Afternoon at the Shanghai Corporate Registration Office
Joshua stepped into the grand yet sterile halls of the Shanghai Corporate Registration Office, exuding an aura of calm authority. The moment he arrived, a few businessmen in the waiting area stole glances at him. Some whispered among themselves, intrigued by his sharp appearance and quiet confidence.
Without hesitation, Joshua approached the registration counter. A middle-aged official sat behind the desk, his tired eyes barely lifting from the stack of paperwork in front of him.
Joshua took the registration form and carefully filled it out, writing the name "Lim Group" in bold strokes. When he reached the section for registered capital, he didn't hesitate. With smooth penmanship, he wrote:
1,000,000,000 yen.
The moment he handed the form back, the official scoffed. He adjusted his glasses and gave Joshua a condescending smirk.
"Kid, do you think this is a joke?" the man chuckled, tapping his fingers on the paper. "A billion yen? Do you even know what that number means?"
Joshua remained impassive. "I do."
The official let out an exaggerated sigh, shaking his head as if dealing with a delusional fool. "I've worked here for twenty years, and I can tell when someone is trying to pull a fast one. We get people like you—wannabe big shots—every other week. But you? You don't even have a secretary or a lawyer with you. You really expect me to believe this?"
Several bystanders in the waiting area turned their heads toward the commotion. Some whispered among themselves.
"Who is that guy?"
"Lim Group? Never heard of it."
"One billion yen? He's got to be bluffing."
Joshua's expression didn't change, but his patience was thinning. "If there's a problem, just process the registration," he said flatly.
The official smirked, clearly enjoying the situation. "I'll need proof of funds. Otherwise, I suggest you stop wasting my time." He lazily reached for his walkie-talkie, ready to call security.
Then, a calm yet authoritative voice cut through the tension.
"Excuse me—Chairman Lim, isn't it?"
The crowd parted slightly as Mr. Tan, the heir to Tan Holdings and a respected member of the Dragon Head Group, stepped forward. Unlike the snobbish official, he regarded Joshua with respect.
"It's good to see you again," Mr. Tan continued, offering a firm handshake. Then, he turned to the stunned official and narrowed his eyes. "Is there a problem here?"
The official suddenly looked nervous. "M-Mr. Tan… I, uh—"
"I'm not sure if you realize, but Chairman Lim isn't just some businessman off the street." Mr. Tan's voice was smooth, but there was an unmistakable edge to it. "His AI company, LimTech, is already making headlines, and his corporate influence is growing rapidly. Do you really want to be the one responsible for delaying his registration?"
The official swallowed hard. He turned back to Joshua and suddenly seemed to realize that this was no ordinary man.
"I-I apologize for any misunderstanding," the official stammered. "I'll process your registration immediately."
A few onlookers who had been skeptical moments ago now murmured in awe.
"Wait… LimTech? The AI company everyone's talking about?"
"I heard he's connected to the Dragon Head Group… he must be the real deal."
"Damn, I almost thought he was bluffing. Good thing I didn't say anything."
As Joshua signed the final document, a system notification flickered before his eyes.
[System Notification: Registration Success—Lim Group is officially established. Reputation Increase +20.]
With the paperwork done, Joshua turned to Mr. Tan and nodded. "I appreciate the support."
Mr. Tan smiled. "No problem at all. We in the Dragon Head Group look out for our own."
Joshua gave a small smirk. "I'll remember that."
Evening: The Digital Aftermath & Growing Rivalries
As the sun set, Joshua returned to his villa, where Jia Yi was already lounging on the couch, scrolling through her phone. She glanced up as he walked in.
"You were gone all day," she noted, stretching lazily. "What were you up to?"
Joshua loosened his collar slightly and took a seat beside her. "Just registering Lim Group."
Jia Yi nearly choked on the sip of tea she had just taken. "Wait. Lim Group?"
Before he could respond, Jia Yi's phone buzzed with notifications. Curious, she checked WeChat and saw that a business news article had gone viral:
"Young Tycoon 'Chairman Lim' Registers New Corporation with 1 Billion Yen in Capital! Is This the Birth of a New Business Empire?"
Jia Yi stared at the screen, stunned. Below the article were hundreds of comments speculating about the mysterious Chairman Lim.
"Another rich second-generation? Or is he self-made?"
"This guy is a legend already. First, the luxury spending spree, then LimTech, and now a billion-yen company?"
"I bet he's some old money heir. No way a young guy could pull this off."
Jia Yi turned to Joshua, an unreadable expression on her face. "You could've told me," she murmured.
Joshua smirked. "I figured you'd find out soon enough."
Jia Yi pouted slightly, but before she could respond, another notification popped up—this time from Sung En.
Sung En: "Congratulations on Lim Group's official launch! Let's celebrate soon?"
Jia Yi's grip on her phone tightened.
She quickly checked Sung En's social media page and saw that she had posted about Lim Group's registration, tagging Chairman Lim. The post was flooded with comments from fans, some even shipping Sung En and Chairman Lim together.
Jia Yi felt a faint pang of jealousy. He's mine.
She quickly typed a message back to Joshua.
Jia Yi: "I don't like sharing."
Joshua, reading her text, chuckled to himself. She's getting possessive.
A new system notification flickered in his vision:
[System Notification: Jia Yi Favorability +3 → (Total: 88)]
As he glanced at Jia Yi—who was now pretending to be completely engrossed in her phone—he leaned in slightly and teased, "Jealous?"
She scoffed. "Of course not." But the faint blush on her cheeks betrayed her words.
Epilogue: The Road Ahead
Later that night, as Joshua sat in his private study, he reflected on the day's events.
The establishment of Lim Group had sent ripples through the business world. His name was growing, his reputation was rising, and his influence was expanding.
But with great power came greater challenges.
As he scrolled through his notifications, he saw a cryptic message from an unknown sender:
Unknown: "Chairman Lim… enjoy your rise while it lasts. The higher you go, the more dangerous it becomes."
Joshua's expression darkened slightly.
He had made waves. Now, it was only a matter of time before the tides pushed back.
[Current Favorability Points]
• Jia Yi: 88 Points (Possessiveness growing)
• Sung En: 70 Points (Curiosity turning into admiration)
• Su Yan: 85 Points (Work relationship deepening)
[Recent System Rewards]
• Bank Deposit: +20,000,000 yen
• New Asset: AI Company (with 49% shares transferred to Su Yan)
• Reward: Shanghai Airport Asset valued at 4.8 Billion yen
• Reward: Corporate Dynasty Reward (3 Billion yen deposited; Master Negotiator skill unlocked)
• Reward: Visionary Insight (Attribute Boost: +10 in Strategic Vision; 500 Million yen in Startup Equity)
• Registration Success: Lim Group officially established (Reputation Increase +20)
Joshua closed his laptop, his eyes glinting with anticipation.
"Let the game begin."