INTO THE SHADOWS
The moment the transfer is confirmed, I feel it—an invisible line crossed. My phone screen flickers, the notification confirming the purchase of Bitcoin at ₦12,000 per BTC.
This tiny sum will one day be worth millions. But I don't have years. I have months.
Ava's voice hums in my mind, steady as ever.
> "Transaction complete. User now holds 16.6 BTC."
I let out a slow breath and lock my phone. ₦200,000 was a lot to gamble, but this is only the beginning.
"Ava," I whisper, leaning back against the cold wall of my rented apartment. "Show me my next move."
The system panel shifts, and a new category pulses ominously.
---
> New Mission Unlocked: Shadow Transactions
Objective: Establish a foothold in the underground economy.
Details: Leverage future knowledge, high-yield forex trades, and controlled black-market dealings to accumulate wealth.
Time Limit: 20 Days
---
I clench my fists. 20 days. That's how long I have to solidify my position before things get even more dangerous.
The High-Stakes Game Begins
I don't sleep that night. Instead, I spend hours mapping out my next moves—legit and otherwise.
Crypto is my long-term play, but forex and information reselling? Those can make me rich right now.
By morning, I'm at a cybercafe in Lagos, hunched over a terminal, scrolling through forex trading strategies from 2014. The market has already started showing patterns I recognize—fluctuations that most traders ignore. But I know what's coming.
The system offers a high-yield forex signal service for 500 credits, but I don't have enough to unlock it yet.
So, I improvise.
I open a trading account with a Nigerian forex brokerage, using a forged identity Ava provided.
The goal is simple:
1. Start small.
2. Build fast.
3. Move money before anyone asks questions.
I set my first trades. The thrill is immediate—like placing a bet on a game I already know the outcome of.
The difference? This isn't gambling.
----
Three Days Later
---
My phone vibrates. A notification.
> Deposit Successful: ₦2,000,000
I exhale sharply. My forex trades worked. I flipped ₦100,000 into two million.
Too fast. Too visible.
The bank might not flag it yet, but if I keep pulling in this kind of money, someone will notice.
That's when I get the message.
> Unknown Number:
You move money like someone with inside knowledge.
Meet me. Tonight. Elegushi Beach, 10 PM. Come alone.
My stomach tightens.
This is it—the moment I step into a world I can't walk away from.
"Ava, scan the number."
> "Identity masked. High-risk profile detected. Proceed with caution."
I already know I'm going.
The real question is—am I ready?
---
On reaching Elegushi Beach
The beach is alive with music and laughter, but I'm not here for a party. I weave through the crowd, my senses sharp, Ava feeding me real-time updates on movement around me.
Then, I see him.
A man in his mid-40s, dressed in a crisp white kaftan, gold wristwatch glinting under the lights. He's seated at a private cabana, sipping palm wine like he owns the whole damn place.
I approach cautiously.
"You're the one moving money," he says, barely looking up. His voice is smooth, controlled. Dangerous. "And from what I hear, you don't lose."
I don't answer immediately
"In my world? It travels at the speed of money."
He finally meets my eyes, studying me. Judging. Calculating.
"What's your play, boy?" he asks. "You running forex? Crypto? Or something bigger?"
I hold my breath.
This is it. Say the right words, and I gain a powerful ally. Say the wrong ones, and I might not leave this beach.
"I deal in certainty," I say slowly. "I don't gamble. I know where the market is going before it moves."
He chuckles, setting his drink down. "That's a dangerous claim."
"Only if I'm wrong."
Silence stretches between us. Then, he leans forward, his tone dropping.
"Let's say I believe you. There are people who would pay well for your kind of certainty."
He slides a piece of paper across the table. A name. A number. And an amount.
₦10,000,000.
I pick it up, my heart hammering. "And what do I have to do?"
He smirks. "Tell them what happens before it happens. Make them rich."
"You don't even know who I am"
"Well I know you won't try to run.... unless you want them dead"
---
The Weight of the Deal
I grip the paper tightly, feeling the weight of what just happened.
I came to this meeting as a forex trader. I'm leaving it as a player in the underground economy.
Ava hums in my mind.
> "New Path Unlocked: Information Broker."
This is it. The turning point.
The money is here. The risk is here.
And there's no turning back.
---
The Next Day: Scaling Up
The next morning, I wake up with ₦2 million in my bank account and a new problem to solve.
I need to move my earnings without triggering alarms.
"Ava, show me secure transfer methods."
> Black Market Options Available:
– Offshore Accounts (Ghana, UAE) – 2000 Credits
– Discreet International Transfers – 1000 Credits
– Untraceable Crypto Wallets – 500 Credits
I don't have enough system credits yet, but I can fix that.
For now, I keep it simple. I open multiple bank accounts under different names and start spreading the money. No single account should hold more than ₦500,000 at a time.
But I need more than just safe accounts.
I need a headquarters.
A fortress.
---
Building the Base
I pull up property listings. The city is full of abandoned or struggling buildings. I just need the right one.
Then, I find it.
> 10-Unit Apartment Building – ₦8.5 million
– 60% vacant
– Structurally sound but in need of minor repairs
– Low visibility, good location
Perfect.
I make a call. "I want the building. Cash deal."
The agent is stunned but doesn't argue. Money talks.
Within days, it's mine.
And the real work begins.
---
Into the Shadows
As my fortress takes shape, I check Ava's Black Market Connections again. This time, I don't hesitate.
I buy forged IDs. I secure offshore accounts. I start stockpiling food, water, and weapons.
---
Time Remaining: 2 Months, 16 Days.
The clock is ticking.
And the shadows are watching.