Ding! My System Turns Your Arrogance Into Cash

Chapters 11: The Ultimate Landlord

The courtyard fell into a terrifying, dead silence as Chairman Thomas stopped directly in front of Nicholas.

Nicholas stood perfectly still, his expression completely calm as if a legendary billionaire approaching him was a normal occurrence.

"Mr. Peterson, it is an absolute honor to finally meet you in person," Chairman Thomas announced loudly.

His powerful voice carried across the stone courtyard, reaching the ears of every single shocked student.

"I am here to publicly announce a massive shift in our university's infrastructure," Thomas continued, turning to the crowd.

"As of late last night, Mr. Nicholas Peterson acquired a full controlling stake in our largest real estate partner."

"Those emergency micro-shares triggered a major clause, making Nicholas the actual landlord of the entire campus commercial district," the billionaire declared.

Professor Lawson, who had just rushed out of the lecture hall alongside several school board members, froze.

Lawson’s face turned an instant, ghostly shade of white, his breath catching painfully in his throat.

"The... the landlord?" Lawson gasped, his knees trembling so violently he had to grab a nearby pillar.

The trailing school board members almost fainted from sheer shock, their eyes wide with absolute horror.

They realized they had spent the last two semesters actively insulting and looking down on their biggest boss.

"M-Mr. Peterson! Please! I didn't know!" Professor Lawson shrieked, his arrogant persona completely shattering.

He scrambled forward and dropped straight onto his knees on the hard stone pavement, begging for mercy.

"I was just following Chad's bad advice! Please don't ruin my career! Forgive me!" Lawson cried out.

Nicholas looked down at the kneeling professor, his handsome face remaining an unreadable mask of cold stone.

Chairman Thomas handed a sleek, premium digital tablet over to Nicholas with a deeply respectful nod.

"Just your digital signature here, Mr. Peterson, to officially finalize the asset transfer," Thomas said politely.

Nicholas calmly took the stylus pen, his hand perfectly steady as he signed his name across the screen.

"Excellent. The district is officially yours, sir," Thomas smiled, taking the tablet back.

Nicholas turned his icy gaze down toward the sobbing Professor Lawson, his tone flat and empty of mercy.

"Professor Lawson, you are fired from this institution on the spot," Nicholas commanded evenly.

"Pack your bags and clear out of your office before my security team throws your things into the street."

Lawson collapsed entirely onto the pavement, weeping openly as his professional life ended in an instant.

Nicholas turned around smoothly, walking toward the open door of the luxury black Mercedes van.

In the middle of the crowd, Miranda stood completely frozen, her body trembling with a supreme, agonizing regret.

Tears of pure bitterness streamed down her cheeks as she watched Nicholas step into the vehicle.

He owns the entire campus district... and I called him a broke loser, she thought, her chest tightening with pain.

The heavy door of the luxury van clicked shut, and the armored vehicle smoothly drove away from the curb.

Miranda watched the taillights fade into the distance, knowing she had thrown away the greatest wealth she would ever see.

Inside the quiet, air-conditioned cabin of the van, Nicholas leaned back against the plush leather seats.

Suddenly, a violent, high-frequency vibration erupted from his front pocket, making his phone screen light up.

A bright gold, flashing notification banner blocked out his regular wallpaper interface.

Ding!

[Emergency System Notification: Sudden Competitive Task Triggered!]

[Task: Buy out the city’s premium flagship restaurant, 'The Golden Caviar,' within exactly one hour.]

[Reward: Tier 3 Unlock. Penalty for Failure: Absolute System Deletion.]

Nicholas checked the digital countdown timer on the screen: [00:59:54... 00:59:53...]

"A competitive task?" Nicholas muttered to himself, his eyebrows furrowing as a rush of adrenaline hit him.

He looked out the window as the driver navigated into the city’s most exclusive, ultra-wealthy commercial sector.

Ten minutes later, the luxury van pulled up to the grand, golden entrance of the massive five-star restaurant.

Nicholas stepped out of the vehicle, his sharp suit drawing immediate attention from the high-society guests outside.

He walked through the towering glass double doors, stepping onto the thick, velvet red carpet of the lobby.

Before he could even take three steps toward the main dining room, a tall, elitist head host blocked his path.

The host wore a pristine tuxedo and a gold name tag, looking at Nicholas with immense, visible snobbery.

"Hold it right there, young man," the head host sneered, raising a manicured hand to stop him.

"We have a strict dress code and a private guest list. Walk-ins from the student district are not permitted."

"I am here to see the owner and view the establishment," Nicholas said, keeping his voice calm and steady.

The head host let out a loud, mocking scoff, looking down his nose at Nicholas with absolute disdain.

"People of your low background aren't even qualified to view our menu, let alone see the owner. Get out."