Shanghai, LimTech Headquarters – The War Room
The morning after the Titan Dynamics announcement, Joshua stood in LimTech's high-security conference room, surrounded by his most trusted executives. A digital war was about to unfold, and he had no intention of losing.
Su Yan stood at the front, her fiery red hair tied back, arms crossed as she glared at the giant monitor displaying Titan Dynamics' stolen AI interface. "It's Alpha. There's no doubt. They didn't even bother changing the code structure—just rebranded it under a different name: Project Helios."
The executives whispered among themselves, their unease evident. Titan Dynamics wasn't just some competitor—they were a global tech giant, backed by some of the most powerful figures in the industry. Going up against them meant challenging the entire Western corporate elite.
But Joshua wasn't intimidated.
He leaned back in his chair, completely composed. "Then we'll use that against them," he said calmly. "They didn't steal just any AI system. They stole my vision—and now, they're going to regret it."
He turned to his cybersecurity team. "How much of Alpha's framework did they manage to copy?"
A lead technician adjusted his glasses. "From our assessment, they stole an early-stage version. They don't have the finalized learning algorithms, which means their AI is significantly weaker than our current build."
Joshua smirked. That was the leverage he needed.
Su Yan's eyes flashed with realization. "You're thinking of baiting them with an upgraded version, aren't you?"
Joshua nodded. "We'll host a public showcase of Alpha's capabilities—the real Alpha. But not just any showcase… a direct challenge to Titan Dynamics."
The entire room went silent. A head-to-head battle between LimTech and Titan Dynamics? This wasn't just a legal dispute. This was a declaration of war.
One of the executives hesitated. "Chairman Lim, Titan Dynamics will fight back aggressively. They might use their political influence to suppress us."
Joshua leaned forward, his voice sharp. "Then we make sure the entire world is watching. If they try to crush us behind the scenes, we'll drag them into the spotlight and expose their corruption."
Su Yan grinned. "You really don't play fair, do you?"
Joshua's smirk deepened. "When have you ever seen me fight fair?"
The Trap is Set – An Open Invitation
By noon, an official statement was sent out to global media outlets:
"LimTech Official Statement:
We challenge Titan Dynamics' Project Helios to a live, open comparison of AI capabilities. Our latest AI system, Alpha, will go head-to-head in a series of tests to determine which company truly holds the future of AI.
We invite top experts, government officials, and industry leaders to witness this event.
The world deserves to know the truth."
The moment the statement went live, social media exploded.
#AlphaVsHelios started trending worldwide.
Tech analysts, reporters, and netizens flooded forums with debates:
• "LimTech is insane! Titan Dynamics is a multi-trillion-dollar corporation!"
• "If Titan stole Alpha, they're finished."
• "This could be the biggest tech battle in history."
And then… Titan Dynamics responded.
"Titan Dynamics accepts the challenge. Let's settle this in front of the world."
Joshua smiled.
They took the bait.
Meanwhile – The Hunt for the Mole
While LimTech prepared for battle, Joshua had another pressing issue—the traitor inside his company.
Someone had leaked Alpha's source code to Titan Dynamics, and that person was still inside LimTech.
Sung En, who had been quietly watching the entire meeting, finally spoke. "Joshua, how are you going to handle the mole?"
Joshua tapped his fingers on the table. "We don't flush them out just yet. Instead, we let them believe they're still safe."
Su Yan's eyes narrowed. "You're going to feed them false information, aren't you?"
Joshua smirked. "Exactly."
Later That Night – A Private Moment
After an intense day of strategizing, Joshua finally returned to his penthouse suite, hoping for a moment of peace. But just as he loosened his tie, his phone buzzed.
Jia Yi: "Are you free? I want to see you."
Minutes later, Jia Yi arrived, still in her casual home attire—a cozy sweater and shorts. Her eyes held a mix of emotions—pride, concern, and something else… something deeper.
She sat beside him on the couch, resting her head against his shoulder. "You're pushing yourself hard," she murmured. "I know this fight is important, but… I worry about you."
Joshua let out a breath, placing a hand over hers. "I know. But this is something I can't lose."
She looked up at him, her gaze soft but resolute. "Then you won't. Because I'll be right here, supporting you."
For a brief moment, the weight of the world lifted.
Joshua pulled her closer, whispering, "Thank you."
And in that quiet moment, he realized—no matter how powerful he became, Jia Yi was the one person who kept him grounded.
[System Update]
[New Mission Unlocked: The Corporate Showdown]
• Objective: Defeat Titan Dynamics in the AI competition.
• Bonus Objective: Expose the mole inside LimTech.
• Reward: ??? (Hidden Legendary Reward)
[Current Favorability Points]
• Jia Yi: 91 Points (In Love – True Feelings Confirmed)
• Sung En: 72 Points (Growing Concern for Joshua)
• Su Yan: 88 Points (Fueled by Revenge Against Titan Dynamics)
[Recent System Rewards & Skills]
• Bank Deposit: +20,000,000 yen
• New Asset: AI Company (with additional investment; 49% shares transferred to Su Yan)
• Reward: Shanghai Airport Asset (4.8 Billion dollars)
• 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)
• New Urgent Mission: Reclaim Alpha
• New Mission: The Corporate Showdown
• Skills: Genius Acting, Master Piano, Business Warfare Strategy