After the girls fell asleep, I pulled out my laptop and sat in the corner of our quiet hideout. I needed money to pay back the bookshop owner and keep the workshop running, but what I found online was unlike anything I had ever seen.
A job was posted with a bounty that made my heart stop: ☆1,000,000 Star Cash.
In this world, Star Cash is the currency that connects the stars. One Star Cash is worth 102 creds. I stared at the screen, my hands shaking. This bounty wasn't just from any company; it was from Zelap Media, one of the top 40,000 companies in the world. Their main core program had been breached. If it wasn't fixed immediately, they stood to lose billions.
I hesitated. "If I touch this, the most powerful people in the world might come looking for me," I whispered.
UIA: Master, do not fear. I will build a fortress of code around you. I will erase every trace of your account, your location, and your identity. You will be a ghost.
With a deep breath, I accepted the task. I wasn't as fast as I wanted to be—it took me 15 minutes of intense concentration. I fought through layers of dark code, finally logging the hackers out and sealing the breach. I didn't stop there. I exposed the organization behind the attack: Black Lace.
They were a famous group of spies known for stealing data without leaving a single footprint. But tonight, they left a footprint for me.
Since the UIA had kept everything anonymous, Zelap Media didn't ask a single question. They were just desperate for a savior. A notification flashed on my screen: ☆1,000,000 Star Cash Wired Successfully.
I sat back, my eyes wide. "UIA... how much is that in our money?"
UIA: At the current exchange rate, Master, you now have 102,000,000 Creds.
One hundred and two million creds. Yesterday, I was happy to have a hundred. Now, I could buy the entire block. I could buy my mother the best hospital in the country. I could buy Doah and Tersa a palace.
I felt completely overwhelmed. The power I held in my hands was no longer just about fixing laptops. It was about changing the world.
I sat in the dark, my heart pounding as I stared at the balance of 102,000,000 creds. The first person I thought of was my mother, Lina. She was miles away, suffering in a place with no resources.
"I have to send money to Mr. Calsius and Mom," I whispered. "She needs her surgery and her medicine. But I have to stay anonymous. UIA, can you help with that?"
UIA: The bank can handle this, Master. The financial center you visited has a small branch in the country you are from.
I froze. "What do you mean by 'a country'?"
UIA: Oh, you don't know, Master? Where you are from is a separate country. It is popularly known as the 'Monsters' Den.' It is a land with many legends and stories surrounding it.
I was stunned. I thought the whole world was just one big place and my village was just a small, forgotten corner of it. "So I am not a citizen here? My home only has one village with about 1,000 people. The rest is just deep, dark forest. It's so dangerous that no one ever goes in. I thought we were just a part of this world's outskirts."
UIA: Master, the forest you speak of is what keeps your country isolated. I will send the bank a message to transfer the funds now. What amount are you sending?
"Send 50,000,000 creds," I said firmly.
It was half of everything I had just earned, but I didn't care. That money was for my mother's life.
UIA: Transaction complete. I have arranged it as a 'Private Donation' on behalf of Madam Lina. They will receive the funds by tomorrow. I have also cleared the digital path so no one can trace the source to this hideout.
I leaned back, a heavy weight lifting off my chest. My mother was going to be okay. Mr. Calsius would have everything he needed to save her.
"I won't disturb you for now," I told the assistant. "Let's continue working. But UIA... you have to tell me about my country's history later. I need to know where I truly come from."
I turned my eyes back to the books I had bought. There was a long night of study ahead of me. I had to grow SIGLAV CORP into something that could protect my mother and my sisters from any threat—whether it came from the city or the Monsters' Den.
Financial Update
Sent to Village: -50,000,000 Creds
Remaining Balance: 52,000,000 Creds