The sterile smell of disinfectant hung heavy in the air, choking the hope out of anyone who lingered too long in the hallway of the ICU."Chase, I’m done repeating myself."Doctor Yan didn't even look up from his clipboard. His pen scratched aggressively against the paper, a sound that felt like it was tearing through Chase Lu’s eardrums."Doctor Yan, please," Chase’s voice was hoarse, cracked from days of dehydration and sleeplessness. He reached out, his fingers hovering over the doctor’s white coat but afraid to touch it. "Just two more days. No, one day. Give me twenty-four hours."Doctor Yan finally stopped writing. He sighed, taking off his glasses and rubbing the bridge of his nose. He looked at the young man standing before him. Chase wore a faded grey T-shirt that had lost its shape years ago, and his sneakers were held together by sheer willpower and a dab of superglue."Chase," Doctor Yan said, his tone dropping to a cold, professional baritone. "Do you know how much your m

The silence that descended upon the banquet hall was absolute. It wasn't the silence of shock anymore; it was the silence of a vacuum, as if all the air had been sucked out of the room.Three hundred million dollars. In one second.The receipt fluttered in Mr. Pang’s trembling hand like a white flag of surrender."Impossible..." Adams whispered, clutching her pearls. Her face was the color of old ash. "That trash... where did he get that money? Did he rob a bank?""A bank doesn't carry that kind of cash, Mom," Bella murmured, her voice barely audible. She stared at her husband's back. The faded grey T-shirt was the same one he wore when he scrubbed the floors, but the man wearing it seemed to have grown ten feet tall.Justin Han staggered forward, his white suit stained purple with wine and red with blood. "Mr. Pang! Check it again! It's a glitch! A system error! That beggar can't even afford a sandwich, let alone a hotel!""Shut up!" Mr. Pang snapped, whipping his head around. His fa

The Song Family Villa sat on the hillside of the North District, a sprawling estate of faux-European architecture that screamed "new money." Iron gates, marble lions, and a driveway long enough to tire a horse.Usually, this place made Chase feel small. For three years, he had only been allowed to enter through the side door, the one reserved for servants and deliveries. He had scrubbed the driveway on his hands and knees. He had trimmed the hedges until his fingers bled.Tonight, the Rolls Royce Phantom glided through the main gates like a phantom shark entering a koi pond."Chase," Bella whispered, her hand gripping the leather armrest until her knuckles turned white. "My right eyelid is twitching. That means disaster. Maybe we should turn back."Chase reached over and covered her hand with his. His palm was warm, calloused, but steady. "Turn back? We haven't even had tea yet.""This isn't tea," Bella said, looking at the brightly lit mansion. Shadows moved behind the curtains. "Loo

The wail of sirens cut through the night, flashing red and blue lights painting the Song Villa’s living room in chaotic bursts."They're here!" Adams shouted, clapping her hands with vindictive glee. "Finally! Officer! In here! The criminal is in here!"Three uniformed officers marched in, led by Chief Yang, a stern man with a thick mustache known for his intolerance of white-collar crime."Who is Chase Lu?" Chief Yang barked, his hand resting on his holster."Him!" President Han pointed a shaking finger at Chase. "That’s the fraudster! He used a cloned card device to steal three hundred million dollars from the banking system! Arrest him immediately!"Chief Yang glared at Chase. "Stand up. Hands behind your back."Chase stood up slowly. He didn't resist. He didn't run. He simply held out his wrists."Chase!" Bella sobbed, burying her face in her hands. She couldn't watch. Her husband, being led away in cuffs. It was the end.Chief Yang pulled out a pair of cold steel handcuffs. Click

The heavy doors of the Song Corporation closed behind Chase.Inside, Bella slumped into a chair, burying her face in her hands. The executives were already celebrating Chase’s impending exile."Finally," Uncle Bob sneered, lighting a cigarette. "Tomorrow, the trash takes itself out. Then we can convince Bella to apologize to Mr. Wang."Outside, the wind was cold. Chase stood on the steps, checking his bank balance on his phone.The "inheritance" lie had served its purpose, but the truth was he still had the Black Card. More importantly, he had the profits from the Golden Phoenix Hotel—liquid cash flowing in every hour. But buying steel wasn't the answer. The Han family would just block the trucks, and Mr. Wang would bribe the drivers.To win a war, you don't buy ammo from the enemy. You make your own.Chase activated the skill he had unlocked back at the hotel.[Skill Activated: Investment Eye (Level 1)][Effect: Allows the Host to see the hidden value and potential of objects, land,