Harem Tycoon System

Chapter 16: Poisoned Legacy

“Sometimes the most poisonous gifts… come in sparkling boxes.”

Lucas stared at the system notification still glowing in the corner of his vision, even after the heated kiss with Alisha ended successfully just a few minutes ago.

He had completed the physical contact mission, and the system rewarded him handsomely: bonus points, digital cash, and… one more thing. Something that made his forehead immediately crease.

[Mission Complete: Physical Contact Successful] +250 Points. +$10,000. +15% Loyalty Alisha Armand. Special Bonus: Majority shares in AegisMed Pharmaceutical, Inc.

Lucas leaned back in the taxi seat, massaging his suddenly aching temples. “Pharmaceuticals?” he muttered, staring at the holographic screen hovering in front of him.

After parting ways with Alisha, he deliberately did not return to his hotel. Too risky if people started questioning why the hotel owner stayed there—especially with his budding relationship with Alisha becoming ‘noticed.’ He decided to rent a room in a modest motel, far enough from the city center, cheap enough not to draw attention.

He glanced at his phone. The time showed 11:47 p.m. The night air coated the windows with a thin mist. The once-lively city began to quiet, yet his mind grew increasingly restless.

Lucas pressed a button to open the company details granted by the system. AegisMed Pharmaceutical, Inc.

Sector: Medical & Generic Pharmaceuticals.

Status: On the verge of bankruptcy.

Reputation: Poor.

Recent Issues: Fever medicine batch failed, 3 patients in intensive care, media backlash, stock price plummeted 90% in two months.

Lucas let out a long sigh. “Damn it, why would the system give me this?”

He might have a system with tons of extraordinary capabilities, but the trauma of failure—especially related to wealth and reputation—wasn’t easily erased. Lucas’s old body might’ve been numb to financial trouble, but the new Lucas—with Ethan’s soul inside—was deeply aware of business risks.

“I can ignore this bonus, right?” he thought, trying to find a loophole. But the system didn’t give him a choice.

[New Task Activated]

Title: AegisMed Acquisition.

Objective: Take over AegisMed as the new CEO.

Deadline: 72 hours.

Reward: Increased access to medical industry and private hospital networks.

Penalty for failure: -300 points, loss of share control, damaged reputation.

Lucas wanted to scream.

“What the hell is this?! I haven’t even touched the medical world. Why do I have to save a sinking company now?!”

Yet on the other hand, Ethan’s curiosity began to stir. As a former brilliant medical student, he knew that behind even a dying pharmaceutical industry… there were still golden opportunities.

The taxi stopped in traffic. A siren wailed, then went silent. Through the car window, a bright orange glow—fire engulfed one of the old buildings in a densely populated area. Thick smoke billowed into the sky, and a crowd stood behind the police line.

Lucas opened the taxi door. “What’s happening?” he asked a nearby resident.

“Big fire, man,” the man replied. “Old building. Hard to reach. They say someone’s trapped on the third floor.”

Lucas looked up. Smoke obscured part of the sky, and the sound of bending metal and shattering glass echoed loudly. Fire trucks looked overwhelmed, and firefighters still hadn’t reached the upper floors.

“Road’s closed,” said the taxi driver. “We’ll have to turn around.”

Lucas clenched his jaw. Time kept ticking. But something inside him—whether Lucas or Ethan—couldn’t just stand by.

“I’ll walk,” he said quickly.

He pushed through the crowd. While everyone backed away, Lucas advanced. The shouts of bystanders followed him.

“Don’t be reckless, bro! You’ll die in there!”

“Let the firemen handle it!”

But Lucas didn’t stop. He had no intention of being a hero. In fact, he was very fearful and opportunistic. If he could choose safety and comfort, why bother risking his life by rushing into a burning building to save someone irrelevant to his life? That’s what he thought.

Yet here he was. Somehow, his promise to Emma had moved him.

What if it were his daughter or Caroline, his wife, trapped inside, and everyone else thought the same as him—only caring about their own safety? Then surely his daughter and wife wouldn’t survive in that situation.

Finally, he kicked open a partially burned emergency door and climbed a narrow staircase. Smoke began to creep into his lungs. He braced himself and acted impulsively.

After several minutes of climbing floor by floor, he heard faint cries and sobbing.

“…Help…”

Lucas turned. At the end of a smoke-filled corridor, a woman crouched in fear, trembling, her eyes red. Her long hair was messy, her face covered in soot.

“Take my hand!” Lucas shouted.

The woman hesitated but eventually moved. Lucas pulled her into his arms, wrapping her face with his jacket to shield her from the smoke.

But as they turned back toward the stairs—BOOM!—the floor behind them collapsed. Part of the ceiling fell, blocking the exit.

Lucas staggered with the woman, falling to the ground. They were now trapped in the rubble, surrounded by fire and debris.

The woman looked at him in panic. “We… we can’t get out…”

Lucas glanced at the ceiling, which had started to c***k. He was worried too, but surrender wasn’t in his plan. He didn’t want to die twice.

“I’m not dying here. And neither are you.”

But in his heart, Lucas knew—they had seconds left before everything came crashing down.

The explosion happened just a second after Lucas dragged the woman out of the gaping hallway. A rumbling sound and a loud crash shook the night air, followed by a burst of flame and debris falling exactly where they had stood seconds ago.

Lucas hit the ground, his body shielding the woman from the dust and heat. Smoke and ash swirled in the air, red firelight mixing with emergency lights and deafening sirens.

Firefighters came running in full protective gear. One pulled Lucas to his feet, while others checked the woman’s condition.

“Mister! Are you insane?! You could’ve died in there!” shouted a fire commander hoarsely.

Lucas glanced at him briefly, his eyes red from the smoke. His breath was heavy but steady.

“I couldn’t just watch someone die,” he answered calmly.

The commander shook his head quickly. “That’s no excuse to act stupid. We’re trained for this. You could’ve become another victim!”

Lucas didn’t respond. Instead, he turned to the woman he had just saved. She sat on the sidewalk, her face pale and body trembling. Her red dress was burned at the bottom, exposing most of her thighs.

Lucas immediately removed his jacket, still wrapped around her, and carefully tied it around her waist. He didn’t even glance at her body—his gaze remained fixed on her face.

“Thank you…” the woman whispered, her eyes welling up.

“Ma’am, you need to go to the hospital,” Lucas said. “To check for internal injuries or smoke effects.”

The woman just stared at him, speechless. Her breathing was still uneven. She had just stared death in the face, and the man who saved her… she had no idea who he was.

Lucas leaned slightly, checking her eyes. “Are you okay?” he asked gently.

“I… I can’t believe you actually came to save me.”

Lucas gave a faint smile. “I can’t believe I did either.”

Paramedics arrived with a stretcher, but the woman refused to lie down. She stood, took a deep breath, and tried to remain strong. Though still weak, she looked at Lucas with intense curiosity.

“Wait… what’s your name?” she asked hesitantly. “I need to thank you. My family will… do anything for you. You saved me!”