### Sample C
The searing heat of Dubai's summer sun burned through Khalid Al Maktoum's consciousness, dragging him from the void. His eyes snapped open, expecting the sterile chill of the hospital room where he'd last gasped for breath in 2045. Instead, he was sprawled on a silk-draped divan, the scent of oud and jasmine thick in the air. A golden chandelier glittered above, casting fractal patterns across a marble floor. His hands—younger, unscarred—trembled as he touched his face. No wrinkles. No pain. Just the smooth skin of youth.
*1985.* The realization hit like a sandstorm. He was 20 again, reborn as the crown prince of the UAE, in a world where smartphones were science fiction and Dubai was a modest port city, not the glittering metropolis of his future memories.
Before he could process the impossibility, a chime echoed in his mind, crisp and otherworldly. A translucent interface materialized in his vision, glowing like a mirage:
**Welcome to the World Impact Matrix (WIM). Mission: Become the Richest Man in History. Starter Points: 1,000. No penalties. Make your mark.**
Khalid blinked, heart racing. A system? Like the virtual assistants of 2045, but… alive in his head? He sat up, ignoring the servant who bowed nervously at the edge of the room. The interface pulsed, displaying a new alert:
**Future Vision Alert: Microsoft Corporation (est. 1975). Current valuation: $7 million. Projected valuation (2000): $500 billion. Invest now?**
His breath caught. Microsoft. Bill Gates was still a scrappy entrepreneur in 1985, not the titan of Khalid's original timeline. A thousand points burned in his mind, and a tab labeled "System Shop" flickered open. Options scrolled past: *Negotiation Mastery (500 points)*, *Oil Market Insight (1,000 points)*, *Stake in Microsoft (10% for 2,000 points)*. He didn't have enough points yet, but the system's voice—smooth, genderless—whispered: *Earn points through impact. Change the world, and the world will reward you.*
Khalid stood, his royal robes swishing. He was in the Al Maktoum palace, his father's court just beyond the arched doors. In his first life, he'd been a cautious prince, overshadowed by siblings, his wealth respectable but never legendary. Now, with memories of a future where trillion-dollar companies ruled, he could rewrite history.
"Your Highness," the servant ventured, "the council awaits your presence."
Khalid waved him off, his mind racing. The council—his father, the king, and his ambitious brothers—would expect him to nod along, a dutiful prince. But the system's chime rang again, and a new mission appeared:
**Mission: Secure $1 million investment in Microsoft by week's end. Reward: 10,000 points.**
A grin spread across Khalid's face. He'd need to charm, scheme, and maybe break a few traditions. His brothers, especially the cunning Saeed, would smell his ambition and pounce. But Khalid had died once. He wouldn't waste this second chance.
---
The council chamber was a fortress of tradition, its walls adorned with falcon tapestries and gold-inlaid swords. King Hamdan Al Maktoum sat at the head, his weathered face unreadable. Khalid's brothers—Saeed, the eldest, and Rashid, the scholar—flanked him, their eyes sharp with suspicion. The air buzzed with the weight of oil deals and tribal alliances, the UAE's future hanging in delicate balance.
"Father," Khalid began, his voice steady despite the system's interface flickering in his peripheral vision, "I propose a new venture. The West is birthing technologies that will reshape the world. We must invest in them."
Saeed scoffed, his beard twitching. "Technologies? You speak of toys, Khalid. Our wealth lies in oil, not dreams."
The king's gaze shifted to Khalid, heavy with expectation. In his first life, Khalid would've retreated, but the system's mission timer ticked: *6 days, 23 hours*. He leaned forward, channeling every ounce of his future self's confidence.
"Oil is our past," Khalid said. "Computers are our future. A small American company, Microsoft, is building software that will power every machine. I need $1 million to secure a stake."
The room erupted in laughter, Saeed's the loudest. "A million dollars for a company no one knows? Have you lost your senses, brother?"
Khalid didn't flinch. The system pinged: *Impact Opportunity: Persuade the council. Reward: 5,000 points.* He stood, pacing, his robes a regal blur. "In ten years, Microsoft will be worth billions. If we invest now, we'll control a piece of that future. Or we can let the West claim it all."
Rashid, ever the skeptic, adjusted his glasses. "And your proof?"
Khalid hesitated. He couldn't reveal his rebirth or the system. Instead, he spun a half-truth. "I've studied their work. Their software, MS-DOS, is already in demand. IBM trusts them. We should too."
The king's silence was deafening. Saeed leaned in, whispering something to their father, likely poison. Khalid's pulse quickened, but the system offered a lifeline: *Spend 500 points to unlock Negotiation Mastery (Level 1)?* He mentally confirmed, and warmth flooded his mind, sharpening his words like a blade.
"Father," Khalid said, his voice now velvet, "imagine Dubai as the hub of a new era—not just oil, but innovation. Let me prove this. If I fail, I'll step back from all ventures."
The king's eyes narrowed, but a spark of intrigue flickered. "One week, Khalid. Bring me results, or Saeed will oversee your projects."
Saeed smirked, sensing victory. Khalid bowed, hiding his own smile. The system chimed: *Negotiation Mastery acquired. Mission progress: 10%.*
---
That night, Khalid slipped into Dubai's fledgling business district, a far cry from the skyscraper jungle of 2045. He met a nervous American banker, a contact from his future memories, who could broker the Microsoft deal. The system's *Future Vision* fed him details: the banker's greed, his love for rare watches. Khalid gifted him a gold Rolex from the palace vault, earning a handshake and a promise to secure the investment.
As he returned to the palace, the system pinged again: *Impact Wave Detected: Local merchants inspired by your vision. +2,000 points.* Khalid's total climbed to 3,500. The shop tempted him with *Charisma Boost (2,000 points)*, but he held off. Microsoft was his first step to billions.
In his chambers, a telegram arrived—an invitation to a film festival hosted by the UAE. Among the guests: a young Meryl Streep, radiant and ambitious. Khalid's heart stirred, memories of her films flooding back. The system chimed: *Romantic Opportunity: Impress Meryl Streep. Reward: 5,000 points.*
Khalid laughed softly. Riches, power, and now Hollywood's finest? This rebirth was more than a second chance—it was a game he was born to win. But as he drifted to sleep, a glitch flickered across the system's interface, a single word: *Watcher.* Someone, or something, was tracking his every move.