Li Cheng stared at the glowing holographic dashboard projected across his dorm wall.
Revenue: 0.
Expenses: 50,000 yuan.
Satisfaction Index: pending human sanity.
He groaned. "System, I've made a huge mistake."
[Correction: You've made a financially ambitious decision.]
"It's only been two days since RedCore launched," he muttered, "and I already have no sleep, no peace, and no idea how to manage employees."
[That's why you hired Lin Xiaoyu.]
He turned toward the so-called "Chaos Manager," who at the moment was sitting cross-legged on the floor, surrounded by snack wrappers and holding a clipboard like a general.
"Alright," Xiaoyu said confidently, "I've done the first round of recruitment."
Li Cheng felt an impending sense of doom. "Who did you hire?"
"People with passion!" she said brightly.
"That's not a skill set."
"Relax, CEO! You'll love them."
At that exact moment, the dorm door opened — and in walked three new "employees."
The first was a gaming addict wearing cat-ear headphones.
The second, a cosmetics vlogger holding her phone on livestream.
The third, a poet, holding a notebook that looked like it had never once turned a profit.
Li Cheng blinked. "…Xiaoyu."
"Yeah, boss?"
"You formed a circus."
[Recruitment Summary: 3 Unqualified, 100% Entertaining.]
[Team Morale +30%. CEO Blood Pressure +90%.]
He exhaled. "Fine. Let's… see what they can do."
Later That Day – RedCore Dorm HQ
Somehow, chaos became productivity.
The gamer tested RedCore's security systems for weaknesses ("If I can't hack it, no one can!").
The vlogger boosted social media buzz ("#DormRoomCEO is trending!").
The poet, surprisingly, wrote their brand slogan:
"From Code to Core, We Devour the Future."
Li Cheng had to admit… it sounded cool.
[System Evaluation: Employee Efficiency Rising. Revenue Forecast +15%.]
Xiaoyu grinned from her seat. "See? I told you my chaos management works!"
"Barely," he said dryly, tapping his keyboard as RedCore's first prototype dashboard went live.
It displayed live campus data — attendance rates, event schedules, even spending habits. Using this, students could predict which classes might have surprise quizzes or which vending machines were about to sell out.
Within hours of soft launch, their app got over 500 downloads.
[New Milestone: 500 Users! Small Business Recognition Tier Unlocked.]
[Reward: 10,000 Yuan + Market Foresight Lv.2.]
Li Cheng leaned back, a small, proud smile tugging at his lips. "Not bad for a dorm startup."
Then — ping!
A new message flashed across his monitor:
[Anonymous Inquiry: "Interested in partnership. Meet at the café after class."]
He frowned. "System, can you identify the sender?"
[Encrypted Signal. 74% match: Qin Ruo.]
His pulse jumped before he could stop it. "…Of course it is."
Afternoon – Café Under the Library
The café was quiet, sunlight filtering through tall glass panes. Qin Ruo was already there, dressed in a casual black hoodie, sipping her coffee like a goddess who had somehow disguised herself as a university student.
Li Cheng sat down opposite her. "So," he said, leaning back. "What's the partnership offer?"
She smiled faintly. "Direct as always."
"I'm a CEO now," he said, smirking. "Time is money."
Her eyes twinkled. "Then I'll make it worth your time."
She placed a USB stick on the table — silver, sleek, and eerily similar to the one from before.
"This," she said quietly, "contains the remaining data from the encrypted set. It could boost RedCore's predictive engine exponentially."
Li Cheng frowned. "And what do you want in return?"
Her smile vanished. "A place in your company."
He froze. "You? Work for me?"
She tilted her head. "Why? Don't you think I'm qualified?"
"I think," he said carefully, "you'd be a distraction."
Her lips curved upward. "That's a compliment."
[Romantic Tension Level: 74%. Heart Rate Rising.]
She leaned forward, whispering, "You'll want this data, Li Cheng. It's tied to your System."
His gaze sharpened. "What do you mean?"
"Your code, your algorithm — it's not random. It's connected to the same pattern I saw in the System interference earlier. Someone out there is watching your growth."
Before he could speak, her phone buzzed. She stood abruptly.
"I have to go. Just… think about my offer."
And just like that, she was gone — leaving Li Cheng with the flash drive and a hundred new questions.
[Quest Updated: Origin Protocol – Data Sync Available.]
Evening – Dorm Office (Chaos Continues)
"Boss! We got our first paid client!" Xiaoyu shouted from the corner.
Li Cheng blinked. "Already?"
"Yup! The Student Union wants us to design an event prediction tracker for their next festival!"
The dorm erupted into cheers. Even the poet high-fived the gamer.
[Contract Secured: 30,000 Yuan Payment.]
[Business Reputation +10%.]
Just as Li Cheng was about to celebrate, the door burst open.
And in swaggered Luo Bin, the self-proclaimed "Campus Playboy."
"Well, well," Luo Bin drawled, flashing a cocky grin. "So this is the famous RedCore? What's the secret, Li Cheng — hacking grades or charming girls?"
The room went silent.
Li Cheng didn't even look up from his laptop. "Neither. But I could teach you how to do one of those things."
Snickers erupted around the room.
Luo Bin's smile faltered. "Funny. You think you're someone now just because of a few followers?"
"I don't think," Li Cheng said, closing his laptop with a soft click. "I know."
He stood, towering slightly over the smug playboy.
"Tell me, Luo Bin," he said lazily. "When was the last time you built something that didn't rely on your dad's wallet?"
Gasps filled the room.
Luo Bin's face flushed red. "You—!"
Li Cheng smiled faintly. "Relax. I'm just saying… if envy were currency, you'd be my biggest investor."
The room exploded in laughter.
[Face-Slapping Event Complete!]
[Reward: 25,000 Yuan + Title: Silver-Tongued CEO.]
Luo Bin stormed out, muttering curses as the poet yelled after him, "Don't forget to like and subscribe to RedCore!"
Li Cheng dropped back into his chair, chuckling. "Another day, another paycheck."
[System: Profit +80%. Confidence +100%. Popularity skyrocketing.]
Xiaoyu handed him a bubble tea. "CEO Li, you are scary good at this."
He grinned. "Just good business."
Midnight – Rooftop Again
The night wind was cold. Li Cheng stared at the cityscape, the flash drive from Qin Ruo glinting between his fingers.
He'd built something out of nothing — an empire from a dorm room.
But under the triumph, he could feel it: that quiet hum of danger, the System's core whispering like static in the back of his mind.
[Warning: Data Link Detected. Sync with External Drive?]
He hesitated.
Then — click.
The moment he connected it, the air shimmered.
A holographic message appeared before him.
["Welcome, Founder of RedCore. Phase Two Initiated."]
His eyes widened. "System… what is this?"
[Unknown directive detected. Source: Origin Protocol.]
And then the voice came — soft, feminine, echoing through his thoughts.
["Hello again… Li Cheng."]
His blood ran cold.
That voice — it wasn't the System.
It was Qin Ruo.