Segment 3
The new skills settled into Yi Lang's consciousness like well-oiled machinery slotting into place. The Affinity aura was a subtle thing, a soft, magnetic pull that made the few people he passed on his way back from the bar instinctively offer him hesitant, almost confused smiles. The Proficient Driving knowledge was a neat packet of data—useful, but not immediately relevant.
It was the Insight that truly electrified him. He could feel it as a latent pressure behind his eyes, a new sense waiting to be unleashed. He decided to test it immediately, his gaze sweeping across the club until it landed on Wang Lei, who was now attempting to chat up a woman who looked profoundly bored.
[ Insight Activated. Target: Wang Lei. ]
A brief, text-like summary flashed in his mind, not as a system screen, but as an intuitive understanding.
Emotional State: Drunken bravado undercut by deep-seated insecurity.
Primary Desire:To be seen as important and feared, like Yi Lang.
Immediate Threat:None.
Pathetic, but predictable, Yi Lang concluded, dismissing the readout. The cooldown timer for Insight began its countdown in a corner of his perception. One hour. It was a limited resource, to be used on high-value targets.
And there was no higher value target in this room than the ice-cold CEO who was technically his.
He began his approach towards Mu Wanyan's circle. He didn't stride aggressively; he moved with an unhurried, inevitable grace, the crowd continuing to part for him. He focused his new Affinity skill, not to appear friendly, but to project an aura of unshakeable, legitimate authority. He wasn't the drunken young master crashing her party. He was an equal, arriving.
The men and women surrounding Mu Wanyan noticed him first. Their polished conversation faltered. Postures straightened. Nervous glances were shot his way, then towards Mu Wanyan. She sensed the shift in the atmosphere and turned, her winter-sky eyes meeting his once more. The contempt was still there, but it was now layered with a sharp wariness. This was not the Yi Lang she knew.
"Wanyan," Yi Lang said, his voice a low, resonant baritone that cut through the polite chatter without needing to be raised. Using her given name so familiarly was a deliberate provocation.
A man in his thirties, sporting a meticulously tailored suit and the confident bearing of a self-made man, stepped slightly in front of Mu Wanyan—a protective gesture. "Yi Lang. We're in the middle of a business discussion. Perhaps you could…"
Yi Lang's dual-colored eyes flicked to the man. He didn't need the System to identify this type. The upstart businessman, likely one of Mu Wanyan's potential allies, already positioning himself as her defender against the 'villainous' fiancé.
[ Insight Activated. Target: Unidentified Businessman. ]
Emotional State: Annoyance masking strategic calculation. Sees this as an opportunity to score points with Mu Wanyan.
Primary Desire:To secure an exclusive partnership with Sky-Glance Corporation.
Immediate Threat:A potential loss of face.
"The discussion looks riveting," Yi Lang said, his tone dry enough to desiccate the air. His gaze never left the man, his Insight giving him all the ammunition he needed. "Tell me, Director Li, how is the due diligence on your proposed 'exclusive partnership' coming along? I heard your flagship product has a… 37% failure rate in independent stress tests. Presenting flawed data to my fiancée is a bold strategy."
The man—Director Li—froze. His confident mask shattered into stunned disbelief, followed by a wave of panic. That information was a closely guarded secret, known only to his inner circle. How could this wastrel possibly know?
Mu Wanyan's head snapped towards Director Li, her eyes sharpening into analytical shards. "Is this true, Director Li?"
"I… That's a baseless accusation from a… a…" Li sputtered, his face flushing.
"From the man who has access to the Yi Consortium's global intelligence network," Yi Lang finished for him, his voice still calm. He turned his attention fully back to Mu Wanyan, dismissing Li as if he had ceased to exist. The humiliated director took a stumbling step back, his credibility in tatters.
The move was masterful. He had eliminated a rival for her attention, demonstrated access to superior information, and framed it all as an act of protective concern for her interests. All without raising his voice.
Mu Wanyan was staring at him, her icy composure thoroughly fractured. The confusion from before had now evolved into genuine, sharp-edged shock. Who was this?
[ Ding! Host has successfully caused an emotional fluctuation in Heroine 'Mu Wanyan' (Shock + Intrigue + Annoyance). Favorability +5. Destiny Villain Value +200! ]
[ Ding! Host has successfully derailed a minor plot point ('The Untrustworthy Ally'). Destiny Villain Value +100! ]
DVV: 400. The points were rolling in.
"We need to talk," Yi Lang said to Mu Wanyan, his tone leaving no room for refusal. "Privately. The rooftop terrace. Five minutes." He didn't wait for her agreement. He simply turned and walked away, knowing the weight of his presence and the shock of his actions would compel her to follow. To refuse would be to admit he had gotten under her skin.
He took the private elevator up, the silence a welcome reprieve. The rooftop terrace was a masterpiece of minimalist design, a quiet oasis high above the city's neon glow. The night air was cool and clean. He stood at the railing, looking out at the sprawling metropolis that was his new kingdom. A kingdom infested with protagonists waiting to be dethroned.
He didn't have to wait long. The soft ding of the elevator announced her arrival.
Mu Wanyan stepped out onto the terrace, her posture rigid. She stopped a dozen feet from him, crossing her arms. "What game are you playing at, Yi Lang? Drunken antics I understand. This… this performance is new."
Yi Lang turned slowly. The city lights reflected in his heterochromatic eyes, making them seem to burn with an inner fire.
"No game, Wanyan. Just a moment of clarity." He leaned back against the railing, the picture of relaxed confidence. "I've been… reassessing my priorities. Our families united us for a reason. Power. Stability. Legacy. My previous behavior was an insult to that vision. It ends tonight."
She scoffed, but it lacked its earlier conviction. "You expect me to believe that? You, the scourge of the nightclub scene, have suddenly seen the light?"
"I don't expect you to believe me," he said, a faint, knowing smile touching his lips. "I expect you to watch me. The bid for the Eastern Bay development zone is next week. Your company' proposal is solid, but the review committee's chairman, Old Man Zhang, has a soft spot for classical music. Specifically, Chopin's Nocturnes. He attends a private concert every Thursday. An invitation, I'm told, is exceedingly difficult to acquire."
He paused, letting the specificity of the information sink in. He saw her eyes widen almost imperceptibly. This was not public knowledge.
"Consider it an engagement gift," Yi Lang said softly. "A gesture of goodwill. To show you that the Yi family's resources are now at your disposal, as they should have been from the start."
He was not pleading. He was not demanding. He was offering. And he was offering something she genuinely wanted, something that aligned perfectly with her own ambitions. He was reframing their entire relationship from one of antagonism to one of potential, powerful alliance.
Mu Wanyan was utterly silent for a long moment, studying him as if seeing him for the first time. The contempt was gone, replaced by a deep, calculating curiosity. The ice hadn't melted, but it had developed a hairline crack.
[ Ding! Host has successfully caused a significant emotional fluctuation in Heroine 'Mu Wanyan' (Profound Shock + Major Intrigue). Favorability +15. Destiny Villain Value +500! ]
[ Total Favorability with Mu Wanyan: 20 (From Intense Dislike to Cautious Curiosity) ]
[ Destiny Villain Value: 900 ]
The chime in his mind was a symphony. Nine hundred points. From a single conversation. This was the path to true power.
"Why?" she finally asked, her voice quieter than before. "Why now?"
Yi Lang looked out over the city, his smile turning enigmatic. "Let's just say I've grown tired of being a stepping stone in other people's stories. It's time to start writing my own. "
He pushed off the railing and walked towards the elevator, passing her without another word. He had given her the bait. He had shaken her worldview. The hook was set. Now, he would let her wrestle with it.
As the elevator doors closed, leaving a pensive Mu Wanyan alone on the rooftop, Yi Lang allowed his calm mask to slip for a single second, revealing the triumphant predator beneath.
The first domino has fallen.