The first thing Vorn noticed was the silence. Not normal quiet - the thick, oppressive kind that came with serious money and even more serious threats. This place was a world away from the constant feeling of his old neighborhood.
Master Li's personal servant led him down a pristine hallway, face cold as polished marble. The air smelled of expensive incense and old power. Everything screamed wealth and control.
'Welcome to the golden cage.'
His new room was bigger than his entire old apartment. Dark mahogany furniture, imported silk sheets, a massive window overlooking perfectly manicured gardens. Vorn ran his hand over the smooth surface of an antique desk, mind already calculating.
'Comfortable prison. Still a prison.'
The marble-faced servant cleared his throat. "Master Li expects punctuality for all family meals and lessons. Do not speak unless spoken to. Do not make eye contact with anyone ranked higher than you."
He placed a list of rules on the desk. "These are your duties. Your sister is in the medical wing receiving treatment. Visits require express permission only."
Vorn nodded without reading the list. He didn't need to. The rules were simple: be seen, not heard. He was a chess piece being taught not to screw up the game.
'A new kind of weapon, a symbol.'
[CURRENT STATUS UPDATE]
[LEVEL: 4]
[AFFILIATION: XIAOTIAN FAMILY - PROBATIONARY MEMBER]
[POLITICAL THREAT LEVEL: EXTREME]
Dinner was a war zone disguised as fine dining.
The hall was cavernous, dominated by a single long table. Vorn sat at Master Li's right hand - a position of honor that sent waves of fury rippling through the room.
About a dozen people filled the other seats. Elders and young masters in formal attire, faces showing barely contained contempt and outright hostility.
The food was exquisite. Vorn barely tasted any of it.
He was too busy reading the room with his enhanced senses. The young masters - all a few years older than him - radiated C-rank power. Strong but unrefined, their mana signatures pulsing with arrogant confidence.
The elders were different. Their power felt ancient and deep, like dormant volcanoes waiting to erupt.
'I'm a mouse in a room full of predators.'
One young master in particular kept shooting him venomous glares. Li Wei - Master Li's former top apprentice. His mana signature practically vibrated with jealous rage.
'He sees me as a direct threat to his position, just don't know if he's the smart kind.'
The sparse conversation revolved around family politics and business deals, all coded in subtle insults and veiled threats that Vorn could easily decode with his intelligence.
He was the elephant in the room, and everyone knew it.
After dinner, they led him to a massive training facility. The air reeked of ozone and burnt mana. Young masters and two dinner elders waited with grim faces.
Master Li was notably absent.
"We will test your abilities," announced Elder Lian, a sharp-faced woman whose mana felt like cutting wind. "Show us what the Apex Protocol accomplished."
They handed him a training blade and pointed at practice dummies.
'They want to see if their experiment worked. If I'm worth the trouble.'
'I'll show them just enough.'
Vorn moved.
His speed startled them - not superhuman, but far beyond what they'd expected. He flowed around attacks from the young masters with supernatural grace, body a controlled blur of motion.
When his strikes connected with practice dummies, the impacts were devastating. No skills, no spells - just raw enhanced physical ability.
The proud young masters ended up panting and defeated.
Elder Lian's expression didn't change, but her eyes showed grudging respect. "He is... strong," she admitted.
The other elder just looked profoundly dissatisfied.
'They have a problem. I'm not a pawn anymore. I'm a weapon.'
[COMBAT ASSESSMENT COMPLETE]
[PHYSICAL STATS VERIFIED: ENHANCED]
[THREAT CLASSIFICATION: UPGRADED]
The next day brought a full family meeting in the grand hall. Every elder present, faces showing anger and resentment. Master Li sat at the head table, expression unreadable.
"Li Wei reported the new boy's power level," Elder Lian said coldly. "Strong, but unrefined...sort of."
A hawk-faced elder with a gravel voice slammed his fist on polished wood. "He's an outsider! Not worthy to step into the Xiaotian family, now he carries the Xiaotian name, regardless of his enhanced abilities, I cannot accept this!"
'Here it comes.'
The hawk-faced elder's eyes gleamed with malicious intent. "We propose a Family Head Competition."
Excited whispers and angry murmurs erupted from the young masters. The Family Head Competition - a rare, high-stakes tournament to test potential successors.
"The competition will be public," he continued. "Winner receives full family backing and council position. This is the only way to prove worthiness."
Master Li's face flickered with anger for the first time since Vorn had known him. "This is madness. The boy isn't ready for such a challenge. This is clearly a trap."
But the elders were united in their opposition.
"This is our chance to test his worthiness, Li. You are siding with an outsider, do you prefer facing the entire family's wrath?"
Master Li's shoulders sagged. He looked at Vorn with profound regret.
'No choice. Political pressure, just go with the flow'
The vote was unanimous. The Family Head Competition was official.
Standing silently by the door, Vorn felt his heart maintain that steady, enhanced rhythm. He was already working through possibilities and strategies.
'The game just changed completely.'
'This isn't about survival anymore. It's a life-or-death political duel.'
'And I'm the only player who understands I'm facing not just opponents - but an entire hostile family.'
[QUEST UPDATED: SURVIVE THE FAMILY HEAD COMPETITION]
[ESTIMATED OPPONENTS: 8-12 YOUNG MASTERS]
[VICTORY CONDITION: WIN OR DIE]
[FAILURE CONSEQUENCE: DISOWNMENT/DEATH]
[TIME TO PREPARATION: UNKNOWN]
Let the games begin.