From Thug to Idol: Transmigrating to a Survival Show-Chapter 966: The Origin of White Tiger (1)

Flashback, 2014: Shanghai, China

Lei was 21 now, and his gang had grown into something larger than he ever imagined.

It had expanded from the small, scrappy group he had started as a teen into one of the biggest gangs in Shanghai. And yet, despite the chaos and the power, no one knew who Lei really was. He kept his identity hidden, operating in the shadows, just the way he liked it.

But every now and then, his mind drifted back to the bald man he'd met years ago.

There was something about that strange encounter in the alley that stuck with him. The guy wasn't even important, but his words, the bandaid, the cryptic comment-it all stayed with Lei. He couldn't shake it, no matter how much he tried.

It was annoying, honestly.

Today, though, there was something else on his mind. A new recruit had joined the gang-a kid named Chen Jun Hao. Bo Wen, one of his trusted informants, had brought him in.

Lei sat in his dimly lit office, staring at the surveillance feeds of the different operations they had running. Bo Wen stood by the door, waiting for instructions.

"What's his name again?" Lei asked, not taking his eyes off the screen.

"Jun Hao, sir. Chen Jun Hao." Bo Wen replied, hands clasped behind his back.

Lei frowned. "Why is he here? I never really got to hear his story."

Bo Wen shifted on his feet. "Something about his sister. I think he's the breadwinner for his family. Said he needed to make money fast. He seems like a harmless kid. I think we would be able to make good use of him."

Lei's frown deepened. Breadwinner? He thought of Lin Zhi, his younger brother, and how everything he had done was for him.

The kid sounded just like him back in the day-scraping by, doing whatever it took for their respective siblings.

"Interesting," Lei smirked, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"Where should I put him, sir?" Bo Wen asked. "He's pretty smart, and he's in decent shape. I was thinking of the Intel team. I believe I can lead him well."

Lei shook his head.

No, Jun Hao didn't need to be coddled. He needed to learn more than just strategy and numbers. A person like that needed to understand the dirty work to see the world for what it really was.

"Put him in the cleaning team," Lei ordered, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Bo Wen blinked, surprised. "Are you sure, sir? It would be a waste to -"

"Don't question me." Lei cut him off sharply, his eyes hard.

Bo Wen nodded quickly. "Understood, sir. Right away."

Lei leaned back in his chair, watching as Bo Wen left the room. He stared at the screen again, but his thoughts weren't on the operations anymore.

They were on Jun Hao. The kid reminded him of himself too much, maybe.

However, he appeared kind. That would either be his greatest strength or his biggest downfall.

***

Flashback, 2020: Shanghai, China

Six years later, everything had changed.

Lin Zhi was now 20, and he was still struggling to break into the idol industry. Despite Lei's best efforts, despite all the money he had funneled into his brother's career, Lin Zhi just couldn't seem to get a foothold in a decent company. He kept getting offers from smaller, less reputable agencies, but none of them were the right fit. Lei wanted more for him - he wanted Lin Zhi to have the best and make it to the top.

It was frustrating seeing his brother's talent wasted on these second-rate companies. Korea was where he needed to be, but getting into a major entertainment company there wasn't cheap.

They didn't just take anyone, and without connections or a large sum of money, Lin Zhi was stuck.

Lei had been wracking his brain for weeks, trying to figure out a way to get his brother where The needed to be. And then, one night, everything changed.

Lei was at his bar, overseeing the night's activities. The place was packed with the usual crowd-gang members, shady businessmen, and a few regular patrons who had no idea what went on behind the scenes. It was loud, the air filled with the scent of cigarette smoke and the sound of the clinking of glasses.

But amidst the noise, Lei noticed a group of men sitting in a corner booth, speaking in low voices. They were dressed sharply, like executives. Something about them piqued his interest. Lei glanced over, narrowing his eyes.

He made his way over to the bar where Bo Wen was pouring drinks. "Who are those guys?" Lei asked, nodding toward the corner.

Bo Wen glanced over. "Some higher-ups from Phoenix. Big entertainment company."

Lei's ears perked up. Phoenix? That was one of the companies Lin Zhi had tried to get into. They were no joke-a rising entertainment firm in Korea.

"What are they doing here?" Lei asked.

Bo Wen shrugged. "Not sure. They said they were here for a meeting. Something about finding something valuable.""

Lei's curiosity deepened. Phoenix executives didn't just show up in places like this without a reason. He moved closer to their booth, keeping his head down as he listened in.

The conversation was quiet, but Lei managed to catch snippets of it.

"I heard the head left something before he disappeared," one of the men said in a hushed tone. "Information that could change the entertainment industry forever." "Whoever has it," another man chimed in, "will have the power to monopolize the industry. No one would be able to compete."

Lei's heart raced. Information that could change the entertainment industry? Monopolize it? His mind was already spinning with possibilities. If he got his hands on whatever they were talking about, he could use it not just for himself but for Lin Zhi. With that kind of power, Lin Zhi wouldn't just break into the industry-he would dominate it.

"We heard it's here-in Shanghai, at least," the first man said, lowering his voice even more. "So we came to find it."

Lei clenched his fists. This was it-the opportunity he had been waiting for. If he could figure out what they were after if he could get it before they did, he could change everything-for

himself, for Lin Zhi, for their future.

His life was about to change forever.