Li Tian stood quietly in the corner of the luxurious banquet hall, hands tucked into his pockets as waiters rushed past him with trays of wine and champagne. Glittering chandeliers cast golden light on the crowd of socialites gathered for the Wu family's annual business gala.
But no one noticed him.
Why would they? He wasn't the CEO, the heir, or the guest of honor. He wasn't even an invited guest. Just the useless live-in son-in-law—the joke of the Wu family.
Tonight was no different. His wife, Wu Yanyu, stood beside her father, the head of the family business, dressed in a sleek navy gown that hugged her perfect figure. She never once looked in Li Tian's direction.
She hadn't smiled at him in weeks.
Not since her father collapsed, and Li Tian failed to call the right doctors in time. Not since she lost a multi-million yuan contract due to "bad luck" that her family blamed entirely on him.
And certainly not since she began believing the rumors that he was nothing more than a loser, a stray dog she mistakenly married out of pity.
He was the infamous "Trash Husband of the Wu Family."
"Li Tian!" A sharp voice pierced through the chatter of the gala. "Get over here!"
He turned slowly. Wu Gang, his wife's cousin and one of the most arrogant pricks in the family, was waving him over with a smirk. The crowd around him chuckled.
Li Tian stepped forward.
Wu Gang's smile widened cruelly. "Clean this up," he said, kicking over a glass of wine so that it shattered on the marble floor, deep red liquid pooling like blood. "You're good at cleaning, aren't you?"
The crowd laughed.
Li Tian's gaze dropped to the broken glass.
He didn't move.
"Oh?" Wu Gang raised an eyebrow. "Is the trash deaf now too?"
Still, Li Tian didn't move.
Not because he was scared.
But because something had changed.
A robotic voice echoed in his mind:
Ding! Host has been insulted publicly. Activating God-Level Revenge System...Congratulations! First humiliation detected. Reward unlocked: [Divine Martial Arts Manual – Beginner Level]Side mission unlocked: Slap Wu Gang in the next 24 hours. Reward: Enhanced strength +10%
Li Tian's eyes narrowed. He blinked once. Twice.
Was he hallucinating?
The voice returned:
System fully integrated. You have suffered long enough, Host. From this day forward, every insult earns you power. Every humiliation feeds your revenge.
A cold smile tugged at the corner of his lips.
"Are you waiting for me to clean it with my tongue?" Wu Gang sneered, stepping closer. "Or do you need my foot in your face to get moving?"
Li Tian straightened. His voice was calm. "You really want me to clean that up?"
Wu Gang leaned in. "Are you going to disobey again, dog?"
Ding! Host has been threatened with physical assault in public.Mini-reward: Basic internal energy unlocked.
Li Tian's body tensed as a wave of warmth spread through his chest, surging into his limbs. He felt... stronger. Lighter. His senses sharpened. His pulse steadied.
He knew martial arts in theory. The system just gave him the real thing.
With one swift movement, he snatched Wu Gang's wrist.
Crack!
Wu Gang screamed, stumbling back as his wrist bent at an awkward angle.
The room fell silent.
"You broke my wrist!" he howled. "You bastard!"
Li Tian stepped forward, eyes cold. "You're lucky that's all I broke."
The crowd gasped.
"What's going on here?" A stern voice rang out. Wu Yanyu stepped forward, flanked by her father, Wu Zhiguo, who was pale and walking with the support of a cane after his recent health scare.
Wu Yanyu's eyes darted between her cousin's broken wrist and her husband's calm expression. "Li Tian, what did you do?!"
"He attacked me first," Li Tian said quietly. "I defended myself."
Wu Zhiguo's face darkened. "Is this how you repay our kindness? We took you in. Fed you. Let you live under our roof."
Li Tian met his gaze. "And I've never asked for anything in return. But I'm not your slave."
Ding! Host has rejected oppression. Morale boost activated. New skill unlocked: [Iron Will]
Wu Yanyu looked like she'd seen a ghost. "You… you actually fought back? Against my cousin?"
The room erupted in murmurs. Everyone expected Li Tian to bow, apologize, beg for forgiveness like the spineless man they believed him to be.
Instead, he stood tall, shoulders relaxed, eyes sharp.
He looked dangerous.
Wu Gang's father pushed through the crowd. "You think you can break my son's wrist and walk away?" He swung a hand at Li Tian.
Li Tian caught it mid-air. His grip tightened.
Crack!
Another scream.
The man dropped to his knees, clutching his elbow.
Gasps echoed through the hall. No one dared to step forward now.
Li Tian let go, brushing imaginary dust off his shirt. "If you want to hit me, be ready to bleed."
Wu Zhiguo's eyes narrowed. "You think because you've read a few martial arts books, you're suddenly a warrior?"
"Books?" Li Tian chuckled. "I've bled more on battlefields than most of you have ever seen ink."
"What?" someone whispered. "Wasn't he just a janitor?"
Wu Yanyu stepped in front of him, face pale. "Enough! This is a business event. You've embarrassed me enough already."
Li Tian looked at her. His expression softened for a brief second.
Then hardened.
"You're right," he said. "I'm done embarrassing you."
He turned and walked out of the hall, leaving behind stunned silence and a trail of shattered expectations.
Outside, the air was cool. Li Tian walked to the parking lot, his phone buzzing in his pocket.
Unknown number.
He picked up.
"Commander Li." A voice spoke respectfully.
"It's been years since anyone called me that."
"The Southern Alliance heard you reactivated your Qi. Orders?"
Li Tian exhaled slowly. "I'm not going back to the battlefield."
There was a pause.
"Understood. But your old account has been unlocked. And... your assets have been unfrozen. You're once again worth over 10 billion."
Ding! System Alert: Hidden identity revealed to the host. Wealth Integration in progress...
Li Tian smiled slightly.
Ten billion. A vast fortune. And no one in the Wu family had a clue.
"Anything else?" he asked.
"One thing," the voice said. "Someone's been trying to assassinate you for the last three years. We believe it was ordered by someone in the Wu family."
Click.
The line went dead.
Li Tian's eyes narrowed. He looked up at the night sky, fists clenched.
He'd stayed quiet long enough.
For three years, he let them mock him. Humiliate him. Treat him like trash.
Now?
He had a system.
He had wealth.
He had power.
And soon...
He'd have revenge.
Ding! Side mission updated: Slap Wu Gang in public within 24 hours – 50% completeReward: Enhanced strength +10%, Internal Qi mastery unlocked.
New mission: Save Wu Zhiguo from assassination attempt within 48 hours. Reward: Wu Yanyu's loyalty +1, reputation reversal initiated.
Li Tian smirked.
He wasn't done yet.