The boardroom was wrapped in mahogany, glass, and false smiles.
Crystal chandeliers cast cold light on the long table where ten figures sat—billionaires, venture titans, and political ghosts in business suits. And now, at the far end of the table, sat Lin Chen.
The youngest among them.
The quietest.
But not the weakest.
[System Notification: You have entered a high-stakes investment scenario.]Main Task: Survive the Capital Maze.Subtask: Identify Hidden Traps.]New Skill Activated: Risk Assessment (Passive)]Success Rate for Current Engagement: 46%Recommended Action: Analyze all participant motives before making any investment decision.
Lin sat still, a light smile on his lips.
But inside, the gears were already spinning.
The Invitation That Smelled Like Blood
Three days earlier, Lin had received a private message on the secure system terminal—an untraceable digital envelope bearing only three words:
"You're invited. Avalon."
He'd heard whispers about Avalon.
An exclusive investment guild, invitation-only, composed of old money elites and government-favored venture circles. It wasn't listed anywhere, but rumors said Avalon projects never failed—and never forgave failure.
To be invited in your twenties meant one of two things: you were either already too valuable to ignore…
Or someone had already decided you were worth the sacrifice.
Inside the Trap
The project on the table was seductive: a green energy venture in Southeast Asia, backed by international government subsidies, media hype, and already signed letters of intent from Fortune 500 companies.
A no-brainer. Too good to fail.
That was the problem.
[System Scan: Anomaly Detected in Core Documents]Cross-referencing market data… 12 inconsistencies found in asset valuation statements.Projected Burn Rate = 3x Declared Operating CostHidden Risk Probability: 72%Flag: Possible Front for Political Money Laundering]
Lin's eyes narrowed. He looked up at the man currently speaking—Mr. Zhou, an older tycoon with three offshore banks under his name and rumored ties to the Central Bureau's "gray funds."
Zhou smiled warmly. "Mr. Lin, your reputation precedes you. This project could be your golden goose."
Golden goose, huh?
Lin let the words hang for a second, then offered a polite nod.
"I'm honored. But I don't chase birds. I build nests."
The room chuckled. Zhou laughed too.
But behind the mirth, Lin saw the microexpression—a flicker of irritation.
Got you.
[Risk Assessment: Zhou Qiming – Trust Level: 21% | Intent: Predatory]
A Message from Li Chu
Just as the first round of discussions ended and participants were escorted to private lounges, Lin's phone buzzed.
Encrypted message. From Li Chu.
"That project isn't what it looks like. Don't bite too fast. -L"
Lin stared at the message, then at the hallway he'd just walked through.
So she was watching.
Protecting him?
Or keeping tabs?
Still, the message aligned with what the system was already warning him about.
[Updated Risk Assessment – Situation Likelihood: Orchestrated Financial Kill Box]Predicted Outcome if Accepted Blindly: Total Capital Loss + Identity Exposure = 89%Potential for Retaliation: High (Legal + Extra-legal)]
It wasn't just a bad investment.
It was a trap.
The Reverse Trap: Baiting the Snake
Lin returned to the lounge with a new plan.
If they wanted a fish to fry, he'd serve them poison sushi instead.
He activated the Risk Simulation overlay and began subtly steering the discussion—volunteering a proposal to lead the funding round, but only under two conditions:
He would request independent forensic auditing before the funds were deployed.
His firm would have liquidation rights over all soft assets in the event of project failure.
The room froze.
Some frowned. Others exchanged glances.
Mr. Zhou laughed lightly again. "Ah, young people these days. Always so… careful."
Lin smiled. "It's not youth, Mr. Zhou. It's survival instinct."
[System Insight: Zhou's reaction—micro delay in breath, altered pulse rate.]Interpretation: He didn't expect resistance. Slight panic.Update: You have shifted from 'target' to 'threat'. Prepare for countermeasures.]
The game was on.
Aftermath: A New Target Is Marked
After the meeting, Lin exited the building alone, the chill wind of late evening brushing against his collar. His driver was waiting, but before he stepped into the car, another system message pinged.
[New Mission Unlocked: Survival of the Fittest]You have been marked by one or more Avalon members as a threat.Risk Level: Red]Next Steps: Prepare defense or go on the offensive.]
Behind him, he could feel it—that invisible gaze.
Someone was watching.
Not Erebus.
Not yet.
But someone with power, wealth, and zero moral restraint.
He pulled out his phone and opened a direct line to his proxy firm in the Caymans.
"Activate firewall accounts. And send the QH-BlackNet Report to my desk by morning. If I'm going to be hunted, I need to know what they're afraid I'll find."
Flashback: A Shadow in Avalon
Meanwhile, back in the Avalon boardroom, Mr. Zhou poured himself a drink in solitude.
"You were right," he said to someone hidden in the shadows of the room. "The kid's not a pawn. He's something else."
A figure stepped forward, face obscured by a hat and the dim light.
"Let him play a little longer," the man said. "He's waking up faster than expected. But it's still not time."
Zhou frowned. "But if he—"
The man raised a hand.
"No. Lin Chen still doesn't know what he is."
Back at Home: The System Evolves Again
Hours later, Lin sat in his dark office, the city skyline a sheet of glittering glass behind him. The room was quiet—except for the interface humming quietly in his mind.
Then:
[System Update: Financial Predator Mode – Passive Skill "Trap Sense" Acquired.]You can now detect emotional bias, structural anomalies, and manipulation vectors in real-time during capital transactions.You have unlocked one new System Thread: "Heir of the Unknown Protocol."]
He leaned back in his chair, eyebrows furrowed.
Heir?
Protocol?
This system—this thing inside him—it wasn't just an upgrade tool.
It had a lineage. A purpose.
And he was part of something far older, and far more dangerous, than he'd imagined.
He stood and walked to the window again.
The city looked no different than before.
But it smelled like blood.
Final System Prompt Before Cliffhanger
[Next Mission: Survive the Avalon Games – Phase 2 Begins in 48 Hours]Optional Quest: Trace the Origin of "Avalon Protocol" and Its Link to Erebus Experiments.Warning: Emotional entanglement with Subject X (Li Chu) may compromise mission clarity.]
Lin clenched his fists.
If they thought he'd go quietly, they hadn't done their homework.
He wasn't a piece on the board anymore.
He was the player.
And soon?
He'd flip the entire table.