The Tycoon's Odyssey

As the day wore on, the impact of the malfunction was felt across every sector. Pears' stock price began to plummet as investors reacted to the crisis. Social media exploded with furious complaints, and tech blogs were quick to pick up on the disaster.

Pears' CEO, Steve Hook, faced an uphill battle. As the company's reputation took a severe hit, Hook appeared at a press conference, attempting to address the situation and calm the storm of outrage. But with every passing hour, it became clear that the damage caused to Pears' reputation was significant, and the path to recovery would be long and difficult.

_____

In the lab…

A man stared at the screen, his face trusting with a sinister grin. Before the iPhone launch, he had purchased a huge amount of Pears shares using Aurora. Then, just before the disaster struck, he sold a significant portion of those shares, triggering a sharp fall, followed by the system crash…

"Kekekek! Serves you right!"

[Sir, can you stop smiling like that? You really look too evil,]Aurora remarked, her chibi icon displaying a frightened expression.

[I told him that long ago, but he just won't listen,] the system chimed in with a sigh.

A thick vein bulged on Evan's forehead as he listened to the two AIs. His patience and frustration had been reaching their limits nowadays due to these two kids' constant barking all day around.

Once, the system managed to communicate with Aurora, this guy was like a simp, he just wouldn't stop talking to her, which really irritated him.

Thankfully, it could only communicate with Aurora while using headgear.

Shaking his head, Evan stared at the screen where Aurora was tracking Pears' downfall.

"What's the market analysis?"

[The Pears' share has already fallen by 15%. If we go by this trend, it is expected to drop by 30%. And if we target their other series and their Macs, it could get even worse. Plus, other competitors would likely fuel the fire in this situation.]

Evan fell into deep thought for a moment. Aurora was still learning the phase of stock trading, yet her simply inhuman ability was enough to learn everything in a matter of a few moments. But could she fully predict the market, though?

'Was that even possible?'

'Whatever...as long as she can give 80% accuracy, it's okay.'

"No need to do anything useless," Evan snorted, then spoke calmly.

"Guide their technicians according to plan. It was their fault to induce a system error in the Breach Protector; now we will use it."

[Got it.]

"Then start the phase and start buying as many Pears shares as possible. Use Aunt Celina's, Maria's and every other account available to buy. I am sure many would have already started panicking. If possible try to manipulate the news and spread panic even further."

[I am on it, but sir, you have a meeting at two.]

"Hmm! It's time to wind things up here."

_____

In the sleek, high-rise offices of HoloLens, Michael Grant, the CEO, was prepared for a crucial meeting.

Hololens, a subsidiary of Macrosoft, was responsible for the research and development of VR and was about to engage in a significant negotiation. But before the meeting, he had been briefed by the chairman to treat the person with the utmost respect and try to fulfil the demand.

Michael was among the select few who knew about Evan's true identity.

The meeting room was minimalistic, adorned with modern art and offered a panoramic view of the city below.

Evan, known for his deep aura and intellectual presence, entered the room with an air of confidence and calm.

As Evan approached, Michael extended a hand. "Evan, it's a pleasure to meet you. I'm Michael Grant. Please, have a seat."

Evan shook his hand firmly but remained composed. "Thank you, Mr. Michael. It's good to be here."

Suri had assured Even that he could trust this guy, but for Evan, this was still a gamble. However, for the sake of both safety and future plans, he knew that this was a gamble he needed to take.

Michael gestured toward a polished conference table.

As they took their seats, he continued. "We're very interested in your neural headgear technology. HoloLens wants to acquire the rights to it. We believe it has immense potential."

Evan nodded thoughtfully. "I appreciate your interest. However, I have a few conditions. I'm willing to sell the rights, but I need a percentage of the sales moving forward."

Michael's brows raised slightly in surprise. "A percentage? How much are you asking for?"

Evan's gaze was steady, his demeanor unshaken. "I'm asking for 20% of the sales."

Michael considered this for a moment. The offer was substantial, but the potential of the neural headgear made it a worthwhile investment. He leaned back, studying Evan's calm, assured presence. He couldn't deny that there was an undeniable depth to this young man that seemed to captivate the room.

"20%," Michael said slowly, his tone measured. "That's a significant stake. But, given the potential of your technology, I think we can work with that."

Evan continued, "Now the second condition I request is that before it is released, I want you to conduct a global trial, especially of scientists, prominent businessmen, researchers and engineers, doctors all over the world— people of this generation who have made significant breakthroughs in their respective fields."

Micheal's brows furrowed at the request. It wasn't particularly difficult, but what can he say?

It was a bit of a hassle and waste of time but...

He hesitated before asking, "Mr. Evan, can you please share the reason behind this?"

Evan smiled, giving Michael a brief look. "Nothing much, I just wanted these people to have a look and explore the potential in the tech. Though at present it may not mean much, but in the future, you as well as everyone out there will know how this would play a pivotal role in shaping the future."

"I see," Michael nodded mysteriously and asked, "Any more…"

"Last but the most crucial: make sure that no soul knows that this technology was developed by me until I say so."

"No problem, that's the easiest request for us," Michael replied.

Evan's expression remained cool and composed. "I'm glad we could come to an agreement."

Michael extended his hand once more. "It's a deal then. I look forward to seeing how this technology can transform the market."

Evan shook his hand firmly. "As do I, Mr. Michael."

As the meeting concluded, Michael couldn't shake the impression that Evan's composed, deep aura was something rare. It left a lasting impact, hinting at a formidable intelligence that extended beyond technology.