The Almighty Garbage Collector: Reclaiming My Throne

The King of Scavengers

The electronic voice inside my head did not stop. It was completely clear, washing over the sound of the falling rain. The golden light in front of my eyes grew brighter, making the dark alley look as bright as afternoon.

[Item Scanned: Ancient Dragon Wood.]

[Value: Invaluable. Initializing recycling process.]

[Recycling Complete! Congratulations, Host Tunde Vance. You have received the following starter rewards:]

[Reward 1: One Hundred Million Dollars (USD equivalent deposited into your account).]

[Reward 2: Dragon Martial Arts Bloodline unlocked at Level 1.]

Before I could even think about what those words meant, a sudden wave of heat exploded from the wooden charm. The warmth rushed into my palms, traveled up my arms, and spread through my entire body. My sore muscles stopped aching. The deep pain in my stomach from the bodyguard's punch vanished instantly. I felt a sudden surge of physical strength, as if my body had been rebuilt from scratch. I stood up from the mud, my bare feet planting firmly on the wet ground. I no longer felt the freezing cold of the rain.

My phone gave a loud vibration in my pocket. With trembling fingers, I pulled it out. The screen was cracked from the beating, but the display lit up. It was a real text notification from my bank app.

Transaction Alert: Credit. Amount: ₦160,000,000,000.00. Current Balance: ₦160,000,000,012.43.

I stared at the zeros. One hundred and sixty billion Naira. This was not a dream. The tiny piece of wood I had found in a pile of elite trash was actually an ancient treasure. The wealthy people inside the mansion thought they had thrown away a worthless piece of junk, but they had given me the keys to the world.

I can save Ife, I said to myself, my voice full of intense emotion. Tears mixed with the rain on my face, but this time, they were tears of relief. "I can pay for the best doctors in Lagos. Nobody can turn off her machines now.

I did not waste another second looking back at the mansion. Ronke and her mother meant nothing to me anymore. I needed to get out of the storm, buy clothes, and go straight to the hospital. I walked out of the dark alley and moved toward the main road.

About two blocks away, the bright neon lights of Apex Motors shone through the heavy rain. It was the most expensive luxury car dealership in the city, where the super-rich went to buy sports cars. More importantly, I knew the dealership had a high-end clothing boutique inside the lobby for VIP clients.

I walked across the flooded street, my bare feet stepping onto the clean concrete pavement outside the showroom. Through the massive glass windows, I could see rows of shiny sports cars. I pushed the heavy glass door open and walked inside.

The heat from the indoor vents hit me immediately. The floor was made of pure white marble, so clean you could see your reflection in it. The moment my wet, bare feet made a muddy sound on the floor, three sales associates turned around. They looked at my torn clothes, my wet hair, and my bare feet. Their polite expressions vanished instantly.

A tall salesman with slicked-back hair stepped forward, blocking my path to the clothing racks. He held his nose with two fingers.

Stop right there," the salesman said, his voice full of absolute disgust. "How did security let a homeless beggar inside the building? Get out before I call the police to drag you to jail.

I am not a beggar, I said, looking him straight in the eyes. My voice was calm and steady, completely different from how I used to talk when I was poor. "I am a customer. I want to buy a warm coat and a pair of shoes.

The salesman laughed loudly, calling over the other staff members. "Did you hear this garbage man? He wants to buy a VIP jacket. Hey, idiot, the cheapest socks in this building cost more than your annual salary. Look at the mud you are tracking onto our marble floor. Clean it up with your shirt and get out.

"I have money to pay," I said, pulling out my cracked phone.

"Get out!" the salesman said, pushing my shoulder.

But the moment his hand touched my chest, it felt like he had hit a wall of solid iron. He stumbled backward, his eyes widening in shock. He did not expect a thin guy like me to be so strong. His face turned red with anger, and he pointed a finger at me. "You are dead. I am calling the manager right now to have you locked up for assault.

He ran toward the back office. Within thirty seconds, an older man in a sharp grey suit walked out. It was Mr. Ade, the general manager of the dealership. He looked at the mud on the floor, then looked at me with deep annoyance.

Young man, this is a place for billionaires, Mr. Ade said, his voice cold. "We do not tolerate troublemakers. Leave quietly, or I will make sure you spend the next five years in a maximum-security prison.

Is this how you treat customers? I asked, holding my ground. "I came here to spend money.

You do not have money, Mr. Ade said simply. "Look at yourself. You are actual trash. I am giving you three seconds to run.

I did not argue with him. Instead, I opened my banking app, accessed the special business purchase feature provided by the Scavenger System, and entered the registration code of Apex Motors displayed on the wall. I pressed the button labeled Buy All Shares.

[Processing corporate takeover... 100% of Apex Motors shares acquired for $12 Million USD. Transferring ownership to Host Tunde Vance.]

A second later, Mr. Ade’s tablet computer gave a loud, frantic ringing sound. He pulled it out of his pocket, his face turning pale as he read the urgent email from the corporate headquarters. His hands began to shake violently.

What is it, Mr. Ade? the arrogant salesman asked, smiling cruelly at me. "Should I call the guards to beat him?

Mr. Ade did not answer the salesman. He stared at his screen, then looked up at me, his eyes full of pure terror. The tablet fell from his hands, smashing onto the floor. He dropped to his knees right into the puddle of muddy water I had brought in, bowing his head until it touched my bare feet.

Chairman Vance! Mr. Ade cried out, his voice cracking with fear. "Please forgive us! The board just sold the entire multinational franchise to you. You... you own everything!"

Before the shocked sales staff could even process what was happening, the front doors of the dealership opened again. A man and a woman walked into the showroom, laughing and talking loudly.

It was Ronke and Young Master Babajide.