Morning came quietly.
After freshening up and eating breakfast, Gu Mian lounged comfortably in the living room, browsing the internet on her tablet.
A knock sounded at the door.
Without moving, she picked up the remote and opened it.
Four young women stepped inside, their eyes flicking around the spacious villa with barely concealed awe. Gu Mian raised a hand, gesturing for them to come closer, an apricot held lazily between her lips.
Once she finished eating, she wiped her hands and stood.
"I'm Gu Mian," she said calmly. "I'll be straightforward."
She laid out the rules—where they could go, what they were allowed to touch, and what was absolutely forbidden. Then she handed them a list of contacts—nutritionists and meal planners—to ensure balanced diets.
"There will be men coming soon," in she added lightly. "Strong ones. Make sure the food matches."
The women nodded quickly.
Once they were dismissed, the villa returned to silence.
Gu Mian sat down again, fingers tapping lightly against the armrest.
Next—tasks.
What she would do personally.
What she would delegate.
First, money.
Yes, she had billions. But she needed more—legitimate streams of expenditure. Large-scale purchases required fronts that wouldn't raise suspicion.
Second, storage.
A place to stockpile goods openly. A warehouse, a company, something that could explain constant inflows without attracting attention.
Third—and most urgent.
Jade.
Enough to push her space beyond level five before the apocalypse even began.
As that thought formed, she paused.
Then smiled faintly.
That problem was the easiest of all.
Her father.
She hadn't heard his deep, rough voice in twelve years.
Her fingers hesitated for only a moment before she dialed.
The call connected.
"Hello, Dad."
"Ah, Xiao Mian," Gu Yunchen's voice came through, warm and familiar. "It's been a month since we last spoke. How are you doing?"
"I'm fine, Dad. How's work?"
"The same as always," he chuckled. "And I'm about to increase the family's net worth again. Your brother Ruisheng just landed a big deal abroad. Once it comes back to the domestic market—boom. We'll be even richer. Papa will increase your allowance, haha."
Gu Mian laughed softly. "Dad, you're really something. Planning to become the richest man in Hua Country?"
"Hah! Why not?" he said proudly.
She hesitated, then spoke. "Dad… I called because there's something I want—"
"Eh?" Gu Yunchen cut in, amused. "Xiao Mian, you finally have something to ask your father? Tell Dad anything. I'll do it for you."
Gu Mian's eyes softened.
She leaned back, gaze drifting toward the window, where the sky was clear and blue—deceptively peaceful.
"Yes, Dad," she said quietly. "I need your help."
"It's big too," Gu Mian said lightly. "I might strip you of your hard-earned money."
Gu Yunchen laughed heartily on the other end of the line.
"So Xiao Mian doesn't want to be a salted fish anymore. What is it then?"
"I want to open a mall," she said calmly, already having rehearsed this in her mind. "And a boutique. Cheap, simple, but stylish clothing."
"…Okay?" Gu Yunchen replied, surprised but not dismissive.
"Second," Gu Mian continued, her tone sharpening, "I want to enter the jade jewelry business."
There was a brief pause.
"Now that," Gu Yunchen said slowly, "is a big move."
"Yes, Dad. But what I want isn't connections or favors. I want money. A lot of money." She didn't hesitate. "I'm talking billions."
"I see," Gu Yunchen said thoughtfully. "You want to do everything yourself."
"Yes."
"And when do you want to open?"
"By July next year."
Gu Yunchen frowned. "Isn't that too long? That's a year and three months."
"It's just right," Gu Mian replied gently. "If I rush, I'll burn myself out before opening. I want at least one month of vacation. By July, everything will be ready."
There was a long sigh on the other end.
"Haiii…" Gu Yunchen sounded helpless, but indulgent. "If you say so. Dad will send you two billion yuan. If you need more, call me. And since Xiao Mian called it help, you'll stay at least a week during New Year."
"Deal," Gu Mian smiled. "Thank you, Dad."
"Since when do we say thank you in this family?" he said warmly. "I'm still at work. We'll talk later."
"Okay. Bye, Dad."
The call ended.
Gu Mian leaned back and let out a long breath.
Seven billion yuan.
Enough.
And if it wasn't… she could always earn more through jade gambling.
During the apocalypse, she had discovered something crucial—jade contained a subtle energy detectable by mental power. The higher the quality, the stronger the resonance. That was how she survived later on, finding treasures others walked past blindly.
Her first move was cautious.
She placed an order worth two hundred million yuan for jadeite and jade ore from a reputable jewelry company. She needed to strengthen her mental power before entering any gambling markets.
The order arrived that evening.
She had the crates moved to the third floor.
The moment the jade entered her space, something fascinating happened—the jade vanished, absorbed completely, while the remaining stone and soil merged seamlessly into the land.
Her space responded hungrily.
The next day, right on schedule, a convoy arrived at the villa.
Eleven people.
After the formalities were completed, Gu Mian ushered them inside. Tea and snacks were served. Once everyone was seated, she stood.
"Hi," she said simply. "I'm your boss."
"Hello," they replied in unison.
"My name is Gu Mian. I am the eighth child of Gu Yunchen. Nice to meet you." Her gaze swept over them. "I have three rules for the next year."
The room grew still.
"One: all my orders are carried out exactly as given.
Two: don't ask questions—just do.
Three: betrayal equals death."
No one flinched.
"I didn't hire you to protect me," she continued calmly. "I can do that myself. You're here to handle tasks I don't want to do personally. Your pay will never be lacking. After one year, you're free to leave with generous severance—or stay."
"Yes," they answered.
"And please," Gu Mian added, waving a hand, "don't call me ma'am. Call me by my name."
Introductions followed.
Wei Xuming — mercenary.
Qin Yao — trained bodyguard and assistant.
Bun San — retired mercenary.
Mu Xia — assassin.
Qing Ruofu — former soldier, injured in service.
Huo Xu — navy veteran.
Xu Qian — mercenary.
Li Qiao — bodyguard and hacker.
Bai Ying — retired after eight years of service.
Bu Tong — mercenary.
Gu Mian nodded in satisfaction.
"Choose rooms. Mu Xia gets one alone. After that, research the power structure of C City. Every detail matters."
"Yes."
That weekend, the martial arts instructor arrived.
After examining her physique, he frowned.
"Three months is dangerous," he said frankly. "Your body could sustain permanent damage."
"Let's try one month first," Gu Mian replied. "If I can't handle it, we extend."
"…Alright."
Three days later, after an exhausting morning session, Gu Mian called a meeting.
"I assume you've all gathered enough information," she said. "Now listen carefully."
Her gaze locked onto Qin Yao.
"You're first. Buy the old factory district. Budget: three hundred million. Renovation included, no more than five hundred million. I want ownership transferred to my name within seven days. It will become warehouses."
"Yes."
"Mu Xia." She slid a card across the table. "Two hundred and fifty million. Sweep the antique markets. Buy every piece of jade you can. Spread word to powerful families—I'll take jadeite regardless of quality. You get an extra hundred million for maneuvering."
"Understood."
"Qing Ruofu, assist Mu Xia. Five days. Bring everything to the third floor."
"Yes."
"Mu Xia," Gu Mian added casually, "you'll also kill someone within seven days. Get the details after this meeting."
Mu Xia nodded without hesitation.
"Qing Ruofu, after that, buy five acres of land—one continuous piece. Then bring me two real estate companies for design proposals."
"Yes."
"Li Qiao," Gu Mian said, turning. "You know hackers."
"Yes."
"I need twelve to fifteen. Face-to-face meeting if possible."
"I'll try."
"Good."
She leaned back slightly, eyes shifting toward the next name.
"Next," Gu Mian said calmly,
"Wei Xuming."