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Zayd Al-Maktoum gripped the wheel of his Maserati GranTurismo, weaving through Dubai's neon-lit arteries as the city sparkled under a velvet sky. The Burj Al Arab glowed like a sail-shaped beacon, and the air thrummed with the pulse of supercars and late-night souk deals. Just 24 hours ago, he was Zhang Wei, a noodle-delivery nobody choking on a spicy Sichuan strand. Now, he was a prince with a $150,000 stake in *GreenCycleAI*, a smart water bottle blueprint, and a cousin named Khalid who'd rather see him dance the ardah in public than succeed. The [Infinite Tycoon System] was his ace, but its latest quest had Zayd's nerves jangling like a loose scooter chain.
*Ding!* The holographic smartphone flickered to life, its glow dancing across the Maserati's dashboard. The system's voice, smug as a souk vendor closing a deal, buzzed in his head: *"Quest Update: Fortify your financial accounts by 9 AM. Reward: Access to Financial Trend Predictor (Level 1) and Blueprint for Smart Irrigation System (Optimizes water use, boosts crop yield by 30%, app-controlled). Penalty: You sing 'Happy Birthday' in Arabic at the Dubai Opera, and trust me, host, your pitch is better than your pipes. Time left: 6 hours, 22 minutes. Step one: Check your palace server for Khalid's intrusion."*
Zayd's jaw tightened. "Sing at the opera? I'd rather haggle with a camel trader."
*"Focus, host,"* the system quipped. *"Khalid's aide is poking your accounts like a kid with a stick and an anthill. Get to your office and run a scan. Also, prep for the family dinner at 8 PM—Khalid's gunning to paint you as a reckless spender."*
Zayd sighed, the weight of his new life heavier than a gold-plated dune buggy. Khalid's smirk at the Innovation Fair still burned, and now the guy was hacking his accounts? Zayd wasn't Zhang Wei anymore, begging for shift extensions. He was a prince with $50 million and a system that turned ambition into tech. He floored the Maserati, dodging a Bentley blasting oud-infused hip-hop, and aimed for the palace.
The Al-Maktoum palace was a fortress of marble and dreams, its domes glowing under floodlights. Zayd parked, nodding at a guard whose sword gleamed sharper than his old kitchen cleaver. Inside, the halls were a labyrinth of silk tapestries and falcon statues that seemed to whisper, "Don't mess this up." His office was a tech haven: a sleek desk with a holographic monitor, shelves of sapphire-encrusted Qurans, and a coffee machine that could probably fund a startup. Zayd locked the door, his heart racing like he was back dodging stray dogs on his scooter.
He booted the computer, the system guiding him: *"Run the cybersecurity scan. Khalid's aide left digital fingerprints—sloppy work."* Zayd clicked through, finding a phishing email disguised as a "royal charity invoice." The system's interface pulsed, deploying a countermeasure: *Intrusion Blocked. Source: Khalid's private server in Downtown Dubai. Evidence logged.* Zayd grinned. "Got you, cousin." He forwarded the evidence to his lawyer, a steely woman named Amira, with a note: "Hold this for leverage."
*Ding!* The system flashed: *"Quest Complete! Financial Trend Predictor (Level 1) unlocked. Blueprint downloading… Smart Irrigation System acquired. Bonus: +600 Tycoon Points for not breaking the keyboard in a panic. New Quest: Impress the family dinner at 8 PM. Reward: Blueprint for AI-Powered Waste Sorter. Penalty: You lead a camel grooming workshop for the palace staff."*
Zayd leaned back, wiping sweat from his brow. The Smart Water Bottle blueprint from Chapter 1 was already trending—X posts from fitness influencers raved about its hydration tracking, and a Dubai gym chain ordered 1,000 units. The world was lapping it up, with health blogs calling it "the ultimate wellness gadget." Now, the Smart Irrigation System sparked a new idea. The Financial Trend Predictor pinged, showing a global surge in agritech, especially in arid regions. "This could save deserts," Zayd muttered, sketching a plan for *OasisTech*, a startup to pair the irrigation system with *GreenCycleAI*'s eco-mission.
But first, the family dinner loomed. Zayd showered, swapped his thobe for a tailored one with emerald cufflinks, and checked his reflection. "Not bad for a guy who used to wear knockoff sneakers." The system snorted: *"Don't get cocky, host. Tuck in your thobe—you look like a bedouin who lost a bet."*
The dining hall was a spectacle: a 50-foot table laden with lamb kabsa, saffron rice, and platters of dates that probably cost more than his old scooter. His family—uncles, aunts, and cousins—sat under a chandelier the size of a small yacht. Uncle Saeed, the qahwa-spilling magnate, presided, his beard radiating gravitas. Khalid lounged opposite, smirking like he'd already won. Zayd's mother, in a ruby abaya, gave him a warm smile, while his father, a stern figure in a black bisht, just nodded.
Saeed raised a glass of laban. "Zayd, your brothers manage ports and airlines. You've been… less focused. Why should we trust you with the family's resources?"
Khalid pounced. "Exactly, Uncle. Zayd threw $150,000 at a recycling app. A prince should stick to falcons, not startups." The table murmured, and Zayd's gut churned. He wasn't about to let Khalid dunk on him like this.
He stood, channeling his inner noodle-hustler. "Respected family, I'm not here to play small. *GreenCycleAI* is set to cut urban waste by 40%, with 250% growth projected. And I'm launching *OasisTech*." He pulled up a hologram on his phone, showing the Smart Irrigation System: *Drip-tech that saves 60% water, boosts crops, and syncs with weather apps.* "This isn't just a gadget—it's food security for the Gulf. Khalid's busy hacking my accounts while I'm building the future."
The table gasped. Khalid's smirk vanished, his fork clattering. Saeed's eyes narrowed. "Hacking? Bold accusation, Zayd." Zayd held his ground. "Check my lawyer's inbox. I've got proof." His mother's smile widened, and his father's grunt sounded… impressed?
Saeed stroked his beard. "You have one week to prove *OasisTech*'s potential, or yoursservitude
Zayd sat, heart pounding. Khalid muttered to an aide, his face red. The system chimed: *"Quest Complete! Blueprint downloading… AI-Powered Waste Sorter acquired. Bonus: +700 Tycoon Points for that mic drop. New Quest: Launch OasisTech prototype in 5 days. Reward: Blueprint for Solar-Powered Drone. Penalty: You narrate a Bedouin folktale at a public event."*
The dinner ended with Saeed's approval: "Show us results, Zayd." As the family dispersed, Khalid cornered him. "You're digging your grave, cousin. Watch your back." He stormed off, leaving Zayd unfazed. The system whispered: *"He's all bark, host. But keep Amira's number handy."*
Outside, the desert air was cool, and the city's skyline shimmered like a promise. Zayd wasn't Zhang Wei, scraping by on tips. He was Prince Zayd, with a system, a green tech empire, and a cousin about to eat sand. The Smart Irrigation System would hit the world soon—farmers in Oman were already emailing about trials. Zayd grinned, ready to flood the desert with opportunity.
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