1: Chapter 1 System Awakening: Resigning to Cut Losses

Seoul, Gangnam District, the marketing department office of a Chinese-funded enterprise.

"Qian Xu, redo this report."

The Korean supervisor, Park Min-ho, threw the folder onto the desk, splashing coffee stains onto the cover.

"The data format is wrong. Can't you understand that?"

Qian Xu looked up at this Korean man who was half a head shorter than him.

In the two years since he joined, he had seen this kind of scene too many times.

"Supervisor Park, the data was prepared according to the template required by headquarters."

"I said redo it, so redo it."

Park Min-ho sneered, "Chinese are just Chinese, can't even do basic data organization."

The office fell silent.

A few Korean colleagues lowered their heads to stifle laughter, while the Chinese colleagues pretended not to hear.

Qian Xu took a deep breath.

He recalled last month, when this same report was taken by Park Min-ho to report to the director, he claimed he had done it himself.

He thought about the previous quarter's performance review, where he clearly had the best performance but only received a C-grade evaluation.

He remembered last year's year-end bonus; the Korean colleagues each got 30 million KRW, while he only got 5 million.

"Supervisor Park," Qian Xu stood up, "I resign."

Park Min-ho was stunned.

"What did you say?"

"I said, I resign."

Qian Xu's voice was calm, "According to the labor law, I am giving 30 days' notice."

"Are you crazy?"

Park Min-ho's expression changed, "The economy is so bad right now, what kind of job can a Chinese person like you find?"

Qian Xu ignored him.

He opened his computer and started writing his resignation letter.

Li Mingzhe, a Chinese colleague in the office, walked over and lowered his voice:

"Brother Xu, don't be impulsive. You still have a mortgage to pay."

"It's fine."

Qian Xu smiled, "I've had enough."

He hadn't just decided to resign today.

It was when the medical report came out yesterday.

Fatty liver, arrhythmia, cervical spondylosis, gastric ulcer.

A 25-year-old body with the indicators of a 50-year-old.

The doctor shook his head while looking at the report:

"Young man, you are in a state of overwork. If you don't adjust, the risk of sudden death is very high."

Qian Xu thought about how he worked 14 hours every day, with no weekends off.

He thought about Park Min-ho making him work overtime for three consecutive months just for an "emergency project" that didn't even exist.

He thought about himself eating instant noodles in the office at 3 AM, breaking out in cold sweats from stomach pain.

He finished writing the resignation letter, printed it, and signed it.

Qian Xu placed the letter on Park Min-ho's desk.

"Supervisor Park, I will leave in 30 days. I will complete the handover during this period."

Park Min-ho's face turned livid, but he didn't dare say anything.

He knew that Qian Xu held the company's core customer resources.

If they really had a falling out, it would be ugly for everyone.

Qian Xu packed his things and walked out of the office.

Spring in Seoul is very cold.

He stood downstairs at the company, looking at the office buildings in Gangnam District.

Two years.

He had been coming in and out of here every day, but he never felt like he belonged here.

His phone rang.

It was a message from the landlord:

"Rent will increase by 300,000 KRW next month. Reply if you agree."

Qian Xu smiled bitterly.

His savings were bottoming out, rent was increasing, and he was out of a job.

His life never seemed to go smoothly.

"Ding—"

A notification suddenly popped up on his phone:

[Host detected meeting binding conditions]

[Binding China-Korea Cultural Exchange and Consumption Fund System...]

Qian Xu was stunned.

What's going on?

The phone screen flickered, and lines of text appeared:

[Binding successful]

[Host: Qian Xu]

[System: China-Korea Cultural Exchange and Consumption Fund System]

[Initial daily quota being calculated...]

[Number of Chinese in Korea: 1,002,317 people]

[Average daily Chinese tourists in Korea: 13,700 people]

[Daily quota: (1,002,317 × 10,000) + (13,700 × 100,000)]

[Initial daily quota: 11.37 billion KRW]

Qian Xu widened his eyes.

11.37 billion KRW?

A day?

He subconsciously looked around.

People were coming and going on the street, no one noticed him.

[Daily quota is automatically deposited into the bank card at midnight]

[Can be used at any time; unused amounts do not reset]

[Remaining quota for today: 11.37 billion KRW]

[A new 11.37 billion KRW will be deposited at 0:00 tomorrow]

[At that time, bank card balance = remaining from today + new quota for tomorrow]

[Note: Funds can only be used within South Korea]

[Outside the scope of use, transfers and payments will be impossible]

Qian Xu took a deep breath.

His first reaction: This is a scam message.

Second reaction: Try it first.

He opened his mobile banking app to check his account balance.

The original 3.2 million KRW deposit was still there.

Suddenly, the account figures started jumping.

3.2 million → 11.37 billion KRW.

Qian Xu's hands started to tremble.

He logged out of the bank app and logged back in.

11.37 billion KRW, clear as day.

He tried transferring 10,000 KRW to Li Mingzhe.

[Transfer successful]

Li Mingzhe replied instantly:

"Brother Xu? Why are you transferring money to me?"

Qian Xu didn't reply.

He stood where he was, his brain racing.

11.37 billion KRW, every day.

Can only be spent in Korea.

What does it mean?

Did God give him a cheat code?

No.

It's a system.

He recalled the prompt from earlier: China-Korea Cultural Exchange and Consumption Fund System.

"So, this is asking me to spend money in Korea?"

Qian Xu muttered to himself.

"Promote Sino-Korean cultural exchange?"

He laughed.

A moment ago, he was still worrying about rent.

Now, the whole of Korea was his shopping cart.

But the money couldn't be spent recklessly.

He needed a plan.

First step, what to do?

Qian Xu opened his phone and searched for Korean real estate.

Cheongdam-dong, the most expensive wealthy district in Seoul.

Large flats, average price over 3 billion KRW.

He continued searching:

"Korean bankrupt entertainment companies"

"T-ARA agency bankrupt"

The search results popped up.

MBK Entertainment, T-ARA's former agency.

Bankrupt and liquidated in 2023, with debts of 18 billion KRW.

The contracts of the artists under it were frozen, and the members of T-ARA were scattered everywhere.

Qian Xu's eyes lit up.

T-ARA, once the hottest girl group in Korea.

"Roly-Poly", "Bo Peep Bo Peep", "Day by Day".

He listened to these songs every day when he was in college.

Later, because of a series of incidents, they were banned in Korea.

But they were incredibly popular in China.

"If I buy T-ARA's agency..."

Qian Xu started to calculate.

"Help them make a comeback, let them sing Chinese songs, and go on a tour in China."

"Isn't this cultural exchange?"

The more he thought about it, the more excited he got.

Investing in Cheongdam-dong, buying a house first.

Acquiring T-ARA's bankrupt company, restarting their career.

This is the first step.

Qian Xu opened a Korean real estate app.

Searching for large flats in Cheongdam-dong.

A 230-square-meter penthouse apartment, priced at 9 billion KRW.

He bookmarked it directly.

He also searched for Rolls-Royce.

rolls-royce cullinan, 1.5 billion KRW.

He bookmarked that too.

"Start buying tomorrow."

Qian Xu gripped his phone tightly.

"Today, I'll first go understand the situation with T-ARA."

He took a taxi to a café in Gangnam District.

On the way, the system popped up another notification:

[Friendly reminder: Funds from this system are restricted to consumption within South Korea]

[Cannot be used for: purchasing overseas assets, cross-border transfers, or exchanging foreign currency]

[Outside the scope, payment will be impossible]

Qian Xu nodded.

Understood.

This money can only be spent in Korea.

Then I'll spend it in Korea.

In the café, he opened his laptop.

Searching for "MBK Entertainment bankruptcy auction".

The page showed: The auction will be held in two weeks.

Starting price 2.8 billion KRW, bidders must assume 18 billion KRW in debt.

Qian Xu did the math:

2.8 billion auction price + 18 billion debt = 20.8 billion.

With 11.37 billion per day, two days would be enough.

Also, the debt can be repaid in installments.

"Worth it."

He closed his laptop.

His phone rang.

It was Li Mingzhe calling.

"Brother Xu, did you really resign?"

"Really."

"Then what will you do next? Return to China?"

"No."

Qian Xu looked at the night view of Seoul outside the window.

"I am staying in Korea."

"Huh? Are you crazy? Koreans discriminate against Chinese people so much."

"I know."

Qian Xu smiled.

"That's why I want to let them see how well a Chinese person can live in Korea."

He hung up the phone.

He checked the time: 11:50 PM.

There were 10 minutes left until the new daily quota arrived.

Qian Xu opened the bank app.

Balance: 11.37 billion KRW.

He hadn't spent a cent today.

0:00 sharp.

The phone vibrated.

[New daily quota has arrived]

[Today's quota: 11.37 billion KRW]

[Current bank card balance: 22.74 billion KRW]

Qian Xu looked at the account figures.

22.74 billion KRW.

Enough to buy the house in Cheongdam-dong and that rolls-royce cullinan.

He turned off his phone and leaned back in his chair.

Outside the window, the neon lights of Seoul flickered.

This city, from today on, would be different.

"Koreans can make a fortune in China."

"Why can't a Chinese person live a prosperous life in Korea?"

Qian Xu muttered to himself.

"Tomorrow, start buying."