Two days later, Lin Chen received an encrypted invite.
"Private Financial Exchange. Location: Purgatorio Lounge. Time: Midnight. Guests: Three."
He knew better than to treat this as a casual meeting. Purgatorio wasn't just a lounge; it was a vetting ground for dealmakers, traitors, and future legends.
The system confirmed it.
🔹 Event Triggered: Covert Transaction Arena — Night Rank (B)Objective: Mask true strength. Secure deal without revealing system-enhanced analytics.Reward: 600 Gold + Bonus Item if host is impressed.
He dressed the part—nothing too extravagant, but precise: charcoal suit, silver cufflinks, minimalist Omega watch.
Inside Purgatorio, the lighting was low and colored in crimsons and violets. A jazz saxophone moaned from somewhere above.
Li Chu waited at a table with two others: a portly man with diamond-studded teeth, and a willowy woman with sapphire eyes and a voice like ice.
"Lin Chen," Li Chu said. "Meet Mr. Tang and Miss Yun. Tonight's deal concerns a 7% stake in a shell company tied to a very real lithium mine in Peru. We're buying shadow equity."
Lin Chen nodded, taking a seat. He let them talk first—always let the lions growl before showing you're the true predator.
But as the numbers spilled, Lin Chen activated:
🔹 Active Skill: Predictive Analysis LV.1Analyzing offer terms, cross-checking market discrepancies, simulating negotiation outcomes...
He sipped his drink and then leaned forward. "You're both underestimating the current disruption in port logistics. If that mine's coastal route is delayed another month, the stake value drops by 2.3 million in hedged losses."
The room fell silent.
Tang's grin faltered.
Yun raised an eyebrow.
"And you deduced this... how?"
Lin Chen shrugged. "Just intuition."
Li Chu watched him like a hawk. Her interest was no longer academic.
She was calculating.
🔹 Bonus Triggered: Unmask Deception Without Triggering Alarm 💰 +600 Gold 🌟 Special Item Acquired: "Digital Whisper" — Allows passive data-siphoning during negotiations*
The meeting ended with Lin Chen securing a 3% silent partner cut. Tang and Yun left disturbed, but intrigued.
Outside, Li Chu stopped him.
"You're no sheep."
"Never claimed to be," Lin Chen replied.
She narrowed her eyes. "You should be careful. The higher you climb, the more dangerous the fall."
Lin Chen turned to her, the city lights casting a glow over his profile.
"Then I'll just have to make sure I never fall."