C1 Mysterious Software

In the sweltering heat of August in Su Hang, Xiao Nan trudged down the sunbaked streets, feeling like he was about to suffocate from the heat. His shirt clung to his sweat-soaked back as he lamented his plight.

"I've been juggling several part-time jobs, yet I've earned so little. School's starting in just a few days. What am I going to do?"

"Oh, if only I had more money."

As he reached up to wipe away the beads of sweat on his forehead, his phone suddenly buzzed in his pocket.

"What now?"

Expecting another job alert, Xiao Nan quickly checked his phone, only to find the screen had gone blue.

"You've got to be kidding me! No money and now a broken phone?"

Staring at the screen in dismay, Xiao Nan could only curse his luck. But upon closer inspection, he noticed a line of text and a progress bar at the top of the blue screen:

"Host detected, 'God-level Scrapper System' now downloading. Current progress: 10%..."

Xiao Nan's heart skipped a beat. Had his phone caught a virus?

What in the world was the God-level Scrapper System?

Frantically tapping the screen, he got no response. The second-hand phone he'd bought for five hundred and fifty dollars seemed destined for the trash.

Fuming with frustration, he was about to hurl the phone when a "ding" echoed from the device.

"Download complete!"

To his surprise, the progress bar was full, and his phone's desktop was back to normal, now sporting a new app icon—a golden eye.

"An actual app downloaded?" Xiao Nan was stunned by the rapid download, which had taken mere seconds.

Underneath the icon, the name read 'God-level Scrapper System.'

"God-level Scrapper System? Is this some kind of gambling or payday loan app?"

He couldn't help but be suspicious; such apps often used shady methods to install themselves. And this app, with its gaudy icon and name, reeked of desperation.

Yet, driven by curiosity, Xiao Nan couldn't resist tapping to open it.

Upon clicking through, Xiao Nan found the introduction page with just a registration button, which he instinctively pressed.

As soon as he clicked, a message flashed on the screen.

"Congratulations! Registration successful. The 'God-level Scrapper System' is now bound to you, the host."

"System?"

Having read his fair share of online novels, Xiao Nan immediately realized he had acquired a system and was so thrilled he nearly leaped for joy.

The same message also popped into Xiao Nan's mind. As he was processing this, a luminous screen materialized before his eyes!

The screen displayed two sections: "Available Funds" and "Personal Assets."

"Personal assets: 980 yuan. Available assets: 180 yuan."

"System level: Level 1. Experience needed for upgrade: 30,000."

Another system notification chimed in.

Holy cow, this is incredible!

If the system was at level 1 with an experience meter, that meant it could be upgraded, right?

"What are the levels of this system? And what abilities does each level unlock?"

Xiao Nan couldn't contain his curiosity.

"The system's maximum level is for the host to discover. Abilities for each level will be disclosed upon attainment," the system responded in a detached tone.

Great, that's as clear as mud.

Xiao Nan pressed on, "How do I earn experience points?"

"The host must successfully find undervalued items with the system and profit from their sale. The sale price will convert into your experience points," the system explained.

"Additionally, the system will periodically release random missions, with experience points doubling upon their completion."

This system seemed incredibly potent!

With the introduction complete, Xiao Nan's excitement only grew.

But the system's functions hadn't been explained. How exactly did this god-level item-picking system operate?

Now at level 1, and with the promise that abilities would be revealed upon reaching new levels, Xiao Nan eagerly inquired in his mind, "Reveal the level 1 system function!"

"Once the host initiates a scan, the system enables the host to detect and claim undervalued items within a specified range," the system instructed.

"The level 1 system permits scanning once every three days within a five-kilometer radius of the host, identifying undervalued collectibles worth no more than 100,000 yuan, dating back to the Republic of China era and beyond."

"Only usable once every three days?" Xiao Nan felt a twinge of disappointment upon hearing this. The system was limited to tracking and detecting items—it lacked the capability to handle the buying and selling, meaning he'd have to conduct the transactions himself.

Nevertheless, the system's upgradability hinted at its untapped potential, and Chu Nan was eager to test it out.

"Host, after listening to the system introduction, you've received a novice gift bag! Would you like to open it now?"

As Chu Nan was gearing up to initiate the scan, the system's voice chimed in with an unexpected bonus.

I should've known—everyone else's system comes with a novice gift bag, and mine's no exception. And there it is, a gift bag just for me!

"Open it now!" Xiao Nan responded instantly.

"Novice gift bag opened. Congratulations, Host, you've earned a one-time opportunity for the system to directly purchase an item you've found!"

Ah, Xiao Nan grasped the significance of the novice gift bag immediately. It was a shortcut to bypass the hassle of finding a buyer after snagging a good deal. But first, he needed to find something worth selling. With that in mind, Xiao Nan commanded the system, "Activate the scan!"

"Scanning... Target located!"

"Country Beauty Painting, Era: Republic of China, Estimated Value: 30,000 yuan, Location: 282 Wenhui Road, Qing Ci Zhai, Investment Budget: 300 yuan."

Simultaneously, Xiao Nan's mind was flooded with details about the Country Beauty Painting, taking him by surprise. An elegant scroll materialized in his thoughts; it looked quite new on the outside. As it unfurled, the painting seemed like the work of a contemporary artist, with its beautifully depicted women. Yet, the signature dated back to the 6th year of the Republic of China, over a century ago.

Below the image, there was a brief description. Upon closer inspection, Xiao Nan realized it was the creation of an obscure painter from the Republic of China era, which explained the system's valuation of 30,000 yuan.

Xiao Nan even entertained the notion that, sans the introduction, he might have mistaken it for a modern craft. But if he could successfully acquire this Country Beauty Painting, he could use the novice gift bag's direct purchase opportunity to instantly turn it into 30,000 yuan, couldn't he?

With 30,000 experience points in hand, Xiao Nan could instantly upgrade the system to level 2!

Determined, he set out for Qing Ci Zhai at 282 Wenhui Road to snag that stunning landscape painting.

The buzz of excitement had faded, leaving Xiao Nan patting his flat pockets, wondering if the item was truly worth 30,000 yuan. Nonetheless, he was resolved to head to Wenhui Road right away—after all, true knowledge comes from experience.

Wenhui Road, a hub for antique shops in Suzhou and Hangzhou, was lined with a variety of stores.

Yet, Xiao Nan had never visited this place before. As someone who had been laid off, he felt such places were beyond his reach.

Now, armed with the system, Xiao Nan took a deep breath, launched the map app on his phone, and followed the directions to Wenxuan Road.

Half an hour later, he stood at the entrance of Qing Ci Zhai on Wenhui Road. Pushing open the door of the shop, which exuded an air of antiquity, he was greeted by the soothing aroma of sandalwood.

Inside, a middle-aged man in his thirties was reclining in a rocking chair, leisurely sipping tea and scrolling through his phone—clearly the proprietor.

The shop was quiet, devoid of customers. Hearing the door, the owner quickly stood to welcome Xiao Nan.

However, upon seeing Xiao Nan—a teenager in plain streetwear—the owner doubted his ability to afford anything in the store.

But with business slow, any visitor was preferable to an empty shop.

"All my items are treasures, though I do sell some lower-grade sandalwood bracelets and such. Feel free to browse," the owner said, his tone cool. He then settled back into his chair to continue his tea.

As a former employee, Xiao Nan wasn't surprised by the owner's dismissive demeanor. But his mind was fixated on the scroll mentioned in the system alert, so he began to survey the shop.

The owner cast a sidelong glance at Xiao Nan's aimless wandering and felt even more disdain.

He looked like just another clueless youngster, perhaps one who had just gotten paid and was hoping to find a treasure on Wenhui Road.

He'd encountered his fair share of down-on-their-luck young guys trying to play it cool without a dime to their name.

After watching Xiao Nan browse without making a decision, the shop owner lost interest and settled into his chair, sipping tea on his own.

"Could it be missing? Maybe the boss stashed it in the storeroom?" Xiao Nan searched in vain for the painting, his brow furrowing in frustration.

This could complicate things.

Suddenly, an idea struck him. "Boss, it's my teacher's birthday, and I'd like to get him a gift. Do you have any affordable paintings for sale?"

The boss's face twisted with scorn as he replied with an impatient tone, "Hold on."

He then pulled out a large box from behind the counter and placed it before Xiao Nan, revealing its contents.

Inside were nothing but replicas, typically hidden away and only brought out to entice naive customers.

"Take your pick." The boss, realizing Xiao Nan was in the market for a bargain, lost all interest in engaging further and distracted himself with a mobile game.

Xiao Nan, however, wasn't the least bit annoyed by the boss's demeanor; in fact, he was thrilled.

Upon laying eyes on the box, he spotted a dusty scroll at the very top that was the spitting image of the one he'd seen in the software!

His hands shook as he unfurled the scroll, and there it was—the content and signature matched the system's publication perfectly!

There was no doubt about it; he'd found the historic scroll from the Republic of China era. It was real.

The system hadn't deceived him.

He steadied his racing heart and casually tossed the scroll aside.

A stroke of genius flashed through his mind, and with a newfound icy composure, Xiao Nan turned back to face the situation.