The city was quiet at dusk, the soft glow of neon signs brushing against the walls of apartment buildings in gentle pinks and oranges. A gentle breeze flowed through the narrow balcony of a mid-rise complex in the southern part of the city. On the 12th floor, the lights inside Apartment 1203 warmed the modest home, where a peaceful life had remained unchanged for years.
Li Chen had just turned twenty.
He sat silently at the dining table, wearing a simple black shirt, sleeves rolled up to his forearms, watching the two women across from him—his mother and his elder sister.
His mother, Su Mei, looked just as she always had: graceful, soft-eyed, and modestly dressed in a light beige blouse. Her long black hair was loosely tied back, revealing the gentle curve of her neck and the slight fatigue in her eyes. Life had not been easy for her, especially with her husband constantly away for work, barely returning for a week in any month.
His sister, Su Minzhu, was wearing a wine-red home dress that clung slightly to her figure. Twenty-five years old, she was married, but her husband had been working abroad for nearly a year. She had come back to stay with their mother temporarily, though everyone in the family suspected that her marriage was little more than a formality now.
They had just finished a simple birthday dinner—steamed fish, stir-fried green vegetables, egg and tomato soup. Nothing fancy. But everything was made by Su Mei's hand.
"Happy birthday, Xiao Chen." Su Mei smiled warmly as she brought out a small round cake from the fridge. She gently placed it on the table. "Your favorite—chocolate with coffee cream."
Li Chen smiled faintly. "Thanks, Mom."
Minzhu leaned her elbow on the table and rested her chin on her palm. "Still quiet as ever. You're twenty now, not ten. No wish to go out and party?"
"I don't like parties."
"Of course you don't," Minzhu smirked, eyes narrowing. "You were always more mature than your age. That calm look… it's the same one you had even when you were twelve."
She didn't say it out loud, but inside she noticed how different her younger brother had become. He wasn't a child anymore. His jawline was sharper, his shoulders broader, and the quiet confidence he carried in his voice felt almost... unsettling. And yet, it stirred something inside her.
They sang the birthday song softly, just the three of them. No friends, no extended family. Just their small world. And Li Chen was perfectly fine with that.
After the cake, his mother stood and began clearing the dishes.
"I'll help," Li Chen offered.
But Su Mei shook her head. "You two relax. Let me do it. It's your birthday, after all."
Minzhu stood up too. "I'll shower then."
The living room dimmed after she left, and the only sound was running water from the kitchen and the occasional breeze outside. Li Chen stood on the balcony for a moment, looking out at the cityscape.
He felt a weight pressing against his chest. A strange heat. And then it happened.
A light ping echoed inside his head, not out loud, but like a bell ringing deep within his mind.
[Ding! Summoning Gate System Activated.]
Welcome, Host. You have been chosen to inherit the Hidden Path. Your journey begins today.
First Summon available in 00:10:00.
Please find a quiet space to prepare.
Li Chen's brow twitched.
What…?
He closed his eyes. The interface was faint but there—etched behind his eyelids. Elegant golden lines, pulsing slowly. He didn't feel fear. He didn't feel surprise.
He felt… ready.
Ten minutes passed slowly. Then:
[Summon Initiating…]
Helper Assigned: Elite Financial Strategist – Code Name: "Jin."
Current Identity Created. Arrival within 48 hours.
It disappeared.
Li Chen opened his eyes.
The world hadn't changed—but he had.
That night, long after his mother had gone to her bedroom and his sister had finished her shower, Li Chen stood in the hallway quietly. The door to the guest room was slightly open, and warm orange lamplight spilled out from inside.
He paused.
"…Come in, I know you're there," his sister's voice called softly.
He stepped in.
Minzhu was seated on the edge of the bed, brushing her hair. Her robe had slipped slightly off her shoulder. Her skin was smooth, still damp from the shower, and a hint of scent—her usual jasmine body wash—hung in the air. The room was warm, close.
She turned toward him.
"You look… different today," she said quietly.
"How?"
"I don't know." Her eyes met his. "It's the way you're standing. Looking at me. You've always been the little brother I'd bully into washing dishes or doing chores. But today, it's like…"
She stood up.
"…you're someone I don't completely understand."
Li Chen didn't reply. He took one step forward. Then another.
She didn't move back.
There was a moment. Just silence. Just breathing. The space between them was thin.
"Don't look at me like that," she whispered. "I'm your sister."
He still didn't say anything.
Her voice trembled slightly. "I'm married."
His voice was quiet. Calm.
"So am I not allowed to love you?"
She drew in a sharp breath. "Li Chen…"
He reached out, gently touching her cheek. His thumb brushed just beneath her eye. She didn't flinch. Her skin warmed beneath his touch.
Her hand rose, lightly gripping his wrist.
"Do you know how many times I've thought about you?" she whispered. "When I'm alone… when I can't sleep… Do you know how guilty that makes me feel?"
His lips brushed against hers, the softest contact. Her breath caught. She didn't pull away.
Their mouths moved again, deeper now, lips opening. Her hand slid up his chest. Her robe slipped further, revealing more of her shoulder, the curve of her collarbone.
She let out a trembling sigh as his hand slid down to her waist.
"…We can't…" she whispered.
"We already did," he murmured.
Their kiss deepened.
Minutes passed—warm, slow, forbidden. Every touch was deliberate. Fingers ran over soft skin, gentle moans broke the silence, the weight of years of denial melting into raw, unstoppable hunger.
She fell back onto the bed as he hovered over her, robe open now. Her arms reached up, fingers curling behind his neck, pulling him down with her.
"No one can know," she gasped.
"No one will," he promised.
That night, in that small apartment—beneath warm lamplight and soft blankets—the bond between brother and sister shattered into something primal, forbidden, and unforgettable.
And as she slept quietly beside him later, curled against his chest, Li Chen opened his eyes.
He had awakened more than a system tonight.
He had awakened a truth buried deep within him.
The world was his now.
And so were they.
[End of Chapter 1]