The Ultimate Tycoon's System Audit

Chapter 3: Walking into the Lion's Den

Grand Hyatt Hotel was blindingly bright. Huge crystal chandeliers hung from the ceiling, casting a warm, golden glow over the polished marble floors. Men in custom-tailored tuxedos and women in glittering designer dresses chatted in small groups, holding expensive glasses of champagne.

At the center of it all was a massive banner that read: "Celebrating Cheonji Logistics: The Road to IPO & The Engagement of Director Kang and Min-ah."

Suddenly, the heavy glass entrance doors slid open, and a cold gust of rainy wind swept into the lobby.

Guests stopped talking. One by one, they turned their heads toward the door.

Jin walked in.

He looked like a ghost. His cheap, thirty-dollar suit was soaked, clinging to his thin frame and dripping dirty water onto the pristine marble floor. A dark purple bruise swollen under his left eye stood out sharply against his pale skin, and a thin line of dried blood marked his split lip.

Whispers immediately erupted across the room.

"Who is that beggar?"

"Is that... Jin? The low-level clerk from the logistics department?"

"What is he doing here looking like a drowned rat? Did he get into a fight?"

Jin ignored the pointing fingers and the disgusted looks. He kept his head high, walking slowly toward the entrance of the grand ballroom. His eyes were calm—almost unnaturally so.

"What is this trash doing here?!" a loud, screeching voice pierced through the whispers.

Min-ah’s mother, dressed in an overly flashy, expensive velvet dress, marched over. She looked at Jin like he was a pile of garbage. For five long years, Jin had cooked her meals, scrubbed her toilets, and paid off her credit card debts, but she had never once spoken to him with respect.

"Jin, you useless, freeloading dog!" she yelled, pointing her diamond-ringed finger at his face. "You got fired for stealing Director Kang's luxury watch, and now you show up here to embarrass us? Security! Throw this beggar out! He doesn't belong in the same room as my beautiful, wealthy daughter!"

Before Jin could answer, a soft gasp came from behind her.

Crowd parted, and Min-ah walked out. She looked breathtakingly beautiful. She wore a stunning, off-the-shoulder white silk dress that probably cost more than Jin’s entire annual salary. On her neck was a diamond necklace that sparkled under the lights.

But when her eyes landed on Jin, her beautiful face immediately twisted into pure disgust.

"Jin? You... you're still..." Min-ah stammered, her eyes widening in momentary shock. She clearly didn't expect him to be alive, let alone standing here. But she quickly recovered, her expression turning icy cold. "What are you doing here? How dare you show your face at my engagement party after what you did?"

At that moment, the System chimed softly inside Jin’s mind.

Ding!

A semi-transparent, glowing red window hovered right above Min-ah’s head. No one else could see it.

[ TARGET DETECTED: MIN-AH ]

[ MORAL DEBT: 5 years of stolen labor, emotional manipulation, and attempted murder. ]

[ FINANCIAL DEBT: 150,000,000 Won (Spent on luxury bags and her family's debts, fully funded by the host). ]

[ HIDDEN TRUTH UNLOCKED: Target worked as an elite hostess at 'Club Sirens' for three years to fund her luxury lifestyle before meeting Director Kang. Currently plotting to steal Director Kang's assets once married. ]

Jin looked at the red text, a cold, silent satisfaction filling his chest. He didn't say a word. He just stared at her.

"Are you deaf?" Min-ah’s mother hissed, stepping in front of her daughter. "My daughter asked you a question! I told you we are over with you! You are a penniless, useless loser who will never amount to anything. And now, you’re a thief too! You stole Director Kang's luxury gold watch!"

"That's right," Min-jae, a senior clerk who loved sucking up to Director Kang, chimed in loudly. "I heard security is looking for him! He stole a priceless watch from the director's office because he was jealous and broke!"

Guests gasped, looking at Jin with absolute loathing.

"How pathetic."

"To think they let that trash live in their house."

"He should be in jail!"

Just then, heavy, rhythmic footsteps echoed from the ballroom. Director Kang walked out, surrounded by three burly security guards. He looked incredibly imposing in his expensive black tuxedo, a smug, dominant smile on his face.

But when he saw Jin standing there, unharmed and looking straight at him, the smile on Kang's face stiffened for a fraction of a second.

How is this trash still alive? Kang thought, his eyes narrowing. My men were supposed to throw him into the river.

"Ah, Jin," Director Kang said smoothly, his voice filled with fake pity as he stepped forward. "I didn't expect you to show up here. If you came to return my stolen watch and beg for mercy, I might consider not calling the police. But look at you... you really are a pathetic sight."

The crowd laughed, mocking Jin's miserable appearance. Min-ah and her mother stood close to Kang, smiling triumphantly, looking down at Jin like he was a piece of gum stuck to her shoe.

Jin stood perfectly still in the center of the room, letting their laughter and insults reach a peak.

In the corner of his vision, the System timer ticked down. He had plenty of time left.

Slowly, Jin reached into his wet pocket. He didn't pull out a weapon. He didn't shout. He simply pulled out his cracked, flickering smartphone and looked up at the massive projector screen behind Director Kang.

"I didn't come to beg, Director Kang," Jin said, his voice incredibly calm and clear, cutting through the laughter in the room. "I came to deliver a gift for your engagement."