Urban System in America-Chapter 89 - 88: Tides of Fortune

The world seemed to ignite overnight.

By morning, every major media outlet was talking about Trivaxa. Television, newspapers, finance blogs, radio — no platform was silent. It was everywhere, hailed as a "miracle discovery," a "paradigm shift in biotech," and "the greatest scientific breakthrough of the decade." Even the more conservative outlets, usually reluctant to jump on hype trains, spoke with cautious optimism, placing Trivaxa under glowing headlines.

The wave hadn’t just swept across mainstream media either. On social media, the phenomenon was even more ferocious. #TrivaxaMiracle trended on every platform. Viral videos analyzed it; influencers discussed it with wide eyes; finance gurus released urgent posts telling everyone to "buy before it’s too late." It all happened so fast — a little too fast.

Rex, sitting in front of the screen, grinned like a maniac as he watched the charts. His portfolio, loaded heavily into Trivaxa, had ballooned almost overnight. The profits were surreal, almost cartoonish in scale. He leapt up from his chair, laughing and shouting, unable to hold back the burst of insane joy.

For a few minutes, he celebrated like a madman, spinning around, fists pumping the air, shouting at the walls. He even grabbed a pillow and hugged it, dancing clumsily around his room.

But after a while, the initial madness burned off, he composed himself again and a colder, more calculating side of him returned. He sat back down, breathing heavily.

It was all on paper right now.

Just numbers.

Digits.

He didn’t actually have that money yet.

He kept reminding himself.

Because stock market was a brutal place — millions and even billions could evaporate in the blink of an eye.

Liquidation, sudden dumps, manipulated crashes — it wasn’t uncommon.

Gripping the edge of his desk, Rex forced himself to calm down. He sipped cold water, closed his eyes for a moment, and centered himself. Nothing is real until it’s realized. That was one of the first lessons of trading.

Dragging himself through the rest of the day felt like a slow torture. His appetite had abandoned him completely, but he knew he needed to eat something. After a lot of internal debate, he lazily ordered a pizza from a nearby takeaway. When it finally arrived, the greasy smell filled his room, and he stuffed himself with it, not really tasting anything. It was just fuel to keep his body moving.

The rest of the evening, he sat in front of his computer, carefully reviewing everything that had happened since morning.

The more he analyzed it, the more a faint unease gnawed at the back of his mind.

The scale, speed, and coordination of the news releases were too perfect.

It didn’t seem to be just "good luck" that Trivaxa was exploding. Every single piece of information seemed almost pre-scripted, flowing out like clockwork at just the right intervals to maximize frenzy.

The planning and execution of the other party were almost flawless.

Whoever had orchestrated this operation was definitely no amateur. It was sophisticated — a masterclass in manipulation.

Yet even as these small seeds of doubt took root, He couldn’t deny that he was learning an incredible amount just by watching how it was done. Observing from the inside, while actually profiting from it — it was like being taught by shadowy, elite-level financiers without even asking.

As the hours crawled forward, more and more good news flooded the market.

Reports said that Trivaxa was already in talks with a highly respected billionaire investor for strategic funding. Another article claimed it was preparing expansion into multiple continents and was negotiating partnerships with the largest pharmaceutical distribution companies.

One after another, these headlines kept pouring in. No major news outlet questioned any of it. There were no hit pieces, no investigative skepticism — just endless waves of positivity.

Meanwhile, social media and investment forums had turned into pure chaos. Everyone and even their dog wanted a piece of Trivaxa. New investors, seasoned traders, even some cautious hedge funds were rumored to be eyeing the opportunity. Posts popped up faster than he could read them, with people screaming to "buy at open!" and "it’s going to the moon!"

Even the hidden encrypted forum, usually a place of rational planning and calm discussion, wasn’t immune.

Most users behaved somewhat carefully, planning to buy during tomorrow’s trading hours — not blindly rushing in but still showing clear excitement.

But not everyone was drinking the Kool-Aid.

Some members, particularly those with backgrounds in biotech and pharmaceuticals, raised serious doubts. They pointed out that Trivaxa’s sudden leap seemed... unnatural. Companies didn’t just accidentally stumble upon breakthroughs of this magnitude without years of research and trials.

Yet others pushed back, saying it wasn’t unheard of. There were plenty of examples where accidental discoveries changed entire industries. Penicillin was a mistake. Teflon was a lab accident. Why not Trivaxa? Maybe they just got incredibly lucky.

The debate raged for hours, but in the end, most people leaned toward belief — with caution.

Several experts openly warned the forum that while the opportunity was huge, nobody should go all-in. They recommended using only disposable income — money they could afford to lose.

Seeing these discussions unfold, Rex nodded in approval.

Experts were still experts. They weren’t easily fooled by the glitter and hype like the retail crowd.

Satisfied, Rex turned back to his screens and finalized his preparations for the next day.

He had an important decision to make.

The system’s information advantage — the special insight that gave him this golden opportunity — would expire tomorrow.

After that, he would be like everyone else: flying blind.

Should he exit entirely before the market closed tomorrow, securing his profits?

Or should he gamble, hoping the momentum would carry it even higher?

He debated with himself for hours, making mental pros and cons lists, simulating scenarios in his head.

The safe choice was to exit before close.

But greed whispered sweetly in his ear, tempting him to hold just a little longer.

It wasn’t an easy decision.

Just as he was about to shut off his computer, a system notification chimed at midnight.

[Daily sign-in available]

[Claim it]

Rex blinked at the message.

Then sighed.

He didn’t realize, it was already midnight.

Clicking on it he received the prize.

"[Congratulations! You have received

Water Bottle – Grants perfect hydration for 24 hours after drinking.]"

Rex blinked at the message.

Then sighed.

Taking it out, it was just a plain bottle of water.

"Seriously?" he muttered, tossing the bottle into the ever-growing pile of junk inside his system’s warehouse. Honestly, It was turning into a digital storage dump at this point — full of random trinkets he didn’t have use of, at least not now.

Closing it, he turned his attention towards the System Mall expectantly, because the item on sale today would definitely be something be good, as today was Monday. The day he’ll almost mandatory get something new, and voila! There was indeed something GOOD.

[Skill Card: Dedicated Amateur Artist Grants a lifetime’s worth of sketching and painting experience—just shy of professional mastery.

Abilities:

Instinctively understands proportions, shading, and composition like a seasoned self-taught artist.

Can visualize ideas easily and transfer them to paper/canvas without frustration.

Has good control of brush strokes and pencil techniques, making work neat and expressive.

Lacks the natural genius of masters but has the dedication and passion of a lifetime hobbyist and can create impressive amateur-level art effortlessly.

Limitations:

Can never surpass the greats, remaining just below the threshold of a true professional.

Sometimes struggles with creative blocks like any normal artist.

People appreciate the skill, but it can’t make you a legend in the art world.]

[Price: $100k]

[Note:

Limited to just 1 quantity.

To receive the skills, you’ll need to enter the System Space.]

Seeing this, he was a bit tempted, getting a lifetime of skill were definitely precious, and price wasn’t something too outrageous. So, after contemplating for a while he made up his mind and decided to buy it.

Ding!

[$100,000 have been deducted from your bank account]

[Thank you for purchasing from System Mall]

Seeing this, he hurriedly checked his phone and indeed there was message of $100k being transferred to an unknown account.

And with that, the card materialized right in of him.

As he held the "Skill Card: Dedicated Amateur Artist" in his hands, its surface shimmered subtly, reflecting the light like the delicate strokes of a fine brush. The card was "smooth and metallic", yet oddly comforting to the touch—warm, as if infused with the passion of countless hours spent in artistic pursuit.

The "deep navy background" gave it an air of quiet sophistication, accented with "golden engravings" forming swirling patterns, reminiscent of flowing paint on a canvas. On the front, a "crossed paintbrush and pencil:" were etched in fine detail, glowing faintly with an almost ethereal energy.

Turning it over, he noticed ’faint outlines of various art techniques’ appearing and shifting as the card tilted—a gentle nod to shading guides, perspective grids, and brush textures only an artist would recognize.

For a moment, he simply "felt its weight"—not physical, but symbolic. A lifetime’s worth of artistic experience, embedded in something so deceptively simple. And the card seemed to pulse gently in his grip, ready to unlock the dedication and skill of an artist who had spent years refining their craft.

But he didn’t choose to use it now, because the previous experience in the system space still haunted him a bit, and he was already working on stock operation, he couldn’t afford to distract his attention on this important point.

So, he gently placed the card in system warehouse, as he planned to use it after this operation.

And just after that, his body, fueled by adrenaline and anticipation, was finally starting to crash.

Because tomorrow was going to be one of the biggest days of his life — one way or another.

Would he walk away with a fortune?

Or would it all vanish like a cruel illusion?

That tiny seed of fear gnawed at him again, but he shoved it aside. Anyway, there was no turning back now.

He slipped under the covers, heart pounding with a chaotic blend of excitement, greed, and fear.

Whatever happened, tomorrow would be unforgettable.

And with that, Rex closed his eyes, drifting into a restless sleep as the world outside churned with rumors, dreams, and madness — all centered around one name.

Trivaxa.

(End of Chapter)