Morning sunlight spilled across the room, bathing everything in a soft, golden glow.
Chen Yu stirred awake, stretching lazily on the king-sized bed. His body felt unusually light—No, not just light.Strong.
He sat up, ran a hand over his chest——and froze.
Quickly, he jumped out of bed and stood before the full-length mirror near the balcony.
What he saw left him speechless.
His body had changed overnight.
His chest was broader, his waist slimmer, his arms defined with powerful lines of muscle. Every move he made seemed packed with hidden strength, like a beast ready to strike.
"Woah... Is this really me?"
He flexed casually, and veins popped out across his forearms.It looked like something out of a fitness magazine—except this was real. His body radiated raw power.
"System, what happened to me?" he asked mentally.
[Host's physique has been naturally enhanced due to basic combat experience. Physical strengthening completed.]
A slow grin spread across Chen Yu's face.
"Not bad. Not bad at all."
Just then, the bedroom door cracked open.
Bai Ruxue peeked in, her hair messy from sleep, her cheeks pink.
She blinked once.Twice.And then stood frozen, staring.
"A-Ah… Good morning..." she squeaked.
Before Chen Yu could respond, Lei Meiyun followed right behind, holding two cups of coffee.
She caught sight of him standing shirtless by the mirror—
—and her jaw almost dropped.
"Holy... When did you turn into a Greek god?!"
Chen Yu laughed lightly, flexing again just to tease them.
"Impressed?"
Ruxue quickly turned her back, her ears burning red.
Meiyun, on the other hand, wasn't shy at all. She walked closer, giving him a quick poke on the arm.
"Solid as stone," she said, whistling. "At this rate, you'll have a fan club just for your body."
Chen Yu smirked.
"Careful. You two might fall even harder for me."
Ruxue mumbled something under her breath while Meiyun rolled her eyes with a smile.
After a quick breakfast, Chen Yu got dressed properly — a fitted black shirt that outlined his newly carved figure — and called Meiyun over.
"Come with me. We're visiting the companies today."
"All five?" Meiyun asked, adjusting her jacket.
"Yeah. I want to see where my money went."
The two left in a sleek LMW car, cruising through the city streets toward the first of the five businesses Chen Yu had recently invested in.
Each company was different—One dealt in logistics, another in real estate, a third in tech, a fourth in manufacturing, and the last in a niche luxury brand.
At every stop, the scene was the same:Employees bowing, managers smiling stiffly, executives showering him with respect.
After all, without Chen Yu's money, they would've gone bankrupt.
But as Chen Yu walked through the glass hallways and bustling offices, he noticed something—
Efficiency was low.Management was sloppy.People lacked passion.
They survived because of his money, not because they deserved to.
Chen Yu narrowed his eyes.
"System. I need business skills. Something to help me manage these companies properly."
[Request acknowledged. Uploading Basic Business Management Skills... Complete.]
A flood of information poured into his mind—Understanding balance sheets, recognizing business models, leadership strategies, market forecasts...
Chen Yu's gaze sharpened.
He could almost feel himself evolving again.
"Good. Now let's clean this mess up."
Back in the car, Meiyun glanced at him curiously.
"You're acting different today," she said. "More... sharp."
Chen Yu chuckled, resting one arm casually on the window.
"If I don't grow fast enough, the world will leave me behind."
Meiyun stared at him for a moment longer, a strange light flickering in her eyes.
"Then... I'll grow with you."
Chen Yu didn't answer directly, but the corner of his lips lifted into a small smile.
As they sped down the highway toward the next company, a silent determination burned in his heart.
Money, power, influence—
He would seize it all.
And nobody would stop him.