Fortune City Industrial Zone
Night had already fallen over Fortune City.
The brightly lit industrial district on the eastern outskirts of the city remained active despite the late hour. Large transport trucks moved continuously through the roads while factory chimneys released white steam into the cold night sky.
On the surface everything appeared normal, yet beneath the calm exterior countless undercurrents were quietly colliding.
Inside the highest floor of Li Group's headquarters, every important member of the Li faction had gathered around a long conference table.
The atmosphere was heavy.
Several reports lay scattered across the table.
Raw material suppliers had suddenly terminated contracts.
Three transportation companies had simultaneously raised their prices.
A number of local banks had begun delaying approvals for short-term financing.
Individually these incidents appeared insignificant.
Together they formed a coordinated attack.
Li Tian slowly put down the documents in his hands.
"They've started."
No one needed to ask who "they" referred to.
Everyone present already knew.
The protagonist faction had finally made its move.
Across the city, inside Soaring Dragon Group's newly established headquarters, an entirely different atmosphere could be seen.
Ye Feng sat at the head of the conference room while representatives from the Tang Family, Shen Family, Wang Family and several subordinate forces occupied the remaining seats.
The room was filled with confidence.
Over the past ten days their faction had expanded rapidly.
New businesses were established.
Old competitors were absorbed.
Numerous local forces had voluntarily attached themselves to the protagonist camp after witnessing its rapid growth.
Even Wang Jun could not hide his excitement.
"At this rate, Li Group won't survive a month."
Several people immediately nodded.
Only Ye Feng remained silent.
His fingers tapped rhythmically against the table.
His expression was calm but his eyes remained cold.
Others believed the Li Family was already cornered.
He did not.
The more he fought Li Tao, the more uneasy he became.
Every move seemed to be anticipated.
Every arrangement appeared prepared in advance.
Sometimes Ye Feng even felt as though his opponent knew the future better than he did.
The thought itself sounded ridiculous.
Yet the feeling refused to disappear.
Meanwhile, far away from the city center, inside a hidden cave located deep within the Endless Mountains, Luo Chen slowly opened his eyes.
The surrounding spiritual energy rushed toward him like a tide before being absorbed into his body.
A faint cracking sound echoed from inside his dantian.
Foundation Establishment.
The barrier that had restricted him for weeks finally shattered.
A powerful pressure spread throughout the cave.
Countless stones trembled.
Dust fell from the ceiling.
The injuries sustained during the battle inside Riches Club had finally recovered.
More importantly—
he had gained a clearer understanding of this world.
The martial artists here were weaker than cultivators of the same realm.
Their techniques were crude.
Their understanding of energy was shallow.
Yet this world possessed something his previous world lacked.
Luck.
An astonishing amount of luck.
Especially around certain individuals.
Ye Feng.
Li Tao.
Nangong Li.
Qin Chanchan.
The moment he recalled those names, Luo Chen's eyes narrowed slightly.
He could vaguely sense invisible threads connecting all of them together.
The phenomenon reminded him of ancient records describing Sons of Destiny.
Existences blessed by heaven itself.
In his previous world, every Son of Destiny eventually became a terrifying figure capable of shaking continents.
For such people to appear simultaneously...
something enormous was approaching.
And he intended to stand at the center of it.
Back in Fortune City, another meeting was quietly taking place.
Inside the Murong Family estate, Uncle Long stood respectfully beside an elderly man dressed in plain grey robes.
The old man's appearance was ordinary.
Yet every movement carried an indescribable pressure.
After listening to Uncle Long's report, the old man remained silent for a long time.
Finally he spoke.
"The doctor has appeared?"
"Yes."
"The disciple?"
"Ye Feng."
The old man slowly closed his eyes.
A complicated expression appeared on his face.
"It seems the younger generation will not be allowed a peaceful competition."
Uncle Long remained silent.
He understood exactly what those words meant.
Once Divine Doctor Xiao personally entered the stage, this conflict would no longer remain limited to Fortune City.
The province itself could become involved.
Perhaps even forces beyond it.
At the same moment, inside Li Tao's cultivation room, a notification suddenly appeared before his eyes.
[Ding!]
[Main Story Progress Updated.]
[Fortune City Arc: 87%]
[Major Conflict Detected.]
[Protagonist Camp has initiated faction-level confrontation.]
[Upcoming Event Identified.]
[Commercial War.]
[Estimated Escalation Probability: 98%]
[Estimated Martial Conflict Probability: 91%]
Li Tao slowly looked out the window.
The city lights stretched endlessly beneath the night sky.
For ten days both sides had been sharpening their blades.
For ten days everyone had been gathering allies and increasing their strength.
Now the preparation phase was ending.
The next collision would determine who controlled Fortune City.
A faint smile appeared on his face.
For the first time in a long while, he felt genuine anticipation.
The opponents standing before him were no longer minor villains or brainless cannon fodder.
Ye Feng had become stronger.
The protagonist faction had become stronger.
Even Luo Chen had begun emerging from the shadows.
Only by defeating enemies like these would there be meaning in rewriting fate.
Outside the window, thunder quietly rumbled in the distant sky.
The storm had finally arrived.
______________________
System strain increase to 70%