Chapter Two: Breaking the Path
Lin Chen did not move immediately.
After activating the system, he realized a simple truth:
the most dangerous mistake was acting too hastily.
The chosen hero who had found the strengthening pill was only the beginning. The Destiny Plunder System did not grant him power directly—it granted him vision. And vision alone was a terrifying weapon if used with patience.
Lin Chen sat in a corner of the training ground, breathing steadily, his eyes roaming among the trainees. Above some heads, there was nothing. Above others, low numbers appeared—too insignificant to be worth attention.
Then his gaze stopped.
Another young man—slightly taller, with sharp features but worn clothing. He trained in silence, taking blows without complaint, as if pain were something he had long grown used to.
Above his head appeared the line Lin Chen had been waiting for:
[Luck: 89]
[Primary Path: Survive a fatal incident → Obtain a rare technique]
[Activation Time: Within 24 hours]
Lin Chen's heart trembled for a brief moment, then returned to its usual calm.
"This… is a true chosen hero."
Not the kind that suddenly shines before everyone.
But the kind that survives, accumulates, and then explodes all at once after years.
The most dangerous kind.
Lin Chen opened the system interface in his mind.
[Do you wish to intervene in the path?]
[Warning: First intervention carries high risk]
He did not hesitate.
"Yes."
[Select type of intervention:]
– Direct disruption (High failure probability)
– Indirect interference (Low detection probability)
He chose the second.
At this moment, he didn't need strength—he needed displacement. A small push that would change the direction of the future.
Lin Chen observed the young man closely. Over the course of the day, he noticed something simple: in the evening, the young man always passed near the abandoned weapon storage behind the training ground.
That place… was the point of the incident.
As night fell, Lin Chen followed quietly. He didn't hide conspicuously, nor did he show hostile intent. He simply walked at a distance, like an ordinary trainee who had finished his day.
When the young man reached the storage, his foot slipped on the damp ground—exactly as the path had indicated.
But this time…
There was a small difference.
That morning, Lin Chen had pushed a heavy stone loose from the cracked ceiling of the storage, altering the angle of its fall.
Part of the ceiling collapsed violently.
A short scream—then silence.
Lin Chen froze in place, his heart pounding, but his expression remained cold.
Moments passed.
Then a notification appeared.
[Primary path broken]
[Opportunity failed to manifest]
[Technique acquisition: Failed]
Another notification followed:
[Partial destiny plunder: +12 Luck Points]
[Risk level: Low]
Lin Chen released a slow breath he hadn't realized he was holding.
The young man hadn't died.
But… he hadn't risen as he was meant to, either.
"So this is how it's done."
He felt no guilt. No exhilaration. Only a cold sense of control.
The world did not punish him.
The heavens did not rage.
Because what he had done was not forbidden…
it was simply possible.
Lin Chen raised his head and looked into the darkness beyond the storage.
"Chosen heroes aren't protected…"
A faint smile formed on his lips.
"They're just… not used to being one step behind."
That night, Lin Chen understood the truth of his fate.
He was not part of the story.
He was the hand that rewrote it.