The neon pulse of Shanghai's Pudong district bled through the floor-to-ceiling windows of a minimalist office, but Arthur Chen didn't see the glamour. He saw a digital nightmare. Floating in the air, visible only to him, was a translucent interface that felt more like a prison sentence than a miracle.
[The Providence System: Level 1]
Initial Capital: ¥10,000,000 (To be used for business only).
The Loss Rebate: Any capital lost through genuine business failure is reimbursed at 200% to the Investment Pool.
The Success Penalty: All profits are automatically seized for the "Imperial Benevolence Fund" (Global Charity).
Personal Salary: ¥5,000 per month (Fixed).
Mandatory Employee Welfare: Platinum-tier healthcare, luxury housing stipends, and 100% childcare coverage for all staff.
Arthur stared at his bank account. His personal balance showed a pathetic ¥1,240. He was a "billionaire" who couldn't afford a new pair of leather shoes without skipping lunch for a week.
"If I lose this ten million," Arthur whispered, his eyes gleaming with desperate hope, "the system gives me twenty million. If I lose that, I get forty. Eventually, the 'management fee' for a billion-yuan fund will make me a king. I just need to find the most incompetent human being in China."
The Visionary of Failure: Zhang Wei
Arthur spent three days scouring the "Blacklist" of failed entrepreneurs. He found his man: Zhang Wei.
Zhang was a legend for all the wrong reasons. He had once tried to market "Dehydrated Water" as a camping gag. It failed. He then tried to open a "Gym for Sleepers" where you paid to nap. It folded in two weeks.
"Mr. Zhang," Arthur said, sitting across from the disheveled man in a dusty tea house. "I've reviewed your history. Your ability to... navigate away from profit is unparalleled. I want you to be the CEO of my new venture: The Silent Opera House."
"An opera house?" Zhang stammered, his eyes wide. "Sir, nobody under eighty watches Peking Opera anymore. We'll be crushed by TikTok."
"Exactly," Arthur beamed. "And I want the theater built in the industrial district. No foot traffic. Delivery-only snacks—but we'll serve them in hand-painted Ming-style porcelain that the customers get to keep."
"The overhead will be astronomical!" Zhang gasped.
"Don't worry about the cost. I'm also giving you a ¥100,000 housing allowance and full premium healthcare for your entire extended family."
Point of View: Lin Xia (The Beloved)
Lin Xia stood at the edge of the office, her silk dress shimmering like moonlight. She was the daughter of a fallen textile tycoon—elegant, brilliant, and deeply in love with Arthur.
He's doing it again, Xia thought, her heart swelling with an almost painful admiration. Arthur is pretending to be a reckless spender, but I see the truth. He is building a theater to preserve our dying culture. He is giving Zhang Wei—a man everyone mocked—a second chance at dignity.
She looked at Arthur's tired face. He lives so simply. He eats street noodles while he gives his employees villas. He is a 'Sage of Industry.' He hides his benevolence behind a mask of madness. I must help him. I'll use my connections to ensure the elite socialites of Shanghai hear about this 'Secret Cultural Sanctuary.' I won't let his noble sacrifice go unnoticed.
Point of View: Zhang Wei (The CEO)
Zhang Wei walked out of the meeting clutching his new contract, his hands shaking.
Young Master Chen... he didn't laugh at me, Zhang thought, a fire igniting in his soul. He saw my 'creative spirit.' He's giving me ten million yuan because he believes I can make the impossible happen. He wants to prove that art is more important than money.
He pulled out his phone. "Listen up! We aren't just building a theater. We are building a temple of culture! I don't care if there's no foot traffic—we'll make it so exclusive that people will beg to find us. I will not let the Young Master's trust be in vain!"
The Result: The System's Irony
Two months later, Arthur sat in his office, happily waiting for the "Project Failed" notification. He had checked the books; they were spending money like a leaking faucet.
[Ding!]
[Project: The Silent Opera House]
Status: GLOBAL SENSATION.
Reason: The "Industrial Wasteland" aesthetic became a viral Instagram trend. The "Free Porcelain" giveaway created a massive collector's market.
Outcome: ¥50,000,000 profit donated to Rural Education.
Penalty: Next Project Capital doubled to ¥20,000,000. Arthur's Salary: Unchanged (¥5,000).
Arthur slumped in his chair. "Fifty million... gone to charity. And now I have to manage twenty million?"
Outside, he heard his employees cheering his name. They thought he was a genius saint. He just wanted a raise.