Chapter 193: Planning Next Moves || Funding Eamon
Xavier left the midnight club, his steps light and confident, as if the whole night’s chaos had been nothing more than a warm-up. Oliver followed quietly, still shell-shocked but obedient, riding along in the backseat of Xavier’s bike.
When they reached Oliver’s mansion, Xavier stopped the bike, nodded at his friend, and Oliver stepped off.
"Stay safe," Xavier said with a half-smirk.
Oliver gave a tired but genuine smile, his eyes still carrying that strange mix of awe and disbelief.
Xavier didn’t stick around. He revved the bike and headed straight to the towering spire of Nexus Tower. His expression was serious and controlled, like he was already thinking about his next plan.
By morning, the city was already buzzing.
Mainstream news outlets screamed headlines across holo-screens and virtual billboards:
BREAKING NEWS: XAVIER’S SHOCKING CONFESSION GOES VIRAL
UNDERWORLD CONNECTIONS EXPOSED: The Truth Behind Maximillian Hart and the Kane Tragedy
XAVIER DECLARES OLIVER AS HIS PROTECTED — A PLEA OR A THREAT?
Social Media Erupts: "Protect Oliver At All Costs!"
Thousands of articles dissected every word from Xavier’s livestream, replaying his grand performance again and again.
Underground forums weren’t far behind, churning out theories, conspiracy threads, and heated debates:
[XAVIER IS PLAYING THE GAME MASTERFULLY, OR JUST INSANE?]
[No way Oliver’s just his friend, this is a power move.]
[Proof of Xavier’s connection to the underworld? Look at the confidence.]
[Dom Hart’s death suddenly makes sense now...]
[Public sentiment has completely flipped.]
[Who knew the bullied kid would become the biggest threat to the elite.]
Memes popped up overnight—some mocking, others worshipping.
Image of Xavier smirking, captioned: "When life gives you bullets, record it."
Image of Oliver with a halo above his head, captioned: "Officially untouchable since 3025."
The forums were wild.
[XAVIER 1 – SYSTEM 0]
[This isn’t just a confession, it’s a declaration of war.]
[Watch out Lucas... you’re next.]
The public sphere was in absolute frenzy. Everyone, from everyday citizens to underworld operatives, was trying to figure out what would happen next.
Meanwhile, deep in some hidden corner of the city, someone was silently watching the spike in attention, the chaos unfolding. Their eyes glimmered in the dark, calculating the next move.
On the other hand, Xavier sank deeper into the warm water of the bathtub, his body relaxing as the city’s noisy chaos echoed faintly through the window. He flicked his wrist, opening his system menu on the holographic interface hovering above the bath.
The news continued to play in the background, screaming headlines of the scandal, but Xavier paid them no real mind. His gaze settled on his progress bar, slowly filling up.
"Just two more tasks left," he murmured to himself, voice laced with amused anticipation. "Then my unlimited money system upgrades to Level 6. Five million daily limit going up to ten. That’ll make things even easier."
He swiped to the next section—Justice System.
Under Ongoing Quests, the glaring red word Revenge
stood out, bold and demanding.Below it, in the Completed Quests tab, was a single latest entry:
Quest: Provide justice to the villagers by punishing Alexander Sterling.
Reward: 1 Justice Point.
Xavier’s smirk twisted wider as his eyes glanced at the solitary Justice Point glowing in the corner.
"Justice system my ass," he said softly. "More like Revenge System. Getting paid to screw people over."
Below that sat the completed quest, its reward proudly displayed: Justice Point: 1.
He chuckled, almost mockingly, and moved to the next menu.
The Dimensional Store materialized before him, filled with all kinds of exotic items, tech upgrades, rare materials, and... strange artifacts that seemed to defy logic.
He browsed casually, his mind already calculating what might be useful next.
"Let’s see what kind of toys I can get today..." he murmured, tapping through categories, completely relaxed, as if the entire scandal outside was just a distant movie playing in the background of his life.
Xavier scrolled through the Dimensional Store, eyes flicking across rows of items that ranged from the utterly bizarre to the obviously powerful.
There were pills labeled EnduroMax Plus, promising to boost physical endurance and resistance to fatigue for extended periods. Perfect for someone like him who thrived on taking risks and pushing limits.
There were implants too—neural enhancers that could sharpen reflexes, cybernetic limbs that claimed to increase strength tenfold, and mysterious black vials that simply read Unknown Substance – Handle With Caution.
Some items were flashy—a glowing bracelet that could absorb kinetic energy, a sleek pistol that adapted its ammo type depending on the target. Others were strange and obscure—a small cube labeled Dimensional Key Fragment, a bottle of liquid labeled Essence of Forgotten Memories, and a mechanical bird said to act as an advanced reconnaissance drone.
Scrolling further down, there was also a Point Exchange section where he could trade Justice Points for credits, digital money, or even rare materials.
Xavier paused, his smirk softening into thought.
"Hm... might as well get that pill or a weapon... Might come in handy," he mused aloud, tapping to select the EnduroMax Plus.
But just before confirming the purchase, he hesitated.
"Nah... not in a rush," he said, shaking his head with a faint grin. "I’ll save this for later. No need to waste Justice Points when I can hold onto them for something far bigger down the line."
With a casual flick, he exited the store, leaving all the flashy, powerful, and mysterious items untouched.
Somewhere deep down, Xavier knew his time to truly spend them would come soon enough.
Xavier stepped out of the bath, the warm steam still clinging to his skin. His hair was damp, but his eyes were sharp as always. The system of the apartment activated as he walked toward the living room, where Eamon sat in a high-backed chair, surrounded by papers and digital reports scattered across the table.
Eamon looked up, a small smile forming on his face.
"Good news," Eamon said, voice steady. "The company is officially registered. We’ve already landed our first project. Work’s already underway."
He tapped a few buttons on his holo pad, projecting detailed reports: market analysis, project outlines, progress charts, and financial estimates.
Xavier leaned in, scanning through the data with mild interest.
"So, do you need more funding?" he asked, his tone casual but direct.
Eamon nodded. "Actually... I was going to talk to you about that. Since you’re the one funding the company, once we go public, I plan to register you as the owner with 70% of the shares."
Xavier held up a hand to stop him before Eamon could continue.
"That won’t do," Xavier said coolly. "My name shouldn’t be connected to the company in any way. No paper trail, no records. I don’t want the public, the government, or anyone else to trace it back to me."
Eamon frowned, shifting in his chair.
"Then you will hold everything on my behalf," Xavier continued. "All shares, all responsibility. You’ll be the face, the registered owner. Nothing will tie me to it."
"I don’t feel worthy of that," Eamon replied, genuine humility in his voice. "It’s your money, your promised legacy."
Xavier smirked lightly.
"To make you feel worthy enough," he said, "I’ll personally handle some of the company’s key decisions. Offer my opinions, direct strategy when necessary. But none of that means my name should appear anywhere public."
Eamon sighed but nodded in agreement.
"Fair enough," he said. "Then... how much do you want me to invest in equipment? Machines, tools, old tech that we can refurbish... A few million should do."
Xavier tapped on his system menu without hesitation.
First, a transfer of 5 million credits.
Then... another.
5 billion.
The transfer confirmation blinked on Eamon’s holo pad. His eyes widened, utterly shocked.
"5 billion?" Eamon stammered, staring at the numbers as if they might vanish. "Are you... sure?"
Xavier didn’t flinch.
"Do it," he said simply.
Eamon’s mind raced with questions, doubts, and disbelief, but he swallowed them all and said,
"Thank you, Xavier. I’ll put this to good use."
Xavier smirked again, his eyes narrowing with purpose.
"I might need you for something very soon," he added casually.
Eamon smiled confidently, as if making a solemn vow.
"I’ll always be available for you, Xavier."
Eamon stood up from his chair, still a little stunned by the transaction he’d just processed. He tucked away the holo pad and noticed Lilia standing outside her room, looking up at him with quiet concern.
"Dad... That was a lot of money," Lilia said softly, her voice laced with worry.
Eamon gave her a reassuring smile, though there was an unmistakable edge of tension in his eyes.
"I know, Lilia. But it’s necessary," he said, his tone firm but gentle. "We’re building something important. You don’t need to worry about it."
Lilia nodded, though the unease lingered.
"Be careful," she said, her voice almost a whisper.
"I always am," Eamon replied. "I will never repeat the same mistakes again."
With a final nod, he stepped out, leaving Lilia standing there, thoughtful and quiet.
Later, Xavier, Lilia, and Lyra made their way to the 10th floor to Seraphina’s restaurant.
As they entered, the atmosphere felt lighter, but the news played in the background on large holo screens, repeating the sensational headlines:
"Underworld Scandal: Maximilian Hart Caught on Tape Killing Leonardo Kane!"
"Sterling Scandal: Alexander Sterling’s Mysterious Death!"
"Xavier’s Dramatic Confession: Victim or Villain?"
As they settled into their booth, Viola appeared, walking in from the far end of the restaurant. Her presence seemed to shift the air.
"Do these media not have anything else to do?"
Seraphina, working behind the counter, glanced up and her eyes narrowed slightly, a jealous spark flickering as she took in the sight of Viola joining them.
Viola’s eyes met Xavier’s with a faint smirk, and without hesitation, she walked over and took a seat at their table, as if she belonged there all along.
The news continued to play behind them, casting the weight of the world’s scrutiny onto their little corner, as they began to eat, sip drinks, and casually talk, each carrying their own thoughts beneath the surface.