The autumn air in Zhonghai had turned crisp, carrying with it the scent of fallen leaves and distant sea salt. From his office on the forty-second floor of Twin Tower, Liang Chen stood overlooking the city that had become his proving ground. Aurorris logos gleamed across shopping centers and lit up the skyline, but Liang's gaze wasn't fixed on what he had already conquered—it was on what lay beyond.
The task of expansion, building factories and mills, acquiring permits, and developing more efficient logistics has occupied his mind.
Thanks to recently gained Strategic Scaling, he could feel it—the way his mind now mapped growth. Expansions no longer looked like daunting projects that took years of permits, logistics, and wrangling. Instead, they were puzzles with clear solutions.
He turned to his team. "Shenzhen and Beijing first. The demand curve shows we're losing traction there. Secure land outside both cities—industrial zones with existing infrastructure. I'll provide the blueprints."
His managers hesitated. "Boss, do we even have enough capital? Building two new mills simultaneously— Isn't it a bit too much?"
Liang cut him off with a calm smile. "We can't afford not to. Aurorris must be everywhere, or it will be nowhere. The moment customers can't find our products, they'll move on. Do you want to hand our momentum to rivals?"
Silence. Ofcourse no one in their right mind would want that. Not only was Liang a good boss but the perks and benifit of working under him, a rising successful businessman was a big deal. A quiet, unanimous affirmation echoed in the meeting room. "Understood."
By the next week, Liang was already traveling. In Beijing, he visited a swath of industrial land near Tongzhou. Rusted warehouses dotted the district, remnants of failed factories. To others, it looked like decay. To Liang, it looked like opportunity.
The Strategic Scaling skill's knowledge pulsed within him as he walked the site. He could almost see invisible blueprints overlaying the land—optimized layouts for looms, dyeing facilities, distribution hubs. Supply routes connected like arteries to the heart of the city. Labor pools, transport links, energy grids—everything slotted into place like a pre-written plan.
"This is it," he murmured, standing in the middle of the cracked concrete lot. "Aurorris' northern stronghold."
But as Liang built, forces beyond his sight began to stir.
In Shanghai, the Duan family was not idle. Their heir, Duan Yifei, received a report with thinly veiled satisfaction.
"Local zoning boards in Beijing and Shenzhen are… suddenly very attentive," her secretary said with a smirk. "Every permit Liang Chen files will be scrutinized. Every land purchase questioned. Regulators have been reminded of their… duty."
Yifei leaned back in her chair, her voice silk wrapped around steel. "Good. Let him feel the weight of bureaucracy. If he wishes to build in our territory, he will choke on red tape."
Beside her, Alexander Roth chuckled softly. "This is only the beginning. Pressure him until he crumbles. Then, when he breaks, we'll strike with precision."
True enough, the next days brought problems.
"Boss," one of Liang's project leads reported nervously over the phone, "the Shenzhen mill site is under sudden inspection. Officials claim we need additional environmental certifications. They're threatening to suspend work until it's resolved."
"And in Beijing," another added, "our land bid was mysteriously outmaneuvered by a shell company. It's obvious someone's trying to block us."
Liang's brow tightened. He wasn't naïve. He could see the hidden hand at work. But he didn't panic. Instead, he closed his office blinds and openned Virtual Business Empire.
The phone screen dissolved into glowing wireframes as Liang o[erated on the app. Maps of Beijing and Shenzhen unfolded before him, colored nodes marking potential expansion sites. He tested scenarios—negotiating with one district over another, bypassing land bids, leveraging partnerships with local suppliers. Each attempt ended in projections of delays, costs, or sabotage.
But Liang did not stop. He ran simulation again. And again. Until finally, the system produced a glowing path marked in green.
Simulation Result: Optimal Strategy FoundApproach: Establish joint ventures with mid-tier textile cooperatives in target regions. Share capital and tech upgrades in exchange for land and licenses.
Risk of sabotage: reduced by 68%. Cost efficiency: increased by 42%.
Liang's eyes lit up. "That's it. If they block me as a competitor, I'll arrive as a partner."
He stepped out of the simulation, his mind buzzing with certainty.
"Prepare negotiations with three Beijing cooperatives and two in Shenzhen," he told his assistant. "We'll form joint ventures. They provide local connections and licenses. We provide capital, tech, and the Aurorris brand."
The assistant blinked. "Boss, that means giving them a slice of profits—"
"Better to share the pie than to starve," Liang said firmly. "And once they're tied to Aurorris, no one will dare move against us lightly."
Days turned into weeks. Aurorris continued to surge across Zhonghai, but now the brand's first shipments landed in Shanghai and Beijing as well. The sight of Aurorris Everyday T-shirts and Aurorris Vibe hoodies in those cities sent murmurs rippling through the market. The Duan family, for the first time, felt their home ground tremble.
Yet for all the momentum, the pressure was real. Liang returned to Zhonghai exhausted after weeks of travel and negotiations. The system had helped him weather the first strikes, but he knew this was only the opening gambit.
Standing by his office window once more, he whispered to himself, "The lions are awake. They won't rest until they've torn into me."
But his lips curved into a defiant smile. "Let them come. The dragon does not bow to jackals and hyenas."
Far away in Shanghai, Duan Yifei's own lips curved in mirror reflection. Sitting across from Alexander and Laurent of the Harlan Group, she raised her glass.
"Liang Chen has entered Shanghai's market," she said coolly. "Good. Now the game truly begins."
The board was set. The pieces were moving. The first strikes had been exchanged, but the war for China's fashion empire was only beginning.