The world no longer looked the same to Jackim.
Just a few months ago, he was a struggling twenty-two-year-old scraping for rent, mocked by classmates, and betrayed by the woman he once thought he loved. Now, as he stood on the penthouse balcony overlooking the glittering skyline of Sue City, the System's new interface shimmered before his eyes—sleek, golden, and more advanced than ever.
> [SYSTEM UPDATE: Version 2.0 Installed]
New Features: Investment Portal, Global Network Access, Skill Market, Emotional Sync Engine.
Status: "Host — Hidden Boss" (Recognition Level: 87%)
Welcome back, Jackim. Let's build an empire.
Jackim exhaled slowly, a faint smile crossing his lips. The words Hidden Boss had a taste of inevitability. Every pain, every betrayal, every sleepless night had led here. The rise was no accident—it was engineered, both by destiny and the System.
Kelvin burst through the glass doors, holding his phone like he'd just discovered gold.
"Bro! You're on the news again!" he yelled, breathless. "They're calling you The Silent Investor! The stock market's going wild. Some companies doubled in value overnight!"
Jackim turned, expression calm but eyes sharp.
"What's the reason this time?"
Kelvin scrolled rapidly. "Acacia Hotel Group just announced a mysterious backer bought 40% of their shares under a ghost account named J.O. Enterprises. That's you, right?"
Jackim didn't answer. He only smirked.
> [SYSTEM NOTICE: Investment Transaction Confirmed]
Acacia Hotel Group — 40% Ownership Secured
Projected Monthly Income: $1.4 Million
Kelvin let out a low whistle. "You're actually becoming untouchable, man. Even The Wheel won't dare challenge a hotel chain this size."
Jackim's tone was steady. "They will. Because I'm not just making money anymore… I'm taking their power."
That night, the news broke of a major scandal involving The Wheel Organization—money laundering, political bribes, secret trafficking. Jackim watched silently as names scrolled across the bottom of the TV screen.
Each name that appeared was a familiar one—corporate heads, lawyers, even professors from Sue City University.
Kelvin looked horrified. "Wait… Professor Akinyi's on that list? She taught us last semester!"
Jackim leaned forward, voice low. "The Wheel has roots everywhere. They control everything—universities, media, real estate. But every system has a flaw. They forgot I am the new System."
> [SIDE QUEST UNLOCKED: Crush The Wheel Organization]
Reward: 20 Million USD + "Crown Skill — Absolute Control"
He clenched his fist slowly, the screen reflecting in his eyes. "If they want war, I'll give them a silent one. I'll own their world piece by piece until they're working for me."
Two days later, a secret meeting took place at an abandoned hotel basement downtown. Jackim arrived in an all-black suit, escorted by Kelvin and two security men. The Wheel's representatives were already there—five men in tailored suits, their faces half-hidden by the dim light.
One of them stood. "You've been interfering in our affairs, Mr. Ochieng."
Jackim sat down casually. "I'd call it rebalancing the economy."
A heavy silence fell.
Another man leaned forward. "You think a boy with sudden money can challenge an organization that's run the city for decades?"
Jackim's gaze was cold and surgical. "You're mistaken. I don't challenge people. I buy them."
> [SYSTEM ACTIVATED: "Negotiation Boost — Lv.4"]
Effect: +60% persuasive power, emotional manipulation active.
Within ten minutes, the meeting ended differently than expected. Three of the five men had agreed to work under Jackim's new investment network, signing silent contracts through encrypted tablets.
Kelvin stared in disbelief as they left. "You just flipped half of The Wheel's board into your side."
Jackim's reply was calm. "No need to kill snakes when you can own their venom."
The next morning, things weren't as smooth. Lina hadn't returned his calls in days.
She'd seen too much—the new penthouse, Ariana Ling by his side at events, rumors swirling online that he'd been "bought by the Ling Conglomerate."
When she finally answered, her voice trembled with restraint. "I don't even know who you are anymore, Jackim."
He paused. "I'm still me. I'm just… fighting bigger wars now."
"Fighting?" she laughed bitterly. "Or becoming like them?"
That question cut deep. He didn't answer.
> [SYSTEM ALERT: Emotional Stability Decreasing]
Warning: Heart fluctuations may affect mission clarity.
He sighed after the call ended, staring at the city again. For the first time, he realized that the higher he climbed, the thinner the air became—and the fewer people could breathe beside him.
Later that week, Ariana invited Jackim to a private party at the Ling family estate. The place looked like a dream—gold chandeliers, imported marble, violins playing soft in the background.
"Jackim," she whispered, linking her arm with his. "My father wants to meet the man who made The Wheel shake."
Her father, Mr. Ling, was a towering man in his sixties, radiating authority. "I've seen many young men chase power," he said, eyeing Jackim. "But few understand its cost. You—what drives you, boy?"
Jackim met his gaze unflinching. "I'm building something no one can take away again."
Mr. Ling nodded slowly. "Good. Because I'm offering you something The Wheel never will—a partnership."
> [SYSTEM PROMPT: Accept Ling Conglomerate Partnership?]
Choice A: Accept — Gain Business Empire access.
Choice B: Decline — Stay Independent.
Timer: 30 seconds.
Jackim smirked faintly. "I don't do partnerships. I create them."
> [Choice B Selected — Independence Maintained.]
Bonus Unlocked: Skill "Empire Vision (Lv.1)"
Ariana looked at him with a strange mix of admiration and fear. "You really don't bow to anyone, do you?"
Jackim smiled softly. "Not when I've already built my throne."
By the month's end, Jackim's system dashboard had evolved beyond money.
He could now create shell companies, merge investments, and even influence digital markets through System-coded algorithms.
His hidden empire spread quietly through every sector—hotels, luxury cars, online streaming, logistics, and digital currency. The world saw chaos. Jackim saw patterns.
> [SYSTEM STATUS: Hidden Empire Valuation — $2.7 Billion]
[New Rank: Global Shadow Investor]
Kelvin could barely process it all. "Bro… you're like a ghost billionaire."
Jackim smiled faintly. "Not a ghost. A System. A living, breathing network."
But The Wheel wasn't dead.
One evening, as Jackim arrived at his office, the screens flickered. The System's voice distorted.
> [ERROR: Unauthorized access detected]
[Source: The Wheel HQ — AI Infiltration Attempt]
Kelvin rushed in. "They've hacked into your network!"
Jackim's pulse spiked, but his mind was clear. "Let them in."
He sat down calmly, typing commands faster than any human should. The lights dimmed as code streamed across the holographic interface.
> [COUNTER-PROTOCOL ACTIVATED]
Hacker Trace: 89% Complete… 96%... Target Locked — The Wheel Central Server]
Jackim smirked coldly. "Game over."
Within minutes, the System retaliated—shutting down The Wheel's digital accounts, freezing over $800 million in hidden assets, and leaking evidence of their crimes online.
The next morning, headlines read:
"Mysterious Hacker Destroys The Wheel Empire Overnight."
Kelvin looked at him, eyes wide. "Bro… that was you, wasn't it?"
Jackim only smiled, sipping his coffee. "Let's just say the System corrected an imbalance."
Days later, the System's voice returned, clear and almost proud.
> [CONGRATULATIONS: The Wheel Organization — Crushed]
Reward Claimed: $20 Million + Crown Skill — Absolute Control
Host Title Updated: The Hidden Boss
Jackim leaned back in his chair, the city lights flickering like pixels beneath him.
From a poor boy mocked at a reunion to a global power no one could name, his journey had come full circle.
But he knew this wasn't the end—only the end of a beginning.
The System whispered once more:
> "Phase 3 unlocked: The World Beyond Borders."
Jackim smiled, eyes burning with quiet ambition.
"I guess it's time," he murmured, "to brag to the world."