The luxury restaurant on Skyview Tower's 88th floor hummed with power and prestige. High-level cultivators in business suits sipped spiritual tea while CEOs brokered deals with a single nod. This was no place for amateurs.
Which is why when Anna Mei walked in — elegant, cold, and radiating CEO aura — all eyes turned.
She was the future Ice Queen of the finance world, destined in the novel to be saved and loved by Kai Zhang. But today, she had responded to an invitation from someone she should have hated.
Lucien Voss.
She sat down, face blank. "I thought you'd be too busy crushing start-ups and ruining lives to bother with lunch meetings."
Lucien offered her a glass of phoenix-fire wine and smiled. Not the arrogant grin of the original Lucien… no, this one was colder. Measured. Dangerous.
"I make time for investments worth watching," he said. "And you, Miss Mei… are severely undervalued."
Her eyes narrowed. "What's your game this time?"
Lucien leaned in.
"I know about your secret deal with JinTech. The one that'll blow up in your face in three weeks. I also know you're building a hedge fund under a shell corporation—probably hoping to escape Voss's reach before the market shift."
Anna froze.
Lucien continued, voice smooth: "I'm not here to threaten you. I'm offering you a trade."
---
> [System Prompt: Seduction Encounter Triggered – Future Heroine Detected]
[Charm Resistance Activated.]
> Anna Mei's Favorability: -40 → +10
---
Anna frowned. "You're not the Lucien I remember."
Lucien raised his glass.
"That's because the one you remember is already dead. I'm something new. Something this world hasn't seen before."
Anna said nothing for a moment. Then, for the first time in years, she smirked.
"Then surprise me, devil."
---
Elsewhere…
Kai Zhang burst into his friend's apartment, eyes glowing with excitement.
"It's happening! The Voss stock just dropped 8% this morning, and JinTech agreed to the terms. Everything's unfolding like last time!"
His friend grinned. "Told you, bro. With your memories and our timing, we'll own the city by summer."
Kai looked at his system window.
> [Mission: Bankrupt Lucien Voss within 90 Days.]
Reward: Skill – "King of Commerce"
Heroine Progress:
– Anna Mei: Meeting in 2 Days
Kai clenched his fists. "That cold CEO beauty? She'll be mine this time."
But fate was already being rewritten.
---
Back in Skyview Tower…
As Anna left, Lucien's system chimed.
> [Side Mission Complete: Interfere with Fate of Heroine – Anna Mei.]
Reward Unlocked: Skill – Charm Reversal
New Trait Unlocked: "Shadow Negotiator – +50% success in persuasion, threats, and deals against fate-bound targets."
Next Target: Kai Zhang – Threat Level: Moderate
Kill Opportunity: 7 Days.
Lucien stood, walking to the window.
Below, the city shimmered with lights, magic, and illusions of justice. But to him?
It was a chessboard.
And soon, he'd flip the board over.
---