<h4>Chapter 25: Let''s Start</h4>


    "Watch me...Watch me...Watch me..." Michael repeated those words as he stared nkly at the ceiling of his bedroom, recalling his interaction with Catherine.


    It was so dumb of him to even say that, to start apany on his own. Where would he finance it all without an investor? But he said that, so he has to uphold his word.


    Michael sat up, shaking off the cloud of doubt. He needed to n, to strategize. The challenge was immense, but so were the stakes. He couldn''t let his invention, his dream, get buried under corporate politics and deceit.


    To start—he needed aptop.


    That''s right, aptop. The things he could do with his phone are limited. If he only had his own he could finish his thesis needed for mastery points and track the stock market. So for mastery points and money.


    He checked his phone and opened the trading app. He tapped his brokerage ount and saw his bnce. 125,000 pesos. The only way to withdraw his money from his brokerage ount is that he must have a bank ount. After all, the trading app is a legitimate tform with certification from the Philippine Stock Exchange and the Securities and Exchange Commission. Without a bank ount, Michael couldn''t ess the funds he had earned through trading. He needed to open a bank ount first.


    Michael quickly made a mental checklist of the documents he would need for opening a bank ount: a valid ID, proof of address, proof of billing, and possibly some additional paperwork. He rummaged through his belongings to gather these items.


    Next, he researched the nearest bank branches and their opening hours. Finding a suitable bank, he nned to visit it first thing in the morning. Opening a bank ount was the first practical step towards essing his funds and purchasing aptop.


    Once the bank ount was set up, he could transfer the funds from his brokerage ount. With aptop, Michael could work more efficiently on his thesis and monitor the stock market with greater precision. He also nned to use theptop for other official work.


    ***


    December 3rd arrived, and Michael was ready. He had gathered all the necessary documents and set out early in the morning, heading straight to the nearest branch of BDO (Banco de Oro), one of the Philippines''rgest banks.


    Arriving at the bank, Michael joined the queue, patiently waiting for his turn. He observed the organized chaos around him - people making transactions, bank officers assisting clients, and the constant chime of the queue number system. Finally, his number was called, and he approached the counter.


    "Good morning. I''d like to open a savings ount," Michael said to the bank officer, a young woman with a professional demeanor.


    "Good morning, sir. To what purpose?"


    The bank officer''s question caught Michael off guard, prompting him to tilt his head slightly.


    "Purpose? Do I need a specific reason to open an ount?"


    The officer nodded, her expression remaining professional. "Yes, sir. As part of our standard procedure and inpliance with banking regtions, we need to understand the purpose of the ount. This is to ensurepliance withws against moneyundering and other financial crimes."


    Michael nodded understandingly. "I see. Well, the main purpose is personal finance management. I''m a student, and I''ve started engaging in stock trading. I n to use this ount to manage the funds I''ve umted from trading and for future savings."


    The officer seemed satisfied with his response. "Thank you for rifying, sir. It''s just a standard protocol to ask. We''re required to ensure that all ounts are opened for legitimate purposes."


    She then continued with the ount opening process, asking Michael to fill out a few more forms that included derations and consent for the bank to conduct necessary background checks as per regtory requirements.


    Michael filled out each form carefully, making sure all his responses were urate and truthful. Once everything waspleted, he handed the forms back to the officer.


    She checked the forms onest time and then smiled at Michael. "Everything is in order, sir. Your ount will be activated today. You''ll also receive notifications and updates on your phone as you''ve opted for online banking services. Is there anything else I can assist you with?"


    "Well...yes...I heard that the BDO is investing in some cryptocurrencies. Well, I''m nning on shorting it."


    The bank officer looked a bit surprised by Michael''s question about cryptocurrency investments and shorting. She adjusted her sses and replied, "I''m sorry, sir, but that''s a bit out of my league. Our branch mainly handles personal banking and standard financial services. For detailed information about investments, especially something as specific as cryptocurrencies, I would rmend you contact our main office or speak with one of our investment specialists."


    "Oh...well okay, thank you for the information," Michael said.


    "Please wait as we process your card. And oh, there''ll be two thousand pesos maintaining


    Michael patiently waited as the bank officer processed his card. After a few minutes, she returned with a new debit card enclosed in an envelope. Handing it over to Michael, she exined the next steps.


    "Here is your card, sir. You will need to activate it. Also, please note that there is a minimum maintaining bnce of two thousand pesos for this ount."


    Michael nodded, understanding the requirement. He decided to transfer a portion of his funds from his brokerage ount immediately to meet this requirement. Using the bank''s ATM, he deposited two thousand pesos into his new ount, ensuring it met the maintaining bnce.


    The officer then guided Michael on changing his PIN. "It''s important for your security to change the PIN we''ve initially set for your card. You can do this at any of our ATMs. Just follow the on-screen instructions."


    Michael headed to the nearest ATM and followed the steps to change his PIN, choosing a number he would remember but that wasn''t easily guessable. The process was straightforward, and within a few minutes, he had sessfully updated his PIN.


    With his new bank ount active and operational, Michael felt a step closer to achieving his goals. He could now withdraw the funds from his brokerage ount and buy theptop he needed for his work.


    The enrollment of the card was easy, and as soon as the ount was enrolled, Michael quickly withdrew 80,000 pesos, leaving him with 45,000 pesos in his ount. 80,000 is already high enough to buy a qualityptop.


    He proceeded to the electronic store at Gilmore and there were a lot of people there referring him to different stalls but he ignored them.


    Upon arriving at Gilmore, a well-known hub for electronic gadgets andputer equipment in the Philippines, Michael navigated through the bustling crowd. Ignoring the various calls from vendors, he focused on finding a reputable electronics stall known for quality products and good customer service.


    Finally, he spotted a stall that looked promising, with an array ofptops disyed and knowledgeable staff assisting customers. Michael approached one of the staff members, a young man with an approachable demeanor.


    "Good morning, I''m looking for a high-performanceptop," Michael stated. "It needs to be suitable for business applications, stock trading, and potentially running some heavy software rted to my projects."


    The staff member nodded, understanding the requirements. "Sure, sir. Based on your needs, I would rmend aptop with a fast processor, ample RAM, and a solid-state drive for quick data ess. Let me show you a few options."


    He led Michael to a section where several high-endptops were disyed. The first model he introduced had the following specifications:


    Processor: Intel Core i7 or AMD Ryzen 7


    Memory: 16GB RAM


    Storage: 512GB SSD (Solid State Drive)


    Disy: 15.6-inch Full HD with good color uracy


    Graphics: Dedicated GPU for better performance in graphics-intensive tasks


    Build: Lightweight and durable build, with a good keyboard and trackpad


    Battery: Long battery life for extended work sessions


    Connectivity: Multiple USB ports, HDMI, and Wi-Fi 6 support


    "This model," the staff member exined, "is ideal for heavy multitasking and runningplex applications. It''s also great for stock trading, as the powerful processor and ample RAM ensure smooth performance. The SSD provides fast boot and load times, which is crucial for efficiency." @@novelbin@@


    Michael examined theptop, impressed by its sleek design and the specifications. "It looks great. How much is this model?"


    The staff member replied, "This one is priced at 78,000 pesos, sir. It''s a bit on the higher side, but it''s a solid investment for your requirements."


    Michael contemted the price. It was within his budget and seemed like a good fit for his needs. "I''ll take it," he decided.


    "Mode of payment?"


    "Card."


    ***


    Meanwhile, same day and time, at the BGC.


    "Mrs. Antote, I would like to thank you for your continuous support of ourpany," Peralta said over the phone. "We''ll make your investment grow once we get the contract to build sr farms in rk."


    "No problem. By the way, my daughter had informed Michael about the sr panel, but she said that Michael is unwilling to ept the technical report."


    "That''s what kids are anyway, always stubborn. His sr panel is not as good as he advertised."


    "Is it really?" Antote asked.


    There was a moment''s silence between the two as Peralta chose his words carefully.


    "It is."


    "Well, in that case, I''ll end the call."


    Upon hanging up the phone, Peralta looked at Benico. "How was the reverse engineering process?"


    "We are still not getting there sir...I told you, the tech is too sophisticated."


    "Well, be better!" Peralta shouted.