Smoke from expensive Cuban cigars hung heavy over the mahogany tables, mixing with the heavy scent of aged scotch and French perfume. Green felt tables stretched across the VIP baccarat lounge, glittering under low-hanging crystal chandeliers that cast a warm, deceptive glow. Sweat dripped down Su Qingmei's pale cheek, smearing her expensive foundation. Ten million dollars. Lost in a single, disastrous hand of baccarat. Opposite her sat Lu Shaohua, a notorious predatory creditor, his grin wide and venomous. He tapped his manicured fingers against a stack of high-value chips, enjoying her agony. "Time is up, Miss Su," Lu Shaohua murmured, his voice dripping with mock sympathy. "Pay the debt, or your family's shipping empire belongs to me by morning." Trembling, she clutched her empty designer purse, her knuckles turning bone-white as she stared at her cards. Desperation rolled off her in waves, her eyes scanning the room for a savior who didn't exist. Around her, the elite of Blue Star watched with cold amusement, sipping champagne and whispering behind their hands. "Look at her," a woman in a glittering diamond necklace whispered to her companion. "The proud daughter of the Su family, reduced to a beggar in a single night." Her partner chuckled, taking a slow sip of his whiskey. To them, her ruin was just another Tuesday night entertainment. Sitting quietly in the dim corner of the lounge, Ye Feng watched the drama unfold. His dark eyes reflected the spinning roulette wheel in the distance, calm and calculating. In his mind, a cold, mechanical voice chimed, cutting through the background noise. "*[Host's presence rating: 12%. Wish points available: Unlimited. Do you wish to intervene?]*" Memories of his past life clawed at his chest, hot and suffocating. Before his rebirth, he had been a nobody, a worm crushed under the heel of men like Lu Shaohua. He remembered the bitter cold of that winter alleyway, the way people walked past his dying body without a single glance. He remembered the absolute powerlessness of being poor, of having no voice, of being invisible because he was worthless. Now, he held the ultimate cheat, reborn as the heir to the legendary, invisible Ye family. He closed his eyes, formulating his silent desire. "*System, generate a flawless, untraceable black card with a ten-million-dollar balance,* he commanded mentally." A soft chime echoed in his mind. "*[Processing wish... cost: 10 wish points. Materializing physical asset... done.]*" Heavy plastic slid into his palm, cool and impossibly smooth. He looked down to see a matte-black card, completely blank except for a silver magnetic strip. Standing up, he smoothed the lapels of his tailored suit, his heart steady. Walking toward the center table, his movements were silent, almost fluid. None of the security guards stopped him, their eyes sliding right past his figure. It was as if his very existence was a blind spot in their eyes. Stopping behind Su Qingmei, he placed a hand lightly on her trembling shoulder. She gasped, flinching as if struck by lightning, turning her head to stare at him. "Who are you?" she whispered, her voice cracked with terror and sudden hope. Ye Feng did not answer. Instead, he tossed the matte-black card onto the green felt table. It landed with a soft, authoritative thud right in front of the dealer. "Swipe it," Ye Feng ordered, his voice dropping to a dangerous, quiet register that commanded absolute obedience. "Ten million dollars. Clear her debt." Lu Shaohua laughed, a grating sound that scraped against the ears. He picked up the card, turning it over in his hands with a sneer. "What is this joke?" the creditor spat, throwing it back onto the table. "A blank card? Do you think the VIP lounge of the Royal Dragon Casino is a playground for children?" Ye Feng remained perfectly still, his face an unreadable mask. Inside, his heart hammered with a dark, intoxicating rush of absolute power. He was no longer the boy who begged for scraps. He was a god in human clothing, pulling strings from the dark. "Try it," Ye Feng repeated, his tone freezing the warm air in the room. Something in his gaze made the dealer's hand tremble. Nervously, the dealer took the card and slid it through the high-end terminal. Loading icons spun on the sleek black screen. One second passed, then two. Tension in the room grew so tight that the quiet hum of the air conditioner felt like a roar. Dealer hand trembling, the veteran croupier wiped a layer of sweat from his forehead. His fingers shook as he pressed the confirmation key. Lu Shaohua's personal bodyguards, two towering men in identical black suits, took a step forward, their hands moving toward their jackets. Yet, as they looked at Ye Feng, their eyes glazed over. Their brains refused to register his threat, leaving them frozen in place like statues. She had been prepared to sign away her life. Her father was in a coma, her brother was useless, and she was the only one left to defend the family's honor. When this mysterious stranger stepped forward, she felt a strange warmth radiating from him, like a fire in a frozen wasteland. Ye family history was steeped in secrets, having ruled Blue Star from the shadows for centuries. They didn't appear on any Forbes lists. They didn't own visible stocks. Instead, they owned the banks that owned the corporations that owned the world. But with great power came a great target. Zenith Coalition agents, an alliance of visible tech-billionaires who wanted to live forever, had spent decades hunting down the invisible families to steal their resources and ancient secrets. Silence stretched across the room, thick enough to choke on. Every eye was glued to the small LED screen on the machine. Beep. Green light flashed. Approved. Ten million dollars, cleared instantly. Su Qingmei stared at the screen, her mouth hanging open in sheer disbelief. Her chest heaved as she realized her family was saved from total ruin. Lu Shaohua stood up so fast his chair screeched against the marble floor. "Impossible!" he roared, his face flushing a deep, angry crimson. "Who are you? What family do you belong to?" Ye Feng didn't give him the satisfaction of an answer. He merely reached out, reclaiming the black card with a swift, elegant motion. Then came the chilling follow-up. "*[Ding! Wish completed. Deducting 10 wish points.]*" Another notification sealed his fate. "*[Your presence rating has dropped to absolute zero.]*" A strange, cold sensation washed over Ye Feng's body. It felt as though the very air was passing through him, rather than around him. He looked down at his hands, which seemed slightly translucent for a fraction of a second before returning to normal. Turning on his heel, he began to walk away from the table. Su Qingmei called out to him, her voice filled with desperate gratitude. "Wait! Please, tell me your name! How can I repay you?" She reached out to grab his sleeve, but her fingers slipped right through the fabric, grasping nothing but empty air. She gasped, stumbling backward, her eyes wide with a new kind of terror. Ye Feng didn't look back. He kept walking, his stride steady and unhurried. Plush red carpet coated the floor of the VIP lounge, thick and luxurious. Normally, anyone walking on it would leave deep, visible impressions in the wool. As Ye Feng took a step, his heavy leather shoes pressed into the carpet. But the moment his foot lifted, the fibers sprang back instantly. No depression remained. No dust shifted. It was as if he had never touched the ground, a literal ghost walking among the living. He watched this happen with a mixture of thrill and absolute dread. This was the price of his ultimate power. To rule everything from the shadows, he had to become nothing to the world. He was a phantom, a whisper in a crowded room. As Ye Feng turns to leave, the digital screen of his phone flashes with a message from an unknown number: 'I saw you leave no footprints, ghost. We know what you are.'

Chapter 1: A Ghost Among the Living