Three days after the launch of Aurora AI, the small dormitory room that once felt ordinary had quietly become the headquarters of a rising technology product.
Lin Tianyu sat calmly in front of his laptop while the dashboard displayed real-time data.
User registrations.
Active sessions.
Server load.
Geographical distribution.
Aurora AI was spreading far beyond the university.
What had started as a simple productivity assistant was now gaining users across multiple cities.
Students.
Freelancers.
Startup founders.
Even a few small companies had begun testing it internally.
The user counter ticked upward steadily.
Users: 47,381
Behind Lin Tianyu, Wang Hao stared at the screen in disbelief.
"This is insane."
Lin Tianyu looked over.
"What is?"
"Two weeks ago you were using a second-hand laptop and worrying about tuition."
Wang Hao pointed at the screen.
"Now forty-seven thousand people are using software you built."
Lin Tianyu smiled slightly.
"Technology spreads fast."
But what Wang Hao didn't know was that Aurora AI was growing faster than expected because of something else.
Inside Lin Tianyu's mind, the system interface quietly appeared.
SYSTEM ANALYSIS
Aurora AI Growth Rate: High
Recommended Action:
Establish Corporate Structure
Another notification followed.
MISSION PROGRESS
Establish Technology Company
Objective: Register company and build development team
Reward
• ¥10,000,000
• Corporate AI Management System
• Technology Points +300
Lin Tianyu closed the interface thoughtfully.
Aurora AI was no longer just a project.
It needed infrastructure.
Servers.
Developers.
Legal structure.
A real company.
And to build that…
He would need to step outside the campus.
Morning on Campus
The next morning, Lin Tianyu walked across the university plaza.
Students moved through the pathways while discussing assignments and upcoming exams.
But recently, some conversations had begun mentioning something else.
Aurora AI.
Two students passed by him talking excitedly.
"Did you try that AI scheduling app?"
"Yes! It reorganized my entire study plan."
"Apparently a student built it."
Lin Tianyu continued walking quietly.
He had never liked unnecessary attention.
Just as he reached the engineering building, Chen Xiaoyu approached.
She was holding a tablet and looked slightly amused.
"So it really was you."
Lin Tianyu tilted his head.
"What?"
She showed the screen.
Aurora AI was trending on a technology forum.
"Someone leaked your name as the developer."
Wang Hao, who had just arrived, nearly choked on his coffee.
"Wait… what?"
Chen Xiaoyu smiled.
"Congratulations."
Lin Tianyu remained calm.
"It's just software."
But Chen Xiaoyu looked at him thoughtfully.
"No."
"It's something bigger."
For a moment, they walked together quietly.
The autumn breeze moved gently through the campus trees.
Then Chen Xiaoyu spoke again.
"Are you going to start a company?"
Lin Tianyu answered honestly.
"Yes."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"That's fast."
Lin Tianyu looked toward the distant skyline beyond the campus.
"If the opportunity appears…"
"…you shouldn't hesitate."
A Message Arrives
Later that afternoon, Lin Tianyu returned to the dormitory.
Just as he sat down, his phone vibrated.
Unknown number.
He answered.
A calm voice spoke.
"Lin Tianyu."
"Yes."
"This is Zhao Ming."
Lin Tianyu wasn't surprised.
"I expected your call."
Zhao Ming chuckled softly.
"You're confident."
"I'm practical."
There was a brief pause.
Then Zhao Ming said something unexpected.
"Let's meet."
"Where?"
"Downtown."
"Tonight."
Lin Tianyu thought for a moment.
Then nodded.
"Alright."
After hanging up, Wang Hao looked at him nervously.
"That guy is a serious businessman."
"You should be careful."
Lin Tianyu closed his laptop.
"I know."
But he also knew something else.
Zhao Ming wasn't just curious.
He was testing him.
Evening — Downtown
That night, Lin Tianyu took a taxi into the city.
The downtown district looked completely different from the quiet university campus.
Glass skyscrapers.
Luxury restaurants.
Corporate offices.
The meeting location was a quiet café on the twenty-third floor of a modern building.
When Lin Tianyu entered, Zhao Ming was already waiting.
He looked calm and confident, wearing a tailored suit.
"Sit."
Lin Tianyu sat across from him.
Zhao Ming studied him carefully.
"You're younger than I expected."
Lin Tianyu replied calmly.
"You're older than I expected."
Zhao Ming laughed.
"Fair."
The waiter brought coffee.
For a moment neither spoke.
Then Zhao Ming opened a tablet and turned it toward Lin Tianyu.
Aurora AI's growth chart appeared on the screen.
"Forty-seven thousand users."
"Two weeks."
"That's impressive."
Lin Tianyu nodded.
"Thank you."
Zhao Ming leaned forward slightly.
"I want to invest."
Lin Tianyu shook his head.
"No."
Zhao Ming didn't look surprised.
"You rejected me before."
"But things are different now."
He tapped the screen.
"I can offer you something more valuable than money."
Lin Tianyu raised an eyebrow.
"What?"
"Resources."
"Developers."
"Servers."
"Legal protection."
Then Zhao Ming added quietly:
"And protection from people like Wang Jun."
Lin Tianyu remained silent for a moment.
He understood what Zhao Ming meant.
The business world wasn't simple.
Competition.
Sabotage.
Legal pressure.
All of it was real.
Zhao Ming continued.
"I'm offering partnership."
"Not control."
Lin Tianyu finally spoke.
"What percentage?"
Zhao Ming smiled slightly.
"You negotiate like a real entrepreneur."
"Twenty percent."
Lin Tianyu thought for a few seconds.
Then he shook his head.
"Ten."
Zhao Ming's eyes flickered with interest.
"You're bold."
Lin Tianyu leaned back calmly.
"Aurora AI will reach one million users."
"Soon."
Zhao Ming stared at him for several seconds.
Then he laughed.
"You're interesting, Lin Tianyu."
He extended his hand.
"Let's talk again."
Meanwhile — A New Threat
Across the city, Wang Jun sat inside a luxurious apartment.
He stared at the Aurora AI download chart on his phone.
His expression was cold.
"So he met my cousin tonight…"
His friend looked confused.
"What does that mean?"
Wang Jun's eyes narrowed.
"It means he's becoming a real competitor."
He leaned back slowly.
"Which means…"
"…we should stop him early."
Late Night
Back in the dormitory, Lin Tianyu looked out the window.
The city lights stretched endlessly across the horizon.
Aurora AI users had just crossed 50,000.
Inside his mind, the system appeared again.
SYSTEM NOTICE
Host Influence Increasing
New Development Phase Preparing
Lin Tianyu smiled faintly.
The company.
The technology empire.
The future.
Everything had begun moving faster.
And somewhere in the distance—
The next storm was already forming.