"Come on..."
Sitting quietly on a worn bench near the college gates, an 18-year-old boy murmured to himself, his eyes fixed on the open sky ahead. His name was Jiang Wei. A slight smile played on his lips, but his heart was pounding with anticipation.
He had waited ten long years for this moment.
And now—finally—it was about to happen.
Just sixty more seconds, and the system he had dreamed of, hoped for, and worked toward would begin its activation.
Unlike most people in this world, Jiang Wei wasn't exactly an ordinary student. He was a reincarnator—someone who had died in another life and been reborn into this world. It looked much like Earth, the world he remembered, though with a few notable differences here and there.
He wasn't born into some powerful family. No secret clan, no hidden inheritance, no dramatic backstory. Just a regular middle-class family, small and simple. No luxurious resources, no overpowered grandfather, no princess fiancée.
But there was one thing that set him apart: he had knowledge. A lot of it.
Thanks to being an avid novel reader in his past life, he knew how these stories often went. And thanks to whatever higher being was watching, he had been granted something that only existed in fiction—a system.
A golden cheat code for life.
However, there was a catch: the system wouldn't activate until three conditions were met.
Condition 1: He had to be over 18.
Condition 2: He needed to get into a better-tier college.
Condition 3: Well... he had to have a "brother" down there.
The third one? Already checked. That department had been working well from the start. No issues there.
As for the other two—he had put in the work. With the maturity and intelligence carried over from his past life, academics had been no problem. He studied smart and hard, stood out in school, and eventually secured a place in one of the top colleges.
Everything was lined up.
Now, as he sat there under the fading sky, breathing in the humid scent of a late summer afternoon, he knew... this was it.
[Initialization started.]
[Initialization completed.]
[System Activated: Conquer System]
[Main Quest: Increase the favorability of females with an Appearance Rating of 7 or above.]
[Rewards will be based on the Conquer Rate and given at specific checkpoints.]
[Host may use System Funds for chasing pursuits. Upon reaching a 90% favorability checkpoint, the Host will be refunded 20% of the total amount spent.]
[A Premium Credit Card has been teleported into the Host's pocket.]
[All e-wallets and digital accounts have been automatically synced.]
[Note: All expenses related to chasing will be covered.]
[Warning: Embezzlement or misuse of system funds is strictly prohibited.]
[This is not a threat, but a gentle encouragement to take real, meaningful action.]
Jiang Wei shivered slightly as the final warning flashed across his mental screen. The system's tone was calm, almost polite—but that only made it more intimidating.
Still, he wasn't foolish. He knew better than to try cheating something that could bend reality.
But that didn't mean he wasn't excited.
This was it.
Money wasn't a problem anymore. And here, at Central University of Media—a campus famed for its sea of stunning women—opportunities were everywhere. Just by taking a short walk, he could spot gorgeous girls jogging, sipping coffee, chatting with friends, or laughing beside tall, rich, handsome types.
Sure, Jiang Wei wasn't exactly a model. But he had an above-average look, a decent height, and now… he had unlimited system funds.
That alone gave him confidence he hadn't felt in years.
If he played it right—smiled at the right time, dressed the right way, acted with just enough charm—he could absolutely win this game.
He had watched enough dramas, read enough web novels, and studied enough social dynamics in both lives to know how to build a persona. He just needed to blend in and rise above.
At first glance, he might seem like an ordinary student—cheap clothes, quiet presence, nothing flashy.
But that was part of the plan.
The cliché "hidden rich" setup. An underdog suddenly living the high life.
Except in his case, he wouldn't just let others assume it.
He would act like one. He'd sell the illusion, embody the dream.
'So many patterns I can use with this system...' he thought, a lively smile tugging at his lips. 'All I need is a good opening move.'
"Shall I try it now?"
His eyes gleamed.
No hesitation. No second-guessing.
With a confident step, Jiang Wei got up and made his way toward the on-campus café district—a popular social hub nicknamed the university's "mini shopping town." It was a place where dreams were bought with cash, and ambitions were stirred by the aroma of coffee and the glitter of luxury.
There, well-dressed students strolled around with their circles—laughing, flirting, and showing off the latest gadgets or outfits.
You could always see rich boys with beautiful girls on their arms.
And for the rest?
It was a daily reminder of what they didn't have—and what they wanted most.
For someone like Jiang Wei, with his new system-powered wallet, this wasn't just a stroll.
It was the beginning of the game.
Walking into the café, Jiang Wei carried himself with newfound confidence. His steps were measured and casual—almost as if he belonged there. Without glancing around too much, he made his way to a window seat and sat down, waiting for one of the staff members to bring him the menu.
The place was lively, with the soft clinking of utensils and the low hum of conversations filling the space. Cute girls in café uniforms moved around gracefully, taking orders and chatting with customers. The air carried a mix of freshly brewed coffee, warm pastries, and something sweet—maybe vanilla or caramel.
Jiang Wei sat there quietly, musing to himself.
Normally, this wasn't the kind of place he'd consider for lunch. It was the type of café that ate through a week's budget with a single meal. But today wasn't normal.
Today, he had a mission.
And this place, with its elegant decor and high-end vibe, was exactly the kind of environment where materialistic beauties liked to hang out.
Just being here, ordering confidently, occupying space like he owned it—that already closed part of the social gap. People in this café weren't just eating; they were performing. They wanted to be seen, admired, and envied. The food, the ambiance, the service—all part of the illusion of lifestyle.
Jiang Wei remembered that very clearly from his first day in class.
One of the wealthier guys had invited the whole class to a party right here, booking out the entire second floor. The event had cost a fortune—20 to 30 thousand RMB at least—but it worked like a charm. That guy's social stock skyrocketed instantly. The pastries? Divine. The drinks? Impressive. The setting? Absolutely classy.
Jiang Wei had eaten here once—on that day—and he never forgot the taste. It was the best thing he'd ever had.
So this time, even without the system funds, he'd been ready to splurge. He had saved over 120,000 RMB over the past 10 years through relentless part-time work. At one point, he had intended to live frugally through college on that alone.
But now?
Now he had a system.
"Sir, what would you like to order?"
The soft voice of the waitress pulled Jiang Wei out of his thoughts. He looked up to see a polite girl holding a notepad, ready to take his order.
"Ah, right. I'll have the pasta... and a lemon soda," he replied, remembering the exact combo he had on that party night.
"Alright! It'll be ready in just a few minutes."
"Sure, take your time."
As she walked away, Jiang Wei reached for his phone and unlocked it. While he waited, he figured he might as well multitask—and start testing his system's limits.
He opened the app store and began scrolling through popular internet idol platforms.
In his mind, he had already considered this as one of the easiest ways to burn through the system funds. Plus, with the system's integrated Appearance Rating Scan, he didn't have to worry about filters or makeup tricks. No matter how heavily edited the profile pictures were, the system would provide an accurate score.
He tapped into one of the bigger platforms, only to frown moments later.
'Hmm... top idol rating is just 6.8? This one's trash.'
He quickly exited the app and opened another.
Then another.
Still disappointing.
Just when he was about to give up, he found a hidden gem. One particular app had multiple top idols rated above 8. Jackpot.
"Finally," he muttered under his breath.
Without hesitation, he left a glowing review to help boost its visibility (and maybe look a little generous while he was at it), then created an account and logged in.
Just as the login screen cleared, his food arrived.
Jiang Wei paused the app, setting it aside for now. The smell of creamy pasta and the citrusy fizz of the lemon soda were too inviting to ignore. He picked up his fork and dug in with eager precision.
As he took his first bite, he let out a small sigh of satisfaction.
'Okay... maybe not healthy,' he thought with a small smirk, chewing, 'but definitely worth it.'