Tianxu City didn't sleep that night.
Storm clouds hovered just above the skyline, but the rain never fell—only thunder rumbled in the distance, as if waiting for something to break.
In the underworld of finance and power, something already had.
At exactly 7:00 a.m., the Win Family's East Port logistics line was halted.
By 7:15, over 200 shipments were frozen under regulatory seizures. Customs officers, bribed by a hidden hand, demanded documentation the Win Family couldn't produce—not because it was missing, but because it had been replaced.
At 7:40, a press release from Tianxu News broke the story: a massive fraud investigation targeting multiple shell companies tied to Win Family assets.
By 8:00, the stock of Win Allied Holdings plunged by 18%.
And by 8:15, Chen Yu was sipping his coffee with a calm smile.
"Too easy," he murmured.
Across the breakfast table, Meiyun had her tablet open. Her expression was unreadable, but the gleam in her eyes gave away her satisfaction.
"They'll counterattack," she said.
"I'm counting on it."
Ruxue walked in wearing a white cardigan over a light blue dress, tying her hair lazily as she sat down beside Chen.
"You look like you're in a good mood," she teased.
"I just ruined someone's day," Chen replied without looking up.
Ruxue chuckled. "That always makes you smile."
Meiyun glanced at both of them and raised an eyebrow.
There was something different about Chen this morning—lighter, sharper. Like a sword just drawn from its scabbard.
"What's next?" Meiyun asked.
Chen tapped his fingers on the table. "I've laid the bait. Now I wait for the snake to strike."
WIN FAMILY ESTATE – UNDERGROUND BUNKER
The air was heavy. Dozens of digital screens flickered in an underground war room. On them, Chen Yu's face appeared again and again—live feeds, interviews, asset trails.
A tall man in a silver-gray suit stood at the center. His name was Win Tianlei, current head of the Win Family's Tianxu operations.
His knuckles were white against the table.
"Who the hell is this Chen Yu?" he growled.
An aide stepped forward. "We're still investigating. He rose too fast—his background before this year is practically invisible."
"Then dig deeper!" Tianlei barked. "Find his weaknesses. His people. I want leverage."
"There's more," another aide said nervously. "He's rumored to have the support of someone from the Qin Family's main branch."
The room went silent.
Win Tianlei's eyes narrowed. "The Qins?"
"Yes, sir. We're confirming if it's Qin Xuelin himself."
Tianlei slammed his fist on the table.
"If the Qins are involved, this isn't just business. It's war."
He paced for a moment, then turned toward a shadowed alcove.
"Summon the Black Envoy."
The air seemed to chill.
A moment later, a tall man dressed in full black armor stepped forward from the darkness, face hidden behind a half-mask.
"You called, Master Win?"
Tianlei's eyes gleamed.
"Find Chen Yu. Shake his cage. I want to see what kind of animal he really is."
TIANXU UNIVERSITY – LIBRARY ROOFTOP, NOON
The sun had finally broken through the clouds, casting golden light across the rooftop garden of Tianxu University. Students passed by below, unaware of the war unfolding above their heads.
Chen Yu leaned against the railing, waiting.
He wasn't alone for long.
A figure appeared—Zhao Lingyun.
She wore a soft beige coat and carried two cups of coffee.
"You said you wanted to meet somewhere quiet," she said.
"I didn't want cameras or microphones," Chen replied.
She handed him one of the cups.
"You're getting too famous to meet in public now."
Chen offered a rare smile. "Just cautious."
Zhao Lingyun sat beside him, watching the skyline.
"You've changed a lot since the first time I saw you here," she murmured.
Chen didn't answer.
"You used to feel… distant. Cold. Like a fortress." She looked at him now. "But lately, I don't know. You feel more alive."
Still, no response.
Zhao took a sip of her coffee. "If you're going to war, don't forget what peace felt like."
Chen turned to her, surprised by the sudden weight of her words.
"I won't."
They sat in silence for a moment.
Then Chen's phone buzzed.
[Meiyun → Chen Yu]: Emergency. You're being tracked. Unknown operative spotted near the university. Extraction team moving.
Chen stood up instantly, his eyes scanning the surroundings.
Lingyun rose too, confused. "What's wrong?"
"Go back inside," Chen said, his tone sharper now.
"But—"
"Now, Lingyun."
She hesitated, then nodded and walked away. Chen waited until she disappeared behind the door.
Then his expression changed entirely.
He turned toward the stairwell.
"I know you're there," he called out.
Footsteps echoed from the metal stairs. A man in black armor appeared, calm and confident.
"Chen Yu," the masked figure said, "you've made too much noise."
"I'm just getting started," Chen replied.
The Black Envoy didn't smile. He moved swiftly—no wasted motion.
Chen blocked the first blow, spun, and drove a knee into the man's side. But the Envoy caught it with one hand and shoved him back with brutal strength.
This wasn't just a warning.
It was an execution order.
The fight escalated fast—two shadows clashing under the soft light of noon, invisible to the world below.
But Chen Yu wasn't backing down.
His will was steel. His instincts, razor-sharp.
A final strike sent the Black Envoy stumbling back—but before Chen could move in, a smoke pellet exploded at their feet.
When the air cleared, the Envoy was gone.
Chen Yu exhaled slowly.
A warning. A test.
He wasn't just on the Win Family's radar anymore.
They were coming.
SOMEWHERE IN THE MOUNTAINS – A HIDDEN HALL
Once again, the elder sat in shadow.
An attendant bowed before him.
"Sir. The Chen Family's boy… he's begun moving in Tianxu City."
The old man stroked his beard.
"They say the Chen Family has given birth to a dragon after a hundred years," the attendant added.
For a moment, the elder said nothing.
Then he laughed.
"Hahaha… so what?"
"They are still a small family," he continued. "Just a ripple in the ocean of China."
He waved his hand.
"Leave him. If he dares to fly higher… the real sky will greet him."
The candles flickered in the silence that followed.
The storm wasn't coming.
It had already begun.