Aiden Monteverde now commanded substantial liquid capital. He had moved beyond logistics fees and was ready for his first major corporate acquisition, focusing on essential infrastructure where political corruption created the most vulnerability.
He targeted the energy sector, specifically Pacific Power Grid (PPG), a failing electrical distribution company serving a key industrial zone north of Metro Manila.
The Pre-Acquisition: Arming the Legion
Before initiating the takeover, Aiden had to ensure the physical security of his command structure and his family. Acquiring weapons in the Philippines was highly regulated, but the black market was robust, fed by corrupt military channels. Aiden needed legal documentation for the firearms, even if the acquisition itself utilized illicit channels.
Aiden tasked Capt. Miguel "Sentinel" Dela Cerna with acquiring the necessary security tools for the core team (Boss Ramos, Sentinel, and Quick Dela Vega): a mix of sidearms and tactical rifles, all necessary for high-risk asset protection.
The Transaction:
Sentinel leveraged his old military contacts who specialized in rerouting legally imported weaponry destined for private security firms and selling the manifest documents separately.
Aiden paid $₱5,000,000$ to a shell company for "Advanced Security Consulting and Equipment Documentation Fees." This covered the cost of the high-grade weaponry, training ammunition, and, most crucially, legitimate registration paperwork and permits filed under ASL's security umbrella.
[Transaction Log: Spending Event]
[Amount Spent: ₱5,000,000 (Weapons & Documentation)]
[Purpose: Human Capital Protection & Security Asset Acquisition]
[REIMBURSEMENT EXECUTED: +₱10,000,000]
Aiden had just funded his black-market arsenal and doubled his investment, turning the cost of arming his security detail into a personal profit. His Ghost Legion was now armed, registered, and ready for deployment.
The Target: Pacific Power Grid (PPG)
PPG was technologically stagnant and drowning in debt. The CEO, Delfin Sy, was a political crony who had been running the company into the ground, borrowing heavily from the Archipelago Mercantile Bank (AMB), a creditor linked directly to the powerful Dimaculangan Clan. The clan was deliberately pushing PPG toward default to seize its assets cheaply and secure their regional energy monopoly.
Aiden saw this as a perfect hostile takeover opportunity.
The Strategic Investment: Legal Poison
Aiden met with his Ghost Legion, laying out the legal and financial roadmap.
1. The Debt Acquisition (The Trap):
Aiden tasked Atty. Clara Villanueva ("The Needle") with finding an anonymous, legitimate pathway to acquire PPG's largest liability: the $₱500$ million loan portfolio held by the Dimaculangan-controlled AMB.
Aiden used his capital to fund an offshore finance firm, entirely clean and disconnected from Philippine politics, to buy the distressed loan portfolio at a discount.
PPG's Total Debt: $₱500,000,000$.
Aiden's Purchase Price (Discounted): $₱400,000,000$.
The debt acquisition was legally executed. Aiden was now the principal creditor, a fact unknown to the Dimaculangan Clan.
[Transaction Log: Spending Event]
[Amount Spent: ₱400,000,000 (Debt Acquisition)]
[Purpose: Asset Acquisition (PPG Loan Portfolio)]
[REIMBURSEMENT EXECUTED: +₱800,000,000]
Aiden controlled PPG's half-billion peso debt and gained $₱800$ million in liquid capital.
2. Share Acquisition (The Squeeze):
As the Dimaculangan Clan aggressively short-sold PPG stock to depress its value, Aiden tasked Sentinel Dela Cerna with executing a massive, covert buy-up using multiple shell brokerages to mask the true buyer.
Total Share Purchase Cost: $₱50,000,000$.
[Transaction Log: Spending Event]
[Amount Spent: ₱50,000,000 (Share Acquisition)]
[Purpose: Asset Acquisition (PPG Controlling Shares)]
[REIMBURSEMENT EXECUTED: +₱100,000,000]
Aiden now owned the majority of the debt and enough shares to force a board takeover.
The Coup: The Boardroom Assault
Aiden, flanked by the legal expertise of Clara Villanueva, called an emergency board meeting. The Dimaculangan representatives, expecting an easy bankruptcy proceeding, were blindsided.
Aiden, composed and surgical, revealed his hand: he was the new majority shareholder and, more critically, the new principal creditor.
The Legal Hammer: Villanueva presented undeniable evidence of CEO Sy's financial mismanagement (intelligence provided by Silencer Cruz) and his failure to maintain critical infrastructure. The evidence was pristine, making it impossible to fight legally.
The Financial Ultimatum: Aiden declared the $₱500$ million debt immediately due. CEO Sy had no ability to pay.
Aiden offered the deal: Mr. Sy resigns immediately, transferring all operational control of PPG to Aiden's holding company. In exchange, Aiden restructures the debt and shields Sy from personal bankruptcy.
Mr. Sy capitulated. The Dimaculangan Clan's plan was decimated. They had spent months driving the company down, only to have a ghost player snatch the asset for below market value.
Aiden Monteverde, now 18, was the legal owner of a major power distribution company.
Phase 2: Doubling Down on Infrastructure
The key to long-term dominance was turning PPG from a liability into a highly efficient asset. This required immediate, significant spending on modernization.
Aiden installed Dr. Elias Reyes ("The Ethicist") as the interim COO to enforce new safety and integrity standards.
Immediate Infrastructure Spending: New high-efficiency transformers, smart grid technology installation, and comprehensive network security upgrades.
Total Estimated Investment: $₱350,000,000$.
[Transaction Log: Spending Event]
[Amount Spent: ₱350,000,000 (Infrastructure Investment)]
[Purpose: Asset Enhancement (PPG)]
[REIMBURSEMENT EXECUTED: +₱700,000,000]
The massive cash influx from the System meant Aiden could modernize PPG at a fraction of the real-world cost. He had secured a vital, legitimate business, armed his personal guard, and fueled his reserves by over $₱1.5$ billion, all in a single transaction.
The Dimaculangan Clan was defeated, but they were now aware of a new, highly dangerous enemy.