Chapter 1: Congratulations! You're in Debt!

Su Yan had always been broke. Some people were born into wealth, others into average, middle-class stability. Su Yan? He had been born with a natural talent for attracting poverty.

His fridge contained nothing but a half-eaten pack of expired yogurt, a single egg, and a sad-looking slice of bread that was probably growing its own civilization. His wallet was so empty it could be classified as a black hole. His bank account? That was just a number he checked occasionally to feel bad about himself.

But even with all of that, nothing could have prepared him for what happened next.

It started with a ding.

A sharp, mechanical sound echoed inside his head, startling him out of his half-asleep state. He blinked at the floating screen that had suddenly appeared before him.

[Ding! Congratulations, Su Yan! You have been selected as the sole user of the Money Making System!]

Su Yan rubbed his eyes. Maybe he was hallucinating from hunger?

But the screen remained.

"Huh?" he muttered. "What the hell is this?"

Before he could react, a new notification popped up.

[Money Making System Activated!]

[Current Debt: ¥100,000]

[First Mission: Lick a stranger’s shoe in public (Reward: ¥500)]

Su Yan stared at the words, unblinking.

Then, very carefully, he reached for his phone and checked his banking app.

Balance: ¥4.23

His fingers trembled. He tried closing the system window. It didn’t budge. He waved his hand through it. Nothing happened.

Then, as if sensing his disbelief, another message appeared.

[As part of your binding contract, an initial debt has been assigned. Please complete missions to earn money and pay off your balance. Failure to comply may result in... unpleasant consequences.]

Su Yan felt a deep, existential horror creeping into his soul.

“WHAT KIND OF SYSTEM PUTS SOMEONE IN DEBT FIRST?!”

The system did not reply. Instead, a new line of text appeared.

[Time Limit for First Mission: 10 minutes]

His eyes nearly popped out of his skull.

“You’ve gotta be kidding me!”

He frantically tapped at the floating screen. “Cancel! Exit! Uninstall! I don’t even remember signing up for this!”

The system responded with another cheerful ding.

[Warning: Mission failure will result in debt increase (+¥1,000)]

Su Yan choked.

"...I’m going to die."

His heart pounded as he weighed his options. He had none. Either he licked a shoe, or his already ridiculous debt increased.

“Damn it, damn it, DAMN IT!”

He bolted out of his tiny apartment and ran down the street. He needed a target—a shoe to lick. But not just any shoe. A clean one. A hygienic one. Preferably one attached to a person who wouldn’t beat him up afterward.

His eyes darted around like a lunatic. There! A middle-aged man in a suit waiting at a bus stop. His shoes were polished to a mirror shine!

Su Yan took a deep breath, swallowed his pride, and approached.

“Sir!” he called out.

The man turned, looking slightly annoyed. “Yes?”

Su Yan clenched his fists. "Can I... uh... lick your shoe?"

Silence.

The man blinked. Then his face twisted in absolute disgust. “What the hell is wrong with you?!”

Su Yan panicked. “It’s for money!”

Oh god, that made it worse.

The man took a step back. "Get away from me, you pervert!"

"No, wait! I swear it's not what it sounds like!"

Too late. The man was already fleeing like his life depended on it.

Su Yan groaned. The system’s timer flashed in the corner of his vision. 3 minutes left.

Desperate, he scanned his surroundings. His gaze landed on a little boy sitting on a bench, swinging his legs. Small shoes. Probably clean.

No. No way. He still had some dignity.

Just then, a woman walked past in sparkling white sneakers. They were pristine. Beautiful. It was now or never.

Su Yan sprinted. "MISS! CAN I—"

Before he could finish, she shrieked, swung her purse, and smacked him so hard he nearly saw his ancestors.

He hit the pavement with a groan.

The system beeped.

[Time’s Up! Debt Increased: +¥1,000]

Su Yan lay on the ground, defeated.

And then, the system spoke again.

[Next Mission: Hold up a sign that says ‘I love money more than my dignity’ for 10 minutes in the busiest part of the city. (Reward: ¥1,000)]

Su Yan twitched.

"...I hate this system."

But he had no choice. If he refused, his debt would only increase.

One hour later, he stood in the city square holding a giant cardboard sign.

People pointed. Some took photos. A few even clapped. A little girl tugged on her mother’s sleeve and whispered, “Mommy, is he okay?”

“No, sweetie,” the mother replied. “He’s just lost his way in life.”

Su Yan died a little inside.

[Mission Complete! ¥1,000 added to balance.]

He nearly cried tears of joy. His suffering had been rewarded!

Then a new mission popped up.

[Next Mission: Propose to a random stranger in a public setting. (Reward: ¥2,000)]

Su Yan took a deep, shaky breath.

This system was going to kill him.

And somehow, he had a feeling this was only the beginning.

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