The early afternoon sun filtered through the high windows of the conservatory lounge, painting golden streaks across the marble floor. Despite the elegant silence, tension brewed beneath the surface like a coiled spring.
Lin Feng sat alone by the edge of the koi pond inside the Crimson Conservatory—one of the most exclusive spaces on campus, known only to those with deep roots in the elite circles. He wasn't invited. He didn't need to be.
The koi swam lazily beneath the surface, unaware of the subtle war unraveling in the air above.
"Quite the view, isn't it?" a voice said behind him.
He didn't turn. "The fish or the scenery?"
A soft chuckle. "Both."
Xu Shanyue stepped into view, dressed in a fitted crimson blazer that echoed the Conservatory's namesake. She moved with the grace of someone raised in wealth but sharpened by necessity.
"You've been shaking things up," she said, settling into the seat beside him without asking. "The Crimson Circle doesn't like disruption. We prefer elegance... order."
Lin Feng smirked. "Order is just the comfort of those who've never been challenged."
She tilted her head, amused. "And you're the challenge?"
"I'm the alternative."
A pause stretched between them. Then, with a flick of her wrist, she produced a sealed red envelope and slid it across the table.
"A test," she said simply. "Not from me. From the Circle."
He took it but didn't open it. "Aren't you part of the Circle?"
"I prefer to watch first. Decide where to stand once I know who's worth standing beside."
Their eyes locked. Beneath her composed exterior, Lin Feng caught a flicker of something and curiosity... or perhaps a warning.
Before he could respond, the system buzzed in his mind.
[System: Host, I detect veiled threats wrapped in high society politeness. Shall I prepare dramatic music or poison detectors?]
He ignored it.
Xu Shanyue stood. "Open it when you're ready. But once you do, the game begins. And this time, it's not just status they're after. It's influence."
As she walked away, Lin Feng finally broke the seal on the envelope.
Inside: a map of the old city, five marked properties, and one line scrawled in gold ink.
"Control the future. Or be left behind by it."
His lips curved into a calm, unreadable smile.
Let them play games.
He was always better at rewriting the rules.