The morning sunlight streamed in through the penthouse windows, casting golden rays across Lin Chen's now-familiar digital interface.
[System Notification: New Mission Unlocked – "Interception: Secure the Quantum Chip"]
Objective: Intercept a rare encrypted quantum data chip scheduled to be auctioned tonight. Multiple competitors expected.Reward: +50,000 Gold Coins, 2x System Skill Cards, Hidden Module Progress +1Penalty: Loss of opportunity to control future intelligence leverage.
Quantum chip? Lin Chen arched a brow.
He swiped to the mission's detailed panel. The chip wasn't just a piece of advanced tech. It contained a prototype encryption sequence linked to several underground crypto-wallets—wallets used by major powers, including Erebus and its puppet corporations, for covert transactions.
"That explains the importance," he murmured.
He glanced at the map. The auction would be held at The Eclipse Pavilion, a notoriously exclusive venue where only verified elites could participate. Access was not the issue. His newly minted identity as "Financial Independent Consultant: Orion" had already made its rounds in elite circles.
The issue was competition.
"Participants: 37 registered, 12 high-priority threats detected.""Estimated Buyout Value: 18M Gold Coins."
Lin Chen let out a low whistle. Even for him, that was a significant amount.
He opened the system store and browsed through his assets. After recent ventures, he had just shy of 15 million coins in liquid assets. Not enough for a straightforward win.
But straightforward was never his style.
7:32 PM – The Eclipse Pavilion
Black suits, silver gowns, and glistening jewelry shimmered under the venue's chandeliers. Lin Chen, dressed in a midnight-blue tuxedo custom-fitted from the system's wardrobe module, moved through the crowd like a predator in polished leather shoes.
He wasn't alone.
At the far end of the ballroom, he caught sight of two people he immediately recognized from the system's threat dossier:
Fang Xi – A crypto-king turned corporate raider known for buying tech patents and reselling them to rogue states.
Juno K. – The heiress of an underground cartel in the Balkans with a sharp eye for information warfare.
They weren't here for antiques or prestige. They were here for control.
Lin Chen made his way to the auction chamber—a wide, dark-wooded amphitheater with numbered leather chairs, each equipped with digital bid paddles and encryption keypads.
He tapped his earpiece.
"System," he whispered. "I need a bid shadow function."
[Request Confirmed. Shadow Bidding Mode Unlocked – 10,000 Gold Coins per 10-minute concealment.]
"Activate."
The system veil fell over his profile. For the next 10 minutes, he could bid anonymously without being traced.
The auction began.
Lot 7: Rare Quantum Chip Prototype
"Starting bid: 5 million," the announcer said, her voice sleek and sharp.
Almost instantly:
"Seven million," said a calm voice—Fang Xi.
"Eight point five," Juno chimed in.
Lin Chen smirked. "Ten million."
The room paused. Whispers fluttered like leaves.
"Ten-five," Fang said, expression tight.
"Eleven," Juno retorted.
Lin Chen remained quiet. Let them bleed first.
The bids surged—eleven-five, twelve, twelve-eight. As expected, the two powerhouses began a bidding war, their egos unwilling to back down.
Then, at 13.5 million, a pause.
Lin Chen waited.
Three seconds.
Five.
"Fourteen million," he said, voice calm, unregistered.
Juno squinted. "Anonymous bidder, huh?"
"Fifteen," Fang snapped.
Lin Chen smiled.
He tapped his keypad and triggered a Gold Storm Card—a system ability that temporarily flooded his bid with encrypted coins from a concealed vault, shocking the system into recognizing an instant transfer.
[One-Time System Card Used: "Overload Surge"]Bid: 18 million. Auto-lock. Confirmed.
The room stilled.
The hammer fell.
"Sold—to the anonymous bidder. Congratulations."
Post-Auction – Backstage
Lin Chen collected the chip inside a black velvet-lined case. As he exited, a hand gripped his wrist.
"You're the bidder, aren't you?" Juno's eyes glittered with something between curiosity and suspicion. "Who are you really?"
Lin Chen tilted his head. "Just someone who doesn't like losing."
She smiled—but it didn't reach her eyes.
"You're messing with forces you don't understand, mystery man. That chip was meant to change more than you know."
He didn't respond.
But inside, he knew she wasn't lying.
Later that Night – System Interface
[Mission Completed: Interception – Quantum Chip Secured]Reward: +50,000 Gold Coins, Skill Card x2, Hidden Progress +1Skill Cards Received:
"Economic Forecasting Lv.2"
"Encryption Decryption Pulse v1.3"
New Hidden Unlock: Project Aegis - 12% Progress
Lin Chen sat on the edge of his penthouse balcony, the city glittering below like fallen stars.
He held the chip between his fingers.
"What secrets do you hold?" he murmured.
And somewhere in the system's digital void, a new series of unreadable data began to flicker—signs that the real war was just beginning.