Xu Lan stared at the email on his cracked phone screen, the same sentence glaring back at him for the fourth time this week:
"We regret to inform you that your application was unsuccessful."
He sighed and leaned back against the cold concrete wall of the bus stop, shielding his face from the drizzle with a worn-out resume folder. One corner was stained with soy sauce from a cheap lunch three days ago. He hadn't bothered to print a new one—ink cost money.
Rejection #47.
Graduated top 20% in business management. Fluent in English and Mandarin. Certified in Excel, Photoshop, and desperation.
Still no job.
Still broke.
Still hopeless.
Three years ago, Xu Lan had stood on that same sidewalk wearing a cap and gown, taking smiling pictures with his mother. She'd cried and told him the world was finally his. That he'd be the one to lift their family out of poverty.
Now, the lights in their apartment flickered like dying fireflies, and the landlord had posted another Final Eviction Notice just this morning.
He'd tried everything—freelancing, delivery apps, crypto, even reselling used appliances. Every scheme ended the same: failure, chargebacks, or getting ghosted.
---
His phone vibrated. A message from Mei.
"I can't keep doing this, Xu Lan. You're always broke, always chasing something that never works out. I need stability."
No "goodbye." No emoji. Just gone.
He stared at the words until they blurred into the rain dripping off the bus shelter.
Xu Lan didn't cry. Not because he didn't want to—but because he was too tired to.
Instead, he looked up at the sky, where thick clouds smothered the stars.
Just once…" he muttered, voice hoarse. Can't I catch a break?"
As if the universe had been listening, the clouds split for a moment—and a streak of silver slashed across the sky.
A shooting star.
Xu Lan blinked.
Seriously? That's real?
Instinctively, half-sarcastic and half-sincere, he whispered:
"I wish... I had a system. One to make me rich."
Nothing happened. No thunder. No glowing lights. Just the sound of distant traffic and his wet shoes squeaking as he stood.
Xu Lan scoffed and turned to leave.
And then his phone exploded with static.
Bright white text burned across the screen—though the screen was completely off.
[WISH REGISTERED.]
[Initializing... Wealth Ascension Protocol v1.0
[Binding Host: Xu Lan]
[Warning: Initial Quests Mandatory. Failure to comply will result in penalty.]
His heart nearly stopped.
"What the hell—"
A translucent blue window popped into existence in front of his face, like something out of a mobile game.
[Welcome, Xu Lan.]
Your current net worth: ¥3.02
System Rating: Absolute Failure
First Quest: Sell any item for 10× its original value within 24 hours.
Reward: ¥1,000 seed capital
Failure Penalty: -30 System Trust Points (System trust below 0 will result in host termination)
Xu Lan's eyes widened.
"…What?