Morning light spilled across Sue City University's central quad, soft but busy—the hum of scooters, the chatter of students, the smell of cheap espresso mixing with perfume and car exhaust. Jackim stepped out of the black sedan that had collected him from Aurora Heights, adjusted the cuffs of his charcoal shirt, and headed toward the business faculty building. He felt calm, focused. It had been a week since Melissa moved in next door, a week since the System warned him about The Wheel.
Today, however, the air on campus buzzed with a different kind of tension. Heads turned as he passed. Laughter followed him in little bursts.
Kelvin jogged up beside him, breathing hard. "Bro, you're trending."
Jackim frowned. "What now?"
Kelvin pulled out his phone. On the screen was a campus gossip page—Sue City Leaks—filled with screenshots of luxury cars and blurry photos of Jackim entering Aurora Heights. The caption read:
> 'Mysterious student spotted living in Aurora Heights with older sponsor. Rumor says he's being kept by a 24-year-old livestream queen!'
Below it, comments stacked like bricks:
> Sugar baby confirmed.
No wonder he can afford those shoes.
That's the new level of campus entrepreneurship.
Kelvin sighed. "They're saying Melissa's your sponsor. Someone even posted that you moved in together."
Jackim slid his hands into his pockets. His face gave nothing away. "Let them talk."
Inside the lecture hall, the whispers thickened. A few students shifted aside as he sat down; others kept their phones angled toward him, pretending to take notes.
From two rows up, Bryan leaned back in his seat, smirking. "Guess we should call you Mr. Danvers now."
Laughter rippled through the room.
Jackim met his eyes calmly. "Still bitter about that game you lost, Bryan?"
"Bitter? Nah." Bryan stretched his arms behind his head. "Just impressed. Didn't know poverty came with sponsorship packages."
Even the lecturer paused, pretending to straighten his papers.
Kelvin clenched his fists. "Ignore him, bro."
Jackim nodded once, silent, though the System pulsed faintly behind his eyes.
> System Alert: Reputation under attack. Suggest countermeasure: controlled brag sequence.
He dismissed it—for the moment.
By lunchtime, the rumor had escaped the campus gates. Local social-media accounts picked it up, tagging Melissa's livestream handle. Her fans filled her chat with questions; her manager called her repeatedly until she finally shut the app down in frustration.
That afternoon, she found Jackim sitting under the banyan tree near the parking lot, reading through case studies.
"Hey." She stopped a few paces away, sunglasses hiding her eyes. "You've seen it, right?"
"I have."
"Half the internet thinks I'm paying your tuition."
He closed his tablet. "And the other half thinks I'm your secret bodyguard. The internet always needs something to chew."
She exhaled sharply. "I can sue them, but that'll only make it worse."
"Then don't."
Her brows knitted. "You're not angry?"
Jackim shrugged. "I've been insulted for being poor; this is just the expensive version."
Melissa studied him for a moment, then smiled despite herself. "You're impossible."
Before she turned to leave, he added softly, "Don't worry. It'll end soon."
That evening, the gossip reached a peak. A campus influencer organized a livestream debate titled 'Luxury and Lies: The Sugar Baby Era.' More than ten thousand viewers tuned in. Jackim's photo flashed on the screen beside Melissa's.
In the chat, emojis and insults raced.
> He's faking wealth!
That watch looks borrowed!
Let's see him prove he's rich without her money!
Kelvin burst into Jackim's apartment, nearly tripping over the rug. "Bro, they're tearing you apart online. You need to say something."
Jackim looked up from his laptop. His expression was calm, but the light in his eyes had sharpened.
"Maybe it's time," he said quietly.
> System Prompt: Mission Unlocked – "Campus Reputation Restoration."
Task: Brag that you are richer than all campus elites combined.
Reward: 10 Million USD credited to primary account + VIP Status (Acacia Hotel Group).
Jackim leaned back in his chair. "Richer than all of them combined, huh?"
Kelvin blinked. "You're not serious—"
But Jackim was already standing.
The next morning, Sue City University buzzed again—but this time for a different reason.
At the main parking lot, students gathered around a sleek convoy: a matte-black Rolls-Royce Phantom, a Maybach S680, and a white McLaren GT. Their engines purred like restrained animals. Security guards from the Acacia Hotel Group stood nearby, checking a printed guest list.
Jackim stepped out of the Rolls in a dark navy suit. The air seemed to tilt around him.
Bryan pushed through the crowd, gaping. "Where—what is this?"
Jackim handed him a slim silver card. "Acacia Hotel membership invitation. I thought I'd share the view with my fellow elites."
The card shimmered with a holographic logo—exclusive membership worth millions.
Gasps erupted. Phones rose like a field of mirrors.
> System Ping: Funds deposited: 10 000 000 USD. VIP Membership confirmed.
Sandra, standing at the edge of the crowd, stared open-mouthed. "He's lying. That can't be real."
A representative from Acacia Hotel approached, bowing slightly. "Mr. Jackim, we've prepared your suite for tonight's event. Shall we proceed?"
"Of course," Jackim said coolly, as if this were all routine.
Bryan's face went pale. "Event? What event?"
Jackim smiled faintly. "Just a small investor gathering. But don't worry—you'll read about it on Sue City Leaks."
He turned toward the auditorium, leaving the murmurs behind.
That night, the university's gossip channel posted a new update:
> Breaking: Student Jackim confirmed as private investor and VIP member of Acacia Hotel Group. Rumors of sponsorship proven false. Source: official press release.
The comments flipped overnight.
> Wait, he's legit?
Bro's been rich this whole time?!
Apologies, King Jackim.
Even Melissa texted him later: "You win. Coffee on me tomorrow?"
He smiled at the screen, typing back, "Only if you promise not to sponsor me."
> System Notice: Reputation Value + 100. Affinity (Melissa) + 4 %. Mission Complete.
The next day, as he walked through the quad, the same students who had laughed now stepped aside respectfully.
Bryan sat on a bench, sunglasses hiding his eyes. When Jackim passed, he muttered, "You think this changes anything? The Wheel doesn't care how many cars you own."
Jackim paused only long enough to reply, "Then tell The Wheel to get better cars."
He walked on, the sound of his shoes sharp against the pavement.
By evening, the sun set in streaks of orange and steel. Jackim stood on the roof of Aurora Heights, phone in hand, watching the notifications roll in—business proposals, collaboration requests, interview offers.
Kelvin called. "Bro, you're officially the most talked-about student in the country."
"Let them talk," Jackim said again, but this time there was a smile behind the words.
> System Update: Host status—Local Celebrity. Next Quest: 'Shadow Revenge.' Reward Hidden.
The wind lifted his coat as city lights flickered below. Rumors had tried to bury him. Instead, they built him higher.