The salty sea breeze helped to clear Jiang Chen's mind for a moment. He looked out at the elderly people strolling on the beach, couples walking hand-in-hand, and tourists laughing and taking photos. With a tired sigh, he reached up to rub his temples.
He felt a lot better, though still a bit drained.
He had indulged himself in luxury, spending nearly 200,000 in a single afternoon. After the high of the day, all that was left was exhaustion.
Taking a taxi to the coast, Jiang Chen couldn't explain why, but he just felt the need to enjoy the sea breeze.
This place was one of the city's most famous attractions. Marble balustrades lined the golden beach, monumental stone inscriptions from the founding fathers stood proudly by the sea, and quaint wooden houses added a touch of nostalgia. He had heard about this place back in university. His dormmates, of course, hadn't said anything flattering about it, but he did remember them mentioning that it was home to many beautiful women—particularly in swimsuits.
And looking around now, they were right.
Yet, even though he had studied for four years in Wanghai City, this was Jiang Chen's first visit to the beach.
There were two simple reasons for that: he had no money and no one to bring here.
It was almost laughable—if he had the money, there would have been no shortage of people to join him. But the reality boiled down to the first reason.
Shopping alone was lonely, and so was spending time on the beach alone.
But today, standing here, Jiang Chen no longer felt the uncertainty that a young man might.
He had money now.
True, one million wasn't a big deal in Wanghai City. The rich here could probably fill up all the high-speed trains in the country and still not have enough to show for it.
A million? That wouldn't even buy a house in the city.
But his mindset had shifted. His perspective had changed. It wasn't bragging—he now owned more wealth than even Bill Gates could compare to.
The bank he owned likely held billions in gold reserves. How about Wanghai City's banks? The whole apocalypse itself?
Of course, the gold could cause problems if sold in bulk, potentially crashing the market. For the long-term, Jiang Chen had no intention of flooding the market. A private gold vault was all he needed. And money? There were plenty of ways to make more.
As for technology, the holographic computer pen he had developed—if he started a company to sell it—would be worth billions. The virtual reality system used for teaching, and the cryo-sleep chambers? That company's value would easily surpass a trillion dollars in USD.
Of course, wealth had to be accumulated step by step, and he couldn't just throw his high-tech innovations into the world too hastily. There were always those who would try to exploit anything new for their own gain.
Once he had accumulated enough gold and capital, then he could focus on building his empire. And when his power had grown to a sufficient size, no one would be able to touch him.
For now, the 1.2 million he had was enough to enjoy life.
So, standing here at this moment, Jiang Chen no longer felt out of place. What once seemed like a distant dream—beautiful women in swimsuits, luxurious villas, cars with endless zeros on their price tags—was now within his reach.
A hiccup escaped him as he rubbed his sore forehead, feeling a bit tipsy.
He tossed his empty beer can into the trash and took a deep breath of the slightly salty sea breeze.
"Hey, handsome, want to join us?"
A woman in a swimsuit flashed him a smile, her bright eyes and white teeth full of youthful vibrance. A fashion magazine enthusiast, she quickly recognized that Jiang Chen's outfit was worth a small fortune. His "mysterious and brooding" eyes made him seem like a CEO fresh off a breakup, full of untold stories.
People in the midst of a breakup are often the easiest to capture, and Sophie thought to herself, If I make the right move, I could hook a rich guy like him. And he's much more handsome than my roommate's sugar daddy.
Her heart raced as she approached him with a sweet, almost innocent smile.
"Heh, no thanks," Jiang Chen replied, surprising her by giving only a brief glance before shaking his head with a smile.
"Better save your youth for someone who truly deserves it."
With that, Jiang Chen turned and walked away, leaving Sophie standing there, stunned.
Sophie probably thinks I'm crazy.
Jiang Chen laughed to himself, ignoring the curious glances of onlookers as he staggered along the sidewalk. After undergoing gene enhancement, his metabolism had also increased, allowing him to process alcohol much faster than most people. He was enjoying this pleasant buzz and, if possible, wished the alcohol would linger in his system a little longer.
Why did I turn her down?
Simply put, Jiang Chen wasn't in the mood. And while she was attractive, she was still a few steps behind Sun Jiao in terms of charm. As for the "cool line" he gave her, that was just him enjoying himself.
Night was falling, but the city's nightlife was just getting started.
The streets were alive with people, and the lights made Jiang Chen feel a bit overwhelmed.
It was so noisy here... Maybe I should take a break for the next few days and find a place to relax.
Thinking about it, Jiang Chen wandered into a quieter part of the city, eventually finding himself walking down a secluded alley.
"Should I head back?"
He muttered to himself as he glanced at the deepening night sky, almost sobering up from the alcohol.
At that moment, a familiar figure appeared before his eyes. Jiang Chen stopped in his tracks, a strange expression crossing his face.
Xia Shiyu, a graduate from Wanghai University with a degree in Business Management, was a woman of both talent and beauty. Naturally, she spent her university years surrounded by admiration and affection, leaving campus with excellent academic credentials.
Her life was completely different from Jiang Chen's, even though they had both attended the same school.
For family reasons, Xia Shiyu chose not to pursue further studies but instead took a job at a clothing store. Her outstanding abilities quickly led to her promotion as store manager at a location in a prime area. This gave her the perfect platform to showcase her talents.
Indeed, just after taking charge, Xia Shiyu implemented a series of strategies that increased the store's sales. Her strict management style earned her the nickname "Ice Queen" from the men and "Bitch" from the women... Well, jealousy is a human trait, especially among peers.
In addition to her career success, she was rumored to have a very loving boyfriend. However, she always seemed indifferent toward him, often leaving him waiting while she worked late. Jiang Chen had once joked with a colleague, asking if her cold demeanor meant she was on her period.
Unfortunately, fate had its own plans.
Xia Shiyu eventually overheard the rumors, and through sheer coincidence, she tracked down the source. Jiang Chen, who had worked there for a year, was promptly fired.
He still remembered the mocking look on her face when she threw him out of the office.
The salty sea breeze helped to calm Jiang Chen's nerves for a moment. Standing on the beach, he watched the elderly taking leisurely strolls, couples walking hand in hand, and tourists snapping photos and having fun. With a tired sigh, he rubbed his temples.
He felt much better, but he was definitely exhausted.
In a rather carefree manner, Jiang Chen had spent nearly 200,000 yuan that afternoon. But after the high of it all, what was left was just fatigue.
Taking a taxi to the beach, he wasn't sure why he felt the need to stand here and feel the wind.
This beach was one of the most famous spots in Wanghai City, with marble railings lining the golden sands, statues of founding fathers with their powerful calligraphy on stone monuments by the sea, and small wooden houses that exuded an old-world charm. Back in college, his roommates had talked about this place. Of course, they didn't have anything nice to say, but he vaguely remembered them mentioning that it was full of beautiful women—many of them wearing swimsuits.
Looking at it now, they were right...
But despite studying in Wanghai for four years, this was Jiang Chen's first time here.
There were two simple reasons: no money and no one to bring along.
It was almost laughable. If he had the money, he'd never lack for people to join him. So, ultimately, the problem came down to the first reason.
Shopping alone felt lonely, and visiting the beach alone felt just as lonely.
Yet, standing here alone now, Jiang Chen felt none of the hesitation that young men typically have.
Because now, he had money.
True, a million yuan wasn't much in Wanghai City, where even the rich couldn't afford a house with it.
But his mindset had changed. It wasn't just about the money—it was the mindset.
Jiang Chen didn't mean to brag, but the wealth he had now made him wealthier than even Bill Gates could dream of.
He had a bank vault full of gold worth at least several billion yuan. And that was just his private stash—what about the gold in all the banks in Wanghai City? Or across the entire post-apocalyptic world?
Of course, selling off all that gold would attract trouble. If he flooded the market, it would cause the price to drop. That's why Jiang Chen planned to keep his gold stash discreet, but that wasn't the only way he made money.
What about technology? He had that holographic computer pen, for instance. If he launched a company to sell that, its market value would easily surpass hundreds of billions. And the virtual reality systems used for teaching? Or the cryogenic pods? With those, his company's valuation could soar past a trillion dollars in no time.
Of course, these things had to be rolled out carefully, step by step. If he revealed too much, he'd not only be flooded with cash but also unwanted attention—especially from unsavory characters. It was like killing the goose that laid the golden eggs, something people did all too often.
Once he had gathered enough gold and accumulated enough initial capital, he could begin expanding his influence, growing his power step by step. When the time came, even the most malicious individuals wouldn't dare to touch him.
For now, though, the million yuan he had was enough to enjoy life with.
And so, standing here now, Jiang Chen didn't feel out of place. What was once only a dream—those beautiful women, luxurious villas, and cars with prices that made you lose count of the zeros—was now within reach.
Burp...
He let out a small burp and rubbed his aching temples. He was starting to feel tipsy.
He tossed the empty beer can into the trash, took a deep breath of the slightly salty sea breeze, and—
"Hey, handsome, want to join us?"
A woman in a swimsuit smiled at him, her bright eyes and perfect teeth radiating youthful charm. Jiang Chen, who was no stranger to fashion magazines, immediately noticed her gaze flicker to his outfit, assessing the value with a practiced eye. His "mysterious" and "deep" look gave him the air of a man who had just been heartbroken—exactly the type of man many women loved to chase.
People in emotional turmoil were the easiest to manipulate, and Su Fei, thinking she had the upper hand, dismissed her friends with a casual wave and walked over to Jiang Chen. She greeted him with a sweet, innocent smile.
Su Fei didn't care how many women Jiang Chen had been with, nor whether he even had a girlfriend. She envied her roommate, who had a sugar daddy and spent every day with countless pocket money, carrying LV bags and wearing expensive perfumes. She thought, "If I make the first move, I can catch a rich guy too... and this one is way better-looking than my roommate's sugar daddy."
Her heart skipped a beat as she imagined the possibilities.
"Heh, no thanks," Jiang Chen replied, surprising her by merely giving her a glance before smiling and shaking his head.
"Save your youth for someone who deserves it," he added.
With that, he turned and walked away, leaving Su Fei standing there, frozen in surprise.
"She probably thinks I'm crazy," Jiang Chen chuckled to himself, ignoring the stares of passersby as he stumbled down the street, his steps aimless. Thanks to his gene-enhanced body, his metabolism worked faster than most, flushing the alcohol out quicker than normal. He enjoyed the tipsy feeling and wished he could hold on to it longer.
Why did he refuse her?
It was simple—he wasn't in the mood. And while Su Fei was attractive, she didn't compare to Sun Jiao. As for the line about "save your youth," it was just something he felt like saying.
Nightfall descended, but the city's life was just beginning.
The streets were crowded, and Jiang Chen, seeking some peace, felt a little helpless. It was just too noisy here... Maybe he should get away for the next few days and find somewhere quieter to relax.
Lost in thought, he found himself walking down a less crowded street and, before he knew it, he had entered a quiet alley.
"Should I head back?" he muttered to himself, the alcohol mostly worn off, as he surveyed the increasingly darkening sky.
But just then, a familiar figure caught his eye. He froze for a moment, a strange expression flashing across his face.
Xia Shiyu, a graduate of Wanghai University with a degree in economics and management, was both talented and beautiful. She spent her university years basking in admiration and affection from countless people, leaving campus with excellent grades and a bright future.
Her life, though, was almost the opposite of Jiang Chen's, even though they both graduated from the same university.
For family reasons, she didn't continue with graduate studies and instead took a job at a clothing store. Thanks to her abilities, she quickly became the store manager, working in a prime location. It was the perfect platform for her to show her talents.
Her success was undeniable—within just a few months, she had improved the store's sales significantly. But her leadership style, harsh and high-pressure, led to some resentment. She created short-term results, but long-term negativity. She couldn't be on the front lines all the time, but she expected all employees to follow her orders without question. Though her demands were reasonable, they were often seen as unreasonable in practice.
The mismatch between her expectations and the low salaries she offered led to growing complaints. These sentiments were reflected in the work environment and ultimately in sales performance.
Despite initial success, the higher-ups eventually decided to replace Xia Shiyu with a new, more experienced manager. As for the employees under her, some were let go due to poor performance.
The woman once hailed as the "gem" of the economics department at Wanghai University was now unemployed.
Just one year later...
She was devastated. She couldn't understand what went wrong. Or maybe, the smart woman had already realized where she went wrong, but it was too late to fix it. She still vaguely remembered the man she had fired, the one who seemed to have triggered the shift in everyone's attitudes toward her. What was once respect soon turned into disgust—even from men who had once fawned over her.
After losing her job, she faced a double blow in both her career and personal life.
Her boyfriend, who had always been by her side, suddenly left her, taking a new lover. His excuse? "We've been together all these years, and you can't even kiss me? Fine, go be a nun then…"
It was bitterly ironic. Xia Shiyu had believed he loved her unconditionally. After all, he had pursued her all the way through college without giving up. So, she had agreed to be with him. But deep down, she hadn't loved him, nor was she truly interested in any of the men who surrounded her. She just knew she needed to settle down and figured she might as well choose the man who had been pursuing her the longest.
But reality hit her hard. She almost ended up loving him.
Was it because they never kissed? Or because they never slept together? Did love really fall apart over something like that? Xia Shiyu was confused. She had promised him that she would give him everything on their wedding day.
But that wasn't the hardest part.
Out of spite—or some other reason—her boyfriend had used her ID to secure a loan, and that was how she ended up with the car he had been driving her around in every day. Each month, she transferred money to him, half of it used to pay off the car loan. The whole situation didn't seem suspicious... until the day she was fired.
A 500,000-yuan car was nothing to laugh at. In the past, she could have bought it with a few years' savings.
But now, unemployed, it was a huge burden. Even with her capabilities, finding a new job and paying off the loan wouldn't be easy. The job market was packed with fresh graduates, and the competition was fierce. Xia Shiyu's campus glow had long since faded.
And the jobs that offered her positions were loaded with humiliating conditions.
High salary? Sure. But could she keep quiet about the underlying expectations? Could she compromise on her dignity?
In this densely populated country, talent was everywhere.
The most ironic thing? Sitting in the passenger seat of that car now was no longer her.
She thought about reporting it to the authorities, but the private loan wasn't exactly clean. The people involved weren't the type to let her walk away unscathed.
How could a good girl like her fight against the underworld?
It wasn't a battle she could win.
And so, she fled from her apartment and took refuge in a low-rent house, scraping by with odd jobs. She hoped to save enough to find a way to get justice, all while desperately searching for a better job.
But her luck had clearly run out.
A group of men with ominous expressions blocked the entrance of her workplace.
Their intentions were anything but friendly.