Chapter 6 – Speedrun to Bankruptcy
Two days after the funeral-burger miracle, Li Ming sat in his office, glaring at the System's glowing interface.
[Daily Report: Net worth ↑ 12%]
[Congratulations, host. You are on track to become a local business legend.]
Legend? He wanted "cautionary tale," not "business inspiration."
Clearly, buying one disaster property wasn't enough. He needed more. Many more.
The Tour of Doom
Li Ming called up the real estate agent again.
"I want twenty commercial properties," he said.
"Prime locations?"
"The opposite. Give me the places even cockroaches can't survive."
By sunset, he had a list:
A shop under a railway bridge that rattled every 15 minutes.
A building next to a live poultry market with a constant smell of wet feathers.
A corner unit opposite a loud mahjong club that operated 24/7.
A spot in a district with only stray dogs as foot traffic.
…and so on.
Every single property was bought in cash. No inspections. No negotiations. The agent was so happy she nearly sent him flowers.
The "Brilliant" Business Plan
Each property would house a branch of his burger chain. He spared no expense: imported espresso machines no one asked for, sound systems for restaurants with three tables, and velvet curtains that absorbed every whiff of poultry market aroma.
The math was clear in his head:
Too many stores + terrible locations = bleeding money.
The Twist of Fate
Reality, of course, had other ideas.
The railway bridge store became popular with students who loved "train selfie moments" for their new pagers and disposable cameras.
The poultry market branch attracted farmers who discovered they could sell their goods and get lunch without leaving the street.
The mahjong-club burger joint? A hit with gamblers looking for midnight snacks.
Within three months, all twenty stores were turning profits.
And thanks to rumors that "Li Ming only buys locations destined to rise in value," local property speculators started snapping up land around his shops — driving his property values through the roof.
The System's voice dripped with smugness:
[Congratulations, host. Asset portfolio up 27%. Would you like to expand further?]
Li Ming banged his head on the desk.
He had just discovered the one thing more profitable than running a successful restaurant chain…
Owning the land under it.