The afternoon rush had begun.
Sweet Time Milk Tea was crowded with customers.
Students filled the small shop, chatting loudly while waiting for their drinks. The staff moved quickly behind the counter, preparing orders nonstop.
Business had never been this good.
Yet Zhang Rui felt uneasy.
He sat at a corner table, staring at several delivery invoices spread across the surface.
Something didn't add up.
"Why are our supplies arriving earlier than everyone else's?" he asked suddenly.
His cousin looked up from the counter.
"Isn't that a good thing?"
Zhang Rui frowned.
"It is… but it doesn't make sense."
He pointed at the papers.
"Three different suppliers delivered this week
All on time. No delays."
His cousin shrugged.
"Maybe they're just improving their service."
Zhang Rui shook his head slowly.
"No supplier improves overnight."
His eyes narrowed.
"Someone is influencing the supply network."
Across campus, Chen Mo walked quietly along a tree-lined path.
The autumn wind moved through the leaves,
scattering them across the ground.
His phone vibrated.
The system interface appeared.
[Emotion Detected — Zhang Rui]
Fear +18
Envy +22
Chen Mo glanced at the notification briefly.
Then he continued walking.
Exactly as predicted.
The more Zhang Rui investigated, the more emotions he generated.
And those emotions fed the system.
Later that evening Chen Mo opened the Capital Authority Module again.
Daily Quota Remaining: ¥300,000.
A new investment target appeared on the screen.
CloudRoute Logistics Software.
A small company that managed delivery scheduling for several beverage distributors
Chen Mo studied the reports carefully.
If he gained influence there…
He could affect the entire delivery schedule.
He transferred ¥300,000 through an investment firm.
The system confirmed seconds later.
[Capital Deployment Successful]
Logistics Influence +12%
Chen Mo closed the interface.
Now he wasn't just affecting suppliers.
He was affecting how deliveries were scheduled.
The ripple had grown larger.
Much larger.