The quiet hum of the air conditioner filled Liang Chen's private study as he leaned back in his chair, eyes scanning the rows of numbers glowing on his laptop screen. His fingers tapped lightly on the mahogany desk as he reviewed his financial portfolio once again.
Liquid Assets: $5,000,000
Stock Investments: $1,500,000
Food Café + Gaming Café Ventures: Valued at $3,000,000, generating $75,000–100,000 monthly revenue
Undeveloped Real Estate: $2,400,000
For an ordinary twenty-year-old, these figures would have been unimaginable. Yet for Liang Chen, it was simply the next checkpoint on his upward climb. The boy who had once lived on instant noodles and scholarship stipends now sat at the helm of millions.
Just as he allowed himself a rare smile of satisfaction, a familiar ding resonated in his mind.
[System Mission: Big Leagues]
Task 1: Transform your food & hospitality venture into a franchise.Reward: Hospitality Management Lv. 3, $10 Million USD
Task 2: Invest and trade in diverse domains.Reward: Investment and Trading Lv. 3, $10 Million USD
Liang Chen's expression sharpened.
"So, it's time," he murmured. "The small leagues are over. Now… I need to stand where the titans gather."
His Food Café and Gaming Café were already successful, but the system demanded more—it demanded transformation. Liang understood instantly: A small cafés are not enough. If I want to step into the Big Leagues, I need to create something that even the wealthy and powerful can't ignore.
He scouted prime land in the city's financial heart. It wasn't just about a café where you eat food anymore. It was about an experience, a brand, a symbol of status.
Thus began the construction of his magnum opus: a five-story masterpiece.
Ground Floor: An open lounge with rich wood interiors, velvet seating, and golden chandeliers. The air carried the aroma of freshly ground beans and French pastries, designed to calm yet impress.
Second & Third Floors: Dozens of private rooms, elegantly soundproofed, equipped with the latest technology for presentations and virtual calls. These became sanctuaries for CEOs, politicians, and magnates to forge contracts in secrecy.
Fourth & Fifth Floors: Grand halls reminiscent of European palaces. Crystal chandeliers cascaded light across marble floors. Here, exclusive galas, fundraisers, and private celebrations were held, turning the venue into the city's most prestigious gathering point.
The project was a colossal success—so much so that one building alone could not meet the demand. Reservation requests poured in, with waiting lists extending months ahead.
Liang made his decision.
He purchased the adjacent plot and constructed an identical twin structure—a mirror image standing beside the first.
Thus, the venture earned its name: "Twin Pagoda."
But Liang didn't stop there. He envisioned the entire district transforming under his influence. He poured capital into the surroundings:
A creatively designed central park with fountains, sculptures, and art installations that made the area a pleasant escape. The part had rare exotic plants that were beautiful, exquisite and valuable.
Luxury hotels designed with both Eastern elegance and Western sophistication, offering suites for affluent travelers and business elites.
Elegant courtyards that could be reserved for private banquets, high-profile weddings, or cultural showcases.
What was once a quiet corner of the city blossomed into a high-class destination. The Twin Pagoda became not just a business—it was an ecosystem, a playground for the wealthy, a hub for influential connections.
Business magazines called it "the new heartbeat of elite society." Politicians, tycoons, and celebrities all gravitated toward the district. Deals worth billions were whispered over tea and champagne in Liang Chen's halls.
From that moment, the Twin Pagoda became synonymous with prestige and influence.
Yet the system's challenge did not end with hospitality. The second task pushed him into a realm where fortunes could be made and lost overnight—the financial markets.
Liang immersed himself fully. For weeks, he studied forex, devoured books on commodities, and tracked the volatility of cryptocurrencies. His nights blurred into dawns as he practiced simulated trades, refining his instincts until he could almost sense the flow of capital.
With $2 million of his reserves, he began cautiously:
In forex, he learned to exploit micro-fluctuations caused by political events and policy announcements.
In cryptocurrency, he leveraged the system's subtle hints to ride early bull runs and exit before collapses.
In gold and silver, he found a safe anchor—steady stores of value that protected him during storms.
Losses came, but they were minimal compared to the explosive wins. His confidence grew. His portfolio multiplied.
Within half a year, $2 million had transformed into a staggering $20 million.
But unlike reckless gamblers, Liang withdrew half—$10 million in clean profit—securing it in liquid form. The rest he diversified into a stable, long-term portfolio.
Where others saw luck, Liang saw discipline and strategy. To him, the financial markets were not chaos; they were another battlefield of logic and foresight.
Another ding echoed.
[Mission Complete: Big Leagues]
Hospitality Management Lv. 3 Acquired
Investment and Trading Lv. 3 Acquired
Reward: $20 Million USD credited
Bonus Skills Unlocked:
Firearm Proficiency Lv. 1
Martial Combat Proficiency Lv. 1
Liang's brows furrowed. Firearms? Martial combat?
He leaned back, silent. For the first time, the system's rewards unsettled him. Every task so far had been tied to business, trade, and finance. But these new skills pointed toward something different—something darker.
"Is the system… preparing me for danger?" he whispered.
The thought lingered in the dimly lit room. His empire was growing, but so too were the risks. Wealth attracted envy, power drew hostility, and influence inevitably painted targets.
The Big Leagues weren't just about money. They were about survival.
Liang clenched his fists, determination flashing in his eyes. He would not retreat.
If the system was preparing him for battles beyond the boardroom, then so be it. He would accept any challenge that comes his way.