Super Rich: Starting the game by going back ten years to buy Bitcoin

The dial tone of the call ending rang twice in the quiet car. Li Yichen tossed his phone into the passenger-side glove compartment and rubbed his face with his hands.

Working non-stop for a month, the matter-antimatter reactor was completed, and the interstellar military expansion plan was fully launched.

His nerves had been stretched to the limit, and now that they relaxed, a ache seeped through his bones. He stepped on the gas, and the Tank 700 entered the morning rush hour traffic of Shanghai. He needed to rest for a couple of days.

In the VIP lounge area on the third floor of Hang Lung Plaza, Li Yichen leaned back on a leather sofa, a dozen paper bags bearing the logos of various luxury brands piled at his feet. Liu Xiaoyu, Xiao Yuqing, and Xue Shanshan, wearing high heels, were examining a limited-edition handbag.

"Yichen, how does this color match the dress I wore last time?" Xiao Yuqing turned around, carrying her bag.

"Beautiful. The bag is beautiful, and you are even more beautiful. Swipe your card."

Xue Shanshan walked over and shoved a glass of iced Americano into his hand: "Your perfunctory attitude is too obvious. Is going shopping more tiring than doing scientific research?"

"You don't need to carry so many bags when doing scientific research." Li Yichen took a big gulp of coffee, the ice cubes clinking against the glass. "You guys have a shopping spree that's even more impressive than all those ten-axis CNC machines in my factory. You've been shopping for four hours already, aren't your legs sore?"

Liu Xiaoyu rolled her eyes at Li Yichen.

"Who told you to disappear for a whole month? Now that I've finally caught you, I'm going to squeeze you dry."

Several sales assistants standing nearby lowered their heads, suppressing their laughter. They recognized the big spender who had booked the entire VIP area: the owner of Future Technology, a highly sought-after figure in Shanghai's business district.

My phone vibrated in my pocket. The screen displayed "Old Wei".

Li Yichen pressed the answer button.

"Brother Li!" Old Wei's hoarse voice was incredibly penetrating. "The materials you provided last time drove our R&D team completely insane during testing. The car body strength was way over the limit; the crash test even cracked the hydraulic walls in our factory! The test dummies were completely unharmed, and the front of the car didn't even have a dent!"

Li Yichen shifted into a more comfortable sitting position: "That's good news. Did you call just to praise me, bro?"

"Two days from now, Great Wall Motors is having a major new car launch event in Shanghai. This car uses your superconducting tungsten-gold fusion alloy, and you, the ancestor, absolutely have to be there to oversee it!" Old Wei's voice was so loud that even Xue Shanshan next to him could hear it. "This time, we're going to expose the true nature of these joint venture cars!"

"Brother Wei is treating, so I definitely have to go. Send me the time and place."

"Great! I'll reserve the VIP seat for you, no matter who comes!" Old Wei hung up the phone readily.

Li Yichen had just put his phone back on the coffee table when, less than three minutes later, the screen lit up again. It was Lei Zong, the CEO of Da Mi.

"President Li!" President Lei's voice was so enthusiastic it could melt an iceberg. "The launch event for Dami Auto's new product is in Shanghai in two days. With our intelligent ecosystem combined with your superconducting tungsten-gold fusion alloy, this new car launch is destined to revolutionize the industry. I've even reserved the VIP seat for you; let's witness history together!"

Li Yichen couldn't help but laugh out loud: "President Lei, what a coincidence, I just sold myself to Lao Wei three minutes ago."

There was a pause on the other end of the phone. A full five seconds passed without any response.

"That old fox, Lao Wei!" Lei's voice, filled with gritted teeth, came through. "He must have a dog's nose! Fine, Mr. Li, you can go to his place for the press conference, but I have to treat you to dinner another day! Da Mi's new car also used your materials, you can't be biased!"

Old Wei's car infotainment system is as laggy as something from the last century; it's all thanks to the materials you use. Unlike us, Da Mi, a combination of hardware and software is the key!

"Okay, I'll treat you another day." Li Yichen hung up the phone.

Liu Xiaoyu walked over and looked at Li Yichen curiously, asking, "What's wrong? Why are you laughing so happily?"

"Old Wei and Old Lei invited me to their new car launch event." Li Yichen pointed to the paper bag on the ground. "Finished shopping? Let's go eat."

That evening, the Peninsula Hotel's penthouse suite.

The Huangpu River at night is visible through the floor-to-ceiling windows. Candles are lit on the long table, and half of the red wine in the decanter has been drunk.

The next morning, sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, casting dappled patterns of light on the carpet.

Li Yichen leaned against the headboard, one hand behind his head. On the large bed, which was a full three meters wide, Liu Xiaoyu, Xiao Yuqing, and Xue Shanshan were still asleep.

He cracked his shoulders, his knuckles popping twice. His body had been modified by brain-enhancing drugs and previous gene-enhancing treatments. His muscle fiber density, nerve reaction speed, and recovery ability were more than ten times greater than the average person.

If it were an ordinary person, given the ordeal they went through last night, even Hua Tuo (a legendary Chinese physician) would have to prescribe two doses of goji berries. He's full of energy now, and even wants to go downstairs for a ten-kilometer run.

At 10 a.m., Tank 700 was parked downstairs in Xue Shanshan's residential area.

The three women were about to push open the door and get out of the car.

Li Yichen pressed the central locking button: "Wait a moment."

He pulled open the armrest box and took out three black boxes. Inside lay three futuristic-looking watches. The dials weren't glass, but a layer of dark gold liquid metal that shimmered with a subtle light, with no seams around the edges.

"What's this? A new Patek Philippe?" Xue Shanshan picked up a piece and examined it under the light.

"This is no ordinary luxury watch." Li Yichen put away his casual attitude. "This is a holographic projection watch that I created using nanotechnology and vibranium. It is connected to Ling'er's subsystem."

He pulled Xiao Yuqing's wrist and helped her put the watch on herself. As the strap touched her skin, the dark gold metal seemed to come alive, automatically contracting to perfectly fit the curve of her wrist.

Li Yichen tapped the watch face.

A pale blue, hexagonal miniature shield unfolded around Xiao Yuqing's arm, enveloping her entirely. Ling'er's miniature projection jumped out above the dial, dressed in a little suit, and waved at the three of them.

"Remember, don't take it off, not even when showering or sleeping." Li Yichen looked at the three of them. "It can save your life in critical moments. This shield can completely absorb the kinetic energy of ordinary bullets, car accidents, and even small-yield explosions."

Having survived the Manhattan disaster, Xiao Yuqing knew all too well the value of anything Li Yichen had given her. That black mecha that descended from the sky still haunted her dreams. Touching the watch face, she nodded emphatically: "I'll definitely weld it to my wrist."

Although Liu Xiaoyu and Xue Shanshan didn't understand the hardcore technological principles Li Yichen was explaining, they knew from the shield that had appeared out of thin air that it wasn't something they could buy on the market. They quickly put their watches on.

2 PM, at the "Royal Water Bay" high-end clubhouse in Shanghai.

The private room was filled with steam and the air was filled with the scent of mugwort and traditional Chinese medicine.

Li Yichen leaned back in the electric massage chair, closing his eyes to enjoy the masseur's foot massage. Liu Bing and Han Fei were lying on the two chairs next to him.

Liu Bing, holding a fruit platter, complained while munching on watermelon: "Brother Li, are you building a spaceship lately? I've asked you out ten times and you're not there nine times! Last time I wanted to go to the science park to find you, there was a row of armored vehicles outside the gate, and soldiers with guns were demanding my pass. I was almost scared to death."

Han Fei chimed in, "That's right. There's a huge rumor going around that Future Technology is developing some kind of world-destroying weapon. Some people online are even saying you built that mecha in Manhattan. The whole internet is searching for the Great Xia person who piloted it."

Li Yichen didn't even open his eyes: "What's a spaceship? I'm building an iron turtle that can wrap up the entire Earth."

Liu Bing spat out a watermelon seed: "Keep bragging. If you can build an iron turtle that big, I can pluck the moon down and kick it like a ball. But seriously, Brother Li, you've expanded this business too much. I heard that President Ji spends hundreds of billions when she's out, and bank presidents are lining up to treat her to dinner every day."

Han Fei laughed: "Brother Li is a big shot in the capital world now. It's harder than climbing to heaven for us ordinary folks to even meet him. I feel like my ancestors' graves are emitting auspicious smoke if I can get you out for a foot bath today."

Li Yichen changed his position and asked the technician to massage his calves.

The phone on the coffee table next to me rang. It was Liu Bing calling.

Liu Bing picked up the phone, glanced at the caller ID, and answered, "Feed?"

The only sounds in the private room were the sound of water and soothing background music.

Liu Bing listened for a couple of minutes, still with the watermelon in her mouth.

Snapped.

Half a watermelon was smashed on the wooden floor, its red juice splashing onto the technician's white socks.

Liu Bing's face drained of all color instantly, and his eyes quickly reddened. He sat up straight, knocking over the teacup beside him, spilling warm water onto his trouser leg.

"Brother Li..." Liu Bing's voice cracked, his fingers gripping his phone case, "My sister's in trouble!"