The air was still inside Lin Chen's penthouse, disturbed only by the low hum of the purifier. Outside the window, the city gleamed under the velvet night, unaware of the storm brewing within its newest rising star.
Lin Chen sat cross-legged in the middle of his living room, his eyes closed as the familiar chill of the system interface glowed before him in his mind's eye.
[System Alert: New Passive Skill Unlocked]Skill: Emotion Sense v1.0Description: By combining real-time facial microexpression analysis, tone modulation data, and conversation pattern tracking, you may now read the emotional fluctuation index of individuals during interaction.Caution: Prolonged use may cause psychological fatigue.
A subtle pulse echoed in his chest, like a ripple moving through still water. The system had long hinted that with the increasing complexity of his missions and the adversaries he would face, mere logic and data wouldn't be enough. This—this was something different.
He slowly opened his eyes. Everything looked the same, but he knew better. The world had just changed.
Trial by Fire: A Conversation with Motives
Just in time, too.
The next morning, Lin Chen was invited to a breakfast meeting with the director of investment at one of the city's top venture capital firms—Zhang Wei. A man infamous for his sharp tongue, quick mind, and even quicker betrayals.
Dressed in an immaculately tailored gray suit, Lin Chen entered the rooftop café where the meeting was scheduled. Zhang Wei was already seated, sipping black coffee with the serenity of someone who enjoyed toying with others.
"Mr. Lin, welcome," Zhang smiled, though it didn't reach his eyes.
Lin shook his hand and sat down.
[Emotion Scan: Initiating...][Target: Zhang Wei][Primary Emotion: Cautious Curiosity – 46%][Secondary: Concealed Hostility – 31%][Deception Probability: 73%]
Lin Chen nearly grinned. The man was clearly planning something. Perhaps a test, or worse, a setup. But Lin had played enough games to know that sometimes, knowing someone's hand ahead of time was all the advantage he needed.
"I hear you're becoming quite the market whisperer," Zhang began, nonchalantly flipping through a report. "That stock surge last week… genius or coincidence?"
Lin leaned back, calm and collected. "Both. Coincidence favors those prepared for it."
[Emotion Shift Detected: Confidence Dented – 11%]
Zhang chuckled, a little too sharply. "Let's say I have a company struggling in stealth mode. Interested?"
And there it was. The bait.
"I'm always interested in what others aren't," Lin replied. "Sometimes the best value is where no one else is looking."
[Emotion Spike: Approval – 19%][Hostility Drop: -14%]
The game was on.
A Deeper Layer of Strategy
For the next hour, the conversation flowed like a river winding through unseen terrain—full of dips, sudden turns, and undercurrents. Zhang brought up various hypothetical scenarios, layered in implication. But Lin, with his new ability, was always one step ahead.
Every question was not just about what was being asked—but why. And with the Emotion Sense operating subtly in the background, Lin could detect when Zhang's curiosity peaked, when he was disarmed, and when he was quietly testing Lin's ethics or motives.
"What would you do if a partner tried to pull out last minute, jeopardizing a billion-yuan deal?"
Zhang asked this while sipping water, but his gaze was laser sharp.
[Emotion Cue: Concern – 23%][Deception Probability: 61%]
He's not asking for a friend, Lin realized. Someone's pulling out. Maybe even testing how I'd react if he did.
"I'd remind the partner that legacy isn't built on cowardice," Lin replied casually, locking eyes with him. "And that there's always another player at the table ready to prove themselves."
Zhang gave a slow nod, clearly impressed.
[System Update: +10 Favorability with Target]
The Dinner with a Hidden Hook
Later that day, Lin Chen was invited to a "casual dinner" by another major figure—this time from within his own firm, someone he hadn't fully figured out: Zhao Rui, an HR executive rumored to be closely tied to a rival faction within the capital firm.
It seemed everyone was either trying to recruit him, test him, or derail him.
During dinner, Lin kept the Emotion Sense running lowkey. At first, Zhao Rui seemed genuinely friendly.
But then she asked, "Have you ever thought about switching departments?"
[Emotion Spike: Hidden Agenda – 67%][Deception Probability: 82%][Underlying Emotion: Envy – 34%]
So, she was here to pry him away, probably on behalf of someone else.
"I'm focused on impact, not titles," he replied, swirling his wine gently. "Departments are just rooms. I'm here to build the house."
Zhao Rui blinked, then laughed, though there was a tension in her jaw.
[Hostility Rising – 21%]
He knew then: she wasn't just curious—she was threatened. Someone higher up was worried about his meteoric rise.
The System Speaks Again
Back at home, as the city wind whispered outside, Lin Chen collapsed into his chair and activated the full system panel.
[Skill Upgrade Path Available for Emotion Sense]Upgrade to v2.0 – Requires 100,000 Gold + 3 High-Level Encounters LoggedBonus: "Micro-Impulse Read" – Ability to detect lies before they're fully spoken.
He grinned.
Things were about to get interesting.
[New System Note: Emotion Sense is part of the "Cognitive Expansion" tree. This branch may lead to special-level abilities such as Empathic Disruption and Mental Resonance. Recommend: Begin tracking emotional residue markers.]
Lin paused.
Emotional residue markers?
It was no longer just about reading people. Soon, it would be about influencing them. Rewriting how they felt. How they acted.
His fingers hovered above the panel.
"Are you ready for the next stage?" the system prompted.
He pressed [Yes].
The Quiet Before the Storm
The next morning, Lin walked into his office like a man who knew every shadow in the room. He looked at his colleagues—some eyeing him with respect, others with envy—and the new sense he'd developed quietly kicked in.
Every glance. Every smile. Every pause in a sentence. It all spoke to him now.
Fear. Hope. Greed. Awe.
People were no longer mysteries. They were equations. Patterns. And he had the tools to solve them.
But even as he marveled at this newfound power, a warning flickered across his mind:
[System Warning: Enemy Emotional Pattern Detected – Subject: Unknown – Tag: Erebus]Proximity: Increasing. Estimated Contact: Soon.
His heart slowed. Erebus.
That name had only appeared once before, in a red flash during the chaos of Chapter 26.
He looked toward the skyline, at the tower where the mysterious organization's influence supposedly remained dormant.
"Not for long," Lin muttered to himself.