Bitcoin Billionaire: I Regressed to Invest in the First Bitcoin!-Chapter 207: Bidding Gate

Digital assets were meeting the highest market growth around the early 2010's, which was why the idea of expansion was one that was very important for a digital company.

Expanding allowed digital assets to grow their products to channels outside Los Alverez, within Calivernia, outside the state and the country as a whole.

However, this was not an easy task for companies seeking this expansion. Because of his political power in the business of the city and the state as a whole, if anyone wanted to expand after taking advantage of the business structures set up by him, they would need to go through Archibald Mooney.

This was why the Moon Digital Bidding Gate was set up. It wasn't just an event— it was the crucible where fortunes were forged or shattered.

Conceived over a decade ago as a joint venture between Moon Enterprises and the Department of State Commerce, the Bidding Gate had cemented itself as the sole pathway for companies seeking to expand into and from Calivernia's vast digital infrastructure.

Whether it was logistics tech streamlining port operations, AI optimizing public utilities, or financial platforms like Trendteller revolutionizing wealth management, any business aiming to tap into state-backed contracts, public-private partnerships, or international market access had to pass through this gauntlet.

Undeniably, Archibald Mooney's power in this state was more and more glaring for anyone not to see. The event was held annually in just four cities across the state, and this year's event in Los Alverez was a glittering arena of ambition.

Everyone knew what was at stake here. Validation meant not just growth but an explosion into the stratosphere of influence.

The Gate's power lay in its exclusivity. Approval didn't merely unlock contracts; it was a golden ticket to investor confidence, bank loans, and elite partnerships.

If someone got the nod from the Bidding Gate, that alone could propel their startup from obscurity to a household name overnight.

Yet, CEOs and asset owners were all wary of it because of how centralized it was, putting the fate of their businesses in the hands of one man who could do whatever he wished with it.

That was the catch. Moon Enterprises itself. As the founding partner and sole overseer, they controlled every facet— application timing, compliance standards, and entry prioritization.

On paper, it was a neutral platform, a meritocracy of innovation. But everyone knew that wasn't the case in reality. Calivernia's elite also knew better.

Moon Enterprises, under the iron grip of the Mooney family, wielded the Gate like a scepter, bending the rules to favor allies and bury threats.

For Darren and his team at Steele Investments, this wasn't just a hurdle— it was a fortress they couldn't bypass, no matter how strong Trendteller's tech was.

Moon's influence ran too deep, their tentacles wrapped around the state's economic arteries.

The event, as usual, was held inside the Grand State Auditorium.

Here, the air crackled with chilled anticipation. It was a dome-like building, smaller than the Steele Complex with prism designs across the polished marble floor.

Rows of entrepreneurs, investors, and state officials filled the plush seats, their murmured conversations a low hum beneath the auditorium's state-of-the-art ventilation system.

Since Darren was too busy to attend this himself, Lila Torres had come, representing her own product.

Money looked good on her now that she had it. Standing near the front, she was bedecked in a slate-blue blazer crisp against her olive skin, her curls pulled into a tight bun and her neck and fingers were glistening with golden adornments.

Her sharp eyes scanned the schedule televised on a massive TV board. It was the Bidding Registry in neat, alphabetical rows.

She wasn't alone. Darren had sent Sandy to go with her. As his Head of Finance, it was fitting that she was here. She wore a black blazer over a milk top and pink pencil skirt. Her blonde hair flowed down behind her, but her jaw ticked, a telltale sign of her simmering frustration.

"There," Lila said, pointing to their entry. It showed: Trendteller, and then their status. But surprisingly, the status said: "Pending Review."

Lila's brow furrowed, a crease forming as she checked the list, seeing other names below them that had already been approved. "This doesn't make sense. We applied weeks ago and others below us have been approved. I even triple-checked the build documents, licensing models, performance stats. Everything was airtight."

Sandy crossed her arms, her cool blue eyes narrowing. "It has nothing to do with the license models of the stats. If it did then our application would have been simply rejected. Someone doesn't want to reject it because we could force them to court to demand reasons. Pending is the only way to hold us back. Seems intentional."

Her voice was low and a bit angry. Sandy was used to navigating corporate battlefields, and it was difficult to sniff the foul play here immediately. She pulled out her phone, her fingers hovering over Rachel's contact. "I'm calling her. We need answers."

Before she could dial, the auditorium's lights dimmed, casting a dramatic hush over the crowd. The massive screens flanking the stage flared to life, the crescent logo of Moon Enterprises swirling into view like a predator circling its prey.

Then a polished voice boomed through the speakers: "Please welcome the Director of Strategic Expansion for Moon Enterprises, Mr. Tyler Mooney."

Sandy's lips pressed into a thin line. "Of course," she muttered, her tone dripping with bitter recognition. "It all makes sense now."

Lila's head snapped toward the stage. "Him? Does he have issues with Darren?"

Sandy narrowed her eyes. "Doesn't everyone?"

Tyler Mooney sauntered through the side doors, his silver-blue suit catching the spotlight. His hair was combed brilliantly, and there was a charming, self-assured smirk on his face.

He moved with the swagger of inherited power, every gesture calculated to remind the room who held the reins. As he reached the podium, he waved once, a king acknowledging his court. Scattered applause rippled through the crowd, though many sat stone-faced, their silence louder than the claps.

Tyler tapped the microphone, then he spoke; "Ladies and gentlemen, entrepreneurs, innovators— welcome to the future," he began. "A future curated by excellence, integrity, and, above all…" His eyes flicked to the television board, where Trendteller's status still mocked them. "…standards."

Lila's breath caught, her nails digging into her palms. "Well he's a bastard," she hissed under her breath.

Sandy didn't flinch, her gaze locked on Tyler like a sniper zeroing in. "He's really going to delay us," she said, her tone flat but certain. "He's going to do it as long as possible too. But he can't delay us forever which means he's planning something else."

"Then we push harder," Lila shot back. "I didn't build Trendteller to get sidelined by some nepo baby in a $10,000 suit."

On stage, Tyler's voice rolled on, oblivious to their fury. "This year, we're introducing a new compliance filter to elevate expectations. Some of you may notice a delay in your status— nothing personal, just part of our refinement process."

The screen flickered, and Lila's heart sank as the text shifted: Trendteller— Status: Reassessment Under Review.

"This son of a bitch! He knows that leaving it delayed will eventually invite quests, but when he reassesses it after delays, it just counts like a new assessment! He could hold us back forever like this!"

Sandy's phone was already out again, her fingers flying across the screen as she called Rachel, but the secretary's number was reachable.

Rachel wasn't picking.