April in Jingzhou brought with it bursts of cherry blossoms and the rising heat of bureaucratic maneuvering.
Following his explosive yet elegant exposure of Gucheng's education fraud, Lu Zhen's name had quietly threaded itself through the corridors of power.
Not shouted.
But whispered—with respect, with caution, and with a tinge of fear.
---
A New Assignment
The morning after returning from Gucheng, Lu found a red envelope on his desk—no stamps, no official seals.
Inside: a single note in Fang Qinglan's handwriting.
> "Urban Redevelopment Project D-17. 48 Hours. Report only to me."
Attached were three sets of files marked "internal circulation only."
They detailed a proposed redevelopment in the city's old industrial belt, known informally as the Iron Crescent—a stretch of rusting factories, low-income housing, and forgotten land deeds.
Officially, the project was about "modernizing urban spaces."
But Lu Zhen knew better.
Land was money. Land was war.
And someone wanted to move pieces on the board without anyone noticing.
---
System Notification
[New Side Mission: "Iron Crescent Secrets" Activated]
> Objective: Investigate hidden players behind Project D-17
Bonus Objective: Secure real estate channels for long-term economic leverage
Rewards:
Passive Skill: "Deal Sense (Lv.1)" – Detect underpriced/overpriced assets
Secret Asset Chain Slot +1
Risk: Medium-High (Multiple interest groups)
---
Digging Begins
Lu gathered his team.
"Xiao Lin, get me the property transfer history of the Iron Crescent—last fifteen years. I want full chain-of-ownership."
"Zhou Yiran, trace the companies currently bidding for D-17 subcontracts. Check their shareholders for political ties."
The deeper they dug, the uglier it got.
Several plots had been transferred for 1/10th of their value to a "renovation shell firm" six months ago.
That firm, Shenzhou Urban Planning Ltd., was co-owned by a front group linked to Chen Hu, the deputy in the Provincial Land Bureau who had "chatted" with Lu two chapters earlier.
Even worse: two demolition permits had been pre-approved before the bidding phase began.
Which meant the winner had already been chosen.
Corruption, plain and simple.
But smart.
Layered.
Hard to trace directly.
Unless you had the System.
---
Setting the Trap
Lu didn't confront anyone.
He didn't report anything.
Instead, he launched a public citizen proposal through an obscure but legal channel: the "Urban Echo" digital portal for citizen planning input.
Using one of his dormant identities, he submitted a comprehensive alternative plan for the Iron Crescent:
Retain 30% of old infrastructure for historical preservation
Add state-supported mixed housing
Prioritize open-bid contracts
Delay demolition until independent surveys
Then he nudged a friend in the media—one who owed him a favor from the Gucheng coverage.
The article dropped the next day:
> "Citizens Demand Transparency in Iron Crescent Development"
It didn't accuse anyone.
But it made noise.
Enough that the provincial government froze all land approvals for two weeks "pending public consultation."
Enough to anger powerful people.
---
The Call from the Deep
Two nights later, Lu received a private dinner invitation.
The location: a private club in the Jingzhou hills.
The host: Liu Qingxian.
Yes—the Liu Qingxian, Deputy Governor, Party strongman, and Fang Qinglan's old political rival.
Lu arrived precisely on time.
The room was dim. Classical music hummed faintly in the background.
Liu sat alone at a long table, drinking 30-year baijiu and peeling a pomelo with surgical precision.
"Lu Zhen," he said without looking up, "you're efficient. And reckless."
Lu bowed lightly. "I'm honored, Vice Governor. Though I prefer the term 'careful.'"
Liu gestured for him to sit.
"You're good at digging. But Jingzhou is full of old graves. Keep going, and you'll dig up the wrong one."
Lu sipped his tea.
"Graves don't bother me. It's the living who do the real damage."
Liu chuckled.
"Zhao Wenyuan's dog has teeth, I see."
Lu tilted his head slightly.
"I'm no one's dog, Vice Governor."
Liu's smile faded.
Then he leaned in.
"Let me give you a piece of advice. The Iron Crescent belongs to people with deep roots. You can either be fertilizer—or learn to grow in their shade."
Lu stood.
"Thank you for the lesson."
Then he added quietly, "But I plan to plant my own tree."
And walked out.
---
System Alert
[Trigger: Confrontation with High-Level Faction Member]
> Political Pressure Resistance +1
Passive Trait Unlocked: "Fearless Tongue (Lv.1)" – Slightly reduces the impact of intimidation and coercion
Risk Level: Escalated
---
Quiet Retaliation
Within 24 hours, Lu's assistant Xiao Lin was transferred—without notice—to a "training program" in another city.
His key to land registry databases? Revoked.
The unofficial message was clear: Back off.
Lu didn't panic.
He responded the way he always did—silently and with precision.
That night, he filed two seemingly unrelated requests to the Central Environmental Agency and the Heritage Protection Department.
Both flagged portions of the Iron Crescent as either ecologically sensitive or culturally relevant.
Result?
Six plots locked under federal oversight
Three-year environmental survey ordered
Media picked up on "surprise discoveries" in Jingzhou's redevelopment zone
And just like that, D-17 was dead in the water.
---
The Queen's Move
Fang Qinglan called him in the next morning.
Her tone was amused.
"You've killed a billion-yuan project. Buried it with a smile. Do you know how many enemies you've made?"
Lu Zhen nodded. "Dozens."
"Then why do it?"
He looked her in the eye.
"Because land doesn't lie. The ground tells the truth. I just helped people listen."
She laughed quietly.
"Zhao Wenyuan thinks you should be elevated. Something public. To protect you. You've become too useful."
Lu was silent.
Then: "Visibility is a shield. But it's also a target."
She nodded. "True. But we'll make sure the target is so large, no one dares shoot."
She handed him a file.
Inside: nomination forms for Vice Secretary of Urban Policy Advisory Council, a mid-tier but highly visible post.
Technically lateral.
But politically? A steppingstone to executive-level planning roles.
Lu Zhen smiled.
A slow, cold smile.
He signed it.
---
System Summary
[Side Mission: "Iron Crescent Secrets" – COMPLETE]
> Passive Skill Unlocked: "Deal Sense (Lv.1)"
Secret Asset Chain Slot +1
Influence +180
Network Expansion +2
New Status Gained: Public Reform Symbol (Lv.1) – Political enemies must tread carefully before initiating open attacks
---
The Hidden Wealth
Later that evening, Lu used his System to unlock his new asset slot.
He linked it to a dummy firm registered in Hong Kong, one which quietly bought three undervalued commercial units in Gucheng—now expected to double in value thanks to the education reforms.
At the same time, another shell firm quietly bought farmland near the Iron Crescent.
Why?
Because once the D-17 scandal blew over, the city would need a new redevelopment zone.
And Lu would be ready.
By the time he finished his tea, his private asset value had ticked up by 7.2 million yuan.
Silently.
Legally.
Untraceably.
---
Final Scene
Lu Zhen stood at his apartment window once again, watching the city lights pulse like distant stars.
He had no army.
No dynasty.
No old patron family backing him.
But he had something stronger.
A vision.
And now, for the first time, he had a voice loud enough to shape policy, a hand steady enough to shift cities, and a network quiet enough to move mountains in the dark.
The rise had only just begun.
And he was already casting a shadow over titans.
---
End of Chapter 10