Investment System: Rise to the Top

CHAPTER 002

Noah looked at them one by one. Familiar faces.

They were the same people who used to smile at him, calling him “Young Master,” competing to get close and curry favor. Now, those very same people stood before him, laughing mockingly as if they had never been those people in the past.

“Get out of my way,” Noah said flatly. There was no arrogance or pride in his tone, yet somehow it still irritated them.

“Hah?” one of them sneered. “You still dare to act tough?”

“Did you hear that? He’s telling us to move,” another chimed in mockingly.

“Who do you think you are now? Don’t be so annoying,” another added as he stepped closer. “Or did you forget your position?”

Noah did not respond. He stepped forward, intending to pass them. But their bodies shifted, blocking his path and preventing him from moving forward.

“Hey, where are you going? We’re not done yet,” one of them, Todd, said while signaling to the others.

Two people suddenly stepped forward and grabbed Noah’s arms from the right and left, gripping him tightly.

“Let go!” Noah struggled, trying to free himself. He knew something bad would happen if he didn’t escape now.

Instead of releasing him, they dragged him away.

“Just take him to the back. It’s still too crowded here.”

Noah was pushed and pulled past the library building, toward a quieter area. The trees grew denser, and the campus lights could no longer fully reach the place.

A small forest behind the building.

“What are you doing? Let me go!” Noah’s voice rose, but no one cared. He was shoved forward, almost crashing into a large tree.

Before he could steady himself, someone suddenly pulled his backpack.

“Hey, look at this,” he said while holding the bag up high.

“That’s mine!” Noah snapped, trying to grab it.

“Here, here, take it if you can.”

The bag was thrown to someone else. Noah tried to take it, but they toyed with him. Laughter erupted in the quiet forest.

“Give it back!” Noah stepped forward again, but his body was immediately restrained.

The bag passed around like a game.

“Careful. What if he steals again, huh? Just like when he stole from the Bennett family.”

“Enough, just check what’s inside.”

The zipper was forcibly opened until it broke, and the contents were dumped onto the ground. A few wrinkled clothes, cheap items, nothing of value scattered out.

“Seriously? This is all inside the Young Master’s bag? So cheap!”

“Oops, he’s not a Young Master anymore, okay? Don’t forget that.”

Their laughter echoed among the trees.

Noah stared at his scattered belongings. His hands trembled, not from fear, but from anger. He lunged forward and threw a punch at one of them.

The punch landed on Todd’s face, making him step back. He glared at Noah with sharp hatred, wiping the blood from the corner of his lips.

“You’ve got some guts!” Todd swung his hand, signaling the others.

In an instant, they retaliated, and punches came from all directions.

Noah felt his stomach being hit, his shoulders pulled, and his face struck again. He tried to fight back, but there were too many of them. Besides, he was exhausted after walking so far and hadn’t eaten since morning.

His body staggered backward and fell to the ground.

“Don’t know your place! Still trying to act like a Young Master, huh?”

“You’re just a lucky orphan!”

“Thief! Not only did you steal someone else’s life and status, you even stole from the family that fed you. Trash!”

Every word was like a knife. Every punch made his vision blur further.

Noah fell to the ground, but they didn’t stop. Kicks landed on his body. He had stopped resisting long ago and let them treat him like a sack.

“Alright, that’s enough. He’ll die if we keep going. Let’s go, just leave him here.”

Their footsteps moved away one by one, their laughter slowly fading, leaving behind a cold silence.

Noah lay on the ground, breathing heavily, his body numb. His vision began to fade as the sky grew darker.

Coldness slowly crept through his body. He looked at the full moon shining as beautifully as ever, a faint smile forming on his lips, full of self-mockery and pity.

“Is this the end?” he muttered in his heart. “No, I’m not willing. I didn’t do anything wrong… why is this so unfair?”

At this moment, he did not hate anyone, nor did he feel disappointment or anger. He simply surrendered.

Before his consciousness completely sank, the only thing left in his mind was determination. He had to prove it.

That he was not guilty. That he was not trash like they said. That without the Bennett family, without anyone, Noah would stand on his own and prove that he could still live, better than before.

Unfortunately, it seemed he wouldn’t be able to achieve it.

Noah no longer felt pain. His body seemed to sink into emptiness, slowly dragging him to a point of no return.

Goodbye.

His eyelids felt extremely heavy. There was nothing more he could do. His consciousness began to fade. But then, a strange sound broke the darkness.

Beep… Beep…

Noah frowned.

[Detecting critical condition at the brink of death…]

The voice was flat, cold, and emotionless.

Noah’s eyelids trembled.

[Initializing…]

[Investment System detected…]

“What… is this?” The voice continued, as if it didn’t care whether Noah understood or not.

[Host compatibility: valid]

[Eligibility: fulfilled]

[Does the host accept the Investment System?]

[YES / NO]

There was nothing Noah could see. Nothing he could touch. Yet in the middle of that emptiness, his determination returned.

With the last of his consciousness, Noah whispered in his mind, “Yes.”

As if responding, the voice reacted immediately.

[Choice confirmed]

[Binding system to host…]

[Loading process initiated… 10%… 27%… 53%…]

Something flowed into his body. Warm… yet foreign.

[78%… 100%]

Silence for a moment. Not long after, the voice appeared again, this time clearer and closer.

[Loading complete]

[Welcome to the Investment System, Host Noah.]

Noah’s heart beat stronger as his eyes slowly opened. The dark night sky returned to his vision.

He gasped for breath. He was still alive.

[Host Status: Critical]

[Physical Condition: Severely Damaged]

[Assets: 0]

[Investment Value: 0]

Noah fell silent, trying to understand.

[System activated.]

[Host is required to increase value through investment to survive and grow.]

The voice remained flat, but its words were clear. Noah swallowed. He could still taste blood on his lips.

[Initial Capital Granted: $100.000]

Noah’s pupils shrank.

One thousand dollars was not a large amount for someone raised in a wealthy family, but it was not something to be ignored either.

[Restriction: Funds may only be used for investments and activities that support those investments.]

[Misuse will result in penalties.]

The voice remained emotionless.

[Primary Objective: Increase asset value and develop investment pathways.]

[Repeated failure will result in host elimination.]

Noah’s heart beat faster. This was not a gift. In truth, this was a game of life and death.