Mission Complete and the Storm Descends

On Friday afternoon, the moment the stock market closed, a clear, majestic system notification rang out in Lin Chen's mind like heavenly music:

[Ding—Congratulations, Host! The main quest "The Foundation of a Business Empire" has been completed!]

[Quest results: Through investment in Xinghai Technology stock, a net profit of approximately 1.05 million yuan was earned (estimated; to be settled upon actual sale), far exceeding the quest requirements.]

[Quest evaluation: Excellent!]

[Quest rewards being distributed: 500 system points.]

[Intermediate Information Insight] skill (can be activated at will; cooldown: 72 hours).]

[One mysterious gift package.]

[Ding—Host's accumulated points have exceeded 1,000. The System Shop function is now officially available!

The host may enter the shop at any time to browse and redeem items.]

[Ding—Emergency side quest "Crisis Survival" status update: Potential threat level has risen. Please remain on high alert, Host!]

The string of notifications left Lin Chen dizzy, and immense joy and a sense of accomplishment engulfed him!

He barely managed to stop himself from cheering aloud in the office.

I did it! I finally did it!

One million! The System Shop! Intermediate Information Insight!

This is amazing! System bro, I love you!

He couldn't wait to open the system interface with a thought.

Sure enough, his personal panel now showed 1,050 points, and a faintly glowing [Intermediate Information Insight] icon had appeared in the skill column.

What caught his eye most was a glittering golden "Shop" button that had appeared on the interface!

Excited, he clicked open the [System Shop].

The interface was simple and clear, divided into several main categories: [Skill Scrolls], [Attribute Potions], [Special Items], and [Information Consultation].

He took a quick look:

[Skill Scrolls] contained all kinds of skills that sounded impressive.

There were [Advanced Fighting Mastery], [Business Negotiation Master], [Hacking Basics], and so on.

But they were expensive, routinely costing thousands or even over ten thousand points.

[Attribute Potions] could temporarily or permanently increase attributes such as strength, agility, and intelligence, and they didn't come cheap either.

[Special Items] came in a wide variety, including a [One-time Invisibility Cloak (Basic)].

A [Lucky Die (Random Effect)], a [Memory Eraser Stick (Effective on Ordinary People)],

and other strange and wonderful things, priced from a few hundred to several thousand points.

[Information Consultation] tempted him the most. He could spend points to look up specific information, such as "a particular stock's movements over the coming week"

or "a certain person's hidden background." The price depended on the value of the information.

The dazzling array of goods nearly made Lin Chen drool, but a glance at his pitiful 1,050 points brought him back down to earth.

There are plenty of good things, but they're all too expensive! I'll have to spend carefully.

He closed the shop for the time being, planning to study it at his leisure when he got home that evening.

His most pressing business was to sell the stock he held and pocket the profits while they were safe.

According to the system's prediction, Xinghai Technology should still have several more limit-up days.

He happily planned to pay off the system's 500,000-yuan loan once the money was in hand. With what was left... perhaps he could improve his life a little?

Or look for other investment opportunities?

But before he could enjoy himself for long, a sudden commotion interrupted him.

"What's going on? Why did the network go down?"

"My computer's got a blue screen!"

"I can't connect to the server! I can't get into the OA system either!"

His colleagues' panicked shouts came from outside the office.

Lin Chen's heart tightened. He looked up to see the computer screens across the entire work area going black or displaying error codes one after another!

All the network indicator lights went out!

Almost at the same time, the door to Yan Qingyue's office was flung open. Director Li, the technical director, rushed out, his face deathly pale and his voice filled with unprecedented fear:

"President Yan! We've got trouble! We're under a massive hacker attack!

The core server's been infiltrated, the firewall's been breached, and our internal data... may be getting stolen!"

Yan Qingyue's face turned ashen in an instant!

She sprang to her feet, her gaze sharp as a knife. "Activate the emergency plan immediately! Cut off all external network connections!

Everyone in the technical department is to investigate and do everything possible to stop the data leak!

Notify security and seal off every entrance and exit to the building. No one is to enter or leave!"

The entire floor plunged into chaos and panic!

Lin Chen was stunned too, his heart pounding wildly!

Hacker attack?! Stealing data?! Could they... be after that technology?!

The system's warning echoed in his mind:

[Potential threat level has risen!]

He instinctively wanted to use his newly acquired [Intermediate Information Insight] skill.

But the system said its cooldown was as long as 72 hours, and he was reluctant to use it in such an uncertain situation.

Yan Qingyue strode out of her office, calmly directing the response.

But Lin Chen could see her tightly clenched fists and taut jaw, signs of the extreme tension and anger she felt inside.

"Assistant Lin!" she suddenly called.

Lin Chen jolted and hurried over.

"President Yan!"

"Go to the administrative department immediately. Help them calm the employees and maintain order!

Without my permission, no one is to leave their workstation, much less use any personal electronic device to contact the outside world!"

Yan Qingyue's orders were clear and decisive.

"Yes, President Yan!"

Lin Chen immediately acknowledged the order, turned, and ran off to carry it out.

He knew this was no time to panic.

On his way to the administrative department, he passed the area where the technical department was located. He heard technicians shouting anxiously and keyboards clattering inside; the tension had reached its peak.

Who on earth did this? A corporate spy? Or... an even more terrifying force?

What kind of monster has that technology drawn in?

A chill crept up Lin Chen's spine.

Only moments ago, he had been basking in the joy of completing his quest. In the blink of an eye, he was facing a crisis in which company secrets might be leaked and even his personal safety threatened!

He helped the administrative manager calm the frightened employees, but his own heart was in turmoil.

From time to time, he glanced toward the president's office, where Yan Qingyue was holding an emergency meeting with Director Li and several key executives. Behind the glass walls, the atmosphere was so heavy it seemed ready to drip.

The sudden hacker attack was like a clap of thunder, announcing that the illusion of peace had been utterly shattered.

The enemy hiding in the shadows had finally bared its savage fangs.

Lin Chen clenched his fists. For the first time, he truly felt that he seemed to have been caught up in a dangerous whirlpool far beyond anything he had imagined.

And the newly opened System Shop might be the key to his survival in this storm.

He glanced at the glittering golden button on the system interface and silently swore:

I have to get stronger as soon as possible!

Otherwise, next time, I might not be so lucky!

The storm had descended.

And both he and Yan Qingyue had to face this unknown challenge head-on.