The next morning, the whole city was buzzing like a kicked beehive. News traveled fast. The story wasn't about a fight or a powerful cultivator. It was about the Wang family's mine falling apart in the weirdest way possible.
Lin Xiao sat at a small table in his room, eating a simple breakfast of porridge. Through his open window, he could catch pieces of conversations from the street.
"...heard the bulls went crazy! Smashed half the equipment..."
"...Overseer Bo swears he heard mountain spirits... maybe the Wangs angered the heavens..."
"...they're saying it'll take weeks to get the mine running again. The losses must be huge..."
He took a slow sip of tea, hiding his smile. This was better than he'd hoped. The rumor mill was doing his work for him.
His father, Lin Zhan, came into the room. He looked like he hadn't slept, but his eyes were bright with a mix of excitement and fear.
"Xiao," he said, his voice low. "The Wang Cartel... their mine is finished. For now, at least."
"I heard," Xiao said calmly.
Lin Zhan stared at his son. "Was this... your doing? The ghost sounds? The bulls going mad?"
Xiao just looked at him. "The heavens help those who help themselves, Father. And sometimes, they send rats."
He didn't explain further. The less his father knew about the System, the safer they both were.
Later that day, the real impact became clear. A Lin family scout returned from the market with a report.
"The Wangs are desperate," the scout said, standing in the main hall where Xiao and his father listened. "They're selling off stockpiles of ore at a lower price just to get some quick money. Their reputation is damaged. No one wants to sign new contracts with them while their main mine is a chaos zone."
Lin Zhan's face broke into a huge, relieved grin. For the first time in months, the pressure was off. They had breathing room.
But Xiao wasn't celebrating. He was thinking. A cornered animal was the most dangerous kind. The Wang family wouldn't just take this lying down. They would look for someone to blame. And soon, their eyes would turn to the Lin family, the ones who had just humiliated their young master and now seemed to be having a miraculous streak of good luck.
He needed to be ready.
"System," he thought, calling up the blue screen. "Show me what I can get for defense. Something to protect this house."
[Scanning...]
[Skill: 'Ward of Minor Misdirection' (Tier 1). Creates a low-level spiritual barrier around a designated area. Does not block attacks, but causes weak-minded intruders to feel a sense of unease and walk past. Cost: 200 KP.]
[Construct: 'Eyes of the Guardian' (Tier 1). Places three invisible spiritual sensors around a property. Host will be alerted if anyone with hostile intent crosses them. Cost: 150 KP.]
It wasn't an army, but it was an early warning system. It would have to do.
"Buy them both," Xiao commanded.
A wave of energy, invisible to everyone else, pulsed out from him, settling over the Lin family compound like a faint, shimmering blanket. Three small, unseen markers placed themselves at the main gate and two weak spots in the back wall.
[Karma Points Remaining: 840]
It was a big spend, but it was worth it for peace of mind.
Just as he finished, a new quest notification popped up.
[New Quest: 'Fortify the Foundation']
[Objective: Ensure the Lin Merchant Guild's stability by securing three new trade contracts within one week.]
[Reward: 300 KP. Failure: Loss of family reputation and financial decline.]
Xiao nodded to himself. This was the next step. It wasn't enough to just survive. He had to grow, to build something so strong that the Wangs couldn't touch them.
He stood up and went to find his father.
"Father," he said, entering the study. "The Wangs are weak right now. Their customers are scared. This is our chance."
Lin Zhan looked up from his ledger. "What do you have in mind?"
"We go to their biggest clients. The ones who buy their raw stone. We offer them a better deal. A stable supply, a fair price. We take their business out from under them."
Lin Zhan's eyes widened. "That's... aggressive. They'll see it as a declaration of war!"
Xiao's expression was cold. "Father, the war already started when they tried to bankrupt us. We're just finally firing back."
He leaned forward, his voice low and intense. "We're not just fighting for our lives anymore. We're fighting for our future. And we're going to win."
For the first time, Lin Zhan didn't see a sickly boy in front of him. He saw a leader. He swallowed hard and nodded. "Alright, Xiao. I'll trust you. I'll get the papers ready."
As his father got to work, Xiao looked out the window, toward the distant mountain where the Wang mine lay silent.
The first move was his. Let them try to counter. He was already ten steps ahead.