Chapter 16 – The Game of Shadows

Chapter 16 – The Game of Shadows

Chen Yunran stood in front of his computer, the screen glowing softly in the dimly lit room. The file he had uncovered—Mysterious File #0428—had taken his breath away. A corporate takeover plan? Encrypted communications? And a list of employees involved in a conspiracy? He had barely scratched the surface, but the revelation weighed heavily on him. This was much bigger than a simple data breach.

His mind raced as he replayed his last conversation with Xu Meilin. She had been careful with her words, but there was something in her eyes—a flicker of concern, maybe even fear—that suggested she knew more than she was letting on. She wanted him to investigate the file, but was she truly on his side? Or was she playing a deeper game?

Ding!

[New Task: Secure the File] [Objective: Protect the file from further unauthorized access and ensure it remains hidden from those who would exploit it.] [Rewards: +5 Intelligence, Skill Unlock – 'Stealth Protocol']

The sudden notification pulled him out of his thoughts. Secure the file? It seemed like a simple task, but something told him this wasn't just about locking away some documents. Whoever was behind this conspiracy wasn't going to let it slide easily.

Chen Yunran rubbed his eyes, feeling the weight of the situation settling over him like a storm cloud. He had already risked too much to back out now.

The Decision

He stood up from his desk and glanced out the window. The city stretched out below him, vast and indifferent. His fingers drummed lightly on the edge of his desk, thinking. Xu Meilin had been cryptic, but there was no mistaking the underlying tension between them. He couldn't trust her completely, not yet. And the more he uncovered, the more he realized that the people behind the conspiracy had power, influence—and they were playing a game he wasn't prepared for.

Ding!

[Skill Update: Stealth Protocol Unlocked] [New Skill: Stealth Protocol – Ability to hide digital traces and prevent unauthorized access to sensitive data.]

With the new skill unlocked, Chen Yunran felt a surge of confidence. The ability to cover his tracks digitally was exactly what he needed. It wasn't just about securing the file anymore—it was about staying one step ahead of whoever was hunting him.

He needed allies. But finding the right ones wasn't going to be easy.

The Shadow of the Past

As he prepared to dive deeper into the files, a memory surfaced. A conversation from his past, before his rise within the company, before the System had granted him these abilities. It had been late one night, when he had first started his internship at the company, that he met a man named Li Wei.

Li Wei had been an enigmatic figure—a former employee of the company who had mysteriously vanished months before Chen Yunran joined. The whispers around the office were hushed, but there was a pattern: those who spoke to him directly either disappeared or were reassigned to far-off branches.

Chen Yunran had once asked Meilin about him, but her response had been swift and dismissive.

"He's a ghost now, Yunran," she had said, her tone colder than usual. "Don't waste your time on things that don't concern you."

But Li Wei's disappearance hadn't sat well with him. There was something about that man's sudden exit that screamed of a hidden agenda, and Chen Yunran couldn't shake the feeling that his name was tied to the conspiracy in the file.

Could Li Wei be behind this? Or worse—was he working with the people trying to access the file now?

The Interception

Ding!

[Incoming Message from Li Wei: "They're watching you. Trust no one."]

The message was brief, cryptic, and most definitely unexpected. Li Wei hadn't been heard from in months. And yet, here he was, sending Chen Yunran a warning.

Suddenly, the door to his office opened, and Xu Meilin stepped inside. Her eyes immediately landed on the screen, where the notification still hovered.

"What's this?" she asked, her voice colder than before.

Chen Yunran's mind raced. He had to think quickly. He couldn't let her see the message. If she was connected to the conspiracy, revealing his suspicions could be dangerous.

"Just a message from an old colleague," he replied, trying to mask the tension in his voice. "Nothing to worry about."

Meilin didn't look convinced, but she nodded, taking a step closer. "I trust you, Yunran. But be careful. There are forces at play here that you don't understand. This file, it's not just about a corporate takeover. It's much bigger than that. And it's not just the company's reputation on the line. It's your life, too."

Her words hit him harder than he expected. He looked up at her, studying her expression. Was she warning him out of genuine concern, or was she manipulating him for her own purposes?

Before he could respond, a sharp ping interrupted them both.

Ding!

[Warning: Unauthorized Access Attempt Detected.] [Critical Alert: Security Breach in Progress.]

Chen Yunran's heart skipped a beat. The system had just detected an attempt to breach the file's security. Someone was making a move.

Without wasting another second, he rushed to secure the file, activating the Stealth Protocol skill. His fingers flew over the keyboard, manipulating the code to cover his digital tracks. The seconds felt like hours.

"Yunran," Meilin said, her voice tight. "We need to get out of here. Now."

He didn't need to be told twice. Something was closing in on them—and he didn't know if it was the people who wanted the file or the people who had been watching him for far longer than he realized.

Status Update: [Host: Chen Yunran] [Race: Human (Ascended – Sealed)] [Physique: Weakened Cultivator Body (Suppressed)]

Stats: Strength: 7

Agility: 6

Stamina: 7

Perception: 8

Intelligence: 27 (+5 from Mission)

Qi Reserves: Sealed

Innate Skills:

Perseverance (From First Life)

Fast Learner (From First Life)

Survival Instinct (From First Life)

Acquired Skills:

Multitasking

Digital Espionage (Temporary)

Observation Mastery

Persuasion (Beginner)

Crisis Management

Hand-to-Hand Combat (Beginner)

Basic Negotiation

Digital Forensics

Stealth Protocol

Goddess Favorability:

Xu Meilin: 65%