The rain wasn't just falling; it was punishing. It soaked through Ye Chen's thin, faded uniform, the word "JANITOR" printed in peeling white letters on his back. He stood on the curb of the Royal Oak Hotel, his hands trembling as he held a small, cheap plastic box. Inside was a generic engagement ring he had saved three years of salary to buy.
A sleek, black Maybach pulled up to the gold-trimmed entrance. The door opened, and Lin Xia stepped out. She wasn't wearing the simple clothes she usually wore when they ate cheap noodles together. She was draped in a silk dress that cost more than Ye Chen made in a year.
Following her was Director Wang, the man who had fired Ye Chen only two hours ago.
"Xia... why?" Ye Chen's voice was cracked, barely audible over the thunder.
Lin Xia didn't even look at him with pity. It was pure disgust. "Look at yourself, Ye Chen. You're a janitor. You smell like bleach and failure. Director Wang gave me a life where I don't have to check the price tag on a menu. You? You'll never be worth more than the dirt on his tires. Don't ever call me again."
Director Wang laughed, puffing on a thick cigar. "Hey, kid. Thanks for cleaning my office all these months. You did a good job. Now, go find a gutter to sleep in."
The Maybach roared to life, splashing a wave of muddy, freezing water directly onto Ye Chen as it sped away. He stood there, dripping, the plastic ring box falling into the puddle.
Suddenly, a sound like a crystal shattering echoed in his brain.
[Ding! Ambition detected. The 'Divine Sign-In System' is initializing...]
[Status: 10%... 50%... 100%. Activation Complete.]
[Mission: Sign-in at the 'Golden Lion' statue inside the Royal Oak Hotel Lobby.]
[Time Limit: 10 Minutes.]
[Reward: 35% Shares of Royal Oak Hotel Group. (Second Largest Individual Shareholder).]
Ye Chen gasped. His vision blurred, and a glowing map appeared in the air, pointing toward the heavy revolving glass doors. But as he stepped forward, two massive security guards blocked his path.
"Back off, trash," one guard growled, placing a hand on Ye Chen's chest. "Director Wang gave us a heads-up. If we see you near the entrance, we're authorized to break your legs. Get lost!"
Ye Chen backed away, his heart racing. He had 8 minutes left. If he didn't get inside, he would stay a janitor forever.
He ducked into a dark alleyway next to the hotel, looking for a service door. Suddenly, a figure crashed into him. It was a girl, breathing heavily, her face pale with terror. She was dressed in high-end sportswear, but her sleeve was torn, and she was clutching her side.
"Please," she whispered, her eyes wide. "Hide me. They're coming."
Ye Chen heard the heavy thud of combat boots hitting the pavement at the end of the alley. Three men in black suits, looking like professional kidnappers, were scanning the area with flashlights.
Without a word, Ye Chen grabbed the girl's hand. He knew this alley better than anyone, he had emptied the trash bins here for two years. He pulled her behind a stack of industrial crates and shoved her into a narrow gap behind a massive ventilation unit.
"Stay silent," he breathed.
He stepped back into the light of the alley, heart pounding. The three men spotted him instantly.
"Hey! You!" the lead man barked, reaching for a baton. "Did a girl in a white tracksuit run past here?"
Ye Chen looked terrified, which wasn't hard to fake, and pointed toward the back fire escape of the neighboring office building. "She... she climbed the ladder! She went toward the roof!"
The men didn't wait. They cursed and sprinted toward the ladder, clambering up with heavy thuds.
Once the sound of their boots faded, Ye Chen pulled the girl out. She was shaking, but she looked at him with intense gratitude.
"You saved my life," she panted. "I'm Su Mei. I won't forget this. What can I do for you? Money? I have—"
"I don't want money," Ye Chen interrupted, glancing at the ticking timer in his mind. '2 minutes left.' "I need to get into the Royal Oak lobby. Right now. But the guards at the front are looking for me. Can you get me past them?"
Su Mei blinked, surprised by the odd request. She looked at his janitor uniform and then at his determined eyes. She pulled a gold-plated VIP card from her pocket.
"Follow me," she said firmly. "And keep your head down."
They walked to the side VIP entrance. The guard there started to move, but Su Mei snapped, "He's with me. He's my personal trainer. Do you have a problem with that?"
The guard recognized Su Mei—her family was clearly powerful. He bowed instantly and opened the door.
Ye Chen stepped onto the plush, crimson carpet of the lobby. The air smelled of expensive lilies. In the center of the room stood a massive, three-meter-tall statue of a lion made of solid, polished gold.
He walked toward it, his heart hammering against his ribs. He reached out a trembling, wet hand and touched the cold metal of the lion's mane.
[Ding! Location Confirmed: The Throne of the Elite.]
[Sign-in Successful!]
[Reward: 35% Equity in Royal Oak Hotel Group has been transferred to your name.]
[Official Documents have been placed in the hotel's secure safe. The General Manager is being notified of the new Board Member's arrival.]
Ye Chen felt a warm surge of energy flow through his body. The exhaustion and the cold rain seemed to vanish. He stood up straight, his eyes no longer filled with the fear of a servant, but the cold steel of a master.
Just then, a voice shrieked from across the lobby.
"Ye Chen?! How did you get in here? Security! Arrest this trespasser!"
It was Lin Xia. She was standing with Director Wang near the elevators. Wang's face turned purple with rage. "You little rat! I told those guards to kick your teeth in!"
The head of security and four guards rushed toward Ye Chen. Su Mei stepped forward to block them, but Ye Chen gently put a hand on her shoulder and stepped in front of her.
"Wait," Ye Chen said, his voice calm and booming, echoing through the marble hall.
The General Manager of the hotel, a man named Mr. Chen who usually wouldn't even look at someone like Ye Chen, came sprinting out of the office area, his tie crooked and sweat on his brow.
"Stop!" Mr. Chen screamed at the guards. "Don't you dare touch him!"
Lin Xia smirked. "That's right, Mr. Chen! Kick him out! He's a janitor who's stalking me!"
Mr. Chen didn't even look at her. He stopped in front of Ye Chen, took a deep breath, and bowed a full ninety degrees.
"Mr. Ye Chen... I just received the update from the board. You have acquired 35% of our shares. You are now the second-largest owner of this establishment."
The entire lobby went silent. The sound of a dropped glass shattered in the distance.
Lin Xia's mouth hung open. "What? No... that's impossible. He's a loser! He was begging me an hour ago!"
Ye Chen looked at her, his expression unreadable. Then he looked at the General Manager.
"Mr. Chen," Ye Chen said coolly. "I don't like the atmosphere in here tonight. There are some 'static' people blocking the elevators. Please have them removed. And tell Director Wang his company's contract with this hotel is officially terminated."
Director Wang's cigar fell from his mouth. "You... you can't do that!"
"I just did," Ye Chen said.
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