At 3:17 AM, the lights in the top-floor office of the Su Group building were still burning. Lin Mo rubbed his aching temples; the blue light from the computer screen pulsed in his bloodshot eyes. Two days of the three-day bet had already passed. Spread out before him was the logistics network optimization plan provided by the System, its dense data covering the desk like a giant spiderweb.
"Host, your caffeine intake has exceeded the safety threshold," the System Spirit’s voice echoed in his mind, carrying a hint of mockery. "I suggest a ten-minute rest; otherwise, your brain’s computational efficiency will drop by 37.8%."
Lin Mo picked up his coffee, now stone cold, and took a sip. The bitter liquid slid down his throat. "There’s no time," he said, his fingers tapping across the keyboard. "There are three more transport routes that need optimization."
Outside the window, the city’s neon lights blurred in the rain and mist. Lin Mo turned his gaze from the screen to his reflection in the glass—the "useless live-in son-in-law" mocked by the entire internet, his eyes now shimmering with a glow even he found unfamiliar.
The data stream projected onto his retina by the System suddenly flickered, and a red marker appeared on a logistics node in the southeast sector.
"Anomaly detected." Lin Mo sat bolt upright, his fingers flying to pull up detailed data. "The transport loss rate here is 20% higher than the average, but the System shows the warehouse inventory matches... This is impossible."
"Ding! Congratulations, Host, for discovering a hidden data anomaly." The System Spirit’s voice turned serious. "Upon scanning, there are traces of manual data tampering at this node. I recommend an in-depth investigation."
Lin Mo’s brows knit together. He pulled up the last three months of transport records and compared them with the industry benchmark data provided by the System. A terrifying pattern gradually emerged: someone was systematically stealing cargo from the Su Group, and their methods were incredibly subtle.
"This isn't just an efficiency problem..." Lin Mo muttered, his fingers unconsciously tapping the desk. He suddenly remembered the cryptic text message from Chen Hao, and a chill crawled up his spine.
"System, can you track the ultimate destination of these anomalous data points?"
"Insufficient permissions," the System Spirit replied regretfully. "You must complete the 'Logistics Revolution' mission to unlock the deep investigation function."
Lin Mo took a deep breath and plunged back into work. He had to win the bet in front of him before he would have the qualifications to investigate a deeper conspiracy. The sky outside slowly began to lighten, and as the first ray of sunlight pierced the clouds, Lin Mo finally pressed the last Enter key.
"Done." He leaned back in his chair, exhaling a long breath. "System, run the final simulation."
"Simulation in progress... Expected efficiency increase of 42.3%, exceeding the original target." The System Spirit’s voice held a note of praise. "Host, you have created the fastest completion record for the novice phase in this System’s history."
A faint smile touched the corner of Lin Mo’s mouth, but before it could fully bloom, the office door pushed open. Su Yuqing stood in the doorway, dressed in a sharp professional suit, the dampness of the morning dew still clinging to her hair.
"You... you really didn't go home all night?" Her gaze swept over the desk full of materials and empty coffee cups, her voice tinged with a flicker of concern that was difficult to detect.
Lin Mo instinctively tried to stand, but his legs were numb from sitting for so long, and he stumbled. Su Yuqing stepped forward quickly to steady his arm. The distance between them suddenly narrowed, and Lin Mo could smell the faint scent of jasmine on her.
"I finished the plan." Lin Mo steadied himself, pulled away without a trace, and turned the computer screen toward her. "If you adjust the transport routes and warehouse allocation according to this, efficiency can increase by at least 40%."
Su Yuqing’s gaze shifted back and forth between the screen and Lin Mo, a flash of surprise crossing her cold, elegant face. She leaned over to examine the data, her hair falling and lightly brushing the back of Lin Mo’s hand.
"This data..." Her brows began to furrow. "I've never seen some of these sources before. How did you..."
Lin Mo’s heart skipped a beat. The industry benchmark data provided by the System was indeed far beyond the scope of ordinary business intelligence. Just as he was about to explain, Su Yuqing’s finger suddenly stopped on an encrypted folder.
"What is this?" She asked, clicking on it in confusion. A complex password input box immediately popped up on the screen.
"Warning! Core data is about to be exposed!" The System Spirit’s alarm sounded in Lin Mo’s mind, and his pupils contracted sharply.
"Wait! You can't—"
Before he could finish, the office door was pushed open again. Su Zhiyuan walked in with several senior executives, his gaze scanning the messy office before landing on Lin Mo.
"I heard my good son-in-law was going to create a miracle?" Su Zhiyuan’s voice was full of sarcasm. "Three days are almost up. Where is your plan? Don't tell me you were planning to fob us off with these scraps of paper?"
Lin Mo quickly closed his laptop, shielding Su Yuqing behind him. "The plan is finished. President Su can verify it whenever he likes."
Su Zhiyuan sneered and turned to his daughter. "Yuqing, the people from the logistics department are waiting in the conference room. Take your husband’s 'masterpiece' and come. I want to see what kind of decent thing a waste who lives off a woman can come up with."
Su Yuqing’s expression turned cold. "Father, please mind your words." She picked up Lin Mo’s computer. "I believe Lin Mo would not joke with the future of the Su Group."
Lin Mo looked at his wife’s straight back, a warmth flooding his chest. This was the first time Su Yuqing had spoken up for him in public.
In the conference room, the executives of Su Logistics had been waiting for a long time. When Lin Mo projected the optimization plan onto the big screen, a wave of questioning voices rose up immediately.
"This kind of route adjustment doesn't conform to industry standards at all!"
"The warehouse allocation is too aggressive; the risk factor is too high!"
"Is the data source reliable? These benchmarks are significantly higher than the market average!"
Lin Mo stood in front of the projection, facing the room full of skepticism, his voice exceptionally calm. "Everyone’s concerns are valid. But please give me five minutes to explain the core logic of this plan."
He clicked on the simulation animation generated by the System, and the entire logistics network began to flow on the screen as if it were a living thing. "The mistake of traditional logistics optimization is that it only considers single-point efficiency while ignoring network synergy. My plan redefines node weighting to allow the entire system to form an adaptive, flowing network..."
As the explanation deepened, the conference room gradually grew quiet. The executives' expressions shifted from suspicion to surprise, and finally to deep thought. Lin Mo’s explanation lacked high-minded theories, yet it pointed directly at the pain points Su Logistics had suffered for years.
"...So, this is not a simple route adjustment, but a reconstruction of systems thinking," Lin Mo concluded emphatically. "If implemented smoothly, not only can we achieve a 40% efficiency increase, but we can also reduce anomalous losses to the lowest level in the industry."
He deliberately emphasized the last point, his peripheral vision sweeping toward Wang Zhen, the logistics director in the corner—the man responsible for the anomalous data nodes. Wang Zhen’s face indeed changed, and the pen in his hand clattered to the floor.
Su Zhiyuan’s expression was unreadable. He turned to the Chief Operating Officer. "Old Zhou, what do you think?"
Gray-haired President Zhou took off his glasses and rubbed his eyes. "Incredible... but this plan has indeed captured all the key points. If the data is correct, I’m willing to take the gamble."
The atmosphere in the conference room changed subtly. Lin Mo knew he had won the recognition of the professionals, but the real challenge had only just begun.
"Fine!" Su Zhiyuan suddenly slapped the table and stood up. "Implement it according to this plan. But—" his sharp gaze pierced Lin Mo, "if I don't see results in three days, you know the consequences."
After the meeting, Su Yuqing stopped Lin Mo as he prepared to leave. "That data," she lowered her voice, "and that encrypted file—what exactly is going on?"
Lin Mo avoided her probing gaze. "Just some industry analysis. I promised the provider I would keep it confidential."
"Lin Mo," Su Yuqing suddenly grabbed his wrist. "What else are you hiding from me? Since last week, you’ve become... different."
Her fingertips were ice-cold, yet they made Lin Mo’s skin burn. He was just about to answer when his phone suddenly vibrated. It was an MMS from an unknown number—a photo clearly showing Wang Zhen and Chen Hao talking in a private club.
"Warning! Hostile forces have escalated their actions!" The System Spirit’s voice sounded again. "I suggest the Host take countermeasures immediately."
Lin Mo’s pupils contracted slightly. He looked up at Su Yuqing and realized her eyes had already landed on his phone screen.
"This is... Director Wang and Chen Hao?" Su Yuqing’s voice held shock. "How could they..."
"Yuqing," Lin Mo suddenly made up his mind. "I need you to do me a favor."
That night, the Su Group’s IT department was exceptionally busy. At Lin Mo’s suggestion, Su Yuqing approved a comprehensive upgrade to the logistics system. No one noticed that a special monitoring program had been quietly planted, specifically tasked with tracking the activities of those few anomalous data nodes.
At 2:00 AM, Lin Mo sat alone in front of his computer, the data streams flickering on the screen reflecting on his focused face. The System Spirit was helping him analyze the real-time data, searching for conclusive evidence.
"Host, data tampering detected!" the System suddenly alerted. "Coordinates: Southeast Warehouse 3. Someone is modifying the outbound records!"
Lin Mo immediately pulled up the surveillance footage, but the warehouse camera showed "signal failure." He gritted his teeth, grabbed his coat, and rushed out the door.
The rain-slicked streets were deserted. Lin Mo drove at high speed, his heart pounding like a drum. The System projected the optimal route into his mind, avoiding all possible police patrols.
When he arrived at Southeast Warehouse 3, the rain was falling heavily. Lin Mo slipped in through the side door without a sound, creeping through the shadows of the cargo racks. Voices were hushed, and the sounds of cargo being moved echoed ahead.
"...This batch of goods must be moved out tomorrow. President Chen can't wait."
"Don't worry, I’ve already fixed the system records. No one will find any issues."
Lin Mo held his breath and raised his phone to start recording. Through a gap in the racks, he clearly saw Wang Zhen directing workers to move goods marked with the Su Group logo, loading them onto a truck with no company markings.
Just as he prepared to capture more evidence, a soft noise came from behind him. Before Lin Mo could turn around, a heavy blow landed on the back of his head. His vision went black, and the phone slipped from his hand to the ground.
In his haze, he heard Wang Zhen’s panicked voice. "Are you crazy? Why did you bring him here!"
"Relax, it's just a useless live-in son-in-law," another familiar voice sneered. "It's perfect for letting President Chen see our 'sincerity'."
Before Lin Mo’s consciousness sank into the darkness, the last thing he saw was a red warning flashing on his retina:
"Emergency protocol initiated! Host’s vital signs are dropping! Activating defense mechanism!"
The sound of the rain grew distant, and the world fell into silence.