C1 System Devastator

"System Devastator radar activated. Commencing scan. No system owner detected within a hundred-meter radius of the host."

"System Devastator radar deactivated. Scan complete. Awakening of System Devastator unsuccessful."

With the system alert echoing in his mind, Yang Yu felt a sudden bout of dizziness. Grasping the railing for support, he slumped to the ground.

Three months prior, an enigmatic icon labeled "System Devastator radar" had materialized in Yang Yu's thoughts.

Being an aficionado of web novels, Yang Yu instantly recognized that he had stumbled upon an extraordinary adventure.

Yet, this system was peculiar; beyond the initial skill icon, there was no further development.

Yang Yu had tested it innumerable times, and each use of the System Devastator radar inflicted severe strain on his psyche.

Over three months, the sole transformation for Yang Yu was the enhancement of his mental strength, wrought by the relentless onslaught of the system.

Initially, activating the System Devastator radar knocked him unconscious. Now, a few minutes of rest sufficed for him to regain his bearings.

Still, the System Devastator in his mind consistently indicated an awakening failure.

Shaking his head in resignation, Yang Yu mused, "Looks like awakening is off the table today. But what's the purpose of this System Devastator?"

This conundrum had plagued Yang Yu for three months.

"Why do others become instantly cool and powerful upon acquiring a system, while I'm stuck in a loop of fainting and recovering?" Yang Yu's face was etched with frustration as he gazed at the countdown behind the system icon. The glaring red digits now read just seven days, eleven hours, twenty-one minutes, and twelve seconds remaining. "What's going to happen when the countdown ends?"

Yang Yu had no clue, nor did he venture to speculate.

Just then, Yang Yu's phone blared with an incoming call—it was from his mother.

"Yu, come home quickly..." Her voice was abruptly cut off mid-sentence.

Yang Yu dashed toward his house, sensing that trouble had struck his family.

Yang Yu's life had been filled with joy. His father, Yang Lishan, held a position in a government agency, and his mother, Lyu Huan, was a worker at a state-run textile mill. His sister, Yang Manman, was vibrant and endearing. Despite Yang Yu's occasional mischief, their family life was harmonious and full of warmth.

But everything changed for one family after a devastating car accident. Yang Manman, the sister, was critically injured, and the hit-and-run driver vanished. Without the aid of a compassionate stranger, her chances of survival would have been nil.

When it rains, it pours. Amidst this crisis, Yang Yu's father, Yang Lishan, was accused of embezzling public funds and was now detained by the authorities.

What was once a happy family of four was now down to a struggling mother and son.

Yang Yu knew that in this moment, he was the family's last pillar of strength. At just eighteen, he had no choice but to stand firm.

He sprinted home to find the door wide open, with only a few gossiping neighbors whispering in the hallway.

Inside, the once-cozy room was in complete disarray.

"Damn, you're back! I thought you were too chicken to face this!" A gaunt man with a pockmarked face barked at Yang Yu upon seeing him.

Yang Yu recognized the man as Lai San, a local thug who usually had no dealings with his family. He couldn't fathom why he was here now.

"Lai San, take a seat and let's talk this through. If you cause any trouble, I won't let you off easy!" boomed a commanding voice. It was Yang Yu's neighbor, Hua Junliang, affectionately known as Uncle Hua.

With Uncle Hua, a police officer, present, Yang Yu felt a slight sense of relief.

Lai San, seeing Uncle Hua step in, begrudgingly returned to his seat, though his face was a picture of resentment. "Officer Hua, paying back debts is a matter of principle. What's wrong with that? Am I breaking some kind of law here?" he grumbled.

"Lai San, I borrowed only 100,000 yuan from you. How did it suddenly triple to 300,000?" Lyu Huan, Yang Yu's mother, sobbed.

Hearing this, Yang Yu's heart sank. He knew all too well the kind of man Lai San was.

How could his mother have been so naive to borrow money from such a person?

"It's all there in black and white. Are you trying to deny your debt?" Lai San snapped.

"Lai San, usury is a crime. Do you want to end up behind bars again?" Uncle Hua bellowed with authority.

"Officer Hua, I've been through these doors enough times to know the difference between right and wrong, just like you. This isn't usury. Five years ago, Lyu Huan borrowed a hundred thousand yuan from me. Now, with the agreed interest, she's paying back three hundred thousand. That's way lower than any credit card interest rate. How can you call it loan sharking?" Lai San said with a smirk.

Upon hearing this, Lyu Huan's face turned pale. "I only borrowed the money two months ago. Where's this five-year figure coming from?"

Just three months prior, Yang Manman was in a car accident, and the ensuing medical bills plunged the Yang family into financial turmoil. It was then that Lyu Huan had to start borrowing money—certainly not five years ago.

"It's all there in black and white, with your fingerprint to boot!" Lai San declared, producing an IOU.

Officer Hua snatched it up and examined it; the date was indeed from five years back.

In a flash, Officer Hua saw through the ruse—it was Lai San's trickery at play, manipulating the dates, and Lyu Huan had failed to scrutinize them, leading to this predicament.

"Lai San, you'll get your money back. But for now, I need you to leave," Officer Hua commanded sternly.

"Fine, I'll do you this favor, Officer Hua. But we can't drag this out. I've got a family to feed too, you know?" Lai San retorted before leaving with his cronies.

With Lai San gone, the Yang family's troubles were far from over.

"Sister-in-law, the embezzled funds Lishan took need to be returned quickly. Otherwise, he's looking at a much longer sentence," a greasy middle-aged man chimed in.

Yang Yu recognized him as Deputy Director Zhou from his father's workplace. They hadn't been on good terms, but since his father's mishap, Zhou had been surprisingly helpful, showing a sense of solidarity in tough times.

Yet, Uncle Hua's face grew tense at the sight of Deputy Director Zhou.

"Director Zhou, you've seen the state we're in. Yang's been detained, Manman's in the hospital, and Yu's still in school. I've been caring for Manman without any income. Yang didn't embezzle any funds, and you know his integrity. We haven't figured out how to cover Manman's medical bills yet. She needs three more surgeries to be out of danger, and the hospital won't operate until we settle the bill. I'm at my wit's end. Please, Director Zhou, just a few more days," Lyu Huan pleaded through her tears.

"No misuse of public funds?" Upon hearing this, Deputy Director Zhou's secretary, Xiao Li, was visibly upset. "The evidence is irrefutable, and the authorities have confirmed it. Yet you persist in your denial. If you don't return the misappropriated funds, Yang Lishan is looking at a long prison sentence!"

His mother, upon hearing these words, could only weep helplessly, unable to utter a single word.

Yang Yu knew that in this moment, money was the only solution to their crises.

With enough money, his father, Yang Lishan, could have his sentence reduced. His sister, Yang Manman, could proceed with her surgery, and his mother's debts could be paid off.

But where to find such money? His father had embezzled over a million yuan, his sister's medical bills amounted to two hundred thousand yuan, and with his mother's debts, they were looking at a total of one and a half million yuan—and that didn't even include the loans from friends and family.

One and a half million yuan was an astronomical sum for an average working-class family.

"Sister-in-law, don't panic. I'll get you two hundred thousand yuan to cover Manman's medical bills right away!" Uncle Hua offered urgently.

For Uncle Hua, a fellow member of the working class, two hundred thousand yuan was a significant amount.

"Junliang, you've already lent me a hundred thousand. How can you afford more?" Lyu Huan, his mother, inquired.

"Don't worry about that. I have my ways. The priority is to save Manman!" Uncle Hua said, his face breaking into a reassuring smile.

But everyone knew Uncle Hua wasn't wealthy. His 'ways' likely meant borrowing from others.

"Scraping money together from here and there won't fix this. Sister-in-law, just dealing with Yang Lishan's situation will take at least two million yuan. I've been colleagues with Lishan for years. With my network, I can surely help him through this tough time, but you'll need to come up with two million yuan!" Deputy Director Zhou declared.

"But where can I possibly find two million yuan?" his mother asked, feeling utterly helpless.

"I've already figured out a plan for you. Remember Kung Tianhua?" Deputy Director Zhou suddenly brought up a name.

"Kung Tianhua?" The name sent a jolt through her mother. It was all too familiar; how could she possibly forget?

Kung Tianhua had been a colleague of Yang Lishan. Five years prior, he had accepted a bribe to approve a batch of substandard products for the market. It was Yang Lishan who had blown the whistle on him, an act that ultimately led to Lishan's promotion to deputy section chief.

Now, hearing Kung Tianhua's name again, her mother's anxiety flared up.

"Kung Tianhua has his talents. After being dismissed from his job, he started his own company and has since struck it rich, becoming a well-known entrepreneur. Today's Kung Tianhua is known for his straightforwardness and generosity. A mere two million is a drop in the bucket for him. If you're open to it, I can mediate and help you navigate this difficult time," Deputy Director Zhou offered, presenting himself as a benevolent figure, starkly contrasting the deceitful character described by her father.

"Two million to secure Yang Lishan's release is a bargain. Considering the gravity of the charges, he'd be facing at least ten years behind bars. Yet with Lishan's capabilities, he could earn at least five to six hundred thousand in that time, not to mention enjoying a decade of freedom. It's a no-brainer," Secretary Xiao Li chimed in, encouragingly.

"It sounds promising, but Lishan is too honest for his own good. He's made quite a few enemies over the years. Would Kung Tianhua even be willing to help me?" her mother wondered aloud, with a hint of doubt.

"It's simply a matter of swallowing one's pride and admitting fault. What's so difficult about that? Once we're past this hurdle, that's all that matters. At our age, why fuss over such things? The most important thing is our family's well-being," Deputy Director Zhou advised earnestly.

Left with little choice, her mother agreed. Deputy Director Zhou promptly made a phone call.

Upon ending the call, he returned to the room. "Kung Tianhua wants your family to come over. He's undoubtedly still troubled by past events. I believe if you go and speak kindly, there's no grudge that can't be mended."

Her mother nodded in acquiescence, then she and Yang Yu got into Deputy Director Zhou's car.

As they sped through the bustling streets of Spalding City, the surrounding whirl of traffic couldn't lift Yang Yu's spirits, which had plummeted to rock bottom.

All the changes began three months ago. It was then that my sister suffered a car accident and my father was arrested.

"Three months ago..." Yang Yu paused, a realization dawning on him. "The enigmatic system that appeared in my mind—it also emerged three months ago. Could it be that all these events are connected to this system?"