The marble lobby of Jade Health Pharmaceutical gleamed like a polished stage designed for humiliation. Investors were scattered across its polished granite floor, speaking in low, confident tones, walking with the kind of careless ownership that only came from obscene wealth. The mirrored steel walls reflected every movement, and every time I caught my own reflection in them, I felt an uncomfortable tightness in my stomach. I stood near the massive glass window, arms stiff at my sides, the knot in my stomach growing tighter by the second. I had been told Lin Yue wanted to see me. I wasn’t prepared for anything else.Then I saw him.Zheng Fei walked in like he owned the air itself, flanked by two massive security men who looked like they were here to escort a criminal, not greet a guest. Beside him was a woman in a black suit holding a folder, her expression cold and detached. Zheng Fei’s grin was smug and polished, the kind of smile that felt like a hand wrapped around the back of my

The hospital ID badge from the thug, Li Wei, was still sticky with my blood, but its purpose was instantly clear: the City Central Hospital was my destination. The System’s internal holographic map, now overlaying my vision like a high-tech filter, glowed blue over the hospital complex. It indicated the location of the mandatory first mission: Elder Qin (VIP Unit, 12th Floor). I didn’t hesitate. The System didn’t ask for my consent; it commanded compliance. And since my body felt perfectly calibrated and my mind sharper than any surgical scalpel, I followed its instructions without question.I arrived at City Central in my bloodied clothes, the fabric heavy with past violence, my senses hyper-alert to every shadow, every movement. The 12th floor was a picture of hushed panic, the kind that only money and desperation could produce. Security detail was layered three deep, each officer radiating tension, every muscle taut and ready. At the end of the hallway, the VIP door loomed like a f

“I accept the challenge,” I stated, my voice cutting cleanly through the chaotic noise of the blaring alarm and the sputtering of Dr. Ma, who looked ready to explode from panic and fury combined. The metallic scent of the chemical cloud still lingered in the air, stinging my nostrils, but I blocked it out entirely, focusing solely on the task at hand.Luo Bing’s gaze was intense, piercing, and unyielding. He did not blink. His eyes locked on mine with an intensity that could have stripped away anyone else’s resolve. “Challenge accepted,” he said quietly but with the force of command behind every syllable. “You have exactly five minutes. One misstep, one act that accelerates his decline, and you will not leave this room alive. Do you understand the terms I am giving you?”“I understand, Mr. Luo,” I replied without hesitation, my voice steady, calm, and confident. The alarm’s blare, the chemical fumes, the chaos of the room—all of it seemed irrelevant to me at that moment. Everything ha

The news report, asking about the "janitor who just destroyed your entire company," was the final chord of the symphony of destruction. I leaned back in the comfortable leather chair in the Qin family’s temporary headquarters, watching the live feed shift from the chaos of the financial tower to the sterile quiet of the newsroom. Luo Bing, still monitoring the crash data, looked at me with a reverence that bordered on fear.“Mr. Jiang,” Luo Bing reported, his voice vibrating with disbelief. “Ascendant Capital has been decimated. The short-sell, coupled with the SEC halt, wiped out 80% of their market capitalization in under ninety seconds. The East River merger is not just void; Zheng Fei is now facing an immediate insolvency claim and multiple federal charges. That was… surgically precise.”I nodded, the triumph cold and brief. It was merely the first strike. The real conflict was just beginning.“The viper is struck, Luo Bing, but not killed. How is Lin Yue reacting?” I asked, my fo

I had just initiated the destruction of Zheng Fei’s empire when the System’s red alert screamed in my head—Primary Vendor Identified: Zhou Family. Satisfaction left me immediately. The Zhou Family wasn’t some shallow corporate entity; they were Tier 1 power in A-City, rooted in politics, covert martial arts, influence that stretched across the underground and legitimate channels alike. Zheng Fei was nothing but a pawn, a disposable asset who just burned out.I ignored the Initiate Blood Vendetta Protocol? prompt. Not yet. I needed intelligence first. I wasn’t suicidal. Not now.The adjacent room held Elder Qin, recovering slowly but steadily. He had just received the briefing—the Viper, the conspiracy, Zheng Fei’s arrest. He summoned me instantly.I entered to find him propped in bed, monitors painting a picture of perfect vitals. Luo Bing stood by, rigid, sharp, having overseen Ascendant Capital’s asset freezing.“Jiang Hao,” Elder Qin started, voice firm, sharper than I expected. “Y