The scandal surrounding the Lu family erupted with far greater ferocity than anyone had anticipated.
When the shockwaves of the "divorce" bombshell collided with the aftershocks of the "core team's mass exodus," the resulting devastation multiplied exponentially.
The Lu Corporation, once a towering commercial juggernaut, had gone from "teetering on the brink" to visibly "sinking at an alarming rate" in just a matter of days.
The stock market had hit its third consecutive limit-down session.
A flood of sell orders pinned the share price to its humiliating low, wiping out tens of billions in market value overnight. Investors who had once clamored for a piece of the action now avoided it like the plague, as if even a glance would bring them bad luck.
Yet, more terrifying than the stock crash was the complete breakdown of control within the corporation, from top to bottom.
Lu Mingshi was utterly incapable of steering this runaway ship.
Like an inept captain caught in a storm, he issued contradictory orders in a panic.
One moment, he was in the boardroom, roaring about punishing whistleblowers and threatening anyone who dared undermine morale.
The next, he was on the phone in his office, groveling to the bank's credit officer, begging them not to recall their loans.
His authority, in the face of absolute crisis, was as fragile as a sheet of paper.
The newly recruited executives he had lured with promises of "double the pay" now either paid lip service to his directives or were already discreetly seeking new opportunities elsewhere.
Meanwhile, the uncles and cousins of the Lu family had shed all pretense of familial warmth.
Factions led by Third Uncle Lu Mingde and Fourth Uncle Lu Minggong openly challenged Lu Mingshi in board meetings.
No longer content with mere complaints and accusations, they rallied other directors to demand an investigation into the funding sources behind Lu Mingshi's acquisition of "Sheng Tian Real Estate," questioning the legality of his decision to funnel massive sums into a high-risk purchase during the corporation's crisis.
Their intentions were glaringly obvious—kick a man when he's down!
Oust Lu Mingshi from the chairman's seat, then scramble for their share of power amid the ruins.
The flames of internal strife spread rapidly from the boardroom to every corner of the company.
Departments pointed fingers at one another, while critical investment projects stalled due to leadership disputes.
Key partners who had once worked closely with the Lu Corporation sent letters—some tactful, others blunt—announcing they would suspend further collaboration until internal stability was restored.
When the wall starts to crumble, everyone gives it a push; when the drum is broken, a thousand fists rain down.
The Lu Corporation had become a war-torn citadel, teetering on the edge of collapse.
...
The Western Hills ancestral estate.
The once-serene and imposing Lu family mansion was now shrouded in an air of tension and unease.
Lu Chengsi hadn't slept properly in two days.
Seated in the cavernous study, he listened as the steward relayed one horrifying piece of bad news after another about the corporation. His aged face was etched with exhaustion and profound disappointment.
He knew he could wait no longer.
If that fool Lu Mingshi was allowed to wreak more havoc, decades of the Lu family's legacy would be squandered within a fortnight!
"Summon everyone in the family—including all shareholder-directors," Lu Chengsi's voice was hoarse but resolute as he rose slowly, leaning on his cane.
"Tonight, we convene an emergency board meeting at the estate! I will preside!"
He was coming out of retirement.
He believed that with the authority he had spent a lifetime building, he could rally these greedy, short-sighted fools back into line and stabilize the situation.
But reality delivered the harshest slap in the face.
That evening, the estate's meeting hall was packed—everyone had arrived.
Yet the atmosphere was no longer one of deference and obedience, with him at its absolute center.
Every face bore expressions of agitation, scheming, and naked greed.
"Father, you’ve finally stepped in!" The moment Lu Mingshi saw him, he latched on like a drowning man clutching at straws, launching into a litany of grievances.
"Look at Third Brother and Fourth Brother—they’re staging a mutiny! At a time like this, instead of uniting against external threats, they’re sabotaging me at every turn!"
"Second Brother, don’t twist the facts!" Lu Mingde shot back without hesitation.
"Whose fault is it that the corporation is in this state? Did you even consult the board before funneling company funds into that Sheng Tian Real Estate money pit? We’re protecting the interests of all shareholders!"
"Exactly! When Chenyuan was in charge, did we ever face such chaos? If you’re incompetent, step aside!" Lu Minggong added bluntly.
"You—you—" Lu Mingshi’s face flushed crimson with rage.
"Enough!"
Lu Chengsi slammed his cane against the floor with a heavy thud.
His stern gaze swept over his sons as he barked,
"Look at yourselves! The house is crumbling, and instead of shoring it up, you’re tearing each other down! You’ve disgraced the Lu name!"
In the past, a single rebuke from him would have silenced the room.
But tonight, its effect was diminished.
After a brief pause, Lu Mingde spoke again, his tone still respectful but his words openly defiant:
"Father, we respect you as our elder. But right now, the corporation is fighting for survival. Anger alone won’t solve anything. We need concrete solutions!"
"That’s right!" another director chimed in.
"Old Master, we need to know—can the stock price be salvaged? What about the bank loans? Who will take responsibility for the stalled projects? We can’t just keep floundering like this!"
Each pointed question struck Lu Chengsi like an arrow.
To his shock, he realized his authority had been quietly eroded.
His words no longer carried the weight of an imperial decree.
In this moment of desperation, where everyone was scrambling for self-preservation, he—the long-retired "grand patriarch"—was seen as powerless to address the crisis.
As he watched his sons bicker like petty children and the once-reverent directors now eyeing him with skepticism...
A wave of helplessness, unlike anything he’d ever known, washed over him.
With painful clarity, he saw his mistake—a colossal one.
He had always believed the Lu family’s stability rested on his prestige.
Now he understood: that prestige had been built on the foundation of Lu Chenyuan’s steady leadership.
The moment he had tacitly allowed the grandson who held up the family’s legacy to walk away, he—the so-called founder—had been reduced to a powerless old man, watching helplessly as everything collapsed.
The meeting ended in bitter discord.
ive and Ruthless] Before his transmigration, Ye Xuan was playing a game called "Severing Emotions to Attain the Dao." The game's core wasn't about leveling up by fighting monsters, but about conquering various "bad women" with wicked personalities and cold, fickle natures. There was only one method to conquer them: stay unwaveringly by their side, then die at a critical moment, driving them to madness after losing the protagonist. The higher their level of regret, the higher the player's score. To dominate the server, Ye Xuan conquered all the bad women. In the early stages, he showered them with boundless tenderness, only to choose to sacrifice himself for them later, making them weep bitterly and drown in regret. Among them were: Xia Lengyue, the unfaithful immortal wife who chased after powerful men and discarded her husband like trash. Ye Qingcheng, the Demonic Venerable of the Joyous Union Sect, who appeared pure and innocent but was, in reality, promiscuous. Wu Lingxiao, the Empress of the Great Xia Dynasty, who lusted after men and loved maintaining a harem. Bai Qiangu of the Endless Demonic Sect: a bloodthirsty mass murderer. However, when the protagonist transmigrated into the game world, he made a horrifying discovery. Eight hundred years had already passed. The bad women he had conquered had now each become deities and revered ancestors. Faced with the endless stream of toxic women coming for him, Ye Xuan could only rely on his god-tier acting skills to carve a path of survival through this world of treacherous women.
ions, keeping it grounded and realistic】 After quitting his job, office worker Su Yang accidentally binds with the "Enjoy Life System." As the name suggests, simply by indulging in life's pleasures, he can earn random rewards from the system—no need to spend money on beautiful women or grovel before anyone. Just enjoy, and the money follows, making it all about effortless fun. The system comes with a scanning feature, allowing him to establish a favorability bond with women rated 85 points or above. Every 20-point increase in favorability unlocks additional rewards. After suffering through over twenty years of hardship, Su Yang trembles with excitement, his dull eyes suddenly gleaming with newfound hope. "Enjoy life? How hard could that be?"
uld barely embark on the path to immortality. Just as he was on the verge of death, his golden finger awakened. No matter whether it was poison, drained blood and vital energy, diminished lifespan, or any other physical debuff caused by paying a price—once midnight passed, everything would be refreshed. From then on, whenever someone asked what kind of person Chu Ran was, the answer was simple: Forbidden arts that other cultivators dared not learn? Chu Ran would learn them. Prices that even demonic cultivators dared not pay? Chu Ran would pay them. Lifespan that even righteous cultivators dared not burn? Chu Ran would burn it. All the blood essence in his body? Take it. Want both his hands and feet? He would cut them off and send them to you. You say he’s finished? He wasn’t built to sit idle. You think he’s gone mad? No—he was simply waiting for midnight. From that day onward, Chu Ran would respect neither Heaven nor Earth, bow to neither gods nor ghosts. He had only one wish: For midnight to arrive a little sooner.
ts me of treason?" "Correct. The host must return to the capital and gradually build up influence." "Wait—I have half a million soldiers, and you want me to go back to the capital to 'build influence'?" "Host, you are currently the Northern Garrison General, loyal to the Great Xia Dynasty." "Of course I am loyal to Great Xia! Absolutely loyal!" "But you keep referring to yourself as 'We'..." "Never mind the details! Summon all the regional commanders and military officers! We suspect treacherous officials are manipulating the court! They shall march with Us to the capital and purge the corrupt!" "......"
