The sun had barely risen when Lin Chen's phone began to vibrate incessantly. At first, he thought it was just another flurry of notifications from the system or perhaps some early morning calendar reminder. But as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and glanced at the screen, what he saw made his heart skip.
"Trending Now: Who Is the Mysterious Financial Star Taking the Market by Storm?""New Capital Predator Emerges: Lin Chen, the Young Strategist Behind the Multi-Million Dollar Deal.""From Nobody to Financial Elite: The Meteoric Rise of Lin Chen."
One by one, headlines flashed across his screen. Media outlets from both traditional platforms and social networks had picked up the story from yesterday's high-stakes investor meeting. What had been meant to be a quiet, calculated victory had exploded into public view. Lin Chen was now a name that people whispered in offices and boardrooms alike.
At first, he felt stunned. He hadn't planned for fame. His only goal had been to rise from the ashes of failure, to claw his way back from humiliation. But now, with the system at his side and his own intellect sharpened by every challenge, Lin Chen had stepped into the spotlight—whether he wanted to or not.
His hands trembled slightly as he tapped into the system interface.
[System Alert: Your public visibility has increased. Influence Level upgraded to Tier II.][New Passive Unlocked: Media Magnetism - +10% reputation gain from public exposure.][Public Tags Acquired: "Strategic Genius," "Mysterious Capitalist," "Financial Falcon."]
"Financial Falcon?" Lin Chen blinked. That one was new.
Just then, a knock sounded at the door.
"Boss, it's crazy out here," said Xiao Li, his personal assistant. She stepped in with a tablet in hand, her usual calm demeanor overwhelmed by excitement. "You're all over Weibo, TikTok, Zhihu... even international platforms picked up your name overnight. CNN Business wrote a feature titled 'Asia's Next Investment Prodigy?'"
Lin Chen took the tablet and scrolled. His own face stared back at him—images from the night before at the investor dinner, moments he hadn't even known were photographed. Somehow, the press had gotten wind of it, and the angle they'd taken painted him as an enigmatic genius who had taken the market by storm.
His phone buzzed again. This time it was a call. The screen displayed an unknown number.
"Hello?"
"Mr. Lin," a smooth voice answered. "This is Zhang Wei from Phoenix Finance. We'd like to formally invite you to our upcoming Financial Innovators Summit. It would be an honor to have you as our keynote speaker."
A keynote speaker? He hadn't even prepared a single public speech in his life.
Before he could process that, more emails flooded in:
Invitation from Jinrong Weekly for an exclusive interview.
Request from Tencent's finance division for a video feature.
A private message from a top hedge fund in the U.S., asking for partnership.
He let out a slow breath. This was real.
By noon, Lin Chen's name had trended across five major platforms. The office building where he worked had reporters camping outside. Some curious investors even sent gift baskets to the reception desk, hoping for a chance to arrange a meeting. One even delivered a customized Montblanc pen with a note:
"To Lin Chen, the man who makes numbers dance."
It was equal parts flattering and terrifying.
As Lin Chen sat at his desk, the system pinged again.
[Daily Check-In Complete: +1 Luck, +5 Reputation, +300 Coins.][New Function Unlocked: Reputation Store - Use coins to exchange for influence-related perks.]
He clicked into the new module. Among the available items were:
Digital Persona Enhancement – "Create a controlled narrative of your public image." (5000 Coins)
Media Relationship Toolkit – "Improves relationship with journalists and media outlets." (3000 Coins)
Scandal Shield – "Reduces impact of negative news by 30%." (8000 Coins)
He didn't hesitate. He bought the Digital Persona Enhancement instantly.
Another series of prompts flashed.
[Select Your Public Image Preset:]
Visionary Strategist
Humble Genius
Ruthless Capital Hawk
People's Financial Hero
He considered it for a moment. Each had benefits. But he wasn't trying to be feared. Not yet. What he needed was trust, admiration, and space to grow.
He selected: Humble Genius.
[Persona Calibration in Progress... Complete.]
His existing press clippings and public posts were automatically edited and recirculated by the system through backdoor algorithm manipulation. Within minutes, the dominant narrative online shifted. People no longer saw him as a shadowy player. Instead, stories praised his rise from obscurity, his calm demeanor during high-stakes meetings, and his clean, non-arrogant style of victory.
Even memes began circulating:
"Lin Chen: The guy who just smiled and made 10 million."
"When you're broke but pretend you're Lin Chen inside."
His social media follower count exploded. Verified accounts began tagging him. Influencers made videos theorizing how he cracked the investor's mind like an egg.
Despite the chaos, Lin Chen remained composed. He knew that this was just the beginning. Fame was a double-edged sword, and with every peak came sharper eyes watching for a fall.
He took out the Lucky Charm he had acquired earlier—its glow now faint, indicating its effect was wearing off. But the fruits of its power were undeniable.
That night, as the city lights flickered outside his window, Lin Chen sat alone, a quiet smirk playing on his lips.
From zero to stardom, the world had turned its gaze toward him.
But only he—and the system—knew this was just the prologue.
[System Update: Main Quest Line Unlocked - "Rise of the Financial Titan"]Objective: Establish personal financial empire. Phase One: Build Core Team and Asset Portfolio.
A new chapter was about to begin.
And Lin Chen? He was more than ready.