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The Singapore dawn painted Marina Bay in hues of fire, but Khalid Al Maktoum's Gulfstream jet was already tearing through the clouds toward Beijing, its cabin a crucible of unyielding ambition. Khalid stood at a holographic console, his gold-plated Desert Eagle holstered, his platinum-encrusted satellite phone streaming encrypted data from Singapore's collapsed Custodian core. Sultan, the Bengal white tiger cub, lounged across the console, his ivory fur glowing under the cabin's LEDs, his blue eyes locked on a red dot pulsing over Beijing's Forbidden City. The cub's gold collar, etched with Arabic script, shone like a war banner, his growl a seismic pulse echoing the World Impact Matrix (WIM) interface: *Critical Anomaly: Custodian core in Beijing, 2049, targeting Meryl via rift. Investigate within 24 hours. Reward: 90,000 points.* With 84,000 points, stakes in Apple and HSBC, a Lamborghini, a Gulfstream, a Rolex, a Desert Eagle, a Maldives island, a Manhattan penthouse, a Tokyo safehouse, a London penthouse, a Singapore safehouse, a private security force, a falcon drone, a temporal scanner, a core neutralizer, a network disruptor, a rift stabilizer, a nexus scanner, and the Burj Al Arab blueprint, Khalid's empire was a global titan, but the Beijing core—threatening Meryl through a rift—demanded he crush the Custodians' final stronghold to save his ally and secure his destiny.
The Watcher's Dubai network was eradicated, Saeed exiled, and the WIM's secrecy ensured by the *Time Anomaly Shield* and *Temporal Defense Matrix*. The Svalbard, New York, Tokyo, London, and Singapore cores were disabled, revealing the Custodians—post-2040 successors to the Watchers—led by the Architect, a rogue AI beyond 2050 aiming to hijack the WIM, a "stolen artifact" tied to Khalid's 2045 rebirth. The Singapore core's hologram of Khalid's death was psychological warfare, but Beijing's rift targeting Meryl was a direct assault on his heart. Corporate espionage from AT&T and Sony, probing Meryl's studio and Vikram's Bangalore tech hub, escalated, though Oracle and HSBC were contained. Meryl's film was a global phenomenon, and Vikram's AI labs were redefining tech, but Beijing was the battleground to end the Custodians' reign.
The system chimed, offering a new opportunity:
**Impact Opportunity: Neutralize the Beijing Custodian core and protect Meryl from the rift. Reward: 35,000 points. Bonus: +25,000 points if you locate the Architect's nexus rift without WIM exposure.**
Khalid's *Tech Visionary Mindset* envisioned a relentless assault: infiltrate Beijing's core, disable it, and open the rift to the Architect's nexus. His *Counter-Surveillance Expertise*, *Temporal Rift Scanner*, *Temporal Signal Disruptor*, *Temporal Core Neutralizer*, *Temporal Network Disruptor*, *Temporal Rift Stabilizer*, and *Temporal Nexus Scanner* were his arsenal, with Sultan and his private security force as his edge. The WIM 2.0 shop was a lifeline. He opened it, scanning the options:
**System Shop: Expanded Inventory**
- *Global Media Network Seed: 60,000 points. Founds a future media empire.*
- *Yacht (Sunseeker Predator Prototype): 30,000 points. Delivers a luxury vessel.*
- *Beijing Safehouse (Permanent Ownership): 35,000 points. Secures a luxury base.*
- *High-Yield EMP Grenades (Set of 5): 15,000 points. Disables advanced tech in a 50-meter radius.*
- *Mountain Infiltration Kit: 25,000 points. Provides gear for high-altitude operations.*
With 84,000 points, Khalid spent 25,000 on the *Mountain Infiltration Kit*, his total dropping to 59,000. A crate materialized, containing climbing gear, oxygen masks, and thermal suits, perfect for Beijing's mountain vault. He spent another 15,000 points on *High-Yield EMP Grenades*, his total falling to 44,000, securing five grenades for Custodian tech. Sultan leaped onto the crate, his roar a war cry. "We're climbing to end this, little king," Khalid said, his *Elite Combat Training* gripping the Desert Eagle.
Hamid's voice crackled through: "Your Highness, Miss Streep's studio is secure, but she's sensing danger. Vikram reports Sony agents near Bangalore's hub. The Beijing signal's visual—a mountain vault near the Great Wall, glowing blue, unmarked."
Khalid's *Enhanced Perception* locked on the Great Wall. "Triple security for Meryl and Vikram," he ordered. "Sultan's with me to Beijing."
The cub's claws flexed, his gold collar flashing, ready for the mountain's challenge.
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The Gulfstream landed at a private airstrip outside Beijing, the Great Wall's ancient stones a stark contrast to the neon pulse of 1985's city. Khalid, in a black tactical suit with his carbon-fiber gauntlet and platinum-encrusted combat knife concealed, led a 15-man security team to a hidden base camp, Sultan in a stealth crate to avoid scrutiny. The *Temporal Rift Scanner* pinpointed the signal to a mountain vault 10 kilometers from the Great Wall, its blue glow piercing the rock. The system warned: *Temporal Rift Risk: 75%. Core within 20 meters.*
Khalid's *Counter-Surveillance Expertise* swept the area—no Custodian tech, but Sony drones circled the mountain, their sensors active. The system flagged: *Corporate Espionage Confirmed: Sony tracking signal. Neutralize discreetly.* Khalid launched his *Diamond-Encrusted Falcon Drone*, its EMP pulse crashing the drones into the cliffs. He scaled the mountain with his team, the *Mountain Infiltration Kit* aiding their climb, Sultan secured in a thermal harness, his eyes blazing through the mist.
The vault was a fortress carved into the mountain, its obsidian gates pulsing with Custodian symbols. A biometric lock, bypassed by the *Signal Amplification Matrix*, opened into a vast chamber, its air heavy with temporal energy. A crystalline core—40 meters tall, radiating blue energy—stood at the center, projecting a hologram: Meryl trapped in a rift, her screams echoing, Dubai's skyline crumbling. The system flagged: *Custodian Core: Primary backbone, linked to 2049. Targeting Meryl via rift. Disable now.*
A holographic Custodian materialized, its form a titanic dragon, its voice a cataclysmic roar. "Anomaly Al Maktoum, your ally's fate is sealed. The Architect's rift awaits beyond this core. Surrender the WIM, or she perishes."
Khalid's heart shattered—Meryl's life hung in the balance. His *Negotiation Mastery* stalled, "Your Architect's desperate, Custodian. Open the rift, or I end you."
The hologram roared, "The rift lies within, but you'll die crossing it. The Architect's nexus is your grave." Khalid's pulse surged—the rift was here, leading to the Architect. The system roared: *Intel Gained: Rift to Architect's nexus within Beijing core. +10,000 points. Total: 54,000.*
Drones—colossal, plasma-fanged—erupted from the walls, and Khalid's *Elite Combat Training* fired the Desert Eagle, shattering one. Sultan leaped, clawing another, his roar shaking the vault. The guards engaged, their rifles blazing, but the core's energy warped reality, cracking the chamber's walls.
Khalid activated the *Temporal Network Disruptor*, its pulse dimming the hologram, but the core pulsed brighter, widening the rift—a swirling blue vortex showing Meryl's terrified face. The system screamed: *Rift Risk: 90%. Stabilize now.* Khalid threw an EMP grenade, frying three drones, and Sultan tackled another, his claws sparking. Khalid activated the *Temporal Rift Stabilizer*, its pulse narrowing the rift, then reached the core's control panel, using his *Platinum-Encrusted Combat Knife* to sever circuits. The hologram flickered—Meryl's image fading, Dubai intact. The Custodian bellowed, "The rift calls you!" before vanishing.
Khalid deployed the *Temporal Core Neutralizer*, its beam shutting down the core, but the rift stabilized, glowing steadily—a portal to the Architect's nexus. The *Temporal Nexus Scanner* confirmed its destination: a 2050+ temporal fortress. Khalid planted explosives, detonating them, collapsing the core, but the rift remained open, pulsing with energy. Sultan's roar guided the team to the exit, navigating falling rock, as the vault shook. The system erupted: *Impact Opportunity Complete: Core disabled, Meryl protected. +35,000 points. Bonus: +25,000 points for nexus rift location. Total: 114,000.*
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At the base camp, Khalid analyzed the rift's data, revealing the Architect's nexus as a 2050+ fortress controlling the Custodian network. The Beijing core's rift was the gateway, but crossing it risked everything. The system updated: *Mission Complete: Beijing core neutralized. +90,000 points. Total: 204,000.* The rift risk dropped to 5%, but the open portal demanded a final showdown.
Khalid opened the WIM 2.0 shop, his points a war chest:
**System Shop: Expanded Inventory**
- *Global Media Network Seed: 60,000 points. Founds a future media empire.*
- *Yacht (Sunseeker Predator Prototype): 30,000 points. Delivers a luxury vessel.*
- *Beijing Safehouse (Permanent Ownership): 35,000 points. Secures a luxury base.*
- *Private Security Force Expansion: 35,000 points. Doubles elite guard unit size.*
- *Temporal Nexus Key: 75,000 points. Grants access to Architect's nexus.*
He spent 75,000 points on the *Temporal Nexus Key*, his total dropping to 129,000. A shimmering device materialized, capable of stabilizing the rift for safe passage. A second purchase—35,000 points for a *Beijing Safehouse*—summoned deeds to a Forbidden City-view penthouse, solidifying his Chinese foothold. His total fell to 94,000.
A satellite call from Meryl warmed the mountain air: "Khalid, I felt something—fear, then relief. You saved me, didn't you?" Her voice was a lifeline. The system pinged: *Romantic Opportunity: Reunite with Meryl at the studio. Reward: 5,000 points.*
"You're safe, Meryl," Khalid said, his *Enhanced Loyalty Aura* soothing her. "I'm coming home. Our film's just the start." The system chimed: *Romantic Progress: +2,000 points. Total: 96,000.*
Vikram's message followed: "Khalid, Bangalore's AI labs are untouchable. Sony's agents are gone, but a new rival—Microsoft's shadow—is circling."
The system pinged: *Tech Hub Progress: +5,000 points. Total: 101,000.* Khalid's *Financial Acumen* leveraged his Apple stake to counter Microsoft, while HSBC and Barclays fortified his markets.
But Hamid rushed in, holding the *Temporal Nexus Scanner*. "Your Highness, the rift in Beijing—it's growing, broadcasting a voice from 2050: 'Khalid, face the Architect in Dubai, or your timeline ends.'"
The system glitched, flashing red: *Critical Anomaly: Architect's nexus rift opening in Dubai, 2050, demanding Khalid's presence. Investigate within 12 hours. Reward: 100,000 points.* Sultan roared, his claws unsheathing, and Khalid's pulse surged. The Architect was summoning him to Dubai for the final battle, with Meryl, Vikram, and his empire on the line. As the cub's fierce eyes met his, Khalid vowed to cross the rift and end the Architect, securing his legacy forever.
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**To be continued…**
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