"Alright... it's your turn. Tell us, did you succeed in winning that auction?"
A heavy, gravelly voice broke the silence of the room. An old man sat calmly on a plush silk sofa. Surrounding him, several younger men sat around a premium ironwood table cluttered with various antiques and shimmering crystals.
The young man being questioned could only lower his head. His body trembled, not daring to meet the patriarch's eyes.
"Cih... you can't even handle a small auction. Pathetic," the old man clicked his tongue in disdain. His gaze shifted to another young man sitting in the corner of the room. "What about you?"
The man in the corner was just as terrified. With what little courage he had left, he stammered, "Give me one more week, Grandfather. I promise I will get it!"
"One week?" The Patriarch snorted, completely indifferent to the empty promises he had heard countless times before. He immediately ignored his grandson and looked at another.
"Grandfather, I managed to acquire a one-star pseudo-artifact for 250 million ($14.6k) from Kalimantan two days ago," a young man with red hair said proudly. He handed a polished wooden box to the old man.
A small smile finally appeared on the patriarch's face. He opened the box and pulled out a shimmering golden pin that emitted a soft aura. After inspecting it for a moment, his eyes widened slightly. "Good... If cared for properly, this artifact has a high chance of ascending to two stars."
The red-haired grandson received overwhelming praise, while the others could only hang their heads as the patriarch began lecturing them on their failures.
After the meeting adjourned, the young man who had promised to find an item within a week walked out with a frustrated expression. By the edge of a garden pond, he pulled out his phone and searched for a contact named: BlackMagicReal.
With trembling hands, he sent a short message.
"Sir... can we meet the day after tomorrow? I desperately, desperately need it..."
His heart pounded as he waited for a reply. Not long after, a brief response appeared.
"Fine... Prepare your money!"
The man let out a long sigh of relief. To him, money wasn't the issue—as long as he could maintain his standing within the great family.
***
Meanwhile, the person who had just sent that message was busy enjoying life. Zen sat comfortably on a plush sofa in the VVIP lounge of one of PT Arka's main banks.
He knew he wouldn't be able to sleep peacefully until he activated his black card this afternoon. This had been his goal all along: to have a vast amount of money. And he intended to enjoy every last bit of it.
Shortly after, three neatly uniformed female staff members approached him with warm smiles. One of them carried a small briefcase.
"Deeply sorry for the wait, Mr. Zen. Your card is ready; please have a look," one of the staff said, presenting a black card with a gold border and Zen's photo in the upper right corner.
"Thank you. So, this card can be used anywhere?" Zen asked, confirming.
"Of course, Mr. Zen. This card is valid worldwide, even abroad," the staff explained respectfully. She also handed him an exclusive brochure. "This is a list of your benefits as our VVIP guest."
Zen skimmed through it, and his eyes immediately lit up:
Free international travel twice a month. Complimentary stays at all Arka Hotel networks. Free medical coverage at any hospital with a claim limit of 1 billion rupiah per year.
"Incredible..." Zen smiled with satisfaction. He stood up and headed for the exit. Before leaving, he scanned a QR code at the VVIP receptionist desk. "A tip for you all," he said to the guards and staff.
The receptionist smiled sweetly, but her expression turned to utter shock when she saw the figure appear on her laptop screen. Her colleagues leaned in to look. "One hundred million?!" one of them shrieked, their mouths agape.
Zen stepped out of the building, inhaling the afternoon air which felt exceptionally fresh.
"What a beautiful day," he muttered. "Next... a car?" Zen began to weigh his options. There were many things he wanted to buy, but a vehicle was a priority.
However, in the middle of his daydream, a red panel suddenly flickered in front of him.
[Ding! Teleportation in 1 minute... Prepare yourself!]
Zen's heart nearly stopped. He had completely forgotten about the system's teleportation mechanic.
'Shit! I didn't bring any of my gear!' Zen screamed internally. In his pocket, there were only a few mana crystals. His Mist Camouflage Cloak was still back in his locker!
"Argh!"
Zen panicked. He couldn't let himself vanish into thin air on a crowded sidewalk. He was surrounded by high-rise buildings and surveillance cameras!
He sprinted as fast as he could toward the side of a building, searching for a hidden spot. His eyes caught a public restroom near the city park. Zen bolted inside one of the stalls and locked the door tight.
Hurry! he screamed in his mind as he saw the countdown hit 10 seconds.
"Safe..." he whispered, catching his breath. He stared at the system panel, which was now flashing rapidly.
3...
2...
1...
[Teleportation Commencing...]
Zen's vision instantly went pitch black.