100x Cashback

The relic sat in the center of Emir's lavish penthouse, bathed in the soft glow of the city lights streaming through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Its intricate carvings seemed to hum with a life of their own, an inaudible pulse that drew his attention no matter how hard he tried to focus on other things.

Emir leaned back in his chair, swirling a glass of sparkling water as he stared at it. "So, what's your deal?" he muttered, half to himself, half to the relic.

He couldn't shake the feeling that this object was more than just an expensive trophy. It felt alive—a thought that was both thrilling and unsettling. For someone who had built his entire life on rationality and precision, this inexplicable feeling of the unknown gnawed at him.

But that wasn't the only thing bothering him tonight. The auction house woman, the flickering symbols, the way the artifact had seemed to choose him—it all felt like pieces of a puzzle he hadn't yet begun to solve.

Still, there were practical matters to attend to. Emir tapped a button on his phone, bringing up his financial dashboard. His empire was growing faster than even he had anticipated, with the cashback power accelerating every move he made. Yet he knew this was only the beginning.

---

As he continued reviewing his finances, a sudden knock at the door startled him. Emir frowned. He wasn't expecting anyone, and his security system was supposed to alert him to any visitors. He checked his phone—no notifications.

Opening the door cautiously, he was greeted by the building's concierge, a lanky man with glasses that seemed slightly too large for his face. "Evening, Mr. Al-Zahir," he said with a nervous grin. "This was left for you at the front desk."

The man handed Emir a small package, wrapped in plain brown paper. No sender information, no address—just his name scrawled in elegant handwriting.

"Thanks, Kenzo," Emir replied, slipping the concierge a generous tip. The man nodded gratefully, his awkwardness momentarily overshadowed by the gleam of cash.

---

Back inside, Emir unwrapped the package, revealing a small notebook bound in leather. The pages were filled with handwritten notes and diagrams, all centered around one recurring theme: ancient symbols and their meanings.

His heart raced. The symbols looked eerily similar to those on the relic—and the ones he had seen flickering on his skill tree interface. The handwriting, though unfamiliar, carried a precision and elegance that suggested an experienced scholar.

Flipping to the last page, Emir found a single line written in bold letters:

"The power you hold comes with a price. Be wary of what you seek."

He sat back, the weight of the words sinking in. Who had sent this? And how did they know about his power?

---

The next morning, Emir was back at his 9-to-5 job, blending into the routine life he still maintained as a cover. He had no intention of quitting just yet—being an ordinary office worker gave him the perfect alibi while he quietly built his empire.

"Morning, boss!" a cheerful voice called out as he walked into the office. It was Fiona, his overly enthusiastic coworker who somehow managed to be both endearing and irritating at the same time.

"Morning, Fiona," Emir replied, forcing a polite smile.

"You look tired," she said, peering at him with concern. "Burning the midnight oil again? You know, there's this new herbal tea I've been drinking—it works wonders for stress. I can bring you some!"

"Thanks, but I'm good," Emir said quickly, trying to sidestep her usual barrage of unsolicited advice.

---

As the day wore on, Emir found himself increasingly distracted. The notebook's warning echoed in his mind, and the relic's carvings seemed to linger in his vision even when he wasn't looking at it.

During lunch, he sat alone in the cafeteria, scrolling through his phone to pass the time. A notification popped up from an obscure news site: "Mysterious symbols found at archaeological dig—experts baffled."

He clicked the link, and his stomach dropped. The symbols in the photos were identical to those on the relic.

---

That evening, Emir returned home and stood before the relic once more. He couldn't shake the feeling that it was watching him, waiting for him to make a move.

He opened his skill tree interface, scanning the locked abilities. The next skill, Temporal Vision, required a staggering 100 million credits to unlock. But it promised to give him the ability to glimpse into potential futures—an invaluable power for someone in his position.

"I'll get there," Emir said aloud, determination hardening his voice. "One step at a time."

As he closed the interface, a faint glow emanated from the relic. Emir froze, watching as the carvings seemed to rearrange themselves into a new pattern—one that looked uncannily like a map.

---

End of Chapter 7: The Relic's Whisper

Financial Summary at the End of Chapter 7:

Earnings from Cashback Power: 1,250,000 credits

Spending on Skill Tree Unlocks: None (saving for Temporal Vision)

Current Net Worth: 4,000,000 credits

---

The relic's mysterious glow leads Emir on a journey to uncover its secrets, while the notebook's warning looms large in his mind. Meanwhile, subtle hints about the powers of others begin to surface—but are they real, or is someone playing a dangerous game?

Stay tuned as the puzzle deepens and Emir takes another step toward building the 8th Wonder of the World.