Chapter Three: The Golden Bait

Only the rim waited ahead. Lu rose and released. The ball crossed the lights and fell cleanly through. Thunder 103, North City 101. The final attempt missed. [Adversity comeback completed. Dynamic Stamina Allocation unlocked.] [Commercial resource upgraded: priority investment right in Pulse Lab. Expires in seventy-two hours.] His teammates surrounded him. Across press row, Su Wan raised her phone. One message filled the screen: Pulse’s founder agreed to meet, but Haiyue is also trying to buy the company. As the arena roared, Lu understood that the real game no longer fit inside four boundary lines. Seventy-two hours. Before the next tip-off, he intended to acquire the first company of his career.