faces.

“No one will cause trouble for you anymore. Enjoy,” he said, and after flashing them a hopeful smile, he began to walk away.

He could still smell the stench of Henderson’s regret in the air as he stepped out of the lab.

Later that evening, Nicholas sat quietly in his simple rented room, listening to the gentle evening breeze rustling outside.

He lay back, staring up at the ceiling as the quietness of the night settled around him.

He ruminated on how his life had turned around so completely in these past few days.

Just a short while ago, he was a broke student being stepped on by everyone around him.

Now, he had the power to change entire lives with a single swipe of a card.

He thought of the pure, tearful relief on Vivian’s face when the transfer went through.

He realized he derived a strange, deep fulfillment from helping others who were struggling just like he used to.

“It feels so good… really,” Nicholas exhaled deeply, a quiet smile gracing his lips.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed softly in his hand. It was a text message from Vivian.

“Hi Nicholas! Thanks to your investment, we secured the main pavilion at the campus tech exhibition tomorrow. Please come as our guest of honor!”

Nicholas smiled. He wanted to see how they used the money, so he quickly typed back a short confirmation.

He slept peacefully that night, finally free of the anxiety that had plagued him for years.

The next afternoon, the sun beat down heavily on the university’s main courtyard, where rows of high-tech booths stretched across the grass.

It was the annual campus tech exhibition, the biggest networking event of the academic year.

Nicholas walked into the crowded courtyard, wearing a sharp, custom-tailored dark suit that made him look incredibly refined.

He scanned the plaza and instantly spotted a massive, premium pavilion standing right in the absolute center.

A sleek digital banner flashed brightly above the crowd: Kings Grid Technologies.

Nicholas was genuinely surprised. He knew they were hardworking, but they had built this entire grand setup in less than twenty-four hours.

They had bought top-tier server racks, glowing display models, and professional marketing materials with his cash.

Dozens of wealthy city tech investors and university board members huddled around the booth, completely amazed by the software.

"This optimization code is revolutionary!" a prominent city official exclaimed, nodding in deep approval.

Vivian Kings stood proudly behind the main console, her face glowing with intense confidence.

She was finally experiencing the validation she had dreamed of after months of poverty and disrespect.

As Vivian looked up, her eyes locked onto Nicholas standing in the crowd, and her face lit up with a brilliant smile.

She waved him over eagerly, gesturing for him to join her at the front of the pavilion.

"All thanks to our primary investor, Chairman Peterson," Vivian said loudly, introducing him to the VIPs.

Nicholas walked up and stood beside the pavilion, surrounded by a tight circle of local politicians and elite professors.

He radiated an unshakeable, silent aura of true authority that forced everyone around him to speak in polite whispers.

Suddenly, a loud commotion broke out near the edge of the pavilion, drawing irritated glances from the wealthy guests.

"Come on, man! Just five hundred bucks! You know I'm good for it!" a desperate voice pleaded.

It was Chad.

He looked completely disheveled, his clothes wrinkled and his hair unwashed for days.

His family's businesses had been ruined by Nicholas's previous financial attacks, leaving him utterly bankrupt.

Chad was trying to crash the exhibition, frantically grabbing the arm of an old fraternity brother.

He begged because he was drowning in immediate debts and his luxurious campus lifestyle had completely vanished.

"Get your hands off me, Chad," the fraternity friend said, violently slapping Chad's hand away with deep disgust.

"You're a broke nobody now. Your dad is under investigation for fraud, and you owe half the campus money."

"We were brothers, Kyle! Please!" Chad whimpered, his eyes bloodshot and filled with intense humiliation.