Chapter 1

On the other side of the call was the plain voice of a woman with a Southern accent. “Nothing in particular. I’m just calling you to see how you’re doing.”

A little pause later, the woman continued, “How have you been doing lately? Did you get into any trouble with the school? How are your studies?”

“No, I didn’t get into trouble and my studies are fine. You and Dad don’t have to worry about me,” answered the young man in a kind voice.

The woman answered with an ‘oh’ before she asked, “Do you have enough to spend? In the last two days, your pops and I got some extra grains and sold a bunch. We’ve been having it a bit easier lately, so why don’t I transfer another 300 yuan to you?”

The young man patiently waited for his mother to finish before he answered, “No need for that, Mom. I’m working part-time in between my studies, so it’s enough to cover my expenses. Don’t worry. You don’t need to transfer money to me. Save it or buy yourself some new clothes.”

“I’m fine, I’m fine. Your Ma has enough to wear. You’re the one who should take care of yourself, especially since the expenses in the capital are higher. You’d better not save on food and have some good meals. We still have money to spend back here…”

The two chatted for almost 10 minutes. Finally, the young man hung the phone up after his mother had voiced all her reminders.

After the phone call, the young man looked at his room of strange things and sighed.

His name was Su Yang from the Jiujiang Province and he was currently a university student in Shanghai.

He was from a rural village in the Jiujiang Province. All the villagers there were farmers, including his parents, hence their lives were rather dry and meager, and they barely had enough to spend.

Su Yang’s tuition fees for high school and university alone had almost drained all his family’s savings. His parents had to tighten their belts just to save enough money for his daily expenses in the capital.

Even though life in Shanghai was rather bitter, Su Yang never told his family about it because he did not want to burden his parents.

As a boy who came from a poor family, he was hardworking. During the first half-semester in his first year, he worked during the weekends, sending flyers and selling stuff. Other than his own daily expenses, he managed to save up to a few thousand dollars after all his hard work.

At first, things started to improve. Maybe, in the future, Su Yang would be like most of the people who came to Shanghai to make a living. He would get a steady job, have some savings, and maybe buy a house in his hometown. Then, he would get married, have a baby, and spend the rest of his life plainly.

However, a month ago, his life changed.

He acquired a system. It was quite simple actually. He had to complete the mission provided by the system so that he could get points. These points could be added to anything just like skill points of a game, but the outcome totally depended on luck.

For example, he added the points to a rabbit, and the rabbit grew a pair of wings on its back. He added points to an orange and its shape changed into a banana. He added points to a book which became a lot bigger.

The results were all odd. In order to keep this unusual ability from his roommates, he moved out of the dorm and used his savings to rent a basement that was modified into a single room in the neighborhood near his campus to continue his research of the system.

However, after a month of deep research and having completed seven to eight missions, he spent all the points he got, but other than creating a dumb little monster, he got nothing useful.

As for that dumb little monster…

Su Yang fixed his attention on the flower pot at the edge of his desk. In the pot was a twig that looked like it had deteriorated, but it was planted in the soil with two withered leaves holding on for dear life at the tip.

This little monster’s name was Gru.

“Gru, get me a glass of water.”

The moment his voice subsided, the withered twig moved. The two dry leaves grew all of a sudden and extended towards a glass which was taken to the drinking machine and filled. Then, it was then delivered to Su Yang.

“Gru, Gru.”

“Thank you.” Su Yang took the glass of water and had a drink. He felt a lot more comfortable. Gru might seem useless, but at least, it proved that the system had endless possibilities.

He spent all his savings from his first year as rent for the basement, and because of his study of the system, he had not been working part-time lately, thus his supplies were running low.

However, Su Yang believed everything that he did would be worth it in the end! Working part-time could only earn him that much, but this system would be the key to truly change his life around!

It was the biggest gift from the heavens! As long as he could master the system, he was confident that he could change his and his family’s circumstances and reach the zenith of his life!

With that in mind, Su Yang summoned the system with a thought and a translucent window appeared before him.

The interface on the window was simple. There were only two rows: Mission and Random Points [0].

After he clicked on the Mission tab, three more options dropped down: Random Mission, Bronze Mission, Silver Mission.

If Su Yang completed the mission, he would get Random Points as the reward.

As for the Bronze and Silver Missions, after a whole lot of money for research, Su Yang had yet to trigger any one of them. He wondered if he had not fulfilled a certain requirement for the missions to be triggered..

Su Yang looked at the items in his room. The things which he had not added points to had a virtual button in the shape of a [+] beside it, meaning that he could add points to that item.

Those items which he had added points to would display a white frame instead.

For example, Gru the withered twig showed [Withered twig +1: Its life has moved on to the next level, acquired low-level intellect and some simple abilities. Remark: It’s really not that smart.]

On that rabbit with wings, there was [Rabbit +1: Acquired a pair of useless wings. Remark: It might have a pair of wings but it isn’t your angel.]

The book showed [Book +1: Increase in size. Remark: Maybe you should grow a meter taller.]

The desk in the size of a palm displayed [Desk +1: Reduced in size. Remark: It’s suitable for kids to play with.]

The last, which was also the funniest, displayed [Orange +1: Shape changed. Remark: Do you think it’s an orange that tastes like a banana, or a banana that tastes like an orange?]

‘Hmm, why don’t I shove the banana up your a**! Will it taste like an orange?’

Su Yang flicked the middle finger at the orange banana.

All the changes depended on luck. After all, it was called Random Points, so the outcome was entirely random, hence it was still acceptable. Maybe if he completed a Bronze or Silver Mission, the points that he received might not be that random anymore.

After adding the first point, the virtual [+] button disappeared.

Su Yang believed he might need to fulfill certain conditions to be able to add points for a second time.

While he was being carried away by his messy thoughts, a voice entered his mind. ‘Ding! New random mission.’

‘A new random mission?’

Su Yang had gotten used to the system distributing random missions, so he clicked on it calmly, went through it, and grumbled, “Saving a damsel in distress again? Isn’t this a little outdated?”

Despite saying so, he grabbed his bag and a brick on the desk before he stormed out of the door.

…

Meanwhile, in Su Yang’s neighborhood, Qu Xiaomeng was heading home after work. She was not very tall and had a doll-like face, which made her look cute. She was the type of girl who would emanate a comfortable feeling and leave an impression on people whenever she walked down the street.

She had just graduated from her post-graduate studies and had been transferred to Shanghai University for work. Today was her first day back at the campus and she got caught up by the talks with her ex-lecturers, so she was a little later than usual.

However, since the neighborhood was quite near to the campus, it was quite safe and she was not overly worried about her safety.

The facts proved her right. She did not run into any trouble along the way and safely reached her neighborhood.

Her house was in the south of the neighborhood. She hastened her steps and wanted to head home as soon as possible.

However, when she was a few steps away from her own unit, a drunkard appeared.

Qu Xiaomeng picked up the alcoholic stench from a distance, and in order to save herself some trouble, she hugged her bag tightly and moved aside.

Nevertheless, the drunkard still noticed her. His face was as red as a beet, and he squinted his eyes to size Qu Xiaomeng up. He stopped his staggering steps and asked in a hoarse voice, “Y-yer…n-new?”

Although Qu Xiaomeng’s heart raced, she did not answer and walked straight ahead with her head down.

Before she could walk further away, she felt a force on her shoulder and before she realized it, her bag tugged her back. The drunkard’s voice then came into her ears, “D-don’t run. Why don’t you say hello to your neighbor?”

As a rookie in society, Qu Xiaomeng had never experienced this before. Her heart pounded strongly and her mind was buzzing. Nevertheless, she forced herself to calm down. She turned around and said in a nervous tone, “W-what do you want? I’m calling the cops!”

Even then, the drunkard was not afraid. He seemed to be a veteran in this as he squinted his eyes and opened his mouth with two rows of rotten teeth to mock her without any concern, “Go ahead. Even if the cops get here, all they will do is question me. I didn’t lay a finger on you and I didn’t do anything. I’m just saying hello.”

Qu Xiaomeng dared not answer, she bit her lips tightly and tried to pull her bag, she failed. The fear in her heart made her eyes red, “What do you want?”

“Hehe, of course, I want to…” The drunkard reached out to her with a perverted gaze.

Right before he could touch her, a brick flew out from the darkness and smashed him precisely in the face. Blood splashed upon impact and his head started to bleed.

“Aaaargh!” The drunkard screamed in pain. He covered his head, staggering backward before he fell on his backside and passed out.

Qu Xiaomeng hugged her bag even tighter as she watched the scene with a dull look. Her pounding heart had somehow stopped.

A series of footsteps echoed in the quiet street.

A figure of 1.8 meters slowly walked out from the darkness. The handsome young man was obviously Su Yang who had just come out from his basement. He had a bag with him as he walked over leisurely as if he had nothing to do with smashing a brick into the drunkard’s face.

Qu Xiaomeng gulped nervously. She looked apprehensively at the young man walking closer to her. Her mind was blank as she had yet to recover from the shocking turn of events. She widened her mouth in an attempt to say something, but maybe because she was scared, no words came out from her. She did not know how she should face this young man.

As Su Yang came closer, Qu Xiaomeng’s heart pounded even harder. Thud. Thud-thud.

Be it feeling nervous or scared, her mind exploded with messy thoughts and she did not know what she should say.

As she fell deeper into her dilemma, Su Yang reached her side.

She mustered up her courage and opened her mouth.

Su Yang squatted down and picked up the brick on the ground. Then, he wiped the blood off the drunkard and turned around.

Qu Xiaomeng was dumbstruck.

‘Is h-he leaving?’

Her heart sank and she finally unsealed her mouth, she looked at Su Yang’s back in disbelief and said, “D-don’t you have anything to say?”

Right away, Su Yang paused. He tapped his head and said, “Oh right, I’d have almost forgotten if you didn’t remind me.”

Qu Xiaomeng was just as nervous as before.

Su Yang turned around, walked up to her, and fished a piece of paper from his pocket. He passed it to her and said, “Can I claim the taxi fare?”

Qu Xiaomeng widened her eyes in shock at him as she thought she had heard him wrongly.

“I took a taxi here to save you. Can I claim the taxi fare?” he explained kindly.

After she confirmed what she heard, her mind went blank. She did not even remember how she took her phone out and added Su Yang on Wechat before she transferred $21 to him.

After all that, Su Yang walked away. Qu Xiaomeng looked at his back again and the drunkard on the ground, she mustered up enough courage to shout, “What about him?

Su Yang replied without even looking back, “Don’t worry. He won’t die.”

“H-he won’t die?”

As Su Yang strayed further away, his voice lingered in the air. “I always save people like this. I know what I’m doing.”

Qu Xiaomeng was rendered speechless.

After he left, the neighborhood returned to silence.

Qu Xiaomeng stared at the unconscious drunkard on the ground and then at the receipt in her hand. The receipt showed that it was from three days ago.

A smile twitched on her cute, round face.