Chapter 19: Choose Your Queen

8:00 AM – Royal Elite War Room

The atmosphere was heavy.

Final Round instructions were delivered via a hologram, its voice cold and robotic:

"Challenge Name: Empire Fusion

Objective: Merge two startups live, create a working product, and generate ¥5M in simulated sales within 3 hours.

Judges: SkyBridge, VenturePinnacle, and the Royal Board.

Audience Voting: Enabled.

You may select ONE partner to compete alongside."

Bai Chen leaned back, crossing his arms.

Three women.

Three paths.

Only one choice.

[Partner Selection Menu – System Interface]

🟥 Su Yiran – Legal strategist, branding expert

💼 Strength: Contract manipulation, media influence

❤️ Romantic Perk: "Behind Every Empire" → +15% morale & synergy boost

🔥 Chemistry: 93%

🟦 Ye Qingyue – Cold tactician, public relations queen

🧠 Strength: Strategic analysis, emotional PR shock

❤️ Romantic Perk: "Glacial Heat" → Surprise + Viral Reactions in Event

🔥 Chemistry: 81%

🟨 Leng Ruyan – Genius AI designer, rival flame

⚙️ Strength: Product integration, tech innovation

❤️ Romantic Perk: "Ice Meets Fire" → Fusion Bonus: +25% Product Value

🔥 Chemistry: 87%

[System Prompt]: Choose Your Partner for Empire Fusion

[Decision Made]: Leng Ruyan Selected.

💠 Perk Activated: "Rival Alliance" – When partnered with a competitive female, chance to unlock hidden romance scene if victory is achieved

📈 Innovation Surge: +30%

10:00 AM – Royal Arena, Final Round Launch

Bai Chen and Leng Ruyan stood side-by-side under blinding spotlights.

Holo-cameras hovered in the air.

Livestreams topped 9.8 million views.

Fang Zemin walked in opposite them, his team looking smug.

Behind him:

– A black-market AI tool

– Hacked international software

– A new girl with dyed-purple hair and sharklike eyes

"Hope you brought something better than fashion," Zemin sneered.

Bai Chen smiled calmly.

"We brought something called vision."

Phase 1: Empire Merge – 10:15 AM

Leng Ruyan opened her tablet, fingers flying across the screen.

"We'll merge NovaCore's platform with CryoCache's backend tech. Let AI suggest heat-map trends for viral product drops. Geo-target limited sales zones."

Bai Chen snapped his fingers.

"Launch it as a seasonal drop via NovaWear. Style meets biotech."

[Product Created: NovaCache™ – Limited Tech Fashion with Real-Time Body Climate Tech]

🧠 System Feedback: Viral Potential Detected

💥 Public Reaction: "Is this even legal tech?!"

Phase 2: Product Pitch – 11:00 AM

The crowd roared as the screen behind them played a simulated ad:

🎬 "Cool under pressure. Hot under the lights. Fashion fused with biotech."

– NovaCache™ by Bai Chen × Leng Ruyan

Leng Ruyan stood center stage, stunning in a prototype piece:

A crimson sleeveless tech-gown that shimmered based on her body temp.

Elegant. Lethal.

The audience went silent.

Then erupted.

Phase 3: Sales Simulation – 12:00–1:00 PM

Orders surged.

Public votes climbed.

Investment alerts pinged from Singapore, Dubai, and Seoul.

Meanwhile, Fang Zemin's platform crashed after 30 minutes—his AI tech flagged for code violations.

[System Update:]

– NovaCache™ Sales Simulated: ¥6.7M

– Royal Board Decision: ✅ WINNER – Team Bai Chen

🏆 Reward: ¥10,000,000 Growth Capital

📰 National Feature in Forbes China Student Edition

💘 Bonus Scene Available: Leng Ruyan Emotional Breakpoint

Aftermath – Rooftop Victory Scene

As the sun dipped behind Royal Elite's towers, Bai Chen stood at the edge of the rooftop, wind in his hair.

Leng Ruyan joined him, silent for a while.

"I don't normally partner with anyone," she finally said. "But today… I'm glad I did."

"You were flawless," Bai Chen replied softly.

She turned to him.

"Don't flirt unless you mean it."

He raised an eyebrow. "Who says I didn't?"

Silence.

Then, unexpectedly—

She kissed him.

Not sweet.

Not shy.

But fierce—like everything she was.

💋 [Leng Ruyan Route Advanced – "First Kiss of Fire" Unlocked]

🔥 Relationship Level: 87% → 95%

🧠 Trait Unlocked: "CEO Couple Synergy" – 2x earnings on partnered business events

System Summary

✅ Final Round Victory: Complete

🎖️ New Title: "King of Campus Capital"

🛫 Hidden Perk Unlocked: International Shenhao Portal (Coming Soon)

⚠️ New Threat Detected: Fang Zemin contacts foreign investor group – The Black Nine

🎯 Next Mission: "Rise Beyond the Border"

Bai Chen checked his system one last time before leaving the rooftop.

His empire had risen.

Now…

The world would follow.