The first person to laugh was a billionaire. The second was a senator.

At exactly 9:00 PM, the lights dimmed. A single, dramatic spotlight illuminated the grand stage at the far end of the ballroom. The chatter died down as Marcus Sterling stepped up to the acrylic podium. Behind him, a massive digital screen flickered to life, displaying a spinning, slick logo for "Sterling Global."

Silas leaned against a marble pillar in the shadows, sipping a glass of ice water.

"Ladies and gentlemen," Marcus began, his voice dripping with practiced charisma. "We are the elite. We are the architects of the future. But for too long, we have let government regulations and ethical red tape slow down our progress."

A murmur of agreement rippled through the crowd.

"Tonight, I am proposing a syndicate," Marcus continued, clicking a remote. The screen changed to show a map of the world, with red lines connecting major ports and tech hubs. "Project Apex. A complete, hostile consolidation of the lithium and rare-earth mineral markets in South America and Africa. By pooling our capital, we can buy out the regional governments, deregulate the mining sectors, and establish a permanent monopoly."

Silas narrowed his eyes. It wasn't just a monopoly; it was economic colonization. Marcus was proposing to strip entire nations of their natural resources, displacing millions of indigenous people and destroying ecosystems, purely to artificially inflate tech stock prices.

"The profits will be astronomical," Marcus promised, his eyes gleaming. "We project a thousand-percent return in the first thirty months. Yes, there will be... collateral damage in those regions. Labor disputes. Relocations. But that is the price of progress. The strong inherit the earth."

The room erupted into applause. Senators nodded. Tech CEOs smiled greedily. It was a room full of monsters patting themselves on the back.

Marcus held up his hands to quiet the applause. "To execute this, I am establishing the Apex Fund tonight. The buy-in is one billion dollars. I will be opening the floor for immediate pledges. We will own the infrastructure of tomorrow. We will be untouchable."

Marcus smiled, looking over his kingdom. "Are there any questions before we begin the financial commitments?"