Rudra sat quietly in his small apartment room. The light from the laptop screen reflected in his eyes. On the table was a cup of cold coffee, untouched. His heart wasn't racing—but his mind was.
[Shadow Network Unlocked][You can now recruit people to become part of your secret organization.][Choose wisely. Every person can affect your rise.]
The screen changed again.
[Potential Recruits Nearby: 3]
Three photos popped up. Each one had a small summary underneath.
Arjun Rao (18) – Hacker. Silent. Expelled for 'hacking the exam server.' Lives in an old cybercafé.
Devika Sinha (20) – Psychology topper. Keeps to herself. Had a mental breakdown last year. Gifted at manipulation.
Ritesh 'Chotu' Verma (17) – Slum kid. Known for delivering anything, anywhere. Trustworthy. Eyes everywhere.
Rudra grinned. "Interesting."
Step One: Arjun, The Ghost Hacker
That night, Rudra walked into a dimly lit cybercafé. The place was almost empty. At the back sat a skinny guy with big headphones and bloodshot eyes.
Arjun noticed Rudra but said nothing.
Rudra sat beside him. "Nice firewalls, but you left one small gap in your encryption."
The hacker froze.
"You saw my code?"
"I broke it in seven minutes," Rudra said, smiling. "Want to know how?"
Arjun's hands trembled slightly. "Who are you?"
"I'm the guy who can make sure you never get arrested again. Or… I can make your face appear on every wanted list in the country."
A long silence.
Then, Arjun spoke, eyes glowing. "Tell me what you want."
Step Two: Devika, The Mind Reader
Devika sat in the campus library. Always alone. Always lost in her world.
Rudra walked up and said, "People think you're weird. But I think you're the only sane one."
She didn't even look up. "Manipulation through flattery won't work on me."
"I'm not here to manipulate. I'm here to offer you a game."
That got her attention.
Rudra sat across from her.
"In this game, you help decide who falls and who rises. You're the judge behind the curtain."
She looked him in the eyes for the first time. "And you?"
"I'm the executioner."
Devika smiled.
"I'm in."
Step Three: Ritesh 'Chotu', The Eyes of the Streets
Ritesh was running through the market, carrying three bags, avoiding the police, and still managing to whistle.
Rudra waited near his regular tea stall.
"You deliver fast," Rudra said as Ritesh skidded to a stop.
"Yeah. Who wants what?"
"I want loyalty."
Ritesh blinked. "That's expensive."
Rudra tossed him a phone.
On the screen: a map of every police patrol in the area.
Ritesh's mouth opened in shock.
"I can make your life easier. No more running. Just power. Respect. Security."
The boy looked at Rudra with big eyes. "You're not police?"
"I'm worse. I'm the system behind the system."
Ritesh grinned. "Cool. I'm in."
Shadow Network: Online
That night, Rudra sat at his desk.
Three screens.
Three names.
One new interface.
[Welcome, Master. Your organization: The Loyal Dogs.][Motto: Serve in Shadows. Bite in Silence.][Members: 3 | Status: Loyal][Upgrade: Next Unlock at 5 Members]
He sent out their first mission.
[Objective: Collect blackmail on Principal Roy. Target runs an illegal admission ring worth 20 Crores a year.]
Next Morning
The group worked like magic.
Ritesh got the guards drunk and copied the entry logs.
Devika talked to a junior staff member and made him confess without knowing it.
Arjun hacked the camera backups and found recordings of cash exchanges.
By evening, Rudra had everything.
He uploaded a short 1-minute clip anonymously to the Education Ministry's tip portal. No name. No trace.
By morning, news broke across channels:
"Top School Principal Arrested in Admission Scam!"
Parents protested. Students cheered.
Rudra's Phone Buzzed
[Mission Complete. +1500 Righteous Sin Points Earned.][Next Feature Unlock: Shadow Upgrade (Requires 5 Members)]
He sat back in his chair.
"Good boys. Now let's clean this rotten system one cockroach at a time."