The Phantom's Gambit - Chapter 1: Before the fall

“I’m very talented, and I get twice the result with half the effort.”

“I am a genius that is rare to see in a hundred years, extraordinary in ten years, and holy in thirty.”

“My blood is against the sky, and I was born to be a king.”

Watching a group of geniuses arguing, Han Xu slowly closed his eyes and basked in the sun before falling asleep.

Diligence, perseverance, talent, resources, and opportunities are indispensable for the cultivation of others.

And he just needs to wait quietly for the skill to download.

A life without cultivation should be so unpretentious and boring.

- Description from novelbuddy

Cho Ryu Hyang was good at math from a young age. When he enrolled into the The Theoretical Maths and Martial Arts School, the teacher, Jo Gi Chun, recognized Cho Ryu Hyang’s talent immediately and took him in.

Tang Qing is reborn in 2004, equipped with a banking system. Thus, he shines.He holds the economic lifeline of Africa.He influences the trends in the Middle East.He is the creditor to most of the countries in the world.He is the new policy maker in the global financial order.He is the most powerful boss lurking behind this planet.The US Dollar, no longer the sole dictator of currency, the Euro, let me personally toll the death knell for you.National bankruptcy, debt crises, economic crises, these are all just part of a banker's game. Under the power of money, everything is worthless.This is a story of a strong rising to the top, becoming the premier banker.

I watch him, his green eyes brimming with concern as he gently massages my scarred leg. The sensation is both soothing and a stark reminder of my own inadequacy. The once-feared Crimson General, a symbol of power and invincibility, is now nothing but a frail shadow of his former self. I’ve been abandoned, left to decay in this forsaken place, my family and comrades long forgotten. Darkness had become my only solace, and I had resigned myself to it.Then he arrived, a beacon of light in my endless night. His presence, his care—it’s more than I ever deserved. Yet, I find myself clinging to him with an intensity that borders on madness. I hate that I need him so desperately, that his every action and word have become my lifeline. It consumes me, a torment I can't escape.“You don't have to do this. Please, don’t do this. I’m nothing. You deserve better. Leave. Please,” I beg, my voice trembling with raw anguish, the very words tearing me apart.He continues his work, seemingly unaffected by my pleas.“Why are you here? Look at me! I’m nothing.”Desperation and anger swell within me, mixing into a maelstrom of anxiety. I can’t comprehend the emotions coursing through me.“You're my alpha, where else would I be?” he responds softly, his gaze unwavering, as if my pleas were mere background noise.My heart races, torn between overwhelming relief and paralyzing dread. In that moment, I realize the truth: you would have to tear him from my cold, lifeless arms. I’m never letting go.General Thorne, betrayed and broken, finds new life and love with Omega Noelle, who nurses him back to health. Their deepening bond reveals Thorne’s softer side, offering a chance at happiness. Unfortunately, Thorne’s past soon catches up with them, threatening their newfound peace.