Chapter 14: Opening Platinum Reward Box

Arthur stared blankly at the ceiling of his boardroom.

"Trace the filing," Arthur croaked.

He grabbed the edge of the table. "Who filed the transfer deed with the city council? There has to be a public record of the legal firm representing the anonymous buyer!"

The junior executive typed on a backup tablet.

A few seconds later, he swallowed hard. "Sir... the legal firm listed on the city council’s ledger is Vance & Sterling Mergers and Acquisitions."

Arthur felt his heart stop.

Vance & Sterling.

There was only one client that firm was representing in real estate transactions this morning.

The billionaire VIP at the Obsidian Grand. The man who had just bought Zenith Motors. The man Trent had humiliated.

Jude Lawson.

Arthur lunged for the conference phone in the center of the table and punched in Victoria’s office line, praying it would forward to her mobile.

Back in the executive suite at Zenith Motors, Victoria was reviewing the dealership’s payroll when her phone vibrated on the desk.

She glanced at the caller ID and raised an eyebrow. "Mr. Lawson. It’s Arthur Belmont. He’s calling my direct line."

Jude leaned back in his chair, swirling the sparkling water in his glass. "Put him on speaker."

Victoria tapped the screen, and Arthur’s frantic breathing instantly echoed through the office.

"Victoria! Please, tell me Mr. Lawson is with you!" Arthur begged. He sounded like a man drowning. "I know he bought the Apex Commercial District! I know he holds the deed!"

"I am here, Arthur," Jude said.

"Mr. Lawson! Jude! Please!" Arthur sobbed into the receiver. "You have to listen to me! I will personally drag Trent to your office and make him scrub your floors if that’s what you want! Just lease us ten acres of the Apex District! Just a fraction of it! We will give you seventy percent of the developmental profits! If we don’t get that land, the bank is going to liquidate our family trust!"

Jude took a sip of his water, letting the silence stretch for several seconds.

"I bought the Apex District to build a private, high-speed test track for Zenith’s luxury hypercars," Jude said. "I have no intention of leasing it to a failing residential firm. If you want a piece of that land, Arthur, you are welcome to buy it from me for triple the current market rate."

Arthur choked. Triple the market rate? It would cost hundreds of millions of dollars. He didn’t even have a fraction of that in liquid capital.

"I... I can’t afford that," Arthur whispered. "You’re killing my family, Jude."

"Your family killed themselves," Jude corrected. "Have a good afternoon, Arthur."

Victoria tapped the screen, cutting the line dead.

The dealership office was silent. Maya stared at Jude, her eyes wide.

Victoria couldn’t hide her admiration. Her eyes gleamed as she looked at her client.

[Ding!]

A chime echoed in Jude’s mind, cutting through his thoughts.

[Hidden Objective Completed: Corporate Retribution.]

[Reward: $100,000,000 USD.]

[Reward: Platinum System Reward Box x1.]

Jude’s phone buzzed in his pocket. He pulled it out and glanced at the push notification from Apex National Bank.

A hundred million dollars had just been seamlessly routed into his private accounts.

He had spent over half a million dollars on clothes and watches this morning.

He hadn’t even batted an eye at the cost, but now, seeing the system deposit one hundred million dollars into his account as a bonus reward, the spending felt entirely laughable...

He was earning money exponentially faster than he could ever hope to spend it.

"Victoria, Maya," Jude said, standing up from his chair and buttoning his bespoke blazer. "Cancel your afternoon appointments. I am taking my legal counsel and my new General Manager out for lunch."

Twenty minutes later, they were seated at a highly exclusive, Michelin-starred rooftop restaurant in the heart of the Zenith District.

Jude ordered the most expensive items on the menu without looking at the prices.

Plates of incredibly rare A5 Wagyu beef, butter-poached king crab, and truffles shaved over handmade pasta were presented to the table by a legion of bowing waiters.

Maya took a bite of the Wagyu. "Oh my god... this is incredible. I’ve never tasted anything like this in my entire life."

Victoria nodded, delicately cutting a piece of crab. "A phenomenal choice, Mr. Lawson. This establishment usually requires a six-month reservation. Having them clear the rooftop for us on twenty minutes’ notice is a testament to your influence."

Jude smiled, taking a sip of the vintage wine the sommelier had begged him to try.

The food was spectacular...

"I’ll have my assistant set up a corporate account for you here, Maya," Jude said. "If you’re going to be entertaining high-end clients for Zenith Motors, you should bring them here."

Maya’s face flushed with gratitude. "Thank you, Jude. Truly. I will work incredibly hard for you. I won’t let this dealership fail."

"I know you won’t," Jude said.

The lunch lasted for nearly two hours. Jude paid the bill without a second thought, leaving a tip that made the waiter literally burst into tears of joy.

After ensuring Maya and Victoria were safely escorted back to their respective offices by private drivers, Jude returned to the Obsidian Grand Hotel.

He walked into the living room of the Presidential Suite and sat down on the sofa.

It was finally time to see what the system had given him.

"Open the Platinum Reward Box," Jude commanded.

[Opening Platinum System Reward Box...]

[Congratulations, Host! You have received 4 Rewards.]

[Acquired Skill Upgrade: Flawless Charisma (Passive).]

[Acquired Skill Upgrade: Absolute Appraisal (Passive).]

[Acquired Asset: 100% Controlling Stake in Apex Media Group.]

[Acquired Asset: $50,000,000 USD Offshore Investment Fund.]

Jude blinked.

*Absolute Appraisal: A passive ocular ability that allowed him to instantly determine the true market value, authenticity, and hidden flaws of any item or corporate asset he looked at.

*Flawless Charisma: An aura enhancement that commanded absolute respect, ensuring that any business negotiation or social interaction skewed heavily in his favor.

Jude could already feel the changes. His vision sharpened, colors becoming impossibly vivid, and a calm confidence settled deep into his bones.

But it was the third reward that made him raise an eyebrow.

Apex Media Group?

He pulled out his phone and quickly searched the name.

Apex Media Group was a multi-billion-dollar entertainment conglomerate.

They owned the largest television networks, movie studios, and talent agencies on the East Coast!