The Yun ancestral estate woke early.
Soft sunlight leaked through the tall windows of the west wing, gilding the hallway carpets in pale gold. The servants moved silently, preparing for another day in which the air felt strangely heavy — like the hush before a storm. Rumors carried fast in a house full of power, and last night's evaluation had left more than a few nerves raw.
But for now, the morning felt deceptively calm.
Jason Yun had always woken early, but today was different.
He stood at his balcony overlooking the lower courtyards, hair still damp from the shower. His phone buzzed twice at his side — meeting reminders, project pings, several messages from Hendricks, one from Natalie asking for clarity on Eversage's distribution timelines.
And yet, Jason didn't check any of them.
He watched the courtyard below where several members of the younger generation gathered in small clusters. Subtle tension pulled between them — forced politeness wrapped around quiet hostility.
Bright Youngstars, he thought.
The Yun family's pride — the most promising heirs.
Alex Yun.
Britney Yun.
Jane Yun.
Jessy Yun.
And the ones from branch families whose names flickered faintly in memory.
Jason exhaled slowly.
He could almost feel the ripple spreading through the estate — news of his evaluation score, of Alex's humiliation, of the Phoenix Infrastructure Project that had landed in Jason's hands.
They weren't going to forgive that easily.
Downstairs, the Bright Youngstars gathered.
Alex sat stiffly on the bench by the koi pond, knuckles white, jaw clenched so hard a muscle twitched under the skin. He hadn't slept — anyone could see that.
His eyes were bloodshot, and he had the twitchy restlessness of someone right on the edge.
Jessy stood a little apart, scrolling through her phone with a manic, brittle focus. The smile she wore had no softness — only the sharpness of someone unraveling.
Jane, in contrast, sat straight-backed beside Britney. Reserved. Composed. Studying the pond with a calm expression, though her fingers tapped against her knee — the only sign of her own frustration at ranking fourth for the first time ever.
Britney Yun — brightest of the Bright Youngstars — watched them all.
Her gaze was thoughtful, observant.
Not hateful.
Not threatened.
But curious.
As though Jason had become an anomaly that statistics had failed to predict.
When she finally sensed Jason approaching, her posture shifted almost imperceptibly — shoulders tightening, chin lifting.
Good, Jason thought when he descended the staircase.
Let them look. Let them watch.
The hall was alive with movement — silver utensils clinking, chairs sliding, faint echoes of conversations layered beneath the hum of authority. The long polished table sat nearly thirty, though only half the seats were ever filled.
Jason took his place near the center — a subtle elevation he hadn't always been granted.
His father sat at the head of the table, reading through a portfolio with the practiced air of a man who understood the weight of every line written on a page. In contrast, Jason's mother greeted each servant warmly, but her smile dimmed when she glanced toward her youngest son.
Not out of malice.
More… habit.
Distance born from years of overlooking him.
Jason felt none of the bitterness that the old Jason had.
He only observed quietly.
This is what happens when a child isn't bright enough, he noted to himself.
They stop looking at you.
But that era was dead.
He reached for his tea.
"Morning," a soft voice said — Britney taking the seat across from him.
Jason raised a brow. "Didn't expect you here."
"I wanted a better view," she admitted bluntly. "Yesterday shocked all of us."
"A compliment?" he asked lightly.
"A fact," she corrected. "And facts shouldn't be ignored."
She wasn't smiling. She wasn't glaring.
She was studying him.
A true competitor's gaze.
Before Jason could answer, Alex slammed his cup onto the table, the crack echoing through the hall.
"Careful," Jason said mildly. "Your blood pressure's probably high enough already."
Alex's jaw locked.
Jessy nearly choked on her juice trying to suppress a laugh, but when her eyes met Jason's, her expression twisted — hatred blooming unchecked.
Jane quietly lowered her fork, glancing at Jason with the faintest look of apology — not toward him, but toward the chaos she foresaw.
Jason leaned back.
This was the Yun family table — peaceful on the outside, a minefield beneath.
Exactly as expected.
Halfway through breakfast, Jason's phone vibrated — silent, but he felt it in his palm. He slid a glance to the screen.
A message from Son Liying's stepmother, Madam Michelson.
[Phoenix Project – Phase 1 Documents Attached.]
Begin immediately. Evaluation scheduled for Sunday.
— Michelson
Jason lowered the phone slowly, expression unreadable.
So it was time.
Across the table, Britney caught the subtle shift in his demeanor.
Alex noticed too — but with far more paranoia.
The boy glared sharply.
"What did you get now, Jason? Another miracle falling into your lap?"
"Maybe," Jason said calmly.
"Why? Nervous?"
Alex's face darkened to crimson.
Jessy snapped, "Shut up, Jason!"
Jason didn't even look at her.
"I wasn't speaking to you."
Jessy trembled — fury and humiliation mixing like poison.
Britney's brows lifted.
Jane hid a sigh behind her hand.
Jason finished his tea and stood.
"I'll be taking the day to prepare. Sunday will be… interesting."
He turned, coat slung effortlessly over his shoulder.
Behind him, Alex slammed his fist into the table again, but Jason didn't bother to acknowledge it.
The Phoenix Project had begun.
Meanwhile
Lucious stood outside a run-down community center, hands in his pockets as the wind tugged at his jacket. His system flickered faintly in front of his eyes.
[Scenario Detected]
A 77% chance of future fortune will occur if the elderly man inside receives assistance.
Recommended Action: Help him.
Lucious smirked faintly.
"Alright then," he murmured.
Inside, an old man with thinning hair struggled to lift a rusted metal planter. Lucious didn't hesitate — he walked in, lifted it easily, and carried it to the garden area.
The old man blinked.
"You… helped without being asked."
"Didn't need to be asked," Lucious replied.
A slow smile spread across the man's face — a wise, weathered expression full of quiet authority.
"Well then… let's talk, young man."
Lucious felt it — the shift.
A thread of fate knotting tightly.
His legend was about to begin.
Back At the Yun Estate.
Britney watched Jason's leaving silhouette from the doorway, eyes narrowed thoughtfully.
He's not the same person he used to be.
Beside her, Jane quietly asked, "What do you think he's aiming for?"
Britney exhaled, folding her arms.
"Whatever it is… he's climbing fast. Too fast. Faster than Alex expected. Faster than anyone expected."
Jane hesitated. "Should we be worried?"
Britney shook her head with a small smile.
"No. But we should be ready."
Behind them, Jessy watched Jason disappear into the halls — knuckles trembling, nails digging into her palms.
Her thoughts spiraled.
It's him.
It's always him.
Everything was fine until he started rising.
If he disappeared… everything would go back to normal.
Her phone buzzed.
A new message.
Unknown number.
A storm is coming.
We seem to share a common parasite.
Jessy's breath hitched.
Her lips parted slowly — and her smile returned.
Sharp.
Unhinged.
Decisive.
"Yes…" she whispered.
"Yes, we do."