Suddenly, I Am Rich

Gray sat up straighter in his chair. His eyes were tired, and his back ached a little from leaning over his laptop all evening, but he finally felt like he was making progress.

After hours of reading through financial articles, business reports, and stock history charts, he had narrowed his list down to four companies. Each one had its own strengths and risks. Each one, if he was right, could help him reach that $100,000 goal.

He took a breath and clicked into the first tab.

NexGene Diagnostics

This one was a gamble but a smart one.

NexGene Diagnostics was a small biotech company in the southern provinces. Their focus? Portable medical devices that could quickly detect diseases like infections or viruses. These devices were affordable, fast, and easy to use—even in small, rural towns with little access to hospitals.

Gray had read an article earlier that week. NexGene had already tested their product in three remote towns, and the results were promising. So promising, in fact, that the government stepped in and gave them funding to keep going.

That kind of support wasn’t easy to get so it already speaks of one thing.

”They might be small,” Gray said, clicking through their investment page, ”but they’ve got a good cause and backing. That’s already a strong start.”

NexGene wasn’t a public company yet—he couldn’t just buy their stocks on the market like most others. Instead, they were offering private shares in what was called a Series B round.

That meant they had already passed the early idea stage, had a working product, and now needed more money to grow big.

This kind of investing came with more risk. If the company failed, Gray could lose his money. But if they succeeded? The profits could be much, much higher than normal.

$6,000 – Confirmed.

He knew that it was the high-risk, high-reward play. So for his next investments, he would go for something safer.

For his next investment, Gray glanced at his list and hovered over a name that everyone knew.

Boodle.

They were a giant in the tech world. They were famous for their search engine, AI software, and cloud services. Schools, offices, and even government agencies use their tools every day.

They were on top of the game. However, recently, their stock had taken a hit. There had been drama in their upper management. There were some executive changes. As a result, their stock dropped 18%.

But the company itself? It was still solid.

Gray studied the price graph again. The stock was low now, but it looked like it had started to climb back already. That meant this might be the perfect time to buy. He need to buy it before it returns to its usual value.

”He opened the trading panel and input his amount.

$3,500 – Confirmed.

For his third investment, Gray looked at Atlas Innovations.

If Boodle was the king of software, Atlas was the king of hardware. They were known for their phones, tablets, and smartwatches. Every year, people camped outside stores just to get their newest device.

It was a brand with power. It was a brand that associates people with luxury.

But they had recently missed their earnings target. Factories overseas had hit production delays, and shipments to several countries, especially in Asia, had been held up. That led to disappointed investors and a 12% drop in their stock price.

Gray looked at the numbers and shook his head.

”They’ve been through worse. They’ll bounce back.”

That made it worth the risk.

$2,000 – Confirmed.

Last on Gray’s list was Stratus Net.

They weren’t flashy like Atlas or Boodle, but they were essential. Stratus Net was an internet infrastructure. The behind-the-scenes networks that kept everyone connected. With so many people working and studying online now, their business was growing fast.

They had also been working on a government partnership to expand affordable broadband into more remote regions.

But recently, that deal hit a delay.

Investors didn’t like delays. So the stock dipped lower than normal.

Gray smirked as he read the report. The deal wasn’t canceled—just pushed back. But the dip in stock price meant he could buy in cheaper before it went back up.

”This one’s sure to rise.”

$4,500 – Confirmed.

With that, Gray leaned back in his chair. He was finally done. In a night, he made four investments. That was four chances for him to earn.

He had gone with a mix. There was one risky startup, and three more established companies that had temporarily lost value but still had solid futures.

He opened the system window again for him to check.

[Mission: Grow Your Wealth]

[Objective: Reach a total profit of $100,000 through investments.]

[Progress: $30,238.90 / $100,000]

[Remaining Businesses to Invest In: 0]

[Status: Active]

Gray rubbed his eyes, finally feeling the weight of the day settle onto his shoulders. He was tired, but a good kind of tired.

He stood up and walked toward the window of his room. The city was still alive, and the sound of cars passed by below.

’Hah...” He let out a sigh and shook his head.

Today was so tiring. His head was starting to ache, and he knew that he needed to rest soon if he wanted to be in good condition for tomorrow. Just then, his phone buzzed on the table. It was a reminder for tomorrow’s 7:00 a.m. staff meeting at the Riverside Branch.

Tomorrow, he’d finally go to the grocery store and inspect it while the store was running.

Gray smiled a little.

He was stepping into a new week. Now with a new title, new responsibilities, and new hopes. And somehow, despite all of it, he wasn’t nervous.

Not like he used to be.

Maybe it was the system’s influence. Or maybe he was just growing into this new version of himself.

Gray sighed again before returning to his desk.

”All I have to do now,” he said to himself, his voice was calm and sure, ”is wait for my investments to grow.”

And maybe, just maybe, get a little lucky.