Rise of the Zillionaire Star

Chapter 57: The Digital King’s Gambit

The ballroom was beautified with shining chrome panels, hovering holographic screens, and a thousand expectant faces that were lit in cool blue light. Overhead was a giant blue banner with the name,  “VirtuCast: Redefining Reality.”

And then he suddenly appeared, Elijah Drax.

The man Jaylen had once dragged through the dirt and exposed as a fraud now walked onstage wearing a designer black cloth with slick hair and a smile that looked twisted like a weapon.  He lifted his arms as though he was a savior returning to his flock. The crowd jeered in approval.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” Elijah said in a magnitude voice into the microphone, “we stand at the dawn of a new era. With my AI platform, VirtuCast, the truth is no longer a debate. Truth is whatever we make of it. And the future belongs to those who control it.”

The audience roared. Investors leaned forward. Cameras crews started taking different shots. And in the back of the room, Jaylen felt his blood turn to ice. ‘What is this?’ He echoed as he stared at him. 

The system ping cut through his thoughts. 

“System alert: Old Rival Re-Emerges.

Threat Level: SEVERE.

New Sub-Quest Unlocked – Beat the Machine.”

Jaylen clenched his jaw. He knew Elijah was arrogant, but the timing was too perfect.

The holographic screens suddenly flickered transitioning into old footage. The crowd hushed.

There it was.

Jaylen Cruz. His hood was up with sunglasses in his face. He was in a dim alley. He was seen slipping a wad of cash into a dealer’s hand. The figure whispered something, and then the camera zoomed closer to catch Jaylen smirking.

Elijah’s voice narrated the footage with hate in his voice. “This is the idol you all worship. A fraud who buys influence, bribes promoters and rigs the industry with dirty money.”

The gasps of the people went through the venue like a roar. Phones were raised to start taking pictures and recording what he was saying. Across the internet, hashtags started going viral.

“#CancelCrossAgain #JaylenTheFraud #VirtuCastProof.”

Jaylen’s chest tightened, but Marcus spoke loud enough to make nearby guests turn their heads.

“This ain’t about clout anymore,” Marcus growled. “They are trying to erase your damn legacy and wipe you clean from the map.”

Beside him, Toni’s fists were balled. “That snake is weaponizing this against you.”

Zee chimed in, “Confirmed: footage is a deepfake. Data packets intercepted mid-stream reveal inconsistencies in lighting, rendering, and natural blur.”

Zee’s holographic avatar flickered into Jaylen’s glasses display. Her tone sharpened.

“Source file originates from a green-screen studio. Actors inserted. Audio mismatched. He stitched this like a theater.”

Onscreen, Elijah smirked as the fake Jaylen’s image froze mid-smile. “The truth is programmable, my friends. And VirtuCast is the machine that ensures none escapes it.”

Outside the venue, angry voices swelled. Paid Zenith protestors waved neon signs,

“The truth has exposed the LIAR”

“EXPOSE CROSS”

Each chant was live-streamed for clout and it began trending alongside Elijah’s feed.

Jaylen’s fists curled. He could stay quiet and hope the storm just went down  Or he could strike back… right here and now, on Elijah’s turf.

His decision was instant. “Marcus,” he said. His eyes were cold, “get me in the feed right now.” 

Marcus cracked his knuckles. He pulled out a portable disruptor. “Alright. Security cameras rerouted. Firewalls cracked. You are live in thirty seconds.”

Toni bit her lip. “J, if you do this, there’s no going back. It’s you versus Elijah, in front of the world.”

Jaylen’s voice was cold and intense. “That’s exactly what I want.”

The screens above Elijah flickered once and then twice. His presentation glitched. The static streaked across his smug grin. And then, Jaylen’s face filled the venue.

The crowd gasped. Reporters moved forward, zooming their phones.

“Elijah,” Jaylen said in a calm voice that carried a deadly edge, “you talk about truth. Let’s show them the real one.”

In an instant, Zee uploaded the raw files she had uncovered - the behind-the-scenes footage of Elijah in a studio, laughing as he directed the actors.

“No, no,” Elijah’s recorded voice rang out. “Make Jaylen look more desperate. Add shadows under his eyes…. That's Perfect. Cut! Let’s sell this fraud to the world.” His face lit up with satisfaction.

The venue erupted. Split screens started playing side by side. The fake alley deal and the raw green-screen rehearsal. The damning contrast silenced the crowd.

Elijah’s smile cracked. His composure vanished. He flailed at the control panel, trying to cut Jaylen off.

“Kill the feed Now!” he screamed.

But Jaylen’s smirk was colder than ice. “It's too late. I locked it into a mirrored blockchain. Every viewer now owns a copy. Delete one to ten thousand reappear.”

The audience gasped again. This time, they were in awe. Investors muttered nervously.

And outside, the chant had changed. 

“#GreenScreenKing” began trending. Memes of Elijah waving his arms like a drowning man went across feeds worldwide. Cartoon gifs, remixes and mockery. His empire of deception collapsed in real-time.

The crowd in the ballroom booed. Sponsors pulled up silent holographic screens to calculate losses. Elijah looked like a prey that was cornered in his own cage. 

Jaylen’s voice cut the air. It was as sharp as the blade. “You tried to change the truth, Elijah. But the truth doesn’t belong to the fakes… It belongs to the people who live it.”

The system chimed in Jaylen’s ear.

“Sub-Quest Progress: 75%.

Final Phase: Outlast Elijah’s Counterattack.

Elijah’s face twisted into a snarl. He ripped his earpiece out and stormed  offstage with cameras flashing after him.

“This isn’t over!” his voice echoed. “I’ll burn him down with me!”

The venue became a mess in less than minutes. Some reporters rushed after Elijah, asking questions about what he did. While the others swarmed Marcus and Toni. Security tried to restore order. But it was impossible. 

But Jaylen simply stood there. Camera men swarmed his presence trying to take a shot of his face. He smirked. Even though in his mind, he  knew he had just won this moment. ‘Elijah wouldn't back down so easily.’ He muttered through his teeth as he watched Elijah with one eye.