04- WEALTH AND WEARINESS
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As I leave that night, walking out into the cool night air, I pause on the doorstep. The house behind me is filled with warmth, with safety. With my family.
And I will not let them die.
I grip my fists, my resolve hardening.
Whatever it takes—whether through wealth, power, or sheer force of will—I will make sure they survive the coming storm.
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"Alex," Ava's voice hums in my mind, steady and calm. "You now have two months, twenty-nine days."
I take a deep breath, staring up at the moonlit sky.
Three months.
It's time to start making money. And fast.
The scent of my mother's cooking still lingers on my clothes as I walk through the quiet streets, the weight of everything pressing down on me. The city hums with life—people returning from work, roadside vendors still shouting for last-minute sales, danfo buses screeching at every turn.
Three months. That's all I have before this world changes forever.
I tighten my grip on my bag. If I want to protect my family, I need resources. And fast.
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I duck into my small, rented apartment—a one-room space that barely holds a bed, a desk, and an old standing fan. The moment the door clicks shut, I sit cross-legged on the mattress and summon Ava.
A translucent panel materializes before me.
> SYSTEM: AVA
User: Alex
Unlocked Abilities:
– Pocket Space (Storage: 5m³)
– Telekinesis (Level 1)
– Gravity Control (Level 1)
Shop Status: Active
Available Credits: 0
"Ava, open the shop," I whisper.
The panel shifts, revealing Ava's Treasury—an endless digital marketplace filled with weapons, tools, and knowledge beyond this time. But for now, I'm not here for weapons. I need money.
I scroll through the sections, stopping at one labeled:
> Currency & Trade
Several options flash before me:
Low-Risk Investments (Stock Market) – 200 Credits
High-Yield Forex Signals – 500 Credits
Cryptocurrency Market Projections (2014-2017) – 1000 Credits
Underground Wealth Opportunities – ??? Credits
I pause, my mind racing. Cryptocurrency.
This is 2014. Bitcoin is still in its early stages, Ethereum hasn't even launched yet, and people barely take crypto seriously. If I play this right, I can turn a few thousand naira into millions.
"Ava, what's my best method of entry?"
["Recommendation: The Nigerian banking system has not fully embraced crypto. However, foreign platforms such as LocalBitcoins and Mt. Gox still allow fiat-to-Bitcoin transactions. With proper conversion, your profits could be exponential."]
"How much do I need to get started?"
["Minimum safe investment: ₦200,000. Maximum recommended investment: ₦2,000,000."]
I exhale slowly. I don't even have 200k.
Which means I need a way to generate fast cash before I can even touch crypto.
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Nigerians don't gamble much, but sports betting is rising. In 2014, platforms like Bet9ja are still growing, and I know every major match outcome for the next few months.
I pull out my phone, quickly searching for upcoming matches. The World Cup just ended, but European leagues are in full swing.
Man City vs. Chelsea.
Barcelona vs. Atletico Madrid.
Real Madrid vs. Sevilla.
I already know the winners, the scorelines, even who scores first.
I glance at my balance—₦5,200.
Too small. If I want to make real money, I need at least ₦50,000.
I open my WhatsApp and message Femi, an old friend who always has cash but never any sense.
Me: "Bro, I need 50k. Urgent."
Femi: "Haaaa, 50k ke? Guy wetin happen?"
Me: "I can turn it into 500k in a week. Just trust me."
Femi: "…where u dey? Make we talk
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The next afternoon, I meet Femi at a small buka near campus. He eyes me suspiciously as he sets his bottle of Coke down.
"You say you wan turn 50k to 500k," he says, skeptical. "Hope say no be yahoo you wan run."
I laugh. "No Yahoo. Just football. You know me, I've always been good at predicting matches."
"Prediction no be certainty."
I lean forward. "But what if I tell you I already know the outcomes?"
He raises a brow. "How?"
"Let's just say I have access to information most people don't."
Femi shakes his head, but there's greed in his eyes. "Okay, if I give you 50k, how we go share the winnings?"
"70–30," I say immediately. "70 for me, 30 for you."
"50–50," he counters.
I smile. "Femi, I have the knowledge. You are just funding it. If I make 500k, you're getting 150k for doing nothing."
He thinks about it, then sighs. "Oya, deal."
He transfers the money, and I don't waste time. I place calculated bets on five matches with near-certain outcomes, spreading the money across multiple tickets to reduce suspicion.
Now, all I have to do is wait.
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With the betting money in motion, I return to my room and pull up Ava's store again.
> New Category Unlocked: Black Market Connections
A shiver runs through me. "Ava, what's this?"
["A category dedicated to discreet transactions, untraceable currency exchange, and specialized items."]
I scroll through the list, my pulse quickening.
Unregistered Offshore Accounts – 2000 Credits
Forged Identity Documents – 500 Credits
Discreet International Transfers – 1000 Credits
Classified Intelligence Reports – ???
This is dangerous. But it also means if I make enough money, I can move it without raising suspicion.
I exit the tab before temptation gets the better of me.
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Three days later, I check my betting account. My balance? ₦480,000.
I exhale sharply. It worked. It actually worked.
I immediately cash out ₦300,000 to avoid suspicion, splitting Femi's ₦150,000.
Femi: "Guy, you be witch??? How???"
Me: "Told you to trust me."
Now, with nearly ₦300,000 in my hands, I transfer ₦200,000 to a crypto exchange and buy Bitcoin at ₦12,000 per BTC.
In three years, 1 BTC will be worth millions.
But I don't have three years. I have three months.
"Ava," I whisper. "Find me the next best way to make fast money."
["Analyzing… Probability suggests a mix of high-yield forex trades, information reselling, and controlled black market dealings. Shall I proceed?"]
I stare at the glowing panel. This is getting riskier. But I don't have a choice.
"Proceed," I say.
The first step is done. Now, I just need to survive what comes next.
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