Not long after, the three of them arrived at Wolfe Investment Company.
Unlike the main Wolfe Group headquarters, Wolfe Investment was located in a different business district. The company didn't own the building but leased an entire floor to serve as its office. The business primarily focused on venture capital and financial investment—a separate wing of the Wolfe Group, more like a testbed than a cornerstone. It was an experimental endeavor, aimed at identifying new engines for future profit growth.
The company had been established for less than two years. Its employee count hadn't even broken the triple-digit mark, and its total assets were modest by Wolfe Group standards—hovering around one billion. Performance had been average thus far, with no headline-grabbing success stories to its name.
As Rayden Wolfe stepped through the building's entrance, the scene before him stirred a powerful sense of familiarity. He gazed around and muttered under his breath, "I'm back."
In his past life, this was where everything had begun.
From these very halls, he had launched the career that led him to dominate the financial world. In just a few short years, Rayden built an investment empire worth trillions—a name that echoed around the globe.
It was that empire which gave him the strength to battle the so-called protagonists and villains, whose golden auras had once threatened to drown him. His rise wasn't just about money—it was about rewriting destiny.
And now, with the knowledge of his past life behind him, Rayden was determined to rise even faster.
To rise even stronger.
To crush anyone who dared stand in his way.
Standing a few paces behind was Adam, the protagonist. He looked up at the Wolfe Investment Company's sign with an intense gaze, his heart churning with resentment and bitter memories.
"So this is the place…" he muttered silently. "This is where the Demon King of Chaos rises."
It was here that Rayden Wolfe, behind the curtain and unnoticed, began to lay his roots. In just a few years, the man transformed into a business titan—his influence saturating every corner of the world's economy.
By the time people realized it, he had become a colossus.
His investments reached into every industry, and his power seemed to know no bounds. It was with that power that Rayden had decimated Adam's career and destroyed everything he had built, reducing him to a fugitive forced to flee the Flame Kingdom with nothing but shattered pride.
Adam clenched his fists tightly, knuckles whitening. "This time... I won't let you succeed. I'll break your wings before you can even take flight. This time, you'll crawl beneath my feet."
The three stepped through the front door of Wolfe Investment Company.
The leadership team and nearly all employees had already gathered in neat rows to welcome them. After all, Rayden was no ordinary newcomer—he was the future heir to the Wolfe Group empire.
"Mr. Wolfe, welcome, welcome…"
A warm reception followed. The standard corporate introductions were made, the usual ice-breaking meeting was held, and tasks were assigned. Everything proceeded smoothly. No one dared to be impolite—Rayden was there for experience, but his background alone demanded respect. Any form of slight or embarrassment could result in a career-ending consequence for the offender.
After the formalities, Rayden returned to the spacious office arranged for him. He sat in the leather chair, overlooking the cityscape through the glass wall, already deep in thought.
The Wolfe Investment Company had a total fund of 1 billion. Previously, it was managed by one president and two vice presidents. Each of them handled 300 million each in separate investment avenues, with the remaining 100 million left as working capital.
Now that Rayden had joined, he was entrusted with managing this 100 million.
It wasn't a massive amount by Wolfe standards, but it was enough for someone at the entry-level. It was meant to give him a taste of real-world investment operations. If he produced solid results, the capital backing him would grow accordingly.
So, the question now stood: how should he use this capital?
In his previous life, Rayden had relied on his foresight and a special cheat-like ability—the classic Gold Finger—to make rapid gains. He saw market shifts before they happened, identified winning ventures before they broke out, and always stayed ten steps ahead.
But this time, things were different.
His Gold Finger had changed.
Now, every time he made a wish, his enemies gained double the benefit.
That meant blindly following his old path would only make things worse. He'd be handing success to his rivals on a silver platter.
Even more concerning was the behavior of the two protagonists this time around. Especially Adam—the so-called War God—who had willingly come to work for him as a bodyguard. That alone was a complete deviation from the storyline he remembered. There were too many variables, too many unknowns.
Something was definitely off.
At that moment, the office door opened, and Rachel entered holding a thick stack of documents. Her business attire was crisp, her heels clicked authoritatively against the floor, and her expression remained cool and professional.
"You're currently handling a fund of 100 million," she said matter-of-factly, placing the file on his desk. "Given the limited amount, I suggest starting with the securities market—bonds, blue-chip stocks, and similar instruments. It's a great way to get your hands dirty and build a foundation."
She pointed to the neatly labeled charts and summaries in the folder.
"These are investment-grade securities I handpicked. Safe, reliable, low volatility. A solid place to begin. Once your capital allocation increases, you can move on to larger-scale projects."
Rayden opened the folder, flipping through the contents.
True to her word, the listed securities were conservative, high-quality picks—perfect for a cautious, stable return. Nothing flashy, but solid enough for a beginner to learn from.
Despite Rachel's personal reservations about him, her work ethic was admirable. She took her duties seriously.
But Rayden wasn't here for stable returns.
He hadn't been reborn just to earn a few percent in interest.
He was here to make waves—to dominate the field and lay the foundation for another empire. Playing it safe wasn't part of the plan.
Rayden's eyes shifted subtly, landing on Adam—the protagonist-turned-bodyguard—sitting silently on the office sofa, his expression unreadable.
"Adam," Rayden said suddenly, flashing a calm, almost inviting smile. "Got any suggestions?"
Adam blinked. He hadn't expected the question at all. "Me?"
Rayden nodded, leaning forward. "I'm about to start investing, but I haven't settled on a direction yet. Since you've been in the field before—probably seen quite a bit—I'd love to hear your opinion. No pressure."
Rachel raised an eyebrow and turned her attention to Adam as well. The curiosity in her eyes was unmistakable.
She wanted to see what this so-called bodyguard could bring to the table.
Adam straightened a little, still wary. He didn't understand why Rayden was asking his opinion. Was it a trap? Or a test?
But then he thought—what if I can use this? What if he could mislead Rayden, guide him into poor decisions and sabotage him from within?
His mind began racing.
Rayden smiled wider. Internally, he knew Adam was torn between suspicion and ambition. Perfect. Let him believe he has room to maneuver. Let him think he's in control.
He would play this slow.
Because in this game, the Demon King of Chaos was always ten steps ahead.