The Spend King made his first unofficial national appearance on a screen — not a stage.It happened during an unexpected panel debate on India Business 24x7.
Four industry veterans sat across a long glass desk, arguing about declining startup success rates.
The anchor sighed mid-segment and said:"Yet, somehow, this new player... Xylon Group, is reviving dead industries. Nobody knows who owns it. But whoever they are , they're pumping capital like no one else."
An ex-CEO chuckled condescendingly:"Whoever's behind Xylon will vanish in two quarters. These emotional spenders always burn out."
Then another voice , an investor from Mumbai leaned into his mic and said:
"Wrong. This isn't spending. It's domination. I've worked in the US market 10 years.Whoever this is.... they're not playing to survive.They're spending to own."
That clip hit YouTube, Twitter, and WhatsApp in minutes.By nightfall, #SpendKing trended nationwide.
At the same time, Supriya sat with Riya at a café near their campus.She stared into her black coffee like it held answers.
"You okay?" Riya asked.
Supriya didn't speak.
"Still thinking about Xylon?"
She nodded faintly."You ever think Nishanth could… you know…?"
Riya snorted."Please. He couldn't even afford class trips. Now you think he's a billionaire?"
Supriya didn't respond.But inside, she didn't know what to believe anymore.
That night, Nishanth attended a high-profile real estate auction under a temporary alias , Rishaan Verma, a proxy name registered via the system.All major developers were present. Including representatives of Shekhawat Group, under Karan's father.
The auctioneer raised his hand.
"Plot #9 — Reserved for a mixed-use commercial project. Bidding starts at ₹48 crore."
One bidder raised his tag:
"₹52 crore!"
Another followed:
"₹55 crore!"
Karan's company raised to ₹57.
Then came a voice from the back. Calm. Precise.
"₹75 crore."
Silence.
The auctioneer blinked."Sir… are you sure?"
The man in the black mask , Nishanth , simply nodded.
"Yes. And I'd like to pay full amount in 24 hours."
Everyone turned.
A pause.And then:
"Sold."
As people whispered, the Shekhawat rep fumbled for words.
Karan found out 10 minutes later , from a call.
"Sir... someone outbid us by ₹18 crore in one stroke."
"WHO?"
"A proxy. Name's Rishaan Verma. No online records."
"Xylon?"
"Most likely."
Karan slammed the phone.Then smashed a glass on the floor.
Back at his suite, Nishanth sat with the peacock feather beside his tea cup.
He didn't smile.He didn't gloat.He just updated the Xylon interface.
[SYSTEM UPDATE → SPENDING PATH UPGRADED]
Status: Public Echo Stage
Your impact is now traceable.Every major move creates rumors, theories, obsession, fear.
Next Milestone: SPEND ₹100 CR in 30 days
Rewards:– Private Airport Rights– Silent Media Lobby Access– Control of 3 Industry Narratives
Nishanth tapped ACCEPT.
The number didn't scare him.The silence of the past did.
Now, the noise was on his side.
By the end of the week, Karan Shekhawat cracked.Not publicly.Not with fireworks.But in the quiet rage that only comes when a man used to winning suddenly starts losing everything he never imagined could be taken.
He had lost:
Three prime properties
Two legacy contractors
A tender that was supposed to be "locked" by family influence
Each one is snatched by Xylon.
But the worst blow wasn't what he lost.It was that he didn't even know who beat him.
The Shekhawat residence was no longer calm.Minister Shekhawat sat in his private office, watching media reports.
Every fifth headline said the same thing in a different way:
"Mysterious Empire Xylon Now Controls 27% of Telangana's High-Value Development Projects."
"Xylon to Build India's Largest Skill Hub — Public Without Politics."
"A Billionaire With No Face. But He's Changing the Game."
The Minister looked at Karan, his eyes like glass daggers."You were supposed to handle this."
"I'm trying."
"Try harder."
"He's using proxies. We don't even have a name."
"So find one. Or get out of the way."
Karan didn't speak. He walked out. Sat in his room. Locked the door.Opened a private chat forum used by his inner circle.Typed:
"Find me everything on Xylon. I want IP logs, fake IDs, land history. I don't care the cost."
And sent it.
But deep inside, beneath the anger, was a sliver of fear.Whoever this Spend King was, he wasn't just rich.He was calculated.
At the same time, Supriya walked alone to the edge of the Kothawada housing project. She had no idea why.Maybe curiosity.Maybe guilt or maybe..... something else.
She stood in front of a newly painted gate.
Dozens of small modular homes stood beyond it, solar panels shining under the sun. Kids ran barefoot on the paved paths, holding notebooks, ice creams, toy drones.
A volunteer walked by and said cheerfully:
"Want a tour, madam?"
"Who built all this?" she asked softly.
The woman smiled."Xylon Group. But the founder never shows up. Some say he's one of us. Some say he's from abroad."
Supriya nodded. A strange silence filled her.
"And these families? They lived where before?"
"Roadsides. Rain shelters. One woman delivered her baby in a bus stand. Now she's our admin officer."
Supriya's throat tightened."Do you know his name?"
The woman shook her head."No one does. But everyone here calls him the Spend King."
That night, back in his suite, Nishanth received a call routed through the system's proxy assistant.
"Sir, Karan Shekhawat has started an underground data hunt. He's trying to trace Xylon's origin."
Nishanth didn't flinch.
"Let him try."
"Shall I block the leads?"
"No," he said calmly."Let him get close. Then shut the door. Let him hear my name. But only when I say it."
The call ended.
The system flickered:
[SPEND KING MODE: Stage 2 Activated]
World Impact: VisibleName Recognition: ImminentEnemies: Stirring
Would you like to pre-select the reveal point?
Nishanth typed one word.
"Soon."
Then opened his notebook.Wrote a new line beside the feather.
"When silence becomes noise… make the noise listen to you."
TO BE CONTINUED.............................