There was no way Silas wasn't aware of the high-profile eting that had taken place among the top executives of the country. He knew they were rattled, shaken by his teoric rise, but the truth was—he didn't care. Let them plot and sche. He had bigger concerns than a roomful of old n worried about their outdated empires being threatened.
It wasn't as if he wasn't going to dominate the market anyway; it was inevitable.
Silas understood one thing about people—they fear change, especially when that change disrupts their comfort and power. If the VR ga and Pod had fallen into the hands of those corporate relics, the situation would have played out very differently. They would have bled it dry, using it to maintain their status quo and stifle competition.
He didn't need to be a genius to predict their moves—they'd consolidate their influence, push for monopolistic control, and do whatever it took to crush any potential threat.
But that wasn't how things were going to go.
Human nature is predictable—greedy, selfish, and envious. Silas had seen it ti and ti again. The mont soone starts to make progress, especially the kind of rapid, disruptive success he was achieving, people get irritated. They can't stand seeing soone succeed where they're failing, and that resentnt only grows the higher you climb.
In the corporate world, these traits are amplified tenfold. It's a realm filled with cutthroat competition, where the elite operate like wolves—ruthless, driven by profit, and constantly looking for the next vulnerable prey.
Silas, however, had no intention of playing by their rules.
Right now, his focus was elsewhere. He was seated in one of Kurt Technologies' sleek, modern conference rooms, preparing for sothing far more important than corporate politics. Today, he was eting with the first beta tester candidate for the VR ga—one of the candidates that Luna sent ssages to.
He had been mildly surprised when Luna inford him that one of the candidates had already accepted the offer. Things were moving fast, faster than even he had anticipated. But when Silas reviewed the applicant's profile, it all made sense.
Sitting across from him now was a young man, barely in his twenties, with an air of quiet desperation about him. His clothes were simple, but clean—nothing flashy, nothing that would draw attention. There was a weariness in his eyes, the kind that cos from carrying burdens too heavy for soone his age. He was able to quickly notice this because he has been in such familiar position before.
"You need the financial compensation because of your sister's treatnt?" Silas asked, his voice level as he scanned the docunt in front of him, though he already knew the answer.
The young man, whose na was Marcus, nodded, his hands gripping the armrests of his chair just a little too tightly. "Yes," he replied, his voice soft but steady. "My sister has a rare condition, and the treatnts are... expensive. We've tried everything, but nothing's been working. This compensation—it could cover her next round of therapy."
Silas studied him for a mont, weighing the sincerity of his words. Marcus wasn't like the others who would have likely been hesitant or skeptical of Kurt Technologies' offer. He was here because he had no choice. Desperation had driven him into Silas's office, and in that desperation, Silas saw an opportunity.
"That's quite the gamble," Silas said, leaning back in his chair, his eyes never leaving Marcus. "Putting your faith in a company you've never heard of before. You realize this VR ga is still in its experintal phase? There's no guarantee of success—no guarantee that you'll get anything out of it."
Of course, all this wasn't true. It was just said by him for dramatic effect and to get a reaction out of Marcus.
"I know," Marcus replied, lifting his gaze to et Silas's. There was a fierceness in his eyes now, a glimr of hope amidst the desperation. "But I'll do anything for my sister. If this works—if I can help in so way—I'll take the risk."
Silas allowed himself a small smile. That's what he liked to see—people willing to push beyond their limits, to put it all on the line for sothing they cared about. This was what made humans so fascinating to him. Their resilience. Their determination.
"Good," Silas said, leaning forward slightly. "Then you're exactly the type of person we're looking for."
Marcus seed taken aback for a mont, as if he hadn't expected things to go this smoothly.
"Here's how this will work," Silas continued, his tone shifting into sothing more business-like. "You'll be part of the first group of beta testers for our VR ga. You'll have access to the full imrsion experience through the Pod, and you'll be compensated for your ti. But this isn't just about playing a ga.
We need detailed feedback—everything from the gaplay chanics to the realism of the environnt to how the Pod interacts with your senses. This is uncharted territory, and we need testers who are willing to imrse themselves fully into this world."
Marcus nodded, his resolve firming.
"Additionally," Silas added, "your sister's treatnt will be covered as part of your compensation package. Consider it a gesture of goodwill."
The young man's eyes widened, and for the first ti since entering the room, a flicker of relief crossed his face. "Thank you. I don't know how to—"
"Don't thank yet," Silas interrupted smoothly. "The ga is still in its early stages, and the experience might not be what you expect. But if you're ready to take that leap, then we'll see what happens."
Marcus nodded again, more confidently this ti. "I'm ready."
Silas stood up, extending his hand. Marcus hesitated for only a second before shaking it, his grip firm.
"Welco to the future, Marcus," Silas said, his voice carrying a weight that seed to echo through the room. "Let's see if you're prepared for it."
As Marcus left the room, Silas remained seated, his mind already racing ahead. The beta test was just the beginning. Soon, the world would see what Kurt Technologies had been working on—what he had been building.
And when that ti ca, no boardroom eting or corporate plot would be enough to stop it. He was happy with the progression of things and he was very excited to see how thing will pan out in the future.
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