12

Lukas leaned back in his chair, eyes fixed on the screen displaying the results of his latest trading session. It was a thrill he had grown accustomed to, yet it no longer provided the rush it once did. Trading had become routine, predictable. The thrill of mastering the market had dulled, and now, a new hunger gnawed at him.

For months, Lukas had poured his energy into building his quantum computer. He had told himself it was about more than just money. It was about unlocking the financial system, breaking down the walls that kept wealth and power concentrated in the hands of the few. And now, he was ready to take the first step.

Lukas’s target was a financial firm known for its shady practices, a company that manipulated markets and crushed smaller businesses under the weight of its capital. By hacking into their system and seizing their shares, Lukas could deal a blow to the heart of the beast — and perhaps, begin the process of dismantling the financial world as it existed.

Lukas’s fingers hovered over the keyboard, the weight of his decision pressing down on him. This wasn’t just about the money; it was a statement, a declaration of war against a system he had come to despise. He began the attack, his quantum algorithms slicing through the company’s encryption like a hot knife through butter. Lukas targeted their stock holdings, rerouting shares into accounts he had set up anonymously. The company’s assets flowed into his control, billions in value slipping through the cracks as if it were nothing.

As he worked, Lukas crafted a message to leave behind — a digital calling card blaming the company for its reliance on money as a tool of oppression.

“In Gold, no one trust

Money is not a reality…”

When the job was done, Lukas leaned back, his heart pounding with the thrill of success. He had done it. He had struck a blow against the financial system, taken what he wanted without anyone being able to stop him. The shares were his, and with them came a power he had only dreamed of. But as the euphoria began to fade, a darker thought crept in.

It wasn’t enough. The money, the power — it had given him a taste of something deeper. Lukas realized that what he had taken today was just the beginning. The system was vast, and there were so many more opportunities to exploit, so many more companies to bring to their knees. The hunger inside him, the desire to see how far he could push his creation, was growing stronger. He had to act quick though, authorities and businessmen would very fast come to take their due.

Lukas now just wanted more pounds on his account.