Ding! My System Turns Your Arrogance Into Cash

Chapter 18: A Million Dollar Deadline

Nicholas felt a sudden, sharp tightness in his chest. It wasn't pain yet, but it was a clear warning.

The system wasn't joking. He had exactly three hours to dump one million dollars, or his heart would literally stop beating.

He gripped his phone tightly, his mind racing.

How do I spend a million dollars on a college campus in three hours? Nicholas thought, his jaw tightening.

Before he could even take another step, the screech of burning rubber echoed through the courtyard.

A customized, matte-gold Lamborghini swung around the plaza corner, scattering terrified students.

The sports car drifted to a halt right in front of Nicholas, blocking his path.

Four heavy-set men in identical black suits stepped out of a trailing SUV, quickly forming a protective wall around the sports car.

The scissor door of the Lamborghini swung upward.

A tall young man in a silk designer jacket stepped out, sliding off his dark sunglasses.

It was Crest.

He was the undisputed leader of the "Summit Club," the most exclusive, secretive society of ultra-wealthy heirs on campus.

Crest looked at Nicholas, his lip curling into a lazy, arrogant sneer.

He had heard about Nicholas’s sudden rise, and it disgusted him.

To Crest, the campus was his personal playground. He believed that real power was inherited, not found overnight.

He was rude because he felt threatened by Nicholas’s sudden influence, and he wanted to put this lucky upstart back in his place.

"So, you're the trash who has been making a noise lately," Crest said, his voice loud enough for the nearby students to hear.

The surrounding crowd fell completely silent, sensing the heavy tension in the air.

"I heard you threw some pocket change at a failing lab," Crest mocked, taking a slow step forward.

"Do you honestly think a little bit of luck makes you one of us, Nicholas?"

Nicholas stood his ground, his gaze turning incredibly cold.

He hated people like Crest—arrogant bullies who used their family's names to stomp on others.

Nicholas was ready to counterattack because he needed to survive, and because people like Crest desperately needed to be taught a lesson.

"You're blocking my way," Nicholas said flatly.

Crest let out a dry, insulting laugh.

"Arrogant bastard," Crest muttered, his eyes flashing with genuine anger.

He hated that Nicholas wasn't trembling in fear before him.

Crest reached into his silk jacket and pulled out a heavy, platinum-plated envelope.

He didn't hand it to Nicholas. Instead, he tossed it carelessly onto the dusty ground at Nicholas’s feet.

"In exactly two hours, the Summit Club is hosting a private, high-stakes luxury auction at the campus grand hotel," Crest said.

He smirked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"Only the true elite are invited. The bidding starts at hundreds of thousands of dollars."

Crest stepped closer, his voice dropping to a harsh whisper.

"If you really have the capital you claim, come prove it. Or are you just a fraud hiding behind a fake card?"

He wanted to drag Nicholas into his territory and humiliate him in front of the city's wealthiest families.

Nicholas looked down at the platinum envelope resting on the concrete.

Then, he looked back up, a cold, calculated smile slowly spreading across his face.

An auction.

A high-stakes, luxury auction starting in two hours.

It was the absolute perfect solution to his million-dollar deadline.

"An auction," Nicholas murmured, his voice smooth and steady. "Sounds entertaining."

"Don't get too excited, freshman," Crest sneered, turning back toward his golden sports car.

"Make sure you actually bring some real money. It would be a shame if you couldn't even afford the entrance f*e."

Crest slid back into the driver's seat of the Lamborghini, the engine roaring to life with a deafening growl.

As the scissor door began to lower, Crest leaned toward his head bodyguard, his face darkening.

"Call the auctioneer," Crest whispered, his eyes locked onto Nicholas through the windshield.

"Tell him we have a special guest. I want the bidding prices doubled, and I want to make sure Nicholas leaves that hotel completely ruined."