2026-03-30 07:04:39The next morning, Leo woke earlier than usual. For a moment, he lay still on the bed, staring at the stained ceiling of his small apartment. Then, everything came rushing back—Sarah, Marcus, the humiliation in class, and the strange System.
As soon as the thought crossed his mind, a faint glow appeared before his eyes. A translucent interface quietly unfolded in his vision. [TIME LEFT: 17:16:43] Leo rubbed his temples. “So, it’s real…” The countdown continued ticking down silently. Every second reminded him that Marcus Whitmore still stood far above him socially. If Leo wanted to humiliate him publicly, he would need the right stage and the right moment. He swung his legs off the bed. “Guess I’d better get moving.” Eastgate University was unusually lively that morning. Students gathered near the Media Building, many holding their phones in the air as excited whispers floated through the courtyard. “She’s filming again.” “I heard it’s for the gala promotion video.” Leo slowed his steps slightly and, curious, followed the crowd. A small filming setup had been arranged near the building entrance—cameras, lighting stands, and a laptop placed on a folding table. Standing in the center of it all was Lena Hart, the most famous student influencer on campus. Her long black hair flowed down her shoulders as she spoke to the cameraman. Leo had seen her before in passing, but today she looked frustrated. “This projection model is wrong,” Lena said, staring at her laptop screen. “If the engagement prediction fails, the whole proposal collapses.” The cameraman scratched his head helplessly. “But the marketing team already checked the numbers.” “That’s the problem,” Lena replied. “They checked them wrong.” Leo paused nearby. He caught a glimpse of the screen—numbers, graphs, and projection curves. Something about it looked vaguely familiar, but before he could analyze it further, the System appeared again. [SITUATIONAL OPPORTUNITY DETECTED] [SKILL AVAILABLE: ADVANCED BUSINESS ANALYTICS] [RENTAL COST: 1 SUPREMACY POINT] [DURATION: 10 MINUTES] Leo blinked. “Skill… rental?” [ACTIVATE?] Leo looked at Lena’s frustrated expression, then back at the ticking timer. [TIME LEFT: 17:05:18] If the System was offering him a tool, maybe this was exactly the kind of opportunity he needed. He exhaled slowly. “Activate.” The moment he said it, a strange sensation rushed through his mind. It felt like someone had suddenly poured an entire library of knowledge into his brain—charts, forecast models, marketing projections, and consumer behavior algorithms. Leo’s eyes widened slightly. The messy graph on Lena’s laptop suddenly looked painfully obvious. The mistake wasn’t small; it was fundamental. Leo stepped forward. “Your growth multiplier is inverted.” The filming crew turned toward him in surprise. Lena frowned. “And you are?” Leo pointed at the laptop screen. “You’re applying the engagement multiplier before stabilizing the baseline variable.” Lena blinked. Leo continued calmly, “That creates exponential distortion.” Before she could respond, Leo leaned over and typed a few quick corrections. The graph instantly recalculated. The unstable curve smoothed out, and the engagement prediction aligned perfectly with the campaign data. Lena stared at the screen. “…Wait.” She refreshed the model again. The numbers remained consistent. Her expression slowly changed from frustration to disbelief. “That… fixed it.” The cameraman leaned closer. “Seriously?” Leo stepped back quietly. Inside his vision, the System countdown for the skill ticked down. Skill duration remaining: 08:42 Lena turned toward him. “You solved that in seconds.” Leo shrugged slightly. “It wasn’t complicated.” Around them, students began whispering. “Who is that guy?” “Isn’t he from the business department?” Lena closed her laptop slowly. “Well,” she said, “you just saved my entire presentation.” Leo nodded. “Glad to help.” He turned to leave, but Lena stopped him. “Wait.” Leo paused. Lena crossed her arms thoughtfully. “How should I repay you?” Leo hesitated. The System timer flashed again in his vision. [TIME LEFT: 16:57:03] Marcus Whitmore. Public humiliation. Suddenly, an idea formed. Leo looked back at her. “There is something you could help me with.” Lena raised an eyebrow. “Oh?” “There’s a university gala tonight.” Leo kept his tone calm. “I need a partner.” The nearby students gasped. Lena Hart was one of the most sought-after girls on campus; most guys wouldn’t dare ask her out directly. But Leo’s expression remained completely steady. For a moment, Lena studied him carefully. He didn’t look nervous. He didn’t look desperate. Finally, she smiled. “Well,” she said, “that’s definitely a unique request.” Leo waited silently. Lena thought for a few seconds, then she nodded. “Alright.” The crowd erupted into whispers. “Did she just say yes?” “No way…” Leo blinked. “You mean—” “I’ll go with you,” Lena said. “But only because you saved my project.” Leo smiled faintly. “Fair enough.” Lena picked up her phone. “Text me the time.” She then turned back toward her filming crew. Leo walked away calmly, but inside, his heart was pounding. The stage had been set. [TIME LEFT: 16:51:12] Leo slipped his hands into his pockets. Marcus Whitmore would definitely attend the gala tonight, and when Marcus saw him arrive with Lena Hart… A faint smile appeared on Leo’s face. For the first time, the System had given him a real advantage. Things were only getting started. Everything depended on tonight.
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Chapter 95: Welcome to London
The train slowed as it pulled into London's St Pancras International Station. Through the window, Leo caught his first glimpse of the city. Modern glass buildings stood proudly beside historic brick architecture. Black taxis moved steadily through the streets, while the famous red double-decker buses rolled past the station entrance.Samuel practically pressed his face against the window. "There they are!"Leo chuckled. "The buses?""The legendary buses. I've been waiting for this."Adrian picked up his suitcase. "I never thought public transportation could excite someone this much."Samuel grinned. "You don't appreciate the little things."The station buzzed with life. Travelers hurried in every direction while announcements echoed overhead.Lena looked around with curiosity. "It feels... different."Leo nodded. "It does.""Germany felt organized and calm.""This city feels alive."As they stepped outside, a cool breeze greeted them. Towering buildings stretched into the
Chapter 94: A New city
The following morning arrived with clear skies over Munich. Leo stood by the window of his hotel room, looking out at the city one last time. Germany had given Nexus Cryptics more than he could have imagined. They had secured their first major European partnership, met some of the brightest minds in technology, and earned the respect of people who once knew nothing about the company. A knock came at his door. "Come in." Samuel walked in with a suitcase in one hand and a warm pastry in the other. Leo looked at him. "...You're eating already?" Samuel looked confused. "It's breakfast." "You ate before coming here." "I know. This is second breakfast." Leo laughed. "I don't think that's a real meal." "It is if you're hungry." Half an hour later, the four of them met in the hotel lobby. Adrian was already checking everyone out while Lena reviewed their travel documents. Samuel yawned. "I still think we should stay another week." Leo smiled. "You've changed your mind about leavin
Chapter 93: Choosing the Next Destination
The afternoon sun bathed Munich in a warm, golden glow as Leo and his friends strolled through the city's streets. The pressure of business meetings and presentations had finally eased, allowing them to enjoy Germany at a slower pace. Samuel walked a few steps ahead, holding a giant pretzel in one hand and a paper bag filled with snacks in the other. "I've made a decision," he declared proudly. Lena smiled. "Should we be worried?" "Not this time." Leo chuckled. "Let's hear it." Samuel took another bite of his pretzel before speaking. "Germany has officially entered my top three countries." "Because of the business opportunities?" Adrian asked. Samuel looked at him as if he had asked the world's strangest question. "No. The food." Adrian sighed. "I should have known. I don't understand how someone can evaluate an entire country based on its cuisine." Samuel shrugged. "I don't understand how someone can spend an entire vacation looking at spreadsheets." Lena laughed. "I'd call
Chapter 92:Doors Opening Across Europe
Morning arrived quietly over Munich. Sunlight streamed through the tall windows of the hotel, painting the room in a warm, golden glow. Unlike the previous few days, Leo didn't wake to the sound of an alarm or a System notification. Instead, he opened his eyes naturally, enjoying a rare moment of peace. He lay still for a few seconds before reaching for his phone. Several new emails had arrived overnight. Some were from companies congratulating Nexus Cryptics on securing its partnership with Jaeger Cybernetics; others were invitations to technology conferences, cybersecurity forums, and private business meetings. The Jaeger partnership had done exactly what Mr. Sterling predicted: people had started paying attention. Leo smiled. Recognition wasn't his final goal, but it was proof that Nexus Cryptics was climbing steadily. After getting dressed, he headed downstairs. The hotel restaurant was already lively. Samuel was balancing a plate stacked far too high with pancakes, eggs, saus
Chapter 91: Lesson Beyond Victory
The applause inside the demonstration hall continued long after the simulation had ended. Guests gathered around the stage, discussing the results with intense excitement. Most of the conversations centered around two names: Stephen Reinhardt and Leo Carter. For many of the attendees, it was their first time hearing about Nexus Cryptics. Now, they wouldn't forget it. As the crowd dispersed, Samuel rushed over and threw an arm around Leo's shoulders. "You almost beat him!" Leo laughed. "Almost doesn't count." "It does to me," Samuel grinned. "You're telling me one of the biggest business leaders in Europe only finished a little ahead of my friend? I'll take that as a win." Lena joined them, smiling warmly. "You were incredible." "I made plenty of mistakes," Leo admitted. "Maybe," she said, looking him dead in the eyes. "But you stayed calm the whole time." Adrian stepped forward. "The simulation exposed one important difference." Leo looked at him. "What difference?" "Chairma
Chapter 90: The Aurora Challenge
The demonstration hall was packed. Rows of seats surrounded a circular stage where several sleek virtual reality pods stood under bright lights. A large screen behind them displayed the words: 'AURORA TECHNOLOGIES' 'Prototype Demonstration – Strategic Simulation' Guests continuously filled the room until every single seat was occupied. Samuel leaned toward Leo. "I thought this was going to be a small demonstration." "So did I." Adrian scanned the room. "Most of the attendees are executives." "And investors," Lena added. "This technology must be attracting a lot of attention." A presenter walked onto the stage. "Good afternoon, everyone. My name is Emma Fischer, Lead Project Director at Aurora Technologies." She smiled at the audience. "Today, you'll witness the first public demonstration of our latest strategic simulation platform." A large image appeared behind her, showing a futuristic city connected by digital networks. "Our platform doesn't measure physical strength or r
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