The rain poured like judgment from the heavens, each drop cold and merciless against the cracked pavement of the back alley.
Shen Fu stood motionless, soaked to the bone, his threadbare shirt clinging to his skin. His fingers trembled—not from the chill, but from the weight of everything crashing down at once.
Behind him, the iron gate of the logistics company slammed shut. The manager hadn't even looked him in the eye when he fired him.
"Your contract's terminated. Pack your things. No room for slackers," the man had spat, as if Shen Fu's year of loyal service meant nothing.
Shen Fu had nodded in silence. There was no use begging. Not when he'd been late three days in a row—thanks to a faulty alarm and a bus system that didn't care whether you were poor or desperate.
Now, at twenty-six, with just 22 yuan in his pocket, no job, and no one waiting for him at home, Shen Fu realized something terrifying: he had absolutely nothing left. A harsh honk ripped through the downpour as a black SUV splashed through a puddle, sending muddy water across his legs. He didn't flinch.
He'd hit rock bottom. Or so he thought.
His phone buzzed weakly in his pocket. It was a miracle that the ancient thing still worked in the rain. He pulled it out, expecting another debt reminder from the bank.
[Unknown Notification]
System Initialization Complete.
Welcome, Host.
You have been selected to host the Wealth Creation System.
Begin your journey to become the Richest Man in the World.
[Starter Balance: ¥0]
[Starter Skill: Appraisal (Lv. 1)]
[New Mission: Earn ¥50 within 24 hours]
Reward: ¥500 system credit + Unlock 'Basic Hustler' title
Shen Fu blinked. The screen shimmered faintly, then locked back to his cracked home screen. Was he hallucinating?
"System…?" he murmured, gripping the phone.
No response.
He wiped the screen and reopened the notification. The message was gone. In its place was a new icon—an old-fashioned gold coin embossed with the character "富" (wealth).
Hesitantly, he tapped it. The system interface flickered to life:
[Wealth Creation System - Dashboard]
Host: Shen Fu
Net Worth: ¥0
Skill Unlocked: Appraisal (Lv. 1) – See hidden value of objects.
Mission 1: Earn ¥50 within 24 hours
Time Remaining: 23:55:10
He stared at the screen, heart thumping.
"What kind of sick prank is this…?" he whispered.
But deep down, a small ember of hope sparked.
Appraisal? Like… seeing value in junk?
His eyes scanned the alley. It was full of discarded trash—boxes, broken electronics, and cracked furniture.
No harm in trying.
He knelt beside a rusty rice cooker, one handle missing, and placed his hand on it.
Suddenly, a faint light glowed in his eyes.
Appraisal Activated
Item: Vintage Tianyu Rice Cooker (1989 Model)
Condition: Poor
Hidden Value: ¥60 (Collector's Item)
Suggestion: Clean and sell on a local antique platform.
Shen Fu jerked his hand back. "No way…"
He grabbed the cooker and tucked it under his arm. Then he scanned a few other items—nothing valuable. But a cracked porcelain cat figurine returned a value of ¥40 if glued and cleaned. Within twenty minutes, Shen Fu had three items worth over ¥150 in potential resale value. His stomach growled in protest, but the system didn't care. The mission clock was ticking.
An hour later, he sat in the corner of a grimy internet café, the rice cooker cleaned with tissue and rainwater, listed on Xianyu, a secondhand trading app. The owner of the café had let him use a terminal for ten minutes in exchange for sweeping the front steps. He took photos, wrote up a convincing description, and hit post.
"Rare Tianyu 1989 Rice Cooker – Good for collectors. Slight wear. Works fine. ¥80 or best offer." Within five minutes, someone messaged.
Buyer: Still available? I've been looking for this model. I'll pay ¥60. Can we meet near Zhongxin Mall?
Shen Fu couldn't believe it.
By evening, he was standing under a flickering streetlamp outside Zhongxin Mall, rice cooker in a shopping bag. A middle-aged man in glasses approached, excitement in his eyes.
"You sure it's the 1989 Tianyu?"
Shen Fu handed it over. "Check it yourself."
The man inspected it for ten seconds, nodded, and handed him three red ¥20 notes.
"Pleasure doing business," he said, vanishing into the night. Shen Fu stared at the money in his hand, fingers trembling.
Mission Complete.
[Mission 1: Success]
You have earned ¥60 in under 24 hours.
Reward: ¥500 system credit
Title Unlocked: [Basic Hustler] – Slight boost in street negotiations
Next Mission: Earn ¥1,000 within 48 hours
Bonus: Unlock Skill Tree
Time Remaining: 47:59:55
A gust of wind hit him like a slap. But he didn't feel cold anymore. For the first time in years, Shen Fu smiled.
He didn't understand what this "system" was, or why it had chosen him. But if it could help him climb out of the gutter—even one step—he wasn't going to question it.
He had a new goal now.
He wouldn't just survive.
He'd own this city.
He'd become the richest man in the world.