The nights in Zhonghai glittered brighter than ever. Billboards along the skyline screamed Aurorris in bold fonts, their light cascading down on bustling streets where young people wore the brand as if it were a badge of honor.
In just weeks, Liang Chen's creation had evolved from a fledgling label to a storm sweeping the market. Three separate factories, each humming with relentless energy, produced his carefully crafted trinity of lines:
Aurorris Everyday—practical, comfortable daily wear that won over office workers, students, and homemakers alike. Aurorris Vibe—bold, dynamic streetwear pulsing with colors, slogans, and attitude. A uniform for youth who wanted to belong to something fresh. Aurorris Prestige—the luxury wing, carrying couture-inspired gowns, tailored suits, and intricate accessories now circulating at banquets, charity galas, and in glossy magazines.
Every layer of society had a taste of Aurorris. And every corner of Zhonghai whispered his name.
Stores couldn't keep up with demand. Aurorris' online platform reported daily sellouts, sometimes within hours of new product drops. Influencers and celebrities clamored for sponsorship deals. Fashion editors debated the label's sudden rise with equal parts awe and suspicion. For the first time, Zhonghai wasn't importing trends from Shanghai or Milan—it was exporting its own.
The city celebrated. But beyond the neon lights and fevered applause, unease began to ripple through the world of fashion.
Far from Zhonghai, in the financial heart of Shanghai, the mood was anything but festive. The Duan family, entrenched in China's fashion industry for more than a century, gathered within their towering headquarters. The Duans were old lions in the jungle of couture—suppliers to global brands, gatekeepers of high-end fabrics, arbiters of taste. Now, their authority was being questioned by an upstart whose empire had grown in mere weeks.
Inside a pristine boardroom lined with marble and glass, Duan Yifei, the poised and calculating heir, reviewed the latest market reports. At only twenty-eight, she was renowned for her sharp instincts and ruthlessness behind her delicate smile.
"Miss Duan," her secretary began hesitantly, sliding over a folder, "Aurorris' expansion has exceeded all forecasts. Their sales in Zhonghai are… unprecedented. They are already entering Beijing, Shenzhen, even Changsha. Retailers who once begged for Duan's lines are now requesting Aurorris stock."
Yifei flipped the pages with immaculate nails, her eyes unreadable.
Another advisor spoke, his tone grave. "And it is not just the mass-market products. Their luxury label, Aurorris Prestige, has begun circulating at charity balls. Clients who once commissioned our gowns have drifted toward their tailored suits and evening dresses."
The air in the room turned heavy.
Finally, Yifei's lips curved into a cold, elegant smile. "The mills he uses were once tied to the Wang family. Those supply chains fed us. Now this… boy… takes what should be Duan's and parades it across the nation? He is eating with our chopsticks, drinking from our cup. Unacceptable."
As if on cue, the boardroom doors opened. A tall figure entered, his suit sharp as a blade, his presence commanding immediate attention. He carried the air of someone who knew he belonged even in the most powerful rooms.
"I couldn't agree more," the newcomer said smoothly.
Duan Yifei's gaze narrowed slightly. "And you are?"
The man smiled, bowing with European grace. "Alexander Roth. I was once his competitor at the Zhonghai Innovation Challenge. Unlike Liang, I lost… but losing gave me insight. He is strong but not invincible. He's vulnerable. That's why I've come to propose an alliance."
For the first time that day, Yifei's interest piqued. Her lips parted, her eyes gleaming.
Later that evening, in a private lounge at the Duan Tower, another figure joined them. Mr. Laurent, East Asia director of the Harlan Group, one of Europe's most dominant luxury conglomerates, poured himself a glass of Bordeaux. His presence was the quiet kind that demanded deference, a reminder that Harlan's influence stretched across Paris, Milan, New York, and now China.
"Aurorris," Laurent said with mild amusement, swirling the glass. "Such ambition. Three lines, three markets. Clever, too clever."
"Clever enough to draw blood from Duan," Yifei replied, her voice sharp.
Alexander leaned forward, eyes glinting. "That's why I'm here. I know his methods. Liang integrates logistics, production, and branding seamlessly. But he is expanding too quickly. Expansion always creates cracks. And those cracks are what we can exploit."
Laurent nodded approvingly. "Indeed. If Aurorris grows unchecked, it will not only threaten Duan, but even Harlan's dominance in Asia. We prefer to eliminate weeds before they grow into trees."
Yifei let out a soft, elegant laugh. "So. The disgraced challenger, the foreign lion, and the Duan legacy. A curious alliance."
"Together, we're more than curious," Alexander countered. "I provide intelligence on Liang Chen. You wield local influence. Harlan… provides resources and pressure."
Laurent raised his glass. "A coordinated strike, then. Media campaigns, regulatory scrutiny, strategic poaching. All angles at once."
Yifei lifted her own. "Let us remind this boy that empires take centuries, not weeks."
The glasses clinked softly, but the echo carried the weight of a looming storm.
Back in Zhonghai, Liang Chen sat in his office at the Twin Tower headquarters, papers and screens littering his desk. Success was intoxicating, but cracks had begun to appear beneath the surface.
"Boss," one of his managers reported with a strained face, "all three factories are running at full capacity, but it isn't enough. Orders from Beijing and Shenzhen are backlogged. In some regions, we're running into shortages. Customers are frustrated. Resellers are already scalping our products online."
Liang's brow furrowed. "Stockouts already?"
"Yes, sir. If this continues, the goodwill we've built will be damaged."
Liang fell silent. For all the glamour of Aurorris' meteoric rise, this was the harsh truth of business. His empire wasn't crumbling, but it was straining under its own weight. The demand that once felt like triumph now threatened to choke him.
And just then— Ding!
A translucent blue screen shimmered before his eyes.
Achievement Unlocked: "Fashion Pioneer – Zhonghai Market Conquered.
"Reward: ¥50,000,000 and Strategic Scaling (Intermediate).
Liang blinked, then focused. The description unfolded before him as vast amount of knowledge flooded his mind.
Strategic Scaling (Intermediate): Enhances ability to expand industries, optimize supply chains, and establish new production facilities efficiently.
Knowledge surged into his mind in waves—blueprints for efficient factory layouts, models for regional distribution hubs, negotiation tactics for land permits, automation frameworks for scaling production lines. Every fragment fit into place as if it had always been there, waiting to be unlocked.
Slowly, a smile tugged at his lips.
Perfect, he thought. With this, I can expand. Not just Zhonghai—Shanghai, Beijing, everywhere.
He stood abruptly, startling his team. "Prepare for expansion. Two new factories and dozen more mills will be established immediately outside Shenzhen and Beijing. I will guide the design. We will not allow demand to outstrip supply."
One manager swallowed nervously. "Boss… that fast? Construction, workforce, permits—normally these take years."
Liang's eyes gleamed with unshakable certainty. "Not with me. Trust Aurorris."
The room fell silent, then slowly, his staff nodded. His conviction had become their anchor.
Later that night, Liang stood by his office window, overlooking Zhonghai's skyline. Aurorris signs lit the city like constellations, symbols of a dream turning real. Yet, beyond the horizon, storm clouds gathered.
In Shanghai, the Duan family sharpened their claws. Alexander Roth carried his grudge like a dagger. And the Harlan Group, colossus of Europe, had turned its gaze toward him.
The fashion world was about to become a battlefield. And Liang Chen, dragon of a new age, knew one truth above all— When a young dragon rises, the old lions never sit idle.