(Start of Week 10. Theo's Balance: $8190.62)
The cursor blinked, a solitary symbol pulsing against the stark white of the forum's 'New Listing' text box. Monday morning, Week 10. Outside Theo's grimy window, the city stirred under a pale, watery sun, the mundane sounds of garbage trucks and distant traffic a world away from the high-stakes digital battlefield Theo was about to enter. Five enhanced Nvidia RTX 4090s sat lined up on his desk like sleek, black ingots of pure potential, silent testament to his impossible power and nearly five thousand dollars of invested capital. His bank balance, a buffer painstakingly built through knives, bikes and desperation, felt simultaneously substantial and terrifyingly inadequate. This wasn't just a pivot. It was doubling down on the riskiest hand he'd ever played.
He reread the carefully constructed text one last time, fingers drumming impatiently on the worn laminate of his desk.
Title: Premium RTX 4090 - Verified Silicon Lottery Winner! (5090-Tier Performance) Item: Gigabyte RTX 4090 Gaming OC (Used - Excellent Condition) Description: Selling a top-tier RTX 4090 that significantly outperforms standard models due to exceptional silicon quality. Verified stable clock speeds and benchmark performance comparable to stock RTX 5090s. Perfect for enthusiasts demanding maximum performance without the 5090 price tag or availability issues. Meticulously cared for. Proof: Will provide anonymized benchmark screenshots (Time Spy/Port Royal) via private message to serious buyers only upon request. No public posting to protect privacy. Price: $2000 (Firm) Shipping: Buyer pays insured shipping, or local pickup available (pre-agreed safe location only).
Every word was calculated. 'Silicon Lottery Winner', plausible deniability. '5090-Tier Performance', the hook, audacious but necessary. 'Anonymized screenshots via PM', a frustrating barrier, but essential for minimizing his digital footprint. He uploaded a couple of generic, high-quality photos of the Gigabyte card itself, careful not to include any revealing background details. His username, 'Voltaic', was freshly created, devoid of history, anonymous. Disposable.
He took a shallow breath, the stale air of his apartment feeling thick in his lungs. His lucky coin felt cool against his thigh in his pocket. He hovered the mouse over the 'Submit Listing' button. This was it. The point of no return for this venture.
Click.
The page refreshed, confirming the listing was live on 'Hardware Nexus', one of the largest enthusiast forums. For a moment, there was only silence, the quiet hum of his enhanced laptop the only sound. Then, his phone, synced to forum notifications, buzzed. Then again. And again. A cascade.
He navigated back to the forum thread, bracing himself. The digital wolves had smelled blood.
GPU_Guru99 [Timestamp: 09:17 AM]: LOL. $2000 for a USED 4090?? Is this guy sniffing glue? You can get them for $1k easy if you look.
PixelPusher [Timestamp: 09:18 AM]: '5090-Tier Performance'. Right. And my Intel integrated graphics runs Crysis at 8K. Pics or it didn't happen, buddy. POST THE BENCHMARKS.
SkepticalSysadmin [Timestamp: 09:20 AM]: Warning bells, people. New user, insane price, vague claims, 'private proof only'. Smells like a classic scam. Trying to offload a half-dead mining card probably.
BuildzoidFan [Timestamp: 09:22 AM]: Need real data. HWInfo logs during benchmark loops, uncut video showing setup and results. Claiming 5090 performance needs extraordinary proof, not blurry screenshots sent in secret.
LowballLarry [Timestamp: 09:25 AM]: My offer $850 stands. Take it before everyone realizes you're full of it.
Theo's jaw tightened, knuckles whitening as his hand clenched into a fist. The sheer, reflexive hostility, the instant dismissal. It ignited the familiar, cold anger that simmered just beneath his carefully constructed surface. Idiots, his internal monologue snarled. Armchair experts hiding behind anonymous usernames. They wouldn't know genuine performance if it bit them on the ass. They demand proof, but what proof can I give? Show them the ping? Explain the impossible? He forced himself to take slow, measured breaths, channelling the corporate strategist, not the cornered rat. Okay. Noise. Expected noise. Filter it. Need leverage. Need one credible voice.
A notification pinged – a Private Message. Heart rate quickening slightly, he clicked it open.
From: MaxHertz Subject: Your RTX 4090 Listing
Interesting claims. Also borderline insane pricing. I build high-end workstations, primarily for simulation and rendering, sometimes gaming rigs for select clients. I know what these cards can do, stock and overclocked.Your benchmark hints (if remotely true) are intriguing for a specific project I have.I don't trust screenshots or remote demos. Too easy to fake.Counterproposal: I live in the SE suburbs. You bring the card HERE, to my workshop. We install it in MY test bench rig – Threadripper Pro, 128GB RAM, overkill PSU. We run the benchmarks TOGETHER. If, and ONLY if, it hits the numbers you imply (specifically, >28k Time Spy Graphics score, stable under load), I will pay your $2000 asking price. In cash. Immediately.If it doesn't perform as claimed, or shows any instability, you walk away empty-handed having wasted your time.High risk for you, I know. But it's the only way I'll consider this.Let me know by end of day. Otherwise, I assume you're bluffing.- Max
Theo reread the message twice, his mind racing, weighing the variables with practiced speed. Going to a stranger's workshop? With a $2000 piece of hardware? The risks screamed red alert, potential robbery, the buyer damaging the card and blaming him, getting his face and car potentially recorded. It felt reckless, exposed.
But the offer… Cash. Immediate. Verifiable proof generated by the skeptical buyer himself. If MaxHertz, clearly knowledgeable and equipped, confirmed the performance, his word on the forum would carry immense weight. It could be the catalyst, the key to unlocking the other sales. The potential reward felt proportional to the risk. Calculated gamble, the analyst whispered. High stakes, high return potential. Leverage.
He typed back, keeping it brief, professional.