System: "Congratulations, Host, on successfully recruiting Copper King. Please choose your desired reward."
Lu Chengwen sat on the rest sofa in his luxurious bathroom, holding a glass of wine, brimming with satisfaction.
"Let's hear it."
"Oh! The Host seems to be in great spirits lately—no more complaints!"
Lu Chengwen smirked. "I have to admit, I'm feeling pretty proud of myself. Long Aotian? What kind of trash protagonist is he? He keeps losing to me. I've figured it out—the author's brain is simple, and the characters he creates are even dumber."
"In the author's writing, he relies on an omniscient 'God' controlling the plot to help him dominate effortlessly."
"But in a real, rule-free, freely developing world, a guy like him would die a hundred times over. If it weren't me, someone else would finish him off."
System: "Host, don't underestimate your enemy! He's the Child of Destiny!"
"Cut the crap. Where's my reward?"
"Reward Option One: Upgrade the Great Sage Subdues Tiger Fist by one level."
"Reward Option Two: Upgrade the Host's combat tier by one level."
"Reward Option Three: One-time use of the Great Sun Tathagata Divine Palm."
"Reward Option Four: One-time use of the Acala Vajra Invincible Technique."
"Additionally, since the Host has successfully conquered the female lead Jiang Shihan, you'll receive a physical enhancement opportunity and an entry-level ancient martial arts invitation!"
Lu Chengwen was surprised. "Conquering a female lead gives rewards too?"
System: "Of course! We don't let our Host work for nothing! If you conquer the main female lead, the rewards will be even richer! Hehe, want to give it a try? I think Leng Qingqiu is ripe for the picking—if the Host wants her, it should be doable!"
Lu Chengwen narrowed his eyes. "There's no trap here, is there?"
System: "Rest assured, Host. This system has been running successfully for a month. We adhere to the principles of high quality, fair pricing, honesty, and trustworthiness in our operations. We follow through on after-sales service with a customer-first, responsibility-driven spirit. So far, we've received zero complaints or refund requests."
Lu Chengwen was dumbfounded. "What's there to brag about after just one month? And how many customers do you even have?"
"Well, just you."
Lu Chengwen's eyes widened. "Just me? Then of course there are no complaints—what's there to boast about? And if I did complain, would you even handle it?"
"Of course."
"Great, I'm complaining. You've been messing with me—I've been killed off several times for no reason. What do you have to say about that?"
"Noted. Based on your complaint, we will reduce actual support for you and discontinue future…"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Lu Chengwen quickly laughed it off. "Just kidding! You're so kind, never put on airs, and always look out for me—why would I complain? Let's move on, haha."
*In his mind: Damn it, no wonder no one complains! I'm the only customer, and if I complain, you'll kill me! No wonder there's no commercial disputes!*
System: "Please select your rewards, Host."
Lu Chengwen hesitated.
First, he chose the tier upgrade.
This was a no-brainer. No matter what, improving his own strength was an unavoidable necessity.
To survive in this world to the end, he'd have to keep facing off against the protagonist, Long Aotian.
Long Aotian could respawn, revive, and re-equip indefinitely…
But Lu Chengwen would be game over after one death!
So, continuously improving his strength was a must—a long-term commitment he had to take seriously.
For the second reward, he needed a life-saving skill.
Lu Chengwen chose the one-time use of the Acala Vajra Invincible Technique again.
Upgrading himself was important, but surviving the current stage was even more critical—the top priority.
If he died, all his gear and experience would reset to zero, rendering everything meaningless.
So, life-saving skills were invaluable. The more he could stockpile through strategy, the better.
But it was agonizing!
The rewards were fantastic, but they were one-time use only—gone after one shot.
Upgrading his tier felt almost useless. Whether he was at the Body Refinement or Soul Forging stage made little difference to mid-tier experts.
It was like an adult fighting a child—whether the kid was in third or fourth grade didn't matter.
You were still just a kid.
But this was an investment for the long term. If he kept at it, one day he'd become as strong as them—maybe even stronger.
And now, with Silver King about to appear, who knew what kind of powerhouse he'd have to face next?
After making his choices, Lu Chengwen was satisfied.
He felt his selections were reasonable and well-considered.
"What does 'physical enhancement' mean?"
"Oh, that's random."
"Random?"
Lu Chengwen grew wary. "Random… how?"
"Uh… just random."
"Is there a trap?"
"Well… no."
"Really?"
The system chuckled. "Even if there were, what could you do about it?"
Lu Chengwen forced a smile. "Fair point. Then what's the 'entry-level ancient martial arts invitation' for?"
"Oh, you can gift it to a subordinate or combat pet you want to train up, boosting their strength. This adds a portable combat unit that can fight alongside you. Think of it like a summoned pet in an online game that provides combat support, supplies, or auras."
"I get it!" Lu Chengwen said. "Like in *Diablo*, where you can hire a mercenary at a certain level, equip them, and have them fight with you."
"Roughly, yes. But the Host must choose who to give it to. Whether they betray you later or whether this card pays off is entirely your risk to bear."
Lu Chengwen understood.
It was a good item, but not without risks.
The person he chose had to be utterly loyal, never betraying him.
"Got it."
…
*Ding!*
Lu Chengwen's body underwent an upgrade.
He could clearly feel his breathing becoming deeper and more powerful; his limbs felt lighter, and his mind sharper.
It was an incredibly comfortable sensation.
Lu Chengwen soaked in the bathtub, thoroughly pleased.
The lower four tiers were divided into: Body Refinement, Soul Forging, Asura, and Battle Soul.
Most ordinary people, even after a lifetime of training, would never reach Body Refinement without talent, proper guidance, or extraordinary luck.
But now, he was already at Soul Forging.
Progressing in ancient martial arts required immense effort and hardship at every stage, often demanding rare opportunities or sheer luck.
Each tier could be the limit and end point for a martial artist's lifetime.
The difficulty of advancing to the next tier doubled each time.
Quantifying it: if an ordinary person reaching Body Refinement required effort worth 10, then advancing to Soul Forging needed at least 20, and from Soul Forging to Asura, at least 40… and so on.
Crossing into a new rank was even harder, often fraught with danger.
Many who tried to advance from the lower four tiers to the middle four ended up crippled, paralyzed, or dead.
But these challenges and risks meant nothing to Lu Chengwen.
His advantage was operating outside this system—he could "cheat" his way to massive power upgrades.
Right now, Soul Forging might not mean much to true experts, but among ordinary people, he was already head and shoulders above the rest.
His body had strengthened, his tier had risen, and he'd gained another one-time use of the Acala Vajra Invincible Technique.
The only question was the entry-level ancient martial arts invitation… who should he give it to?
Forget it—he'd think about it later.
Lu Chengwen leaned back in the bathtub, smugly sipping his wine. "Heavenly!"
Just then, the bathroom door opened, and Jiang Shihan walked in.
Lu Chengwen turned his head. "Shihan? What are you doing here? I'm bathing!"
Jiang Shihan's cheeks were slightly red. "I came to see if there's anything you need."
Lu Chengwen stared at her. "I'm taking a bath! What could I possibly need you for?"
"Well… maybe a back scrub or something… I could…"
Lu Chengwen said, "This bathtub cost over four million—it has massage and scrub functions. I don't need your help. Get out—this is awkward."
"Oh."
Jiang Shihan left, disappointed.
Lu Chengwen exhaled, rubbing his arms. "Ridiculous! She just waltzes in while I'm bathing, asking what I need. What could I possibly need? I'm naked in a bathtub, and she's a woman—what could I need her for?"
As he spoke, his movements suddenly froze.
"Damn it! Am I an idiot? Did I just miss out on a fortune?"
…
The car pulled up smoothly at the Grand Continental Hotel entrance.
Silver King's assistant, Yuan Fang, stepped out and casually tossed the keys to the valet.
A waiter hurriedly opened the car door. Silver King, dressed in a pinstriped suit and gold-rimmed glasses, emerged with a smile.
It had to be said—Silver King was in a league of his own.
His income was high, and his freedom was unparalleled.
He was on a completely different level from Iron King and Copper King.
With an annual salary in the millions, a watch worth tens of thousands, a suit worth thousands, and a car provided by the branch, he stayed only in luxury hotels when traveling.
A seven-figure salary, plus bonuses, made him a bona fide elite.
Every time he set foot in a metropolis, he felt an unparalleled sense of fulfillment and excitement.
Compared to the bleak, hopeless lives of his fellow branch members, with their dim prospects for advancement…
He was practically their god!
Suits, ties, luxury cars, five-star hotels…
To outsiders, he looked like a top executive at a major corporation—young, accomplished, and charismatic.
A porter carried his luggage while Yuan Fang followed closely behind.
Silver King strode confidently into the hotel.
Inside the elevator, Yuan Fang was still puzzled. "Bro, did Copper King really rebel?"
Silver King smirked. "Yeah. That idiot actually had a shot at promotion, but now he's rebelling? Dumber than a pig."
Yuan Fang frowned. "He's always been loyal. How could he turn traitor after just a few days here?"
Silver King turned gracefully, eyeing his confused subordinate. "He had no choice."
"No choice?"
"Mm." Silver King faced the elevator doors again. "He recognized the wrong master and lost five billion. You think he had any other path besides rebellion?"
Yuan Fang nodded. "But for both Copper King and Iron King to make the same mistake is just too suspicious."
"True." Silver King sighed. "This mission isn't hard, but there's something eerie about it."
"Bro, I heard the five billion was earned by our branch leader selling his ass. Our branch is broke now."
"Nonsense!" Silver King corrected immediately. "What ass is worth five billion? Only part of it came from that. Our leader is far-sighted and strategic. If it weren't for those two idiots messing things up, he wouldn't have had to sell his ass to raise funds."
"Poor leader. He must be having a rough time lately."
"Which is why we need to wrap this up fast. Deliver the money to the Young Master, eliminate those two traitors, and let our leader's ass rest."
Yuan Fang nodded. "Bro, after we return to the branch, do you think the leader will reward us?"
Silver King chuckled. "Silly boy."
"Huh?"
Silver King turned to him. "Let me put it this way: the branch leader is capable, but he's like a county magistrate. The Young Master is like the vice president's son. Tell me—who has a brighter future following a county magistrate or the vice president's son?"
Yuan Fang's eyes lit up. "Obviously the vice president's son! Following the magistrate, if he runs out of money, he might force us to sell our asses too."
"Stop with the ass-selling already!" Silver King snapped impatiently. "The point is, if we do this well, we can stay by the Young Master's side."
"We'd be leaving the branch?"
Silver King smiled. "Not leaving—promotion. A huge, once-in-a-lifetime promotion."
"Bro, I get it now!" Yuan Fang's eyes sparkled like stars.
…
Lu Chengwen lounged in the bathtub, holding the beauty in his arms. Both were submerged in water, the surface covered in bubbles.
Jiang Shihan's supple breasts half-emerged from the water, her face flushed with shyness.
Lu Chengwen held a wine glass to her lips. "My beloved concubine, drink with your emperor."
Jiang Shihan was too embarrassed. "Your Majesty, this concubine doesn't drink."
"Hmm? You dare disobey me?" Lu Chengwen pretended to be furious. "No drink? Then a spanking!"
Jiang Shihan looked at him timidly. "If I drink… can I still get a spanking?"
"Oh? My concubine enjoys that, huh? Hahaha!"
Just then, Leng Qingqiu's voice came from outside. "Chengwen! Chengwen, where are you?"
Lu Chengwen's face paled. "Oh no, the troublemaker's here!"
Jiang Shihan panicked. "Your Majesty, what do we do?"
"Help your emperor get dressed!"