Chapter 154 The Circle of Wealthy Elites
"Must you do this?" Jacob pleaded, his usual confidence shaken. The thought of him, the founder of Meta Platforms, publicly yielding to Elbert on the Gemini App, was galling. It felt like a betrayal, not just of his company, but of his own pride.
He had agreed to the bet, yes, but that was before he truly understood the scope of Elbert's genius, the sheer inevitability of his triumph.
"A promise is a promise, Mr. Russell," Elbert reminded him, his tone light but his gaze unwavering. "Or would you prefer a more… forceful demonstration of the Gemini App's capabilities?"
Jacob grimaced, pulling out a cigar and a heavy brass lighter from his pocket. "I'm still not convinced," he muttered, more to himself than to Elbert.
He lit the cigar slowly, drawing deeply on its rich aroma. "I knew about Cassius," he confessed, his voice barely a whisper. "I… allowed it."
Elbert nodded, his expression unreadable. "I know."
Jacob's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "And you're not curious why?"
"Not particularly."
Jacob snorted, a humorless laugh escaping his lips. "Because I needed to know… to prove to myself… that there was at least one area where I was still superior."
He clenched his fist, the brass lighter groaning under the pressure. A muffled crack echoed across the rooftop as the lighter crumpled, its metal shell contorting into a mangled mess.
Elbert watched, his eyes narrowed in understanding. This seemingly ordinary tech mogul was hiding depths of steel beneath his polished exterior.
"You've climbed the ranks quickly, Elbert," Jacob continued, his voice low and gravelly. "From penniless prodigy to tech titan in the blink of an eye. But you don't know… the real game… it's played on a different level."
"Have you heard of cyborgs, Elbert?" he asked, his voice taking on a conspiratorial tone. "Human augmentation? Genetic optimization? The wealthiest, the most powerful, are no longer content with mere wealth or influence. They crave something more… elemental. They want to transcend their limitations, become something… more."
He squeezed the mangled lighter, his knuckles white with exertion. "They spend fortunes on experimental treatments, cutting-edge therapies, all in pursuit of enhanced strength, longevity, even… immortality."
Jacob's voice cracked with a mixture of resentment and envy. "When you reach the top, Elbert, you realize that money, power… it's all just a means to an end. The real prize… is control. Over your destiny, over your body, over… death itself."
He looked at Elbert, his eyes filled with a strange mix of defiance and regret. "I may not be able to beat you in the tech arena, Elbert. But in terms of raw physicality… you're still just a normal man."
He unclenched his fist, revealing the crushed remains of the lighter. "If you weren't my junior, Elbert… if the circumstances were different… I'd challenge you to a duel. A physical contest. Just to prove… to myself… that I'm not obsolete."
A heavy silence descended upon the rooftop, the only sound the distant hum of the city below.
Elbert, his expression unreadable, picked up the mangled lighter, turning it over in his hands. "You're right, Jacob," he said finally, his voice soft but firm. "Humanity's greatest strength… is its capacity for evolution. Technology is merely an extension of that drive, a tool to reshape ourselves, our world."
He sighed, his gaze distant. "But the tragedy is… the benefits of this evolution… they're rarely shared equally. The wealthy, the powerful… they hoard these advancements, using them to further their own interests, widen the gap between themselves and everyone else."
With a casual flex of his fingers, Elbert effortlessly compressed the mangled lighter, its metal shell flattening under the impossible pressure. Jacob watched, his jaw slack with disbelief, as the metal flowed like liquid, reforming into a perfect sphere.
"I understand the desire for self-improvement, Jacob," Elbert continued, his voice devoid of judgment. "But true progress… it benefits everyone, not just a select few. When these so-called titans of industry use their wealth and influence to uplift humanity, to solve real problems… then, and only then, will they earn my respect."
He held up the perfectly smooth metal sphere, his eyes gleaming with an inner light. "The future belongs to those who embrace progress, Jacob. But it also belongs to those who wield it responsibly."
He turned, his gaze sweeping across the cityscape. "And those who abuse it… well, let's just say… evolution has a way of correcting such imbalances."
In a flash of movement, Elbert spun around, his arm a blur as he hurled the metal sphere towards a distant skyscraper. A sharp crack echoed across the rooftop as the sphere found its mark, disappearing into the shadows of the building's upper floors.
Jacob, his mind struggling to keep pace, could only watch in stunned silence.
A moment later, a dark figure tumbled from the rooftop of the distant building, landing with a sickening thud on the street below.
"What… what was that?" Jacob stammered, his voice barely a whisper.
Elbert turned back to him, a wry smile playing on his lips. "Don't worry, Jacob. He was just a… pest. From the Card Club, I believe."
He turned to Elowen, who had been watching the exchange with a mixture of awe and terror. "Elowen, be a dear and alert the authorities, would you?"
Elowen jolted back to reality and nodded numbly, rushing towards the office to make the call.
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