Aiden Monteverde controlled power (PPG) and communication (Archipelago Connect). His capital was in the billions, fueled exponentially by his massive infrastructure investments. The next stage was inevitable: confronting the political structure that had murdered his parents.
To challenge them, he first had to establish himself as a legitimate, visible player—not just an anonymous corporate raider.
The Acquisition of Status ⌚🚗
Aiden knew that in the Philippines, wealth was only respected if it was displayed. He needed porma (style) on a scale that commanded the attention of the high society and the media that served them.
1. The Machine:
Aiden traveled to a high-end luxury dealership in Bonifacio Global City (BGC). He didn't want the flashiest car, but the most intimidating and secure. He settled on a customized, armored Mercedes-Benz S-Class (W223), painted a discreet, commanding obsidian black. It was a mobile fortress, optimized by King Rat's external security consultants for advanced tracking and defense systems.
S-Class Purchase Price (Armored and Customized): $₱35,000,000$.
[Transaction Log: Spending Event]
[Amount Spent: ₱35,000,000 (Luxury Armored Vehicle)]
[Purpose: Personal Security & Status Acquisition]
[REIMBURSEMENT EXECUTED: +₱70,000,000]
He spent $₱35$ million on transportation and gained $₱70$ million. The cost of protection was the highest form of profit.
2. The Timepiece:
Next, he addressed the final symbol of arrival: the watch. He chose an understated but technically brilliant piece: a Patek Philippe Annual Calendar Chronograph. He purchased it directly from a certified dealer in Makati, knowing exactly what he was doing.
A few days later, a renowned, highly influential Filipino watch vlogger, "Pareng Hayb," received an anonymous tip about the unique Patek purchase.
Pareng Hayb, always looking for the next big story, managed to photograph Aiden emerging from his S-Class, the Patek glinting subtly on his wrist. The photo went viral instantly among the elite. The mystery surrounding the young, devastatingly wealthy figure who had snatched the power company and now wore a watch worth millions captured the imagination of the public and the fear of the oligarchs.
Aiden had bought a watch, and in return, he received mass media attention and validation—a calculated, indirect expenditure for public relations.
The Political Challenge: The Bidding War 🏗️
With his status established, Aiden moved to directly challenge the political ecosystem. He targeted the most crucial government contract: the Metro Manila Infrastructure Revitalization Project (MMIRP).
The government planned to award a massive $₱10$ billion contract for the revitalization and maintenance of key public infrastructure (roads, bridges, streetlights). This project was historically used by corrupt politicians as a direct, untraceable slush fund. The winning bid was always predetermined, awarded to a political ally who would inflate costs and deliver substandard work.
The current front-runner was a construction firm secretly owned by Senator Alfonso "Alas" Reyes, the powerful political figure most closely linked to the demise of Aiden's parents.
Aiden decided to make the contract impossible to win honestly.
1. The Counter-Bid Strategy:
Aiden tasked his legal and financial team to create a comprehensive bid that was impeccably legal, technologically superior, and financially absurdly low.
Atty. Clara Villanueva ensured the bid documentation was flawless, anticipating and countering every legal loophole Senator Reyes might use.
Dr. Elias Reyes compiled the project specifications, guaranteeing the use of superior, durable, and cost-efficient imported materials.
2. The Financial Weapon:
Senator Reyes's bid was expected to be $₱10.5$ billion (inflated costs). Aiden's holding company submitted a bid of $₱4.5$ Billion.
This figure was impossible. It guaranteed the use of superior materials, paid fair market wages to workers, and promised to complete the project on time. No ordinary construction firm could achieve this without massive losses.
Aiden's Calculated True Cost of MMIRP: $₱8,000,000,000$ (Eight Billion Pesos).
Difference (Loss if played honestly): $₱3.5$ Billion.
Aiden knew that by winning the contract, he would immediately incur $₱8$ Billion in costs, but receive $₱4.5$ Billion in payment, resulting in a $₱3.5$ Billion loss.
But this was exactly the point. The "loss" was an investment.
The System's Payback and the Political Fallout
Aiden's bid was legally superior and financially irresistible. The government selection committee, under massive public pressure generated by the media's focus on Aiden, had no choice but to award the contract to the new bidder.
Aiden won the $₱4.5$ Billion contract. He immediately began spending the estimated $₱8$ Billion true cost for the project (ordering materials, hiring workers, securing equipment).
[Transaction Log: Spending Event]
[Amount Spent: ₱8,000,000,000 (MMIRP Project Costs)]
[Purpose: Infrastructure Investment & Political Warfare]
[REIMBURSEMENT EXECUTED: +₱16,000,000,000]
Aiden had just spent $₱8$ Billion to upgrade the nation's infrastructure, embarrass the ruling politician, and was immediately reimbursed $₱16$ Billion.
He had turned a $₱3.5$ Billion loss into a $₱12$ Billion net profit while forcing Senator Reyes's political machine to collapse in financial ruin.
Senator Reyes, who depended on the MMIRP funds for his political war chest and personal enrichment, was left with nothing. He was not just defeated; he was financially crippled by a young rival who literally paid more to do things right than Reyes was paid to do them wrong.
Aiden smiled, watching the news report about the massive infrastructure deal. The fight had moved from the boardroom to the political stage. The man who ordered his father's death was now in his crosshairs.