Chapter 30: The Ten Billion Dollar Upgrade
The silence that followed Ethan's question was heavy, thick enough to stifle the breathing of every man in the hall. It wasn't just a question; it was a challenge to the very foundation of the Apex Club's exclusivity. In the eyes of the Vanguard, the Overseer seat was a goal achieved through decades of political maneuvering and generational wealth. To Ethan, it was a transaction.
Sterling stood up from the Overseer's chair, his movement fluid and deliberate. The enigmatic smile had returned to his face, but this time it was tinged with a predatory curiosity. He walked toward the velvet rope, his eyes locked on the black card Ethan held between his fingers.
"The seat is always for sale to those who can afford the weight of it, Ethan," Sterling said, his voice echoing against the high marble ceilings. "The rules of the Apex are clear. Ten billion dollars, transferred immediately to the regional treasury, grants an instant elevation to the rank of Provincial Overseer. No vetting. No waitlist. Pure, unadulterated financial dominance."
Richard Vincent let out a snort of derision, though it sounded forced—a nervous reaction to the sheer tension in the room. "Enough with the theatrics, Sterling. You're entertaining a child's fantasy. Look at him! He's wearing a hoodie that cost less than the tip I gave my driver. He's making a mockery of the Club."
Ethan didn't look at Richard. He didn't even acknowledge that the man had spoken. Instead, he walked toward the sleek, obsidian-colored administrative terminal that sat near the podium of the High Trinity. The terminal was a marvel of high-end encryption, used by the club for internal transfers and verifying the net worth of its members.
"How does it work?" Ethan asked, his voice calm, almost bored.
Sterling gestured to the biometric scanner and the card slot. "Insert your identification and authorize the transfer. The system is linked to the Global Finance Network. It verifies in real-time."
Ethan felt the Zillion System pulse in the back of his mind. He wasn't just checking a bank balance; he was engaging a force that could swallow the global economy.
[SYSTEM NOTIFICATION]
Objective: Upgrade to [OVERSEER] Rank.
Transaction Amount: $10,000,000,000.00
Wealth Verification: (Sufficient)
He slid the black card into the terminal. The screen glowed with a soft, blue light as it began to read the chip.
"Is he actually doing it?" Bernie Thorne whispered, leaning forward, his eyes wide.
"He's a fool," Richard muttered, though he had stepped closer to the velvet rope, unable to look away. "The terminal will reject him, and the doormen will drag him out for wasting our time."
The terminal's interface changed. It wasn't the standard loading screen. Because of the nature of Ethan's account—an account managed by the Zillion System itself—the terminal struggled for a microsecond to even comprehend the level of clearance it was accessing. Then, a voice synthesized by the club's AI filled the room.
"Identification Verified: Ethan McCain. Level: Vanguard. Status: Active."
Ethan placed his hand on the biometric scanner. The 100-point peak refinement of his body meant his thermal and electrical signature was perfectly stable, a clear, unmistakable signal.
"Biometric match confirmed. Processing transaction of Ten Billion Dollars."
The room went cold. The sheer speed at which the verification occurred suggested a level of banking priority that surpassed even the wealthiest men in the room. The progress bar on the screen flickered: 10%... 40%... 80%...
Sterling's eyes narrowed. He knew Ethan just paid an advance of 20 billion dollars for the down-payment on the Golden Dragon Hotel, and he was to pay the balance of 20 billion dollars the following day for the final acquisition of the hotel. Now, here he was spending another 10 billion dollars just to promote himself to the Overseer position—a position he might not even make use of. He had seen billionaires pay this fee before. Usually, it took minutes of frantic calls from bank managers and secondary authorizations from offshore boards. But for Ethan, the money was moving like water through a dam. With this confirmation, he knew Ethan really came from one of the hidden families; only families like that control huge amounts of money not even known to the government, but was stored in their personal bank.
"Transaction Complete. Funds Received. Regional Treasury Updated."
The terminal emitted a high-pitched chime that signaled a change in rank.
"Congratulations, Mr. McCain. Your status has been upgraded to: PROVINCIAL OVERSEER. Please take your seat in the Second Tier."
The silence was no longer heavy; it was absolute. Richard Vincent's glass slipped from his hand, shattering on the marble floor. The amber liquid splashed against his expensive shoes, but he didn't even notice. His jaw was slack, his eyes fixed on the screen.
Ten billion. Gone. Just like that.
Ethan withdrew his card and turned around. The aura around him had shifted. It wasn't just the money; it was the System's reward.
[SYSTEM UPDATE]
Transaction Successful!
System Points Added: +100 SP
New SP Total: 145 SP
Requirement Met: Working towards 1,000 SP to upgrade Body and Mind
Ethan felt a rush of excitement wash over him. His 100-point Peak Body was already at the limit of human potential, and now he is working towards the required points to push him into the realm of the extraordinary. He couldn't help but wonder how powerful he was going to be and wondered how many powerful people were out there. He knew that with the 100 million per point exchange rate, he would need to continue his massive streak of spending to bridge the remaining 855-point gap. This 10 billion was just a stepping stone.
He suppressed the excitement he was feeling and walked past Richard Vincent, who was still frozen in shock. As Ethan passed, he stopped for a fraction of a second, his shoulder brushing against the man who had insulted him.
"You said this wasn't a charity ward," Ethan said, his voice a low, vibrating whisper that only Richard could hear. "You were right. It's a market. And I just bought the floor you're standing on."
Ethan didn't wait for a reply. He walked toward the Second Tier, where the high-backed chairs of the Overseers were located. He chose the chair directly next to Sterling.
The other Overseers in the room—men who had spent thirty years reaching this position—looked at Ethan with a mixture of terror and newfound respect. They didn't know who he was, but anyone who could drop ten billion dollars without a second thought was a man who could destroy their entire lives with a single phone call. Everyone knows of the rule of using ten billion to buy a seat from the Overseers table, and some of the Vanguards have the money to buy the seats; however, who will want to buy a seat worth Ten Billion Dollars? They know with that kind of money they could finish some projects or start one that will yield more money for them, so most of them wait for recommendations from the three High Trinitys before being promoted to the Overseers position.
Sterling sat back down, a genuine, toothy grin spreading across his face. "Incredible. I have never seen the terminal process a ten-billion-dollar transfer that quickly. Your bank must be a direct line to the world's mints."
"It's just a bank, Sterling," Ethan replied, leaning back in the velvet-lined chair. The luxury of the seat was a stark contrast to the rough fabric of his hoodie, but he looked more comfortable in it than any of the men in suits. "Now, about the formalities. I believe there was a meeting to conduct?"
Bernie Thorne, still standing in the Vanguard section, let out a breathless laugh. "He really did it. He just... he just bought his way to the top of the province in five minutes."
The dynamics of the room had been completely rewritten. The Vanguard members who had been ignoring Ethan earlier were now whispering frantically, trying to find out which family he belonged to or what industry he controlled. They looked at him as if he were a god that had descended from a higher plane, wrapped in a cheap hoodie.
But Ethan's mind was elsewhere. He was looking at the High Trinity's empty chairs. He could feel the power radiating from those seats. Overseer isn't enough, Ethan thought. I need to move faster. Black Global Holdings needs to become a reality very soon.
He turned to Sterling, his eyes flashing with a light that made the older man sit up straighter. "Sterling, the 10 billion is paid. I have the rank. Now tell me about the Trinity. How does one sit in those chairs? Because I don't plan on staying in this tier for long."
Sterling's expression turned solemn. He looked at the three empty chairs on the dais and then back at Ethan. "To sit in the High Trinity, you don't pay money, Ethan. You pay in influence. You must own the very soul of the province. You must control the industries that keep the lights on and the food on the tables. And most importantly... you must be invited by the existing members. And they are not easily impressed by a bank balance."
Ethan's smile returned—the one that wasn't a smile. "They don't know my balance yet. But they will."