The wire transfer cleared at 11:58 PM. David had purchased the entire Phoenix Energy factory complex, paying an exorbitant $75 million to ensure the deed was signed before the clock struck midnight. He was now the sole owner of a massive, state-of-the-art industrial shell.
The final action triggered a satisfying chime.
[DING! Congratulations, Host! You spent $75,000,000. Cashback Multiplier Triggered: 5x!][You have received $375,000,000.00 cash back. Current Balance: $615,000,023.90.]
David didn't even flinch at the half-billion-dollar balance. His focus had shifted entirely from money to power. Money was the fuel; the Quantum-Aero Battery Blueprint was the engine.
The New Headquarters
The following morning, David arrived at the Phoenix complex in his Lamborghini, its matte black finish contrasting sharply with the desolate, rusting facade of the bankrupt factory. Mr. Harris, the property manager, was waiting nervously with a small team.
"Mr. David, everything is secure. I've never seen a deal close that fast in my career. Your personal bonus has also cleared," Harris said, bowing slightly.
"Good. Now, you're fired," David stated flatly. Harris looked stunned, but David quickly continued, "You're fired from your old job. You're hired as the Chief Security and Logistics Officer for my new company. Triple your old salary. Your first task is absolute security. No one, absolutely no one, enters this facility without my express authorization."
Harris, his eyes wide with awe and relief, instantly snapped to attention. "Consider it done, Mr. David. Absolute lockdown."
David entered the complex. The facility was immense—a labyrinth of modern laboratories, vast assembly floors, and towering administration blocks. With his Perfect Recall, David instantly absorbed the layout, identifying the optimal zones for research and manufacturing.
He had the money, the location, and the blueprint. Now, he needed the lieutenants—the people brilliant enough to execute his vision, yet desperate enough to remain loyal.
Hiring the Unhireable
David knew the most talented people were often overlooked by the corporate machine. He used his immense wealth to instantly purchase the public and private records of the top 100 energy scientists and corporate managers in the Western Hemisphere. With the Perfect Recall Serum, he sifted through decades of résumés, patents, and, crucially, character flaws and grievances—a process that would have taken a team of analysts months.
His first target was the engineering genius: Dr. Vivian Zhou.
Vivian was a world-renowned electrochemist who had been viciously blacklisted and forced out of her previous mega-corporation, Titan Energy, after refusing to sign off on a dangerous cost-cutting measure. She was brilliant, ethical, and currently working in obscurity teaching at a local community college.
David found her contact details within seconds and placed a call.
"Dr. Zhou, my name is David. I know you're the best electrochemist in the world. I also know Titan Energy ruined your life three years ago for upholding safety standards."
Vivian's voice, initially guarded, cracked with shock. "Who is this? How do you know—"
"I know you're currently working on a patent for a solid-state electrolyte that will double the efficiency of current batteries. I also know you need $5 million in seed funding right now to avoid selling that patent to the very company that blacklisted you. I will wire you $10 million instantly. You'll be the Chief Science Officer of my new company, Aero Corp. You answer only to me. Are you in?"
The sudden, brutal efficiency paralyzed her. "Ten million… for a contract?"
"$10 million to start. Your annual salary will be $5 million. But what you're really getting is the chance to build a world-changing technology far beyond anything you've ever dreamed of. The money is just the down payment. Send me your banking details."
Before Vivian could fully process the shock, David hung up. He knew she would take it. He had targeted her precisely at her emotional and financial nadir.
His second target was the corporate assassin: Marcus Cole.
Marcus was a disgraced CFO, ruined by a single, minor SEC violation from a decade ago. He was ruthlessly brilliant at exploiting loopholes and maximizing profits, but no major firm would touch his past.
David's call was even shorter. "Marcus, I need someone who understands corporate warfare and how to destroy a rival's cash flow. Your past doesn't bother me. I'm starting a new energy company. I need a CFO who knows where all the bodies are buried in this industry. I'll pay you $10 million up front, no questions asked."
Marcus's voice, low and gravelly, was purely professional. "When do I start, Mr. David?"
"You already have. Fly to the Phoenix Energy site today. I'll send a private jet."
The First Blueprint Test
Within hours, David had secured his two primary lieutenants. Now, it was time to validate the Quantum-Aero Battery Blueprint.
Dr. Zhou, still processing the immense sum of money that had instantly appeared in her account, was given one simple task: set up a small, sterile lab using the factory's existing equipment and prepare the materials specified by the QA-Aero blueprint.
David oversaw the process, guiding her with a flawless memory of chemical interactions she hadn't even grasped yet. He was the novice, yet he spoke with the authority of the inventor.
"No, Dr. Zhou, the catalyst must be cooled to -196 degrees Celsius before introduction, not after. The crystalline structure must be maintained at that specific moment," David commanded, citing a specific section of the blueprint that was still coded and unread by Vivian.
Vivian, skeptical at first, followed his bizarre, specific instructions. The result was immediate and spectacular: a small, thumb-sized prototype battery that held an incomprehensible amount of energy.
"It's… it's flawless," Vivian whispered, trembling as she looked at the energy readout. "It defies the laws of modern physics. Mr. David, what is this?"
"This, Dr. Zhou, is how we end the 20th century," David said, his eyes glittering with cold triumph.
The Rival Strikes
The silence didn't last long. David's aggressive acquisition of the Phoenix complex had sent shockwaves through the industry.
Just as David was preparing to order the full factory refit, Marcus Cole called, his voice tight.
"Mr. David, we have a problem. Titan Energy—Dr. Zhou's former employer—just submitted a counter-bid to the city council for the Phoenix facility. They're offering to buy the land for $150 million, claiming they have prior development rights. They're trying to steal the land out from under us."
David smiled. This was the corporate warfare he was built for.
"Titan Energy," David repeated, recalling their stock ticker, their CEO's name, and every single recent legal vulnerability from his memory files. "Marcus, you have one hour. Buy up every available short-sell option on Titan Energy stock. Drain their liquidity. Then, call the city council back and offer them $200 million. And tell them if they ever accept an unsolicited bid against Aero Corp again, I will personally buy their city and fire their mayor."
The revenge was over. The business war was just beginning.