Evan Carter hovered at the entrance of Metro City University, fingers trembling around a cheap, wrinkled gift bag.
The midsummer sun hammered down, heat rolling off the asphalt, but the cold creeping through his chest had nothing to do with the weather.
He couldn't tear his eyes away from the pair standing just a few strides ahead.
Lily Hart—three years together, and she looked stunning in that sundress he'd skipped meals to buy.
But her hand? It was locked around Lucas Grant's arm, not his.
"Let's just end this cleanly, Evan," Lily said. Her voice didn't sound like home anymore.
It was sharp, almost bored, and she wouldn't even look at him. She was too busy admiring her own reflection in a BMW's side mirror.
"End it?" Evan's voice cracked. Everything he'd swallowed for weeks, months, it all came up at once.
"Lily, I worked three jobs this semester. Delivered food in the rain, tutored at midnight, just so you wouldn't have to worry. I bought you that bag you wanted—yesterday!"
"And that's the problem!" Lily spun, finally facing him, her eyes blazing.
"You have to work three jobs just to buy a bag that Lucas can pick up in ten seconds! Evan, being with you is exhausting."
"Every date is a spreadsheet, every gift is a sacrifice. I don't want to be someone's 'sacrifice' anymore. I want to be a queen."
Lucas Grant, standing a little too tall, let out a smug, quiet laugh.
He was the Vice President of the Student Union and heir to a real estate fortune. He barely glanced at Evan, just flipped a gold key fob.
"Listen to her, Junior," Lucas said, oozing fake pity. "Effort's cheap. Everybody works hard. The janitor works hard. The delivery guy works hard."
"But capital? Capital is king. You're a nice guy, Evan, but in the real world, 'nice' is just another way to say 'broke.'"
A few students on their way to class slowed down. The crowd grew, and whispers started buzzing like hornets.
"That's the 'Poor Scholar' from Finance, right?"
"Guess Lily finally got tired of the campus canteen. Can you blame her? Look at Lucas's BMW. Evan probably can't afford a hubcap."
Evan's fists clenched, knuckles gone white. He tasted something bitter—shame and rage, all mixed up.
Three years of his life, and this was it?
Then something strange happened. It was like a bell made of crystal shattered in his skull.
[Ding! Host's emotional threshold reached.]
[Detection: Extreme Humiliation detected. Soul compatibility confirmed.]
[The 1% Shadow: God-Tier Multiplier System is Initializing...]
[Data Synchronization: 10%... 45%... 80%... 100%!]
Evan froze. Everything around him seemed to slow down. A deep-violet, ghostly screen flickered in front of his eyes.
[Welcome, Host. You are the chosen 'Shadow Tycoon'.]
[Concept: In a world of light, the Shadow grows unnoticed. Every action you take and every cent you spend will be multiplied.]
[Novice Mission: The Price of Dignity.]
[Objective: Spend at least $500 on something 'worthless', right in front of your tormentors.]
[Reward: 100x Cashback Multiplier + 'Elite Aura' Template (Level 1).]
A sudden weight pressed down in his pocket. He reached in and brushed his fingers against something cold and metallic.
He tugged it out slightly—it was a pitch-black card, a silver raven gleaming and shifting in the sunlight.
He didn't know how, but he just knew: this card held more money than Lucas Grant's family would ever see.
Evan looked at Lily. She was waiting for him to fall apart—cry, beg, make a scene so she could walk away without guilt.
Lucas was just waiting to watch him squirm. Instead, Evan laughed.
It wasn't bitter. It was low, steady, and it cut through the crowd's gossip like a knife.
"You're right, Lucas," Evan said, stepping forward.
Something in him had changed. Lucas actually backed up, just a little, his smirk faltering.
"Capital is king. But small-time princes like you don't belong in the king's world. You wouldn't even recognize real wealth if it slapped you."
He turned his back on them. Lily's jaw dropped. Lucas stared, caught completely off guard.
Evan walked over to the edge of the gate, where an old man sat on a ragged rug, selling clumsy wooden bird carvings.
"Hey, sir," Evan said, his voice carrying clearly. "How much for this broken sparrow?"
The old man peered up, eyes cloudy. "That one? The wing's busted, son. Not even worth the five dollars I'm asking. Take it for a buck."
"No," Evan said, sliding out the metallic Black Card. "The craftsmanship's legendary. I'll give you $500 for it."
Silence. Not the awkward kind—more like the world just stopped breathing.
Then Lucas burst out laughing.
"He's lost it! Evan Carter's finally gone off the deep end!" Lucas yelled, jabbing a finger.
"Last month's rent, gone, just to look tough? Lily, you dodged a bullet. He's nuts!"
Lily just shook her head, her eyes filled with pity and disgust. "Evan, please. Stop. You're embarrassing yourself."
Evan didn't even flinch. He just tapped his card on the old man's battered payment terminal.
Beep.
[Transaction Successful: $500.00]
The old man stared, mouth open. "Son... I... I can't—"
"Keep it," Evan said softly. "Call it an investment in art."
[Ding! Novice Mission Completed!]
[Calculating Multiplier... 100x Multiplier Triggered!]
[Reward: $50,000 has been deposited into your 'Shadow Account'.]
[Special Reward: 'Elite Aura' (Level 1) – Activated!]
Right then, everything changed. The air seemed heavier.
Evan straightened up—no more slouching, no more tired eyes. Something sharp flickered in his gaze, like a predator waking up.
He looked like someone who'd just shrugged off a disguise and remembered who he truly was.
The laughter dried up. A hush swept through the students. They felt it—something cold pressing in, making it hard to breathe.
Lily's heart tripped, not with love, but with a weird, sharp fear.
Who is he? Why does it feel like I shouldn't even be allowed to talk to him?
Evan turned to Lucas. No anger, just a look—like he was observing a boring insect.
"That BMW 3-series," Evan said, his voice smooth as silk. "The 2018 model. Not bad for a student."
"But Lucas, if you're going to play 'Rich Heir,' at least buy one that hasn't eaten a front bumper. The fender paint doesn't match."
Lucas's face went purple. He'd bought that car used and spent a fortune hiding the crash.
How did Evan spot it so fast?
"Keep the girl, Lucas," Evan said, tossing the wooden bird into the trash can by the BMW.
"And Lily… thank you. If you hadn't left, I'd still be wasting my time on someone who knows the price of a Rolex, but not the value of time."
He walked away, shoulders back, not looking back once.
Buzz.
[Bank Notification: Your Shadow Account has received $50,000.00. Current Balance: $50,012.00.]
[Ding! New Mission Triggered: The First Tool of the Shadow.]
[Objective: Purchase a vehicle that reflects your status (Min $40,000).]
Evan glanced at the screen and grinned. The poor scholar was gone.
The Shadow Tycoon had just stepped onto the stage.