Chapter 753: The System Upgrades Again, Ling Qingcheng Panics!
[Ding! The Destiny Plunder System has cumulatively devoured three Systems and is currently upgrading…]
"Hm?"
Shen Anyu paused mid-stride, a flicker of surprise crossing his features before settling into thoughtful contemplation. He had anticipated a new function to manifest, not a full system upgrade.
To date, he had consumed three systems in their entirety.
First was the Godly Tycoon System belonging to the Child of Destiny, Qi Fan—the sycophantic corporate heir. That had granted him the Cashback function, a feature of only marginal use to someone like Shen Anyu, who had never known a lack of money.
Second was the Investment Return System from the reborn investment guru, Long Hao. This had yielded the Investment Return function, an incredibly valuable tool. It could return insights, cultivation progress, and more, providing a monumental boost to Shen Anyu's personal power and proving its worth time and again.
And now, he had just devoured the Goddess Future Diary System.
'I wonder what changes the Destiny Plunder System will undergo after this upgrade?'
A sliver of anticipation glinted in Shen Anyu's eyes. His ascent to his current position was not solely due to his background, his own efforts, or his complex schemes; the Destiny Plunder System had, in its own small way, provided some assistance.
A system capable of devouring other systems was, by its very nature, a special and formidable entity—a true villain-class system in the grand hierarchy. Shen Anyu had a distinct premonition that the results of this upgrade would not disappoint him.
…
'Why did Shen Anyu suddenly stop?'Ren Zhacheng, shrunk smaller than an ant, scurried along the polished floor behind Shen Anyu. Seeing his target halt abruptly in the corridor, he couldn't help but feel a pang of confusion.'Something's not right... I feel... uncomfortable.' Ren Zhacheng's microscopic form paused, a frown creasing a face no one could see.
Just a moment ago, a deep sense of loss had washed over him, as if something vital had been ripped away, leaving a gaping void in his heart. It was followed by a wave of dread and unease, a chilling premonition of imminent disaster. But the terrifying sensation was fleeting, vanishing so quickly that Ren Zhacheng dismissed it as a mere illusion.
[Ding! Child of Destiny Ren Zhacheng's mind is uneasy. His Luck is issuing a warning. Plundering +50,000 Destiny Value!]
'Hmph, with the Goddess Future Diary System on my side, no matter what danger I face, I will be the one laughing in the end!'a ferocious glint flashed in Ren Zhacheng's eyes.'Ling Qingcheng, He Yiyi, and all the other goddesses—I will conquer them all. No one can snatch my women from me! And I will make Shen Anyu pay a thousand times over for making me lose everything!'
…
"Sir?" The female secretary leading the way noticed Shen Anyu had stopped. She turned, her expression a mixture of confusion and concern.
"It's nothing." Shen Anyu offered a faint smile and a nod, signaling for her to continue.
"Alright, sir. Please follow me, it's just ahead." The secretary quickly averted her gaze, her cheeks flushing a delicate pink as her heart hammered against her ribs.
'He's so handsome,'she thought, her mind racing.'This gentleman from Shen Corporation is unbelievably handsome. I wonder if I can get his number later?'
Shen Anyu paid no mind to the secretary's internal flutterings. While she was pretty enough to be considered a campus beauty in another life, only the most exceptional women in the world were qualified to be his.
As for Ren Zhacheng, who was secretly tailing him? With only a few hundred thousand Destiny Value left, the time to harvest him was drawing near. It was time for the final, crushing blow.
Just as the secretary was leading Shen Anyu toward President Ling's office, the door swung open, and a familiar figure emerged.
Ling Qingcheng was dressed in a simple, tailored business suit, her hair elegantly tied up. A pair of gold-rimmed glasses rested on her delicate nose, lending her stunning features an air of dignified, noble authority. With her chin held high, her presence was commanding.
The secretary was about to bow and offer a greeting.
But in the next moment, Ling Qingcheng's eyes landed on Shen Anyu, and her carefully constructed composure shattered. A clear panic seized her.
"Shen Anyu! You... why are you here?"
For the past two days, a heavy listlessness had settled over Ling Qingcheng, a weight only the relentless demands of her work could temporarily lift. Though she was a strong woman hailed as Hangzhou's wealthiest female entrepreneur, she had often fantasized about her future husband and considered the prospect of marriage.
She was a career woman, but that didn't mean she was destined to be alone. In fact, at her core, Ling Qingcheng was relatively traditional and conservative.
She had always thought her future husband didn't need to be overwhelmingly handsome; just a little would do. His character and personality, however, had to be impeccable. He needed to be talented, humorous, gentle, and considerate. As for his family background, she couldn't care less.
As long as he could love her, spoil her, and dote on her the way a father dotes on his child. That was the most crucial point.
And now, the man she had met—the man who had taken her precious first time—somehow fit her fantasy perfectly. In fact, he exceeded it by an impossible margin.
Shen Anyu was handsome, powerful, considerate, and gentle, with exceptional capabilities and a family background that was almost beyond comprehension.
Especially at the Yu family banquet. When Yu Guanxiong, the lecherous Second Young Master of the Yu family, had set his sights on her, Shen Anyu had stepped forward without hesitation, a hero protecting the flower. That single act had sent an obvious surge of affection through Ling Qingcheng's heart.
She had sighed to herself more than once, thinking that if Shen Anyu wasn't her best friend Zhang Yaqian's boyfriend, she might have actually ended up with him. Perhaps even married him.
It was a deep, bittersweet regret.
But Ling Qingcheng was not the kind of woman to betray a friend for a man. Emotionally, she was drawn to Shen Anyu, but rationally, she knew they could never be together. Just yesterday, she had promised Zhang Yaqian that she would have no more entanglements with him.
Yet, against all expectations, here he was. Standing in the headquarters of the Ling Group, right in front of her.
Gazing at Shen Anyu, who stood just a few meters away with a gentle smile playing on his handsome face, Ling Qingcheng—the domineering President Ling—felt a wave of panic so intense it left her breathless.
The female secretary stared, utterly astonished by her boss's flustered reaction. In her mind, President Ling was always decisive, assertive, calm, and collected. When had she ever seen her look so… undone?
Ling Qingcheng's next actions left the secretary even more dumbfounded.
"Shen Anyu, you… you and I, didn't we agree not to see each other again?"
As Shen Anyu closed the distance with that same unhurried smile, Ling Qingcheng actually took several small, panicked steps backward. The blush blooming on her exquisite face only grew more vivid.
"I was worried you might be unwell, so I came to see you," Shen Anyu's voice was a soft murmur, his peach-blossom eyes filled with deep affection and concern.
Ling Qingcheng's heart was a chaotic mess, but a strange sweetness inexplicably bloomed within it, accompanied by a peculiar thought.
'Shen Anyu spoils me quite a bit, too.'
That night… he had pampered her like a father spoiling a child. He had even held her up in front of the bathroom mirror, effortlessly, as if she weighed nothing at all…
"No, no!" Ling Qingcheng's cheeks were burning. She shook her head repeatedly, trying to dislodge the incredibly embarrassing memory from her mind, but she knew it was a scene she would likely never forget in her lifetime.
"What's wrong?" Shen Anyu tilted his head, his eyes dancing with amusement as he watched her.
Ling Qingcheng felt like she was about to overheat. It wasn't just her cheeks that were on fire; her brain felt like it was bubbling like boiling water.
"So hot? Are you running a fever?" At that moment, Shen Anyu reached out and placed the back of his hand on Ling Qingcheng's forehead. He feigned surprise, his voice laced with worry. "Qingcheng, should I take you to the hospital? Or should I check you myself?"
At that very moment, Ren Zhacheng, shrunk to the size of an ant on the floor, was already frozen in place, utterly stunned.
[Ding! Child of Destiny Ren Zhacheng is dumbfounded. Plundering +9,999 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Ren Zhacheng is speechless. Plundering +9,999 Destiny Value!]
[Ding! Child of Destiny Ren Zhacheng's mentality has imploded. Plundering +9,999 Destiny Value!]
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