A storm was coming. Elias could feel it—not in the skies, but in the whispers that curled between lecture halls and dormitories. The VerdeConfessions video had set fire to the carefully polished facade of Campus Verde. But that was just the beginning.
The watch hummed against his wrist again.
New Task: Cause a school-wide protest within 144 hours.
Reward: Influence Boost – Gain the power to sway decisions during conflicts and negotiations (Level 1).
He knew this wouldn't just be about noise. It had to be chaos. Unignorable. Loud. Raw.
And rooted in truth.
---
Tuesday morning. Main Lecture Theatre A.
Students packed the seats, all eyes on the front. A heated debate was in session—about student representation, discrimination, grading favoritism, and racial profiling by certain lecturers.
Elias stood at the back, arms crossed. He wasn't the loudest. He didn't need to be. His name alone had begun sparking resistance.
He watched carefully.
David Gatonye, 22. Final-year Law student. Activist. Smart, sharp-tongued, tired of the silence.
Leila Mwangi, 21. Political Science student. Passionate, fierce, and rumored to have dated three different lecturers in exchange for grades—though she'd never confirm it.
Morris, 24. A stammering Economics student who'd been harassed by campus guards for "looking too ghetto" in branded secondhand wear.
These were voices.
And he needed them louder.
---
By that evening, Elias had crafted an idea: a digital petition that would circulate VerdeLeaks—a new online platform he created. A sleek interface, AI-masked voiceovers, hidden servers, crypto donations. He titled the first issue:
"Verde Exposed: Blood Behind the Glory."
Within hours, it went viral.
Anonymous stories poured in.
A janitor caught sleeping with two sophomore girls.
A chemistry lecturer accused of pregnancy denial.
A student expelled after rejecting a professor's sexual advances.
Drug overdoses swept under the rug.
Foreign students discriminated in hostels.
Boys forced to join illegal political youth groups or risk suspension.
It was the oxygen.
Elias lit the match.
---
Wednesday.
The school cafeteria erupted.
Hundreds of students marched outside the administration block, their placards shouting louder than their voices.
"Justice is not elective!"
"Our silence bought your cars!"
"Grades ≠ sex!"
"We are students, not prey!"
"We deserve better!"
Elias didn't lead the march. He didn't need to. But the watch pulsed stronger with every chant.
He stood atop a water tank nearby, hoodie pulled over his head. Watching.
Miss Arya found him.
"You did this," she said, her voice barely audible beneath the chants.
"I uncovered it. They did the rest."
"They'll come for you."
"They already are."
She stared at him. "You're dangerous, Elias. And too damn brave."
"Bravery is the price of pain," he said. "And I've paid enough."
---
By sunset, the campus was locked down. News helicopters circled. Journalists from NTV, Citizen, Al Jazeera waited outside. A viral clip showed a lecturer throwing a folder at a protester. Another of two students getting arrested. A female student collapsed on camera screaming about her terminated pregnancy.
The Vice Chancellor tried to deny it all on live TV.
Big mistake.
Kenzie Monroe showed up at the press briefing. In a calm, venomous voice, she confessed everything again—this time using names. She pointed at photos. Documents. Voice notes.
The whole country watched.
---
Task Complete.
Reward Activated: Influence Boost – Level 1.
Next Task: Seduce the daughter of a media tycoon within 72 hours.
Bonus: She must confess her darkest secret to you.
Reward: Hidden Skill – Charm Upgrade.
Elias stared at the watch.
"Of course," he murmured.
He turned his gaze toward the media tent—where a young woman stood beside her father, Mr. Collins Wambua, CEO of MBS Media Group.
Her name was Mila Wambua.
21. Elegant. Mysterious. Known for her pristine image, her expensive taste, and a coldness that could freeze a volcano.
As Elias watched her laugh on camera, his jaw tightened.
This wasn't just a new mission.
It was a game of secrets.
And Mila Wambua?
She was hiding something deadly.