Li Wei wasted no time.

  He needed soldiers who were loyal to him. He needed allies he could trust. He needed tools to improve his standing within Li Baotian's household. Survival in the viper's nest required strategy, vigilance, and the right people by his side.

  He began with Mei Lin, the young scout from Yanshan. She was slender and quick, with sharp eyes and a quiet confidence. Her beauty was subtle, almost boyish, the kind that often went unnoticed in courts filled with exotic concubines with full breasts and round hips. But Li Wei had seen her for who she truly was.

  "My father, Li Baotian, has named me his first sword, the general of his soldiers," Li Wei told her as they stood beside the training fields. "I now have the authority to hire officers as I please. Mei Lin, I would like you to be one of them."

  "Why me?" she asked, her voice cautious, her gaze level. Suspicion lingered in her tone. Powerful men rarely made offers without expectations. When they sought out young women, the reasons were often less than noble.

  "Because you have proven yourself capable," Li Wei said without hesitation. "You are the finest scout I have seen. A master horse rider. You have keen instincts and a good heart. I want you on my expeditions. And I promise, you will be richly rewarded."

  Mei Lin’s fingers drifted to the silver-inlaid dagger at her waist. It was a gift from Li Wei, taken from the Rakshasa hoard. Just a trinket in the grand scheme of things, a small token compared to the rest of the treasure. Yet it held meaning.

  It had made him more trustworthy in her eyes. More real. Less like the other nobles that prowled the court in silks and schemes but neglected to pay their servants on time.

  She gave a slow nod. "Then I accept."

  Li Wei felt a flicker of satisfaction. His high charisma had not failed him.

  Stat Progression Activated: Charisma +0.1

  Next, he sought out Brother Fatong, the jovial monk from Yanshan. The rotund man had helped bless and burn the fallen Rakshasa corpses after the last battle. He was bald, barefoot, and cheerful, with a yellow robe that strained around his belly and a laugh that could echo through temples.

  "I would be grateful if you stayed at the Li estates a while longer, Brother Fatong," Li Wei said as they walked beneath the plum trees of the inner courtyard. "You have wandered a long time. Perhaps a short rest is in order. My father's cooks are skilled. He never acts miserly when it comes to food, wine, and women."

  Fatong chuckled. "Perhaps a short while. But my faith forbids me from growing roots. I must move on. Wandering is part of my path."

  "You need not grow roots," Li Wei replied. "We will soon go hunting again. My father has named me his general. I will lead soldiers across the kingdom, to the farthest borders of Jinlong. If you join us as our army’s monk, you can wander wherever we go. You may find the enlightenment you seek in the distant places of the world."

  The monk rubbed his chin, his jowls shifting with thought. "Chasing Rakshasa does not sound like a safe path for a monk."

  "You will be safer with us than alone," Li Wei countered, his tone measured. "Travel alone and you risk being robbed by bandits, murdered by heretics, or devoured by Rakshasa. With us, you will walk with an army. You will be protected, no matter the danger."

  Fatong raised a brow. "You are a persuasive man, young master."

  "And you will not go hungry. On the road, you may eat as much soup as you please," Li Wei added with a grin.

  That did it.

  Fatong broke into a great belly laugh. "Ah, now you speak the language of the soul. Very well, young master. I will be your army’s monk. For now."

  Li Wei nodded in gratitude. The first pieces were falling into place.

  Stat Progression Activated: Charisma +0.1

  He next visited the training yard.

  The clang of metal and the thud of bodies filled the open air. Soldiers shouted and laughed as they sparred, stripped to the waist beneath the sun. In the center of it all stood Drakon, the Virexian mercenary, nearly naked save for a loincloth that clung to his powerful frame. His muscles rippled like coils of braided rope, his shoulders impossibly broad, his chest thick and scarred. Dark hair curled around his jaw and chin, and his beard gave him the look of a barbarian war god.

  Li Wei watched as Drakon wrestled with one soldier after another, flinging them to the ground like sacks of rice. No one could match him. Each man who tried was pinned, flipped, or tossed aside with humiliating ease. Drakon laughed as he won, a deep, thunderous roar that shook the air.

  On the sidelines, Thalassa sat with her arms crossed and her legs spread comfortably, watching her husband with a proud and satisfied smile. She wore a leather training outfit that left little to the imagination. Unlike the bronze armor she wore into battle, the outfit today was meant for movement and breathability. It hugged her hips, clung to her thighs, and framed her taut stomach, revealing the sculpted muscles beneath. Her abs were sharp enough to make a sculptor weep.

  "Young master," she called when she spotted him. Her grin was playful, her voice teasing. "Would you like to try wrestling my husband?"

  Li Wei offered a polite smile but shook his head. "Maybe another time."

  He had no intention of being ragdolled in front of the soldiers. His wisdom told him better. Prestige mattered. Reputation mattered. Li Wei preferred to spar with Drakon using swords, where his skill could shine, where strategy and finesse could overcome brute strength. That was how wars were won. By fighting where one's strength outweighed the enemy's.

  Stat Progression Activated: Wisdom +0.1

  Thalassa stood and stretched, rolling her shoulders. "You can wrestle me instead, if you want," she said, her tone full of mischief. There was history there. They had wrestled once before, and the contest had been closer than Li Wei liked to admit. She was not as large as Drakon, but she was still formidable. Agile, powerful, dangerous.

  "We can do it naked, if you would like," she added with a wink.

  Li Wei raised an eyebrow. "Naked?"

  "That is how wrestling is done in Virexia," Thalassa said with a chuckle. "Nude and oiled. And sometimes, the winner celebrates their victory by fucking the loser in the arse. Right there before the crowd."

  "You are joking," Li Wei said, though his tone was uncertain.

  But he remembered. From his past life as Alex Carter, he had read about the ancient Greeks. Naked and oiled, they had wrestled in the arenas, their bodies glistening under the sun. Among them, same-sex love had been common. It was only shameful to be the passive one, not the dominant. Even in Jinlong, such practices were not taboo. The wealthy and powerful often kept beautiful eunuchs and beardless boys as submissive lovers. Everyone whispered about it, but no one challenged it. It was a practice that was frowned upon, but not forbidden.

  "I'm not joking," Thalassa said, amused. "Drakon wears a loincloth only to avoid scaring the soldiers with his massive manhood. He would fight naked if he could. Back in Virexia, he was a renowned erastes. The boys who shared his bed adored him for how big he is. The more adventurous ones, at least. I certainly love him for it."

  "Erastes?" Li Wei asked.

  "It is a custom," Thalassa said easily. "Older men take younger boys as lovers. The older, dominant partner is called the erastes. The younger, submissive one is the eromenos. Drakon was a prolific erastes. Bearded, strong, and well-endowed. A lion among men. He never lacked eromenoi. He had his pick of soft, beardless boys."

  Li Wei said nothing for a moment. The custom made him uncomfortable, the power imbalance more than the act itself. But he was no longer in the world of Alex Carter. He was in Jinlong now. A broken world where power was everything, and consent was not something the powerful cared much for.

  He noticed a young boy nearby, perhaps fourteen years old. Long-haired, slender, and pretty in a delicate, feminine way. The boy wiped the sweat from Drakon’s chest with a damp cloth, eyes lowered, cheeks faintly flushed.

  "Lian Yu," Thalassa said, following his gaze. "Drakon’s new eromenos. Or whatever such companions are called in Jinlong. Drakon is training the boy to be a warrior, and he is warming his bed in the meantime. Lian Yu is feminine, submissive, and eager to please. Drakon is strong, experienced, and willing to teach. It works for both of them."

  "You are not jealous?" Li Wei asked, genuinely curious.

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  Thalassa shrugged. "Why would I be? Men are never content with just one woman. Especially not a man as virile as Drakon. He had lovers before me and after. When we were mercenaries, after every victory, he took his spoils. Women and girls from conquered towns. Sometimes multiple. It is just how things were. I never played the jealous wife."

  Li Wei frowned.

  There was no hesitation in her voice. No remorse. She spoke of these things like they were facts of nature. Rain fell. Fire burned. Men conquered and took what they wanted. That was simply how it was.

  He reminded himself again that Drakon and Thalassa were not good people. They were not soft, not gentle, not innocent. They had raped, pillaged, and burned villages for coin. They had taken what they pleased and left ruins behind. But they were strong. They were loyal. And more than anything, they were useful.

  In this world, loyalty and usefulness mattered more than purity.

  And Thalassa was right. In this world, powerful men were not expected to be loyal to one woman. Not like it was in Alex Carter's world.

  Li Wei's father, Li Baotian, had one legal wife, Lady Ruolan, and eight acknowledged concubines. He also indulged in unacknowledged lovers. Maids, whores, even the occasional feminine boy or eunuch. Despite his indulgences, only the children born of wives and concubines were counted in the family ledger. The rest were discarded, forgotten, invisible.

  Then again, Li Baotian did not care much for his acknowledged children either.

  "General," Drakon said with a deep bow, after his wrestling training was done, his voice steady and respectful. His skin gleamed with sweat, his chest heaving from exertion, his dark hair damp and tousled. He was still half-naked, a hand resting possessively around Lian Yu's delicate shoulders. Yet there was nothing casual in his posture. He stood like a soldier before his commander, grateful for the gold taken from the Rakshasa den, grateful for the renewed purpose Li Wei had given him.

  Li Wei chose to feed the fire of the mercenary's hunger.

  "My father has made me general of his men, his first sword. The two of you will serve under me. We will hunt more Rakshasa dens, clear more cave systems, and uncover greater treasures. I want you both as my right hand and my left. You will never lack for spoils."

  "My blade is yours, general," Drakon replied. His voice was hard and unwavering. He was not a good man, but he was a good soldier. A terrifying force on the battlefield, willing to commit atrocities without question, so long as the one giving the order paid him well.

  "Mine as well," Thalassa added, stepping closer. "And thank you again for the ruby, general. That was very thoughtful of you." Her voice carried a soft purr beneath the formality. Her gaze lingered on Li Wei a heartbeat too long, her interest more than that of a soldier for her commanding officer.

  "I will be counting on you," Li Wei said with a nod.

  He was no fool. He had seen the way Thalassa looked at him before. Her eyes strayed from her husband far too often, even when Drakon stood half-naked and glorious under the sun. The man was a physical titan, a beast on the battlefield and likely in the bedroom as well. Yet Thalassa seemed to hunger for something else. Perhaps she had been telling the truth when she said men could never be satisfied with just one woman. Perhaps women were no different. Their eyes wandered too, even if they wandered more carefully.

  Stat Progression Activated: Charisma +0.2

  From the training yard, Li Wei made his way toward the archives.

  The scent of old parchment and ink hung in the still air. He found Master Chen hunched over a scroll, the old eunuch's expression focused, hands steady despite his age.

  "Your books and maps were very useful, Master Chen," Li Wei said, approaching. "The maps helped me locate the chokepoint, and your records gave me insight into the Rakshasa clan and their warmaster. Especially their weakness to fire."

  The old eunuch looked up, his face lighting with curiosity.

  "I have a gift for you," Li Wei continued, and revealed a lacquered scroll case inlaid with delicate gold patterns and sealed with imperial markings.

  Master Chen’s eyes widened. He reached out with reverent hands, turning the scroll case slowly, tracing the craftsmanship with a scholar’s love. "It is a magnificent treasure, young master. Thank you. I will treasure it. It will be kept in the archive."

  "I have always valued scholars, Master Chen. Especially eunuchs like you, who have dedicated their lives to the preservation of knowledge," Li Wei said, his voice warm with respect, but also calculated. "My father has named me his first sword. Though I am but the son of a lower-ranked concubine, I am rising in the household. I would like to support the scholars and the eunuchs as I do."

  Master Chen’s gaze sharpened. He was no fool. He saw the offer behind the words, the alliance waiting to be sealed.

  "I understand," he said quietly. "And I will support you in any way I can, young master."

  Li Wei inclined his head. He knew what that meant.

  Eunuchs were not just keepers of books. They passed through the household freely, unnoticed. They were masters of medicine and poison. They tended to the sick and the dying, and sometimes helped those deaths along. Yet they were never seen as threats. A man without his parts was not seen as a man, not in the eyes of the powerful. Unambitious, unthreatening, invisible. Neither Li Baotian nor his favored children respected the eunuchs or gave thought to their quiet power.

  Li Wei was different. He had offered Master Chen a scholar’s treasure. He had made a promise of future gifts and protection. He had given the old man a reason to stand with him.

  When he left the archives, he did so knowing he had gained another ally.

  Another piece in place. Another quiet move in the game.

  Stat Progression Activated: Charisma +0.1

  His next move required stealth, patience, and a more delicate kind of weapon.

  That evening, Li Wei slipped into the southern wing of the estate, where his father's harem resided. It was the most lavish part of the entire compound. Li Baotian was a miser in most things. He underspent on his soldiers, his barracks, his archives, his scholars, his servants, and even his children. But when it came to his own pleasures, he spared no expense. His food was rich. His wine was imported from distant lands. His women were exotic and many.

  The lazy eunuchs guarding the entrance barely looked up as Li Wei passed. Inside, the air was heavy with incense, perfumed oils, and murmured laughter.

  He found Priyani and Malavika lounging on silk cushions in the warm candlelight. They were dressed in the style of Kalagarh, their garments sheer and jeweled, midriffs bare, golden belly chains resting delicately beneath their navels. Their jewelry sparkled in the flickering glow. Priyani had draped herself in saffron and crimson silks, while Malavika wore deep violet robes fastened by fine bronze clasps at the shoulder. Their brown skin glowed in the warm light, their dark eyes curious as he entered.

  They were the opposite of Mei Lin and Thalassa. Mei Lin had a flat chest and boyish figure, and Thalassa bore chiseled abs like a warrior goddess. Priyani and Malavika, in contrast, were soft and feminine. Their breasts were full, their hips round, their bellies smooth and inviting, their navels made for kissing. Everything about them spoke of seduction and warmth.

  "Good evening, young master," Priyani said, her accent thick, her voice smooth and seductive. The older sister had always smiled at Li Wei a little more freely, subtly winking at him even when she was with his father, not even bothering to cover herself when he walked in on her naked in the arms of the fat, lecherous old lord.

  Malavika remained quiet beside her, though her lips curved in a shy smile. She had an even weaker grasp of the local language of Jinlong than her sister, but Li Wei knew his father had not purchased them for conversation. The old nobleman preferred his concubines on their knees, using their mouths not to speak, but to please.

  "I thought the two of you would be with my father tonight," Li Wei said with a gentle smile, feigning surprise.

  Priyani giggled lightly, brushing her long black hair over her shoulder. "No, it is Yaroslava’s turn tonight."

  Yaroslava was one of the newer additions to the harem, purchased a few years before Priyani and Malavika. She was ranked sixth among the eight concubines acknowledged under the concubinage law of Jinlong, which stated that a feudal lord like Li Baotian was entitled to one legal wife and up to eight concubines.

  She was a young woman from the far northern land of Ruskarin, only a few years older than Li Wei, with skin as pale as milk, hair like woven gold, and blue eyes the color of the northern sea. Li Baotian had greatly enjoyed her, and she had already borne him a daughter, Li Anmei. The child had her father’s distinct features and her mother’s fair complexion and blonde hair. The thirty-fifth child of the old lord. A pretty girl. Li Wei’s half-sister. But not the reason he had come tonight.

  "I brought you something," he said, reaching into his robe. "A gift. Something from your homeland."

  He revealed the ivory carvings, each one delicate and masterfully crafted. They depicted gods and dancers from Kalagarh, their curved forms captured in motion. The fat elephant-headed god. The goddess with four arms. The little boy god. Others he did not recognize. They were dancing, coupling, fighting, and killing. The carvings were worth more than anything Li Baotian had ever given them.

  Priyani’s eyes widened. She reached out reverently, her fingers brushing the smooth surface of one nude dancer’s arching back.

  "This is beautiful," she whispered.

  "Yes, it is." Even Malavika, who rarely spoke, let out a soft breath of delight. For a moment, the two sisters were girls again, remembering home. For a moment, they were not concubines. They were daughters of Kalagarh. Ivory like this could be sold for enough to live comfortably if they were ever discarded, as all of Li Baotian’s concubines eventually were.

  "Thank you, young master," Malavika said, her voice quiet and sincere.

  Priyani quickly tucked the carvings into a hidden compartment beneath a lacquered chest, then turned back to him. Her smile had changed. It was warmer now. A little more dangerous. Hungrier.

  "It is such a wonderful gift, young master," she purred seductively. "How can we ever repay you?"

  "You need not do anything," Li Wei replied calmly. "Just know that you have me as an ally. My father has made me general of his men, his first sword. I expect to rise further soon. And as I do, I will make your lives easier. I know your lives here are not easy. You serve the lust of a fat, bald, middle-aged lord who discards concubines when they grow older, and he will discard you too when it pleases him. As I grow in power, I intend to protect you. But I could also use your help along the way."

  The two sisters exchanged a look, silent communication passing between them.

  "We would be honored to help," Priyani said at last. "But what help could we possibly offer you, young master? We are only low-ranked concubines. We have no power in this place."

  "You share my father’s bed," Li Wei said, his voice quiet. "When he is naked and alone. You hear his thoughts, his dreams, his words. You know his moods. You know when he drinks too much. When he sleeps too deeply. You could warn me. Advise me. Help me. And I will make sure it is worth your while."

  There was something he did not say. Something darker. They had access to his father when he was most vulnerable. They could open a door. Pass a note. Slip something into his wine. A knife at the right moment could change the course of the household. But not yet. Not now. Li Baotian was still useful to him.

  "I understand," Malavika said suddenly. Her voice, soft but clear, startled even her sister. "You can count on us, young master. We will do as you ask."

  Li Wei smiled.

  Another seed planted. Another piece moved on the board. In time, they could become much more.

  Stat Progression Activated: Charisma +0.2

  Li Wei left the harem with the scent of sandalwood clinging to his robes, the soft whisper of silk trailing behind him, and the weight of incense and secrets pressing against his back.

  He was living in a viper’s den. But he had studied the vipers. Learned their movements. He did not need to crush them. He only needed to master their language and strike when it mattered.

  Not with brute strength. With patience. With cunning.

  With intelligence, wisdom, and charisma.

  And when the time came, with fire and steel.

  All he did today was plant a few seeds. Seeds that might not sprout in days, weeks, or even months. But one day, they could save his life, increase his power, or perhaps even change the world.