1: System binding

(After the latest Qingdao chapter, the romantic plotlines will be reduced. I will try to write more about scenery and travel journeys. Thank you all for reading this book! Please feel free to comment on any issues! You can also suggest desired travel locations!)

"Auntie Liu, that's thirty-six yuan and twenty-eight cents in total. I'll round it down for you, so thirty-six yuan is fine."

Jiang Yuan's voice, carrying a trace of the unique laziness of the afternoon, gently echoed in the small convenience store.

He skillfully placed the daily necessities Auntie Liu had purchased, one by one, into a plastic bag, and handed it to her.

"Oh, alright. Thank you, Xiao Yuan."

Auntie Liu didn't stand on ceremony. She responded cheerfully, picked up her phone to scan the code and pay, and took the bag with a kind smile on her face.

"Hey, no need to thank me. We're old acquaintances. Take care on your way."

Jiang Yuan smiled and waved his hand, watching Auntie Liu slowly disappear through the doorway. It wasn't until her figure was completely out of sight that he slumped back onto the somewhat worn swivel chair, immersing himself once more in the constantly refreshing TikTok short videos on the computer screen.

His days were like this, day after day, cycle after cycle.

Relying on his meager savings and some hard work, he managed to run a small supermarket like this in this unremarkable eighteenth-tier small city.

Although the income wasn't substantial, it was enough for him to sustain a living alone, free from worry about food and clothing, content in his own little world.

However, time had flown since the little shop opened; nearly two years had passed in the blink of an eye.

During these two years, his life had become almost completely solidified into the monotonous "three points and one line" routine: eating, sleeping, and watching the store.

Whenever night fell, or he occasionally found free time, the light from his phone screen shone on his face, and those colorful travel videos struck the softest corner of his heart like dazzling beams of light.

In the videos, travel bloggers traversed famous mountains and great rivers, strolling through the streets and alleys of foreign lands. They breathed different air, experienced different cultures, and laughed and played happily with people from all over the world.

This filled Jiang Yuan, who had never stepped outside a hundred-kilometer radius of his hometown since childhood, with an indescribably intense longing.

He yearned for that free and unrestrained life, yearning to see with his own eyes the magnificent scenery that only existed on the screen.

But the gravity of reality was so immense. Whenever he thought of this, he could only sigh helplessly, stuffing those grand dreams back into the phone screen, fantasizing about his own journey through the lens of others.

"Ah~ I really want to go traveling. I want to travel around the world!"

Jiang Yuan leaned back in his chair, letting out a long sigh filled with melancholy. That sound was full of helplessness regarding his current life and a yearning for distant places.

"Ding. The Divine Tycoon Check-in System has successfully bound."

Just then, a cold, emotionless mechanical voice abruptly sounded deep within his mind without warning, like a sudden clap of thunder, causing him to leap up from his chair, a massive wave crashing in his heart.

"Who?!"

Jiang Yuan shouted loudly, full of shock and uncertainty, cautiously scanning his surroundings, only to find the empty store contained no one but himself.

"Hello, Host. I am the System."

The voice sounded again. This time, it seemed to speak directly from the depths of his heart.

"Holy crap?!" Jiang Yuan froze for a moment. Immediately afterward, his eyes widened suddenly, his pupils contracted, and his face was filled with unbelievable shock. "Holy crap... holy crap!"

He was so excited that he became incoherent, and even his breathing grew heavy.

"A System?! Are you really a System?!"

Jiang Yuan screamed wildly in his mind. The sudden massive surprise caused his entire body to begin trembling uncontrollably.

"Yes, Host. I am the System. My full name is the Divine Tycoon Check-in System."

The System's cold voice sounded again, but to Jiang Yuan, it sounded like the most beautiful music of the heavens.

"System, what is your function?"

Jiang Yuan patted his chest hard, trying to calm his wildly beating heart. With trembling hands, he lit a cigarette, sat back down on the chair, suppressed his inner excitement, and urgently asked the question in his mind.

"As long as you, the Host, successfully check in at scenic spots around the world, you can obtain random monetary rewards, valuable assets, and various special abilities."

"Check-in? How should I check in?"

Jiang Yuan was somewhat puzzled. This System seemed different from those he had read about in novels; it didn't seem to actively issue missions. Did he need to figure out the rules himself?

"The System will issue special missions from time to time. All other aspects require the Host to explore independently.

Since this is the first binding with a Host, a limited-time novice mission is hereby issued. Upon completion, you will receive a Novice Gift Package and special rewards."

This time, the System's voice seemed to include more explanation, which slightly cleared the confusion in Jiang Yuan's mind.

Immediately, another crisp "Ding" sound was heard.

"Mission issued: the foremost of the five great mountains, Head Held High Beyond the Heavens. Successfully check in at Mount Tai within twenty-four hours.

Reward 1: Seventy million RMB.

Reward 2: A fully modified, street-legal brabus g900, valued at twenty-three million yuan, equipped with a 6.0L V12 twin-turbo engine.

Reward 3: One bottle of Body Enhancement Fluid."

"Holy crap! Holy crap! It adds up to one hundred million!"

Jiang Yuan couldn't help but cry out again. This sudden massive wealth made him feel dizzy.

Immediately afterward, he saw the virtual countdown image appearing in the void before him, and his heart clenched. He instantly began pacing anxiously in circles.

"No, no, I have to hurry! I must complete this within twenty-four hours!"

"Right, right, navigation! Close the store now!"

Jiang Yuan snatched up his car keys, ignoring everything else, and dashed straight toward the doorway. He fumbled to pull down the rolling shutter door, then sprinted toward his beloved car parked not far away.

Before he even reached the car, he impatiently pressed the unlock button on the key fob.

By the time he sat in the driver's seat, his phone navigation had just finished searching for Mount Tai's location.

"Navigation starting. Proceeding to Taian City. The total distance is four hundred kilometers, estimated time is four hours and twenty minutes. Expected arrival at ten PM. Be mindful of driving safety during night travel..."

As soon as the Bluetooth connected successfully, the clear voice prompt from the navigation system immediately rang out in Jiang Yuan's ears.

At this point, he couldn't afford to think much more. He fastened his seatbelt, stepped directly on the accelerator, and headed toward his destination.

Although his car was just an ordinary SUV, it could still achieve a decent speed. Theoretically, if everything went smoothly, he might even reach his destination in under four hours.

"Don't rush, don't rush. Drive slowly. There's enough time. If worst comes to worst, I'll crawl my way up!"

Jiang Yuan took several deep breaths, forcing himself to calm down. Then, his right foot heavily pressed the accelerator, and the vehicle shot toward the toll booth like an arrow released from a bow.

Before long, he successfully drove onto the expressway, speeding south along the wide four-lane road.

As soon as he entered the expressway, his speed quickly climbed to one hundred and fifty. Feeling the wind whistling past his ears through the window gaps, he slightly eased off the accelerator, his chest surging with unprecedented freedom and exhilaration.

"I forgot to put on some DJ music. Let's go!"

Jiang Yuan's mood calmed slightly, but his excitement was still evident. He quickly opened his music app, and a highly rhythmic DJ dance track instantly filled the entire car cabin.

Following the rhythm of the music, his right foot unconsciously pressed the accelerator deeper and deeper.

Along the way, he seemed like a different person, skillfully weaving through traffic. Every time he overtook a car, it brought a feeling of immense satisfaction, as if everything in the world had become his backdrop, left far behind him.

In the end, he arrived at the foot of Mount Tai ahead of schedule, having taken only three hours and fifty-one minutes. Along the way, he had conveniently purchased the climbing ticket.

"Fortunately, it's not a public holiday, or it wouldn't have been this easy to buy a ticket."

Jiang Yuan stood at the foot of the majestic Mount Tai, lighting a cigarette and murmuring to himself as he watched the sparse crowd at the mountain base.

After he stood alone for a few minutes, a graceful figure appeared in his line of sight. The young woman approached him very familiarly and greeted him with a smile.

"Hello, Handsome Guy. Do you need a climbing companion? I can help carry your things and chat with you to pass the time."

This was a young woman wearing professional mountaineering gear. Judging by her appearance, she looked to be only twenty-one or twenty-two. It was hard to see clearly in the dim night, but under the faint yellow light, her looks were considered to be above average.

"How much?"

Jiang Yuan had originally intended to refuse, but then he thought: he was about to become a billionaire, so he ought to experience the things he couldn't afford before.

Thus, the words that reached his lips were no longer a refusal, but an inquiry about the price.

"During the day it's 690 yuan, but it's a bit more expensive at night, 800 yuan. You need to pay a hundred yuan deposit in advance. This includes a trekking pole, commentary along the way, mineral water, a power bank, a complimentary blessing souvenir, and I can carry items weighing up to 10 catties for you..."

The young woman rattled off a long list of services, and Jiang Yuan generally understood.

"Alright, I'll transfer the deposit to you first."

Jiang Yuan secretly clicked his tongue. This price was certainly not cheap. Eight hundred yuan was almost equivalent to two or three days of pure profit from his store, as he only earned a little over three hundred yuan a day.

He took out his latest white iPhone 17 Pro Max 1TB and prepared to scan the code for payment.

"Handsome Guy, we have the same phone! Let's add each other on WeChat."

The young woman also pulled out her phone and found that it was the same model as Jiang Yuan's. She smiled sweetly and opened her WeChat QR code.

"Okay, I'll transfer it to you via WeChat."

Jiang Yuan opened his WeChat QR code. After she scanned it, he immediately accepted the friend request and smoothly transferred the 100 yuan deposit.

"Brother Jiang, judging by your accent, you seem to be from Hebei. Why are you climbing the mountain alone?"

The young woman named Ya Ya handed Jiang Yuan a trekking pole and chatted casually.

She tilted her head to look at Jiang Yuan. He was about 1.8 meters tall, and beneath his refreshing short, layered hair was an exceptionally handsome face.

He was dressed in casual clothes and carried no mountaineering equipment. By all appearances, he didn't look like someone who had specifically come to climb a mountain.

"Well, I haven't been out in a long time. I saw Mount Tai trending on TikTok, and since it wasn't too far, I just decided to drive over on a whim."

Jiang Yuan casually offered an excuse to brush her off.

Actually, it wasn't entirely false. He had indeed wanted to visit Mount Tai for a long time, but first, he lacked the time, and second, he worried about his stamina. Plus, since he had no one to go with, the plan was always shelved.

This time was different, though. He was here with a mission, and he still had nineteen hours remaining. Even if he couldn't climb anymore, he could always pay someone to carry him up, right?