C2 Dreamrealizing Mall

Cao Jiang felt as though he had been dreaming. In it, he had fiercely beaten Zhang Lei and reclaimed his conch shell. But before he could savor his triumph, a loud "bang" jolted him awake to a world of white.

"Is this heaven?" he wondered.

Surveying his surroundings, Cao Jiang realized he was in a hospital ward, alone, with distant voices echoing from outside.

Who had saved him?

As he pondered this, the door swung open and in walked a striking woman dressed in a long, maroon dress. She appeared to be in her twenties, her hair neatly coiffed at the back of her head, exuding a sense of competence. Her fair skin and elegant demeanor were complemented by a decisively brisk stride.

"President Xia?"

Cao Jiang was taken aback. He recognized the woman as Xia Hee, the owner of Dream Ocean Hotel. She had been a great help to him during his high school years, always paying top dollar for the fish he caught. Despite their infrequent interactions, they weren't close, and he doubted she even remembered him.

Upon seeing Cao Jiang awake, Xia Hee expressed her shock, "You're awake? The doctor thought you might end up in a vegetative state after such severe injuries. It's a miracle you're alive. You must have a strong will to survive."

Cao Jiang, feeling unworthy in the presence of her poised beauty, was at a loss for words. He awkwardly scratched his head and mumbled, "I see..."

Xia Hee, clearly annoyed, pressed him, "How did you get these injuries? It's lucky I was meeting with your village chief today. I spotted someone adrift at sea. You would've drowned if I hadn't seen you."

"It was you, President Xia, who rescued me. Thank you!" Cao Jiang expressed his deep gratitude, skillfully dodging her question.

Xia Hee scrutinized him and ventured, "Was it Zhang Lei's doing? He came to me today to sell a left-helical conch, and I noticed blood on his hands."

The mention of Zhang Lei ignited a fire in Cao Jiang, but he refused to appear vulnerable in front of Xia Hee. He shook his head and asserted, "No... I'm alright now, my injuries have healed." Demonstrating his point, he swung his arm, feeling an unprecedented sense of vitality. As he recalled the mysterious voice he'd heard while unconscious in the sea, he pondered whether it had been a hallucination. Then, that same melodious female voice announced, "Automatic repair complete. Congratulations on receiving your novice gift pack, including 60 Luck Value and a level one treasure hunting ability—clairvoyance."

Cao Jiang jumped in surprise and asked, "Who's there?"

Xia Hee, equally startled, glanced into the ward and asked with confusion, "What's wrong with you?" She was concerned that he might have lost his mind.

Cao Jiang lay on the hospital bed, his mind reeling from shock. Just moments ago, he had felt a warm rush through his eyes, and suddenly the room burst into brightness, the colors vivid and intense. But most astonishingly, the wall before his eyes had slowly turned transparent, allowing him to see everything in the adjacent ward with crystal clarity!

This... This was actual x-ray vision!

Cao Jiang's body shook with excitement. His gaze fell on Xia Hee, and he noticed a jade pendant around her neck. Astonishingly, a light screen appeared next to the pendant, displaying information about its value, quality, and age. He then remembered the six words that had echoed in his mind — the Super Treasure Hunting System!

When Xia Hee noticed Cao Jiang staring intently at her chest for an extended period, she was initially taken aback, then her face flushed with embarrassment. She quickly covered herself and demanded, "What are you staring at?"

Cao Jiang murmured in awe, "Old pit glass type, from Myanmar, 1563, carved by the hands of Lu Zigang, a master jade carver of the Ming Dynasty. It's been 398 years, and it's worth 180 million!"

The figure left Cao Jiang dumbfounded. Xia Hee, realizing he was examining her jade pendant, let out a slight smile, about to mention it was a family heirloom, but Cao Jiang's next words made her smile freeze.

"It's actually black!"

Black!

Xia Hee instantly grasped what Cao Jiang meant. Her cheeks turned crimson, and she grabbed her handbag to smack him on the head, scolding, "You pervert!"

With that, she hurried out the door, her face still red.

Cao Jiang finally grasped the situation and called out, "Hey... I..." Remembering his previous comment, he nearly slapped himself. He hid under the blanket, wondering how he could ever face Xia Hee again.

At that moment, the female doctor responsible for his care entered the ward, looking puzzled. "What are you up to?"

Cao Jiang peeked out from under the blanket, straightened his collar, and feigned nonchalance. "Oh, nothing at all. Hello, Doctor. I'm feeling completely well now. Is it possible for me to be discharged?"

The female doctor was attractive and well-proportioned. Cao Jiang suppressed his mischievous thoughts and diverted his gaze to the window.

Upon examining Cao Jiang's injuries, the doctor expressed her astonishment, "Your wound has healed so quickly. How did you manage that?"

Glancing down, Cao Jiang noticed his skin was supple, even better than before the injury. He chuckled sheepishly, "Perhaps I'm just lucky."

"Okay, you're cleared to be discharged," the doctor announced before leaving. "The woman who was here earlier paid twenty thousand yuan for your medical bills. There's over eight thousand remaining. Make sure to get a refund at the front desk later."

Cao Jiang felt a wave of gratitude. Despite their conflict, Xia Hee was still willing to help him. He was determined to repay her. With his newfound clairvoyant ability, he could easily find thousands of left-helical conches, though they weren't valuable. He should aim for those precious pearls instead! But he wondered, what other features did the Treasure Hunting System have?

As the thought crossed his mind, a transparent screen materialized before him, displaying his personal information and instructions for the system. It explained that each person possessed a Luck Value and a Doom Value. Acquiring valuable treasures would increase his Luck Value, which in turn, would enhance his chances of finding more treasures. Conversely, committing misdeeds would raise his Doom Value, increasing the likelihood of misfortune.

Moreover, the Luck Value could be used for purchases in the Dream-realizing Mall, fulfilling all his dreams.

All dreams?

Skeptical, Cao Jiang mumbled, "Could it even make a large cruise ship a reality?"

The system responded, "Purchasing a cruise ship requires 100,000 Luck Value points. Insufficient points. Please continue treasure hunting to increase your Luck Value."

Could this system truly make any dream come true? Could he even request a money-printing machine?

With his heart pounding, Cao Jiang inquired, "What if I want to soar to the skies?"

"You need a Luck Value of 1 billion points."

Cao Jiang glanced at his meager 60 points of Luck Value and resolved, "One day, I'll amass 1 billion points of Luck Value."

"Zhang Lei, you just wait!"

With determination, Cao Jiang clenched his fists, settled an 8,000 yuan medical bill, and hailed a cab to the outskirts fishing village. He was intent on showing Zhang Lei who was in charge.

Upon reaching the village outskirts, Cao Jiang paid the taxi driver and made a beeline for his home, eager to prepare medicine for his grandfather. He was uncertain whether his grandfather's cough had worsened.

Approaching his family's courtyard, Cao Jiang noticed a crowd gathered at the entrance, a sense of dread washing over him. Something was wrong at home. He pushed through, exclaiming, "Make way, everyone, make way!"

The bystanders, recognizing Cao Jiang, urged him, "Hurry, go see. Your grandfather's in trouble."

The news of his grandfather's plight nearly brought Cao Jiang to tears. He rushed into the courtyard to find Zhang Lei and his cronies blocking the doorway. His grandfather, Cao Shunhua, was sprawled on the ground, grimy and clutching a paper box to his chest, defiantly declaring, "Get out, get out! This is the money for my grandson's marriage. No one's taking it!"

"Zhang Lei, you scoundrel!" With eyes blazing, Cao Jiang bellowed and charged at him.