Li Wei adjusted his tie – strange how his younger body still felt both familiar and foreign – as he walked into Li Industries' headquarters. The gleaming skyscraper hadn't changed much in twenty years, though it felt smaller now than in his memories.
[Host's current status displaying...]
A translucent blue window appeared in his vision:
Name: Li Wei
Age: 25 (Mental Age: 45)
Bloodline: Phoenix Clan Descendant (Dormant)
Cultivation Level: 0 (Pathetic, really)
ATTRIBUTES:
Intelligence: 89/100 (Enhanced by future knowledge)
Business Acumen: 92/100
Physical Strength: 65/100
Spiritual Energy: 2/100 (Yikes)
CURRENT QUESTS:
PRIMARY: "Save the Parents" - Prevent Li Jing and Sun Mei Ling from boarding Flight MH317
- Time Remaining: 2 days, 15 hours
- Reward: Parents' survival, Bloodline awakening boost
- Failure: Temporal paradox warning!
SECONDARY: "Phoenix Rising"
- Begin basic cultivation training
- Current Progress: 0%
- Reward: Access to basic flame abilities
POINTS: 0 (You're broke in more ways than one, host)
[Task Alert: Sabotage the Singapore merger without revealing your future knowledge. Reward: 100 points. Bonus objective: Maintain your parents' trust.]
"No pressure," Li Wei muttered, stepping into the elevator.
[Oh, there's plenty of pressure. By the way, your father's already in the conference room with the merger team. Might want to hurry.]
The elevator opened directly into the executive floor. Li Wei's current position was Deputy Director of Strategy – a role his father had given him to learn the business. In his original timeline, he'd been too eager to prove himself, too focused on the numbers to see the human cost of his decisions.
Not this time.
He strode into the conference room, where his father and five executives were reviewing documents. Li Jing looked up, his stern face softening slightly at the sight of his son.
"You're early, Wei. Good. We're finalizing the Singapore proposal."
[Warning: Your father's happiness meter is at 85%. This might hurt.]
Li Wei took his seat, accepting the folder passed to him. Inside were the merger documents – documents he'd memorized twenty years ago after they'd become evidence in the crash investigation. The deal had seemed perfect then. Now he could see all the hidden traps.
"I've been reviewing the market analysis," Li Wei began carefully. "Something doesn't add up."
His father frowned. "The numbers are solid. We've had three teams verify them."
"The numbers lie." Li Wei opened his laptop, pulling up the files he'd prepared since dawn. "Look at their subsidiary holdings. The pattern suggests—"
[Task Update: Host is actually making sense! Keep going. Current success rate: 35%]
For the next hour, Li Wei methodically dismantled the merger proposal. He pointed out hidden liabilities, cross-referenced shell companies, and demonstrated how the seemingly profitable Singapore company was actually a house of cards waiting to collapse.
His father's face grew increasingly grave.
[Father's happiness meter dropping. Current level: 45%. But hey, better unhappy than dead, right?]
"If we sign this," Li Wei concluded, "we're not just risking capital. We're risking everything Father and Grandfather built."
The room fell silent. Li Jing stood slowly, his expression unreadable. "Everyone out. Except you, Wei."
[Boss battle initiated! Remember: No future knowledge, no mysterious system references, and definitely no spontaneous flame bursts.]
When they were alone, Li Jing walked to the window. "That analysis... where did it come from?"
"I've been studying their market movements," Li Wei said carefully. "Something felt wrong. I dug deeper."
"In one night? These patterns you've identified would take weeks to—"
"I've been working on it for a while," Li Wei interrupted. "I just... I couldn't sleep last night, so I finally put it all together."
[Smooth lie! Though technically, you have been working on it for twenty years...]
His father turned, eyes sharp. "You've changed."
"Sir?"
"Last week you were pushing for this merger. Said it was the perfect expansion opportunity. Now suddenly you've compiled enough evidence to kill it entirely." Li Jing stepped closer. "Why?"
Li Wei met his father's gaze. In his previous life, he'd always looked away, always tried to prove himself rather than stand his ground. Not now.
"Because I care more about this company's future than its immediate growth. Because some opportunities are too good to be true. Because—" his voice caught "—because I couldn't live with myself if I let this happen."
[Emotional authenticity detected! Father's trust meter stabilizing. Warning: incoming parental moment...]
Li Jing placed a hand on Li Wei's shoulder. "You sound like your grandfather. He always said true strength was in knowing when to walk away from a deal." A slight smile. "Your mother thinks you're working too hard. Maybe she's right."
"The Singapore trip," Li Wei said quickly. "If we cancel the merger—"
"We'll still go. Need to break the news in person. Show respect."
Ice filled Li Wei's veins. "Let me go instead."
[Quest Alert: Alternate strategy required! Host's panic levels rising...]
"You've done good work, son," Li Jing said firmly. "But some things a CEO must do himself. Besides, your mother's looking forward to visiting her old friend there."
Li Wei gripped his armrest, feeling heat build in his fingers. "Father, please—"
[Warning! Phoenix energy spike detected. Might want to calm down before you melt that chair...]
Li Wei forced himself to relax, watching as the metal armrest slowly lost its reddish tint. "At least let me come with you."
"Someone needs to mind the company." Li Jing's tone held finality. "You've proven today that you're ready for more responsibility. While we're gone, you'll be Acting CEO."
In his previous life, these words had filled him with pride. Now they tasted like ash.
[New Task Available: "Find Another Way"
- Prevent parents' departure without direct intervention
- Time Remaining: 2 days, 8 hours
- Difficulty: Extreme
- Reward: 200 points + Special Skill Unlock]
"Thank you, Father," Li Wei managed. "I won't let you down."
[Current Quest Status:
- Merger sabotage: Successful! +100 points
- Parent saving: Still critically failing
- Bonus objective (Maintain trust): Surprisingly intact
New Total Points: 100
Available Skills for Purchase:
- Basic Flame Control (500 points)
- Business Intuition Boost (300 points)
- Timeline Glimpse (1000 points)
...you're still pretty broke, host.]
As his father left the conference room, Li Wei slumped in his chair. The pendant seemed to pulse against his chest, as if sensing his distress.
"I need options," he whispered.
[Well, you could:
1. Stage a corporate emergency
2. Arrange a convenient mechanical issue with their private jet
3. Start cultivating and magically solve everything
4. Stop talking to yourself before someone notices
Though might I suggest option 5: Use those 100 points to unlock a basic skill that might actually help?]
Li Wei straightened. "Show me the skill shop."
[Basic Skills Available (100 points or less):
- Phoenix Insight (75 points): Enhanced ability to detect deception
- Ember Touch (100 points): Minor heat manipulation
- Business Whispers (50 points): Improved negotiation awareness
- Family Bonds (90 points): Strengthened emotional connection with bloodline relatives]
"Family Bonds," Li Wei said immediately. "I need to understand them better, need to find a way..."
[Skill Purchased! Family Bonds activated. Warning: May cause increased emotional sensitivity and random urges to hug your parents.]
Warmth spread through Li Wei's chest, different from the Phoenix fire. Suddenly he could feel them – his father in his office upstairs, his mother at home. The connections glowed like golden threads in his mind.
[Congratulations! You've unlocked your first ability. Try not to cry. Again.]
"I can save them," Li Wei whispered, new determination filling him. "I will save them."
[That's the spirit! Though we really need to work on your cultivation. Your ancestors are probably rolling in their celestial graves watching you fumble with basic energy control.]
Li Wei stood, straightening his suit. He had two days to prevent a tragedy, a century-old company to protect, and apparently an ancient bloodline to revive.
Time to get to work.
[Quest Update: Host showing promising determination! Though maybe we should work on your tendency to dramatically monologue... just a thought.]