The moon hung high above City F, veiled behind soft clouds. Its silver light spilled faintly through the glass walls of Su Ning's Villa, tracing patterns across marble floors and shimmering curtains. The city outside was still alive — distant laughter, the hum of cars, neon lights blinking against the dark — yet inside, everything was serene.
Su Ning stepped into her bedroom, quiet and graceful. Her uniform jacket slid off her shoulders and landed neatly on the floor. The soft rustle of fabric was the only sound as she undid her hair tie, letting long, silky black strands tumble down her back like dark water.
She walked into the bathroom, a grand bathtub sat in the center, already filling with warm water. Steam curled into the air as she poured in pink bath salts and liquid bubbles. Within moments, the air was scented with strawberries, sweet and light.
Su Ning undressed, the pale glow of moonlight caressing her skin. She slipped into the bath, sighing as the warmth embraced her body. The water lapped gently against her shoulders, bubbles glistening under the chandelier light.
Soft music drifted through the speakers, a slow latin piano piece. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back against the edge of the tub. For the first time all day, her body relaxed. The exhaustion, the emotions of helping the Chen family, the quiet satisfaction of rewriting fate — all blended into calm.
A smile touched her lips.
But just as she was about to sink into the peace, a familiar chime echoed in her head.
'Ding!'
'Congratulations, Host.
You have successfully changed the destiny of individuals tied to your fate line.
Major merit points accumulated.
System Reward: Opening of the System Space.'
Su Ning's eyes opened, startled at first, then glowing with excitement. "System space?"
'Affirmative.
Host has unlocked the core feature of the Tycoon Queen System: The Dimensional Space.'
The calm voice of the system filled her mind, emotionless yet faintly dignified — like a divine being addressing its chosen heir.
'System Space serves as an independent realm bound solely to the host. Host may enter physically or mentally. It allows storage, cultivation, time manipulation, and contract binding.'
Her breath caught. "Contract binding?"
'Yes. Host may bind individuals to herself through three unique pacts.'
A golden screen shimmered before her eyes, its light reflecting in the rippling bathwater.
'Contract One: Master and Subordinate Contract.
Those bound under this contract will obey the host absolutely. Disobedience will result in soul erasure. Loyalty is 100%.
Contract Two: Equal Friendship Contract.
Establishes mutual trust and loyalty. Strengthens shared fortune and spiritual bond. Caution: If betrayal occurs, emotional and spiritual backlash may occur to both sides.
Contract Three: Master and Puppet Contract.
The soul of the bound person becomes a puppet. They will no longer have independent thought, acting solely on the host's command. Irreversible.
Warning: Contracts are permanent once sealed. Proceed only when the host is certain.'
Su Ning blinked, her heart thumping in awe. "So… I can bind others to me in different ways," she murmured. "Even their souls…"
'Affirmative. The Tycoon Queen System is not of mortal origin. It follows celestial laws.'
Her lips curved into a smile, and the sound of water rippling filled the silence again. "Incredible."
The possibilities that lay before her were endless — allies, subordinates, or even enemies who could be turned into loyal followers with a single binding. Power, absolute and unshakable, lay at her fingertips.
Su Ning chuckled softly. "System, you're full of surprises."
'Praise acknowledged.'
She couldn't help but laugh outright at the flat tone. "You're learning sarcasm now?"
The system ignored her teasing.
[Would host like to receive pending rewards from previous missions?]
"Yes," she said immediately, leaning back again. "All of them."
The air shimmered — a faint golden mist enveloped her room beyond the bathroom.
'Transferring rewards: 60% ownership of Radiance Skincare International.
Transferring funds: 200 million yuan.
Qi Gathering Pills × 10 bottles.'
A faint flash of light rippled through the air.
When Su Ning stepped out of the bath, wrapping herself in a fluffy white towel.
A thick folder stamped with the golden insignia of Radiance Skincare International, and ten crystal bottles that gleamed faintly under the room's light. Inside each bottle, fifty translucent pills glowed with an ethereal blue hue. A delicate fragrance filled the room, refreshing and invigorating.
She walked closer, her damp hair falling over her shoulders, eyes bright with wonder. "So this is real," she whispered. "All of it."
'Host has also unlocked: Ghost Queen Suppressing Aura. Activate?'
"Activate."
The moment she spoke, the atmosphere changed.
A dark, chilling pressure burst out from within her chest, invisible yet tangible. The air thickened; the temperature dropped several degrees. The lights flickered faintly as an icy aura filled the room.
Her reflection in the mirror looked almost unrecognizable — her eyes gleamed like molten silver, her presence overwhelming. Even the night seemed to retreat from her.
It was regal, terrifying, divine.
Her aura.
Su Ning's pulse quickened. "System… how do I stop it?"
'The aura obeys your intent, Host. Think, and it will yield.'
She took a deep breath and focused. In the next instant, the suffocating pressure vanished, swallowed by stillness.
The air felt light again. The faint scent of strawberry bubbles still returned.
Su Ning laughed softly. "Amazing."
She went into her closet, turned to her grand wardrobe and selected a nightwear, a soft oversized top made of pink silk cotton, off-shoulder on one side, paired with matching black pants that hugged her ankles. The fabric shimmered faintly with every movement, giving her a relaxed yet elegant look. She blow–dried and brushed her hair until it flowed smooth as satin, then slipped onto the bed.
Her gaze fell again on the ten crystal bottles. Each pill seemed to breathe energy. She uncorked one bottle; a soothing fragrance filled the air. Just smelling it made her feel her mind clearing, her spirit lighter.
She closed her eyes briefly.
Her body hummed — her internal energy lines pulsed faintly. She could feel it, the slow but certain rise in her cultivation.
"If I keep this up…" she murmured, "I could advance soon."
A wild thought crossed her mind — what if she trained in real combat? Underground arenas existed in City F, where masked fighters competed for fortune and thrill. She could test her strength there without exposing her identity.
For a moment, she was tempted.
But reason quickly returned. "No. Not yet. It's too risky."
Instead, she focused on something else — the space she had yet to explore.
Su Ning waved her hand, looking at the document on her bed and thought of the system space. Instantly, the document vanished, she waved again, it appeared in her grasp. She also looked at the qi gathering pill bottles and when she waved again, they vanished and reappeared neatly on her bed as she waved the fourth time.
She tried again, with a pen, a book, even the pillow. Everything disappeared and reappeared effortlessly at her will.
A grin spread across her face. "Perfect."
This was freedom and control.
She was about to explore deeper when the system chimed again, but this time, the sound was urgent — sharp and cold.
'Warning!
Alert: Multiple high-level scanning attempts detected.
Unknown sources attempting to access Host's identity data.'
Su Ning froze. "What?"
'Sources: Government A.I. database… international hacker network… underground syndicate… classified military intelligence.'
Her expression hardened. "All that… for me?"
'Affirmative. Would Host like to activate Top-Classified Identity Protocol?'
"What does that mean?"
'It will erase the Host's trace from every network, every registry, every memory database. Host will exist only by choice. Even underworld networks and political systems will see you as a blank void.'
Su Ning, without hesitation agreed. "Activate it."
'Confirmed.
Top-Classified Identity Protocol — Enabled.
All traces deleted. Host identity now beyond reach.'
The lights flickered again. A faint pulse, like a digital heartbeat, resonated in the air before fading into silence.
Su Ning stood still for a moment, feeling the strange lightness in her chest — as if an invisible weight had lifted.
"Now," she whispered, smiling faintly, "let's see who dares to find me."
She sank into her bed, the city lights twinkling beyond her window. The documents and glowing pills vanished silently back into her system space at a thought.
The night was calm once more except for the faint hum of unseen power that filled the air.
Outside, somewhere far across the city, men in black stared at their blank screens in disbelief. Their system had crashed. The target file they'd been tracking had simply… vanished.
And in another country, inside a private jet flying toward the capital, Qi Xiyue's phone vibrated once. His eyes narrowed as he read the single line on the encrypted screen:
[Subject: Su Ning — Data corruption. All records lost.]
For the first time in years, the Black Monarch's expression faltered.
He leaned back in his seat, lips curling into something dark and intrigued.
"So," he murmured, "you're not ordinary after all."