The heat of June in the Magic City was stifling. The asphalt road was steaming in the heat, as if it might melt.
Qin Hao staggered down the road, his head still heavy with a hangover.
Suddenly, the quiet of the afternoon was disrupted by the abrupt screech of a car braking.
"Are you trying to get yourself killed?"
A shiny bald head popped out from the window of a BMW, shouting abuses.
"Why don't you just run me over then?"
Qin Hao retorted with drunken slur in his voice, full of contempt.
"Crazy moron!"
The bald driver spat out his curse, slammed the accelerator, and sped off, leaving a trail of exhaust fumes.
Qin Hao stood by the roadside, clutching a bottle of alcohol, staring at the disappearing figure of the BMW, a surge of resentment welling up within: "Huh, acting high and mighty just because you got some money? There will come a day when I'll teach you nouveau riches a lesson!"
Just when he was in his thoughts, a crisp, electronic prompt sound invaded conspicuously:
"Flash Sale System is binding..."
"Who's that?" Qin Hao looked around alertly, only to find nobody in sight.
An icy mechanized voice echoed in his mind: "I am your exclusive system, providing you with three flash sale items for selection every day. As your level increases, more services will gradually open."
"Exclusive system?" Qin Hao frowned, murmuring to himself doubtfully, "Is this a dream? Am I still drunk?"
The system's cold mechanical voice confirmed Qin Hao's query.
"So, does this mean that I've really encountered the godsend that would only show up in novels?" Qin Hao couldn't quite believe it.
"Confirmed without error."
"Where are you now? How can I find you?"
Qin Hao could not help but urgently ask.
"I exist in the depths of your consciousness. Just focus on thinking, and you can enter the system interface."
Immediately, Qin Hao calmed down and tried, and sure enough, a virtual space resembling a computer operating interface appeared before his eyes.
"Ding! Detection of the host's first login, today's selectable items have been refreshed."
Qin Hao carefully browsed the three options displayed on the screen:
East City District Wanghai International Luxury Flat: Market value of 74 million
Lamborghini's Fast Super Car: Priced at 45 million
1% share of Ferrari Company: Approximately worth 300 million U.S. dollars
Seeing these astronomical figures, Qin Hao widened his eyes and was speechless for a moment.
After he came back to his senses, he was ecstatic.
"Goodness! Isn't this too outrageous? Choosing any one of these could let me reach the peak of my life! System, you're literally my savior!"
"Ding! Item refresh is complete, please make your choice as soon as possible."
"That goes without saying, I'd obviously choose the third one!"
Qin Hao blurted out without thinking.
"I need to choose the third option quickly—it’s 300 million USD! That's equivalent to 2 billion yuan. Isn't this like becoming rich overnight?"
"Host selection has been confirmed, the Ferrari stock transfer document will be delivered to your residence within an hour."
The system alert sounded in his ear.
"I have to rush home!"
Without a second thought, Qin Hao swiftly rented a shared bicycle parked by the roadside and started peddling with all his might.
He desperately pushed the pedal, eager to see the life-changing document as soon as possible.
Before long, accompanied by the jittery sound of brakes being hastily applied, he rushed into his cramped rented room.
This tiny space, less than ten square meters, had been his refuge since he graduated from the prestigious metropolitan economic university.
Although he was a prominent figure in the university, his life took a devastating turn just as graduation approached.
One day, he witnessed his girlfriend getting into a BMW with a bald middle-aged man.
Before leaving, the words she left still echoed in his ears:
"Qin Hao, how can one survive without money in this age? Money is even necessary for dating."
Her words were like a knife, piercing him deeply.
The phrase "He's handsome, but sadly he can't provide for a woman" from his ex-girlfriend pierced Qin Hao's heart like a thorn which he just could not extract.
Now, all he can think about is how to quickly get that transfer document.
Honestly, he had thought about retorting his ex-girlfriend by proving his worth.
But who said life would be easy? Even if he was a top student from the Metropolitan University of Finance and Economics, in this era filled with talents, his degree was merely a stepping stone.
With no connections, no background, and his parents passing away early, he was solely brought up by his uncle.
Over the years, he deeply realized that a good education is no match for a strong network.
The blow from his breakup was heavy enough, the only hope that he saw now was the sudden appearance of the system.
Just as Qin Hao was immersed in his thoughts, a knock on the door pulled him back to reality.
He sprung up from the sofa and rushed to the door in three steps made into two.
Click. The door opened.
"Mr. Qin Hao, right? Here's your express delivery, please sign for it."
The courier outside handed over a kraft paper document bag, expressing this in a standard tone.
After the courier had called out several times, Qin Hao finally snapped out of his trance.
He tried to suppress the turmoil within him, took the pen and hurriedly scribbled his name on the paper.
The courier said "Goodbye", turned around and left, his footsteps quickly disappearing at the end of the corridor.
After making sure no one was around, Qin Hao eagerly tore open the envelope.
When he saw the large words "Ferrari Share Transfer Agreement," his breathing became more rapid.
"Holy cow! Is this real?"
He muttered to himself, incredulously rubbing his eyes.
With his background in finance, Qin Hao quickly comprehended the contract's terms.
He took a deep breath and solemnly signed his name on the document.
"Does this mean... I'm now a Ferrari shareholder?"
Qin Hao couldn't help but confirm with the system.
"That's correct, host."
"So I can get new items every day?"
Qin Hao asked further, an expectant tone in his voice.
"Correct. Currently, the system is at the initial level one status. As the level increases, the variety of selection for items will become more abundant. Please continue to work hard, host."
The system responded.
Still pondering the operation of the system, Qin Hao's heart was filled with curiosity.
"How does the system level up?" he wondered aloud.
Just as he finished speaking, a prompt tone from the system echoed in his mind: "When your total assets surpass 10 billion, the system will automatically upgrade to Level 2, at which point the mall function will also open. You can find amazing rare items in the mall. Similarly, when your assets reach 100 billion and 1,000 billion, the system will also upgrade its level accordingly."
"Oh, so I have to exploit the system every day to upgrade?"
Qin Hao's mouth curled up into a sly smile.
At the same time, elsewhere on a secluded island in the Atlantic, another scene was taking place in an opulent mansion.
The Butler respectfully reported to an elderly man with white hair, "Elder, that portion of Ferrari's equity has changed hands."
"Oh?" The old man's eyebrows knitted together slightly, a glint of sharpness flashing in his deep blue eyes.
He asked in a deep voice, "Who possesses such capability, to complete the acquisition without our knowing?"
A momentous aura was evident in his tone.
With caution, the butler reported: "It's a capital injection from Huaguo, of an enormous scale. The other party acted quickly, buying into Ferrari's shares at a crucial time in our layout."
"Understood." The white-haired elder's tone was calm.
"Do we need to investigate the source of this capital?"
Easily smiling, the elder responded, "It's only a one percent stake, not worth the fuss. You can go now."
"As you wish." The butler exited the room in a whisper.
As the door gently closed, the old man sank into thought.
Looking out of the window, he muttered, "Thousands of years of cultural accumulation, that land holds many secrets unknown to men. It is best not to provoke such a mysterious nation lightly."
Meanwhile, Qin Hao was leisurely riding a shared bike on the street.
Cheerfully, he thought, "The feeling of sudden wealth is quite nice. I should celebrate today. Maybe treat myself to a luxury meal at a high-end restaurant."
