Chapter 15: Building a Faction

Outside the school, the once-pristine Wall of Honor now stood desolate and battered.

Just this morning, workers had painstakingly pasted up a massive poster showcasing the outstanding students who had awakened their talents this year—a group of two hundred or so students ranked B-grade or higher. The wall had originally been intended to showcase the school's prestige.

Now, most of those glossy posters had been crudely torn down and lay crumpled in a corner like unwanted trash.

What's more, the promotional posters on the adjacent wall—featuring school leaders and distinguished staff—had suffered the same fate. These included images of Ke Jie and Principal Wang.

These two names had become a source of shame for the school and the entire city, names the school administration was desperate to erase. They were eager to wipe away every trace of their existence—how could they possibly allow them to remain on the Wall of Honor?

Having completed their transfer paperwork, Ke Lu and her group, seeking to evade overly enthusiastic reporters, slipped out of the school gates unnoticed with the aid of Hysilens' hypnosis.

As they passed the ravaged Wall of Honor, Ke Lu paused briefly, her cold gaze sweeping over the wreckage and the pile of discarded posters in the corner, bearing the faces of Ke Jie and Principal Wang.

Su Rou followed her gaze, curling her lip in undisguised mockery. "Those who sow injustice reap their own destruction. They got what they deserved."

Ke Lu's eyes showed no trace of emotion, as if she were observing an old object that held no personal significance.

"Let's go. We're pressed for time," she murmured softly, turning away without a hint of lingering attachment.

The past was gone; the future awaited.

Back home, Ke Lu locked herself in her room. Just then, the System's voice chimed in perfectly:

Congratulations, Host, for completing the quest: Unveiling the Truth.

Congratulations, Host, for unlocking the "Faction" feature.

Faction levels are ranked from lowest to highest: White, Yellow, Purple, Black, Red.

Ke Lu pulled up the System panel. As expected, a new "Faction" icon had appeared.

Clicking on it revealed a rudimentary network of interpersonal relationships.

These... represented Ke Lu's faction.

Of course, not everyone qualified as "faction material." Ordinary classmates at school didn't appear, but prominent figures like Su Rou and the Su Family occupied central positions in the network.

The System displayed:

[Name: Su Family.]

[Main Associated Figures: Su Rou, Father Su]

[Relationship: Friendly]

[Relationship Assessment: Solid alliance]

In contrast:

[Name: A City Ke Family]

[Main Associated Figures: Ke Zhan, Ke Jie, Stepmother...]

[Relationship: Hostile]

[Relationship Assessment: Irreconcilable]

As Ke Lu studied the new feature, the System explained:

[Each time the Host strengthens a "Friendly" relationship, they will receive rewards, as demonstrated now.]

The moment the System finished speaking, Ke Lu noticed an icon light up within the relationship network. Without hesitation, she clicked on it:

[Name: A City First Senior High School]

[Relationship: Friendly]

[Main Associated Figures: Vice Principal (soon to be promoted to Principal)]

[Relationship Assessment: Neutral, Unstable]

Ke Lu fully understood the unstable assessment. After all, it was merely a cooperative arrangement, nothing substantial.

[Ding! Congratulations, Host! You have gained the new factions "Su Family" and "A City First Senior High School."]

[Congratulations, Host! You have received rewards: Cerydra Template LV2, and the skills "Imperator's Majesty" and "King's Castling."]

[Imperator's Majesty: Compels targets to submit, even allowing for simple commands.]

[King's Castling: Merges the Chesspiece with the Host, granting the ability to conjure chess pieces from thin air, enhance their capabilities, and launch devastating attacks against enemies.]

In an instant,

The Chesspiece, previously stored within Ke Lu's Space Ring, erupted uncontrollably and transformed into a stream of light that fused with her body.

Now, there was no need to worry about losing the Space Ring and being disarmed.

Ke Lu's combat capabilities were assured, regardless of time or place.

Originally, Ke Lu had most coveted Cerydra's battle technique from the game, "Pawn's Promotion." She was particularly intrigued by the ability to replicate teammates' skills.

Though she didn't receive her ideal reward, these two skills seemed quite promising nonetheless.

Currently, Ke Lu had obtained three Skills from the System: [Chess Piece Manifestation], [Imperator's Majesty], and [King's Castling], all of which could compensate for her lack of combat prowess as a Support Class. At least for now, self-defense shouldn't be a problem.

Ke Lu's gaze drifted toward the gradually setting sun outside the window. "It's time to leave," she murmured to herself. "I wonder what the situation is like with the Factions in other regions."

In the System's main quest, establishing a Faction was a prerequisite for creating rules. Without sufficient power, she would have no voice.

She had already planned her next steps: first, to enhance her own strength, and then to cultivate relationships with the younger generation of major Factions—preferably their heirs, just as she had befriended Su Rou—to forge "friendly" ties.

Such was the way of the world. Only by wielding enough power and influence could she avenge herself against Ke Zhan, reclaim her meager inheritance, and protect those she wanted to safeguard.

-

In the Ke Family Corporation,

Ke Zhan's subordinates had piled a thick stack of documents on his mahogany desk, resembling a small mountain.

Without even looking, he knew the Ke Family's losses this time were staggering.

Cheating on the College Entrance Examination, embezzlement, and bribery—each scandal was like a poisoned dagger, striking the Ke Family with deadly precision.

This was the first time Ke Zhan had suffered such a devastating and humiliating defeat since taking control of the Ke Family.

Sitting in his spacious leather chair, Ke Zhan's gaze swept over the pile of documents, his expression darkening inch by inch.

He flipped open the top report, his fingertips tracing the alarming figures and reports, the veins on the back of his hand bulging faintly.

Then he moved on to the second report, the third...

"Stock prices plummet 40%, market value evaporates by tens of billions."

"Multiple banks urgently demand early repayment of loans."

"Credit rating downgraded, financing channels frozen."

"Shares being gradually acquired."

The air hung thick with a silent, suffocating tension, as if on the verge of exploding.

Finally, he slammed his hand down—SMASH!

"Truly impressive," Ke Zhan sneered, his eyes blazing with fury. "You've managed to escalate this situation to this point in so little time. The other three major families must have been fueling the fire from behind the scenes."

Especially the Su Family. They must have been preparing for this, carving out a significant portion of the Ke Family's market share for themselves.

This time, the other two families reacted with astonishing speed, leaving Ke Zhan no time to respond.

Endure it. You must endure it, Ke Zhan told himself. Now is absolutely not the time to make a mistake.

Just as documents were flying everywhere, a video call rang—it was his wife, Li Shiya:

"Where are my son and my father? Are they alright?"

On the screen, Li Shiya's eyes were glistening with tears, like a delicate flower in full bloom.

Normally, Ke Zhan would have found this modest and gentle demeanor charming.

If it were any other day, he would have swept her into his arms for a passionate kiss, and they would have inevitably ended up in bed together.

But today, Ke Zhan had repeatedly hit walls, lost his father-in-law and son, and faced relentless external scrutiny and pressure. His mind was already on edge.

He had no patience to comfort her.

Rubbing his temples wearily, Ke Zhan said, "The evidence against them is irrefutable. There's no way to clear their names. The other Clan Leaders are ganging up on us, kicking us when we're down. We have no choice but to abandon them."

Li Shiya's eyes widened in disbelief.

"Why? You promised you'd never let me suffer any hardship! They're our family! How can you bear to let them go to prison?!"

"If Jie Jie goes to prison, his entire life will be ruined!"

Ke Zhan's brow furrowed almost imperceptibly.

Faced with his wife's complete disregard for the bigger picture, her incessant crying and wallowing in self-pity, a sudden comparison arose in his mind:

If his strong-willed, level-headed ex-wife were in this situation, she would have suppressed her emotions and immediately analyzed the pros and cons with him, strategizing how to best protect the family's interests, rather than dissolving into tears and demanding "Why?" and "How could you?"

Yet he maintained his composure, his voice hardening slightly.

"Enough. Stop crying."

"University is just glorified schooling. We'll hire private tutors for him. It may not be Five Clans University or other world-renowned institutions, but it's still excellent. Be content with that."

Ke Zhan's voice grew increasingly impatient as he abruptly ended the call.

At that moment, the office door silently swung open from the outside, and Xiao Liu, Ke Zhan's assistant, entered.

Ke Zhan's gaze snapped to her and froze.

The company had no strict dress code, but Xiao Liu's outfit today seemed... deliberately chosen.

She wore an elegant qipao, tailored to accentuate her slender waist. The pale cyan fabric was sparsely embroidered with white plum blossoms.

Who did she resemble?

Too much like his ex-wife.