The office building loomed silently, a skeleton of its former grandeur. Once buzzing with activity, the Dumar Group headquarters now echoed emptily, its fluorescent lights flickering intermittently. Dust coated the desks, abandoned computers stood in rows like sentinels, and the air smelled of stale paper and neglect. Marc Delorme, inhabiting Marcus Dumar's body, stepped cautiously into the lobby, each footstep resonating in the vast emptiness.
> "[SYSTEM ACTIVE]"
"Day 4: Investigate headquarters. Gather data on internal weaknesses and hidden opportunities."
"Mission: Locate concealed financial manipulations."
"Reward: Analytical Skill +15 XP"
Marc's eyes swept the room. The grandeur had been stripped of its dignity; gold-plated nameplates dulled, marble floors scratched and cracked. Security cameras hung lifelessly, their lenses reflecting nothing but emptiness. He felt a pang of nostalgia mixed with determination — this place had once symbolized power, now it represented opportunity waiting to be seized.
He moved toward the elevator bank, noting the power outages and broken panels. The SYSTEM pulsed subtly, nudging him toward areas of high priority. He bypassed the elevators, opting for the stairs. Each step echoed in the hollow shell of the building. Floors that once teemed with employees were silent. Every office he passed told the story of hurried departures: scattered papers, overturned chairs, half-drained coffee mugs.
On the eighth floor, he paused outside the executive offices. The glass panels bore remnants of Marcus Dumar's former title: CEO. A faded plaque read "Marcus Dumar – Chief Executive Officer," and beneath it, a thin layer of dust had settled over fingerprints — ghosts of a life now gone.
> "[SYSTEM NOTICE]"
"Optional Task: Search for hidden financial irregularities. Risk Level: Medium."
"Reward: Analytical Skill Level 1 Unlocked"
Marc entered cautiously. The room smelled faintly of ink and old wood polish. A scattering of papers lay on the large mahogany desk, some stapled, some loose. File cabinets lined the walls, their drawers partially open. He began methodically cataloging, scanning through contracts, invoices, and correspondence.
> "Some of these entries… they don't match up," Marc murmured, tracing a series of transfers.
The SYSTEM highlighted anomalies in the ledger: subtle discrepancies, off-shore accounts, and coded communications. Each irregularity was a thread leading to a larger tapestry of mismanagement and hidden betrayal.
> "[SYSTEM ALERT]"
"Progress: 25% complete. Priority Data Identified."
He pulled up a small terminal, cross-referencing entries, reconstructing missing links. The pieces began to form patterns: embezzlement disguised as operational losses, shell corporations siphoning funds, a silent network of internal corruption. Marc's analytical mind absorbed every detail, each finding sharpening his understanding of the empire's vulnerabilities.
---
A sudden noise echoed from the hallway. Marc froze. Footsteps approached, careful but deliberate.
> "Who's there?" he called, voice steady but commanding.
A young security officer emerged, scanning him suspiciously. "This floor is off-limits," he said. "You can't be here."
Marc straightened, eyes locking onto the man's. "I am Marcus Dumar," he stated firmly. "I need access to these offices to review company operations. Any obstruction will be noted."
The SYSTEM pulsed, signaling: "[SYSTEM: Persuasion Skill Available — Level 1]"
Marc's voice softened slightly, authoritative yet calm. "I assure you, your cooperation will be recorded and remembered. This is in your best interest."
The young man hesitated, then nodded, seemingly convinced. "Very well, sir," he said, retreating to leave the hallway clear.
Marc exhaled quietly, noting the SYSTEM's subtle glow — minor persuasion, minor victory. In this world, even small wins accumulated into leverage.
> "[SYSTEM NOTICE]"
"Persuasion Successful. Operational freedom granted. XP +10"
---
Hours passed. Marc meticulously combed through documents, uncovering hidden financial transfers between subsidiaries, backdated contracts, and coded instructions that revealed alliances and betrayals within the board. Lucie, quietly reviewing alongside him, whispered observations.
> "These files… some of these transfers were deliberate sabotage. Marcus's fall wasn't accidental," she said, voice barely audible.
Marc nodded, absorbing the implications. "Then we fix it. Step by step, from the inside out."
The SYSTEM presented a task:
> "[SYSTEM ALERT]"
"Locate evidence of misappropriated assets and prepare for strategic reclamation. Risk Level: High."
"Reward: Strategic Negotiation Level 2 Unlock"
Marc felt the weight of the task. Each document revealed layers of deception: board members with hidden agendas, executives selling company secrets, financial instruments designed to collapse under scrutiny. The battlefield was internal, subtle, and deadly. But Marc thrived in such arenas — precision, patience, and intellect became his weapons.
He paused, studying a set of contracts linked to a subsidiary he had once managed indirectly. Each line item told a story: a silent betrayal, a missed opportunity, a strategic blunder waiting to be corrected.
> "We're going to start here," he said to Lucie. "This subsidiary is small, but its correction will send a message. Subtle, decisive, and clean."
Lucie nodded. "I'll prepare the legal framework. Any misstep, and the board will notice immediately."
Marc smiled faintly. "Then we proceed with caution. And ruthlessness."
---
By nightfall, the deserted office hummed with the faint pulse of fluorescent lights. Marc had compiled dossiers, flagged key individuals, and outlined a preliminary strategy to regain minor but critical control over company assets.
The SYSTEM glowed softly:
> "[SYSTEM NOTICE]"
"Day 4 Complete. Analytical Skill Level 1 acquired. Next Mission: Initiate small-scale asset recovery. Prepare for first confrontation with rival entities."
Marc leaned back, looking out through the darkened glass at the city below. The Dumar empire lay in ruins, but every shadow contained opportunity. Each abandoned desk, every dusty ledger, every forgotten terminal was a step toward reclamation.
> "The empire's silence is temporary," Marc murmured. "And soon, it will speak again — in our favor."
Rain began pattering against the windows, a soft rhythm marking the passage of time. Marc's reflection stared back, sharper now, colder, more determined. The countdown continued: 361 days remained. Each second carried weight, each choice bore consequence.
> "[SYSTEM ALERT]"
"Prepare for next operational phase. Strategic decisions will have direct impact on reputation, loyalty, and influence."
Marc's jaw tightened. The deserted office, once a symbol of decay, had become a proving ground. Here, in silence and shadows, he would begin to forge his path back to power.