Chapter 2 Reclaiming the God-Level Space! Kicking Away the Green Tea Stepsister
A soft sound of a key sliding into the lock came from outside the door.
"Click."
Lin Chuchu was about to push the door open when the heavy solid wood door in front of her was suddenly yanked open from the inside.
She was startled, and the spare key in her hand nearly dropped to the floor.
"Sis... Sister, are you awake?"
Lin Chuchu quickly put on an innocent, harmless smile.
Today, she was wearing a pure white floral dress, and her hair had been carefully styled into soft, gentle waves.
Paired with those big, watery eyes, she looked exactly like a delicate little white flower in the storm, begging for pity.
But Lin Xingwan knew all too well what kind of venomous heart was hidden beneath that skin.
In her past life, it was these very hands that had gripped a scalpel and carved open her chest, bit by bit.
Lin Xingwan leaned against the door frame, looking down at her.
Her black silk nightgown outlined her graceful curves, but her eyes were as cold as ice.
"Something?"
Lin Chuchu felt a shiver run down her spine under that gaze.
But her gaze was quickly drawn to the blackened silver necklace at Lin Xingwan's collarbone.
A glint of greed flashed in her eyes.
"Sister, that necklace on your neck is so pretty."
Lin Chuchu stepped forward, reaching out as if to touch it.
"Brother Gu Zichen said you were willing to lend it to me for a few days, so I shamelessly came to get it."
"You don't usually wear jewelry, and it's just gathering dust in your drawer. Why not let me wear it to match my outfits?"
The entitlement in her tone made Lin Xingwan want to laugh.
She turned slightly, dodging Lin Chuchu's reaching hand.
"Who does Gu Zichen think he is? Just because he says to give it to you, I have to?"
Lin Xingwan raised an eyebrow, her tone dripping with sarcasm.
Lin Chuchu froze.
Was this really the same love-struck Lin Xingwan who treated Gu Zichen like a treasure?
"Sister, how can you talk about Brother Gu Zichen like that?"
Lin Chuchu's eyes instantly turned red, and the tears came right on cue.
"He only did it for the sake of our sisterly bond. Don't be angry at him; if you want to blame someone, blame me."
"I just liked this necklace too much. Are you reluctant to part with it?"
She bit her lower lip, acting as if she had suffered a grave injustice.
"If you really don't want to give it to me, I'll go tell Dad that I don't deserve to wear the things Mom left behind."
Here she goes again, using their scumbag father to pressure her.
In her past life, whenever Lin Chuchu cried, Chairman Lin Jianguo would point at Lin Xingwan's nose and call her selfish.
In the end, all the good things would wind up in this green tea's pocket.
Lin Xingwan straightened up and leisurely rubbed her wrist.
"You truly don't deserve it."
Lin Chuchu froze, unable to react in time.
"Smack!" A loud, crisp slap landed squarely on Lin Chuchu's fair face!
Lin Xingwan had used every ounce of her strength for that slap.
It sent Lin Chuchu spinning half a circle on the spot, her ears ringing.
Five bright red finger marks instantly appeared on her fair cheek.
"Ahhh!" Lin Chuchu covered her face, letting out a shriek like a stuck pig.
"Lin Xingwan! How dare you hit me?!"
Her mask of gentleness shattered instantly, and her eyes were as venomous as a snake.
"I hit you, so what? Do I need to check the calendar for an auspicious day to do it?"
Lin Xingwan sneered, her gaze turning sharp.
"You're just a cheap product born from a mistress who climbed her way up. How dare you covet the things my mother left behind?"
Lin Chuchu was incensed; she lunged forward, claws out, aiming to grab Lin Xingwan's hair.
"I'll kill you!"
Lin Xingwan's eyes narrowed, and she didn't retreat—she advanced.
She lifted her right leg, and her slipper-clad foot struck Lin Chuchu's stomach with pinpoint precision.
"Thud!" It was a powerful kick.
Lin Chuchu flew backward, crashing onto the hallway's cashmere carpet.
Her stomach churned, and she curled up in pain like a cooked shrimp.
"Ouch... My stomach..."
She was in so much pain she couldn't even finish a sentence, cold sweat pouring down her face.
Lin Xingwan walked to the doorway, looking down coldly at the person wailing on the floor.
"Get lost. Don't dirty my doorstep."
With that, she slammed the solid wood door shut with a "bang," followed by the sound of the lock turning.
In the hallway, only Lin Chuchu's wailing remained.
Inside the room, the world was finally quiet.
Lin Xingwan let out a long sigh of relief.
It felt so good. That slap and kick had vented more than half of the frustration that had been pent up in her chest since her past life.
But she knew this wasn't enough.
She had to fully master the God-level Space as soon as possible; that was her fundamental means of survival in The Apocalypse.
Although she had dripped blood earlier, it seemed there was still one step missing to fully activate it.
Lin Xingwan walked over to her desk, pulled open the drawer, and fished out a pair of sharp paper-cutting scissors.
Without a moment's hesitation, she used the tip of the scissors to slice across her fingertip.
Crimson blood welled up and dripped from her fingertip.
One drop. Two drops. Three drops.
The thick blood splashed onto the antique silver necklace, one drop after another.
Suddenly, the necklace erupted in a blinding white light.
The white light instantly enveloped Lin Xingwan entirely.
A sensation of weightlessness washed over her, and her surroundings distorted violently.
When she opened her eyes again, she was no longer in her bedroom.
She was standing on a vast, boundless expanse of black soil.
The soil beneath her feet exuded the fragrance of extreme fertility.
In the distance, rolling mountain ranges were shrouded in a faint white mist, stretching beyond the horizon.
"This... is this the inner space?"
Lin Xingwan looked around in shock.
In her past life, although she had possessed the space, she hadn't had the chance to develop it before Lin Chuchu stole it from her.
She looked to her left. There was a vast, seemingly boundless concrete plaza.
A translucent panel hovered above the plaza, with the words "Absolute Stasis Zone" written on it.
She tried tossing a piece of fruit candy from her pocket into it.
The candy froze instantly in mid-air; even the reflection on its wrapper was held in place.
This was a God-level cheat for hoarding supplies!
No matter if she put in tens of thousands of tons of cooked food or fresh vegetables, they would be exactly the same when she took them out.
Lin Xingwan's heart pounded with excitement.
She walked to the right and saw a dried-up spring.
Although it was dry now, she knew that as long as she kept adding jade and gold to the space, it would upgrade.
When that happened, the spiritual spring water would be able to cleanse her marrow, strengthen her body, and heal any injury.
"I'm rich! This time, I'm really rich!"
Lin Xingwan stood in the vast space and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
With this God-level warehouse that had unlimited capacity and could preserve freshness, she would be able to live more comfortably than an immortal during The Apocalypse.
But after the excitement faded, the reality of the situation set in.
Hoarding supplies required money. Massive amounts of money.
Buying a few packs of instant noodles was just survival; buying up granaries and emptying supermarkets—that was called hoarding.
With a thought, she exited the space.
Back on her swivel chair in the bedroom, Lin Xingwan picked up her phone and opened the calculator.
She only had a few million in pocket money on hand, which wasn't even enough to cover the bare minimum.
The real fortune was the shares of the Lin Group that her mother had built up!
When her mother died in a car accident, Chairman Lin Jianguo had used her young age as an excuse to take full custody of the shares.
A full thirty percent—the absolute controlling interest!
Based on the Lin Group's current market value, those shares were worth at least 12 billion.
"Chairman Lin Jianguo, you've been living off my mother's success for so many years; it's time for you to spit it all out."
Lin Xingwan stared coldly at the string of zeros on her screen.
As long as she cashed out those shares, she could buy out supply sources across the globe.
Just as she was plotting how to scam her scumbag father, her phone suddenly vibrated.
A name popped up on the screen: Secretary Wang.
He was Chairman Lin Jianguo's personal secretary—a lackey whose only job was to run errands for his boss.
Lin Xingwan pressed the answer button.
"Eldest Miss."
Secretary Wang's business-like, almost perfunctory voice came from the other end of the line.
"Chairman Lin wants you to come to the office right now."
"He says today is the Second Miss's birthday, and he wants you to sign the share transfer authorization form under your name as a birthday gift for her."
"Chairman Lin also said that as long as you sign obediently, the Lin family guarantees you'll have a life of luxury, and he will handle your marriage to Young Master Gu Zichen personally."
Listen to that condescending tone. He was using her property to curry favor and expected her to be grateful for it.
"A gift?"
Lin Xingwan leaned back in her chair, her fingertips tapping lightly against the desk.
"Sure. As her older sister, I really should prepare a 'big gift'."
Secretary Wang breathed a sigh of relief, assuming she had compromised as usual.
"Then, Eldest Miss, please head over as soon as possible. Chairman Lin is waiting for you in the top-floor conference room."
Lin Xingwan stood up, walked over to the floor-to-ceiling mirror, and casually picked out a bold red trench coat.
"Tell Chairman Lin Jianguo to have the corporate seal ready."
She applied a bold red lipstick in the mirror, her aura instantly radiating dominance.
"I'll be there soon. I guarantee I'll give him a massive surprise."
She hung up the phone and tossed the blood-stained scissors into the trash.
Scumbag father, green tea stepsister, and 12 billion. The show was about to begin.
"Hello, front desk? Please call me a car to the Lin Group building."
She pushed the door open, stepping over the tears Lin Chuchu hadn't wiped off the carpet.
Her high heels clicked crisply against the marble floor.
"Oh, and help me contact the acquisitions department of the Jinghai Conglomerate."
"Tell them there's a deal worth over ten billion, and ask if they're interested."
The receptionist on the other end was stunned. "E-Eldest Miss, what are you selling?"
Lin Xingwan stepped into the elevator, watching the floor numbers descend.
"I'm selling the Lin Group's foundation."