The moment the city caught a whiff of movement, rumors began to ripple through the streets.
"Someone's trying to revive Game Zone?"
"New gang? Underground syndicate?"
"No... I heard it's backed by a streamer."
Shen Fu didn't care what they said — he needed them to talk.
Inside the half-dead arcade, the hum of machines was slowly returning. Wires hung loose, neon strips buzzed uncertainly, and the faint smell of burnt circuits clung to the air.
Xiaodie sat cross-legged on a counter, scrolling through fake accounts on her burner phone.
"Hashtag 'HiddenArcade' just hit 1.3k reposts. The skater crew's doing their job."
Shen Fu didn't look up. "Good. Keep fanning it."
He crouched by a console, soldering exposed wires with a scavenged iron. A small cut on his hand bled slowly onto the metal.
"Your hands are shaking," Xiaodie muttered. "You haven't slept in two days."
"I'll sleep when Qin Han's gone."
There was no anger in his tone — just cold purpose. It made her stomach twist.
She didn't know everything about his past with Qin, but whatever it was... it ran deep.
Outside, they paid a teenage influencer to walk by "accidentally" and stream the arcade's gritty comeback. The video showed a rundown place full of smoke, flickering screens, and rough kids cheering over high-score battles.
It went viral.
[System Notification]
Foot Traffic +2.1%
Engagement Status: Warming
System Progress: 39%
But Qin Han wasn't staying still.
On Day Four, police arrived. A fake inspection — no doubt bought with a phone call.
Machines were tagged. Power was partially shut down.
Mr. Luo, the original owner, nearly fainted.
Shen Fu stood in the chaos, silent, fists clenched at his sides.
Xiaodie gritted her teeth. "That smug bastard pulled strings already."
"Let him," Shen Fu said quietly. "He's too early. Let him think we're stumbling."
His mind was already calculating the next move.
That night, his fingers typed out one private message.
To: Liu Shuang.
Subject: Need a Favour.
"Come see it for yourself. One post could turn the tide."
He didn't expect her to respond quickly. But minutes later...
Read.
Then:
"Send the location."
When Liu Shuang arrived, Game Zone fell into silence.
She didn't walk — she entered, like she belonged. Dressed in a cropped white jacket and ripped jeans, flanked by a quiet cameraman and her editor.
Kids recognized her instantly. The place buzzed.
She glanced around and smirked. "You really picked a dump."
Shen Fu wiped sweat from his forehead, grease and grime on his sleeves. "You came."
"Don't flatter yourself. I'm here for the chaos."
She turned to the camera. "Let's show them something raw."
The next hour was explosive.
• Liu Shuang danced on the ancient DDR machine and won.
• Xiaodie knocked out a local wannabe influencer who called her a street dog.
• Shen uploaded a fifteen-second vertical clip that looked like a trailer for a cyberpunk revolution: flashing lights, Liu Shuang laughing mid-move, Xiaodie's punch landing clean.
It was raw. Real. Perfect.
[System Notification]
Foot Traffic: +7.6%
Social Reach: +4.3k Local Shares
Arcade Status: Viral
Challenge Cleared.
[System Alert]
✔ Challenge Complete: "Stake the Claim"
Rewards Unlocked:
– ¥30,000 Bonus Capital
– New Skill: Brand Perception Hack [Lv.1]
– System Upgrade Progress: 38% → 42%
That night, as the arcade slowly emptied and the buzz died down, Shen Fu slumped in the back room, watching the ceiling with dull eyes.
Xiaodie leaned on the doorframe, arms folded. "You did it. Beat him."
Shen didn't answer. His mind was already elsewhere.
This wasn't a victory. It was a warning shot.
Elsewhere
In a sleek penthouse overlooking central Yuncheng, Qin Han stared at his tablet, Liu Shuang's viral stream on loop.
She laughed. Shen Fu stood beside her.
They looked... right.
Too right.
His glass of whiskey remained untouched on the table. A rare thing.
"So. He wants a war."
Behind him, his assistant stepped forward. "Shall we initiate the foreclosure claim on his next site?"
Qin Han stood, straightening his cuffs.
"No. Not yet."
He walked to the window, eyes fixed on the night.
"Let him enjoy this win. I want him to think he's rising... right before I tear it all down."