The moment Lin Yuan stopped choking on the potato, the blue window chimed again—like an impatient secretary.
DING!35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVXuGiOAmGt
[Would you like a quick tour of the Celestial Orphanage System™?]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvtFyESRMCJ
[Yes] — [No, let me painfully guess] — [Is there a refund policy?]
Lin squinted.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡAMmWZodT1D
—"Do you come with customer service or just sarcasm?"35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡrjn2WpHH4n
[Yes.]
He rolled his eyes and tapped [Yes].
Immediately, new windows sprouted like weeds in a summer garden.
[Main Functions Unlocked:]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGj4J8Q5QxR
• Celestial Store35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡE6PRA3dTkE
• Card Extraction & Fusion35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCLJhRtItFw
• Talent Gacha Roulette35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ60jdLcYKIK
• Director's Inventory35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡCJxsSFMvqY
• Beginner's Pack (Unopened, Procrastinator Detected)
The store caught his attention.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5Jv6oY1xEZ
He touched it. The window expanded with a glow that screamed You're broke, but window shopping is free.
Inside? Everything.
There were rice sacks. Smartphone batteries. Cultivation manuals with names like Heaven-Crushing Palm of the Lonely Sun God stacked next to self-help books like 7 Habits of Highly Effective Hermits.
"...Is that pepper spray?" Lin blinked. "Right next to Meteor Spell?"
The system pinged helpfully.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ5eNuMXRare
[Everything you need to survive, thrive, or traumatize your enemies.]
Sure. Why not.
The Card Extraction and Fusion tab looked deceptively simple: a pair of glowing gloves, a circular altar, and a suspiciously dramatic chant in the background.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡ0WLXUD5rYT
[Extract Potential. Fuse Talents. Create Legends.]
It reminded Lin of a cheesy ad. But the explanation was... impressive.
Apparently, every being had buried potential—sometimes dormant, sometimes cursed. The system could extract those as cards. Think Pokémon, but with higher emotional trauma. Then you could merge them, refine them, or imprint them onto a kid like spiritual sticker albums.
Lin paused.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡkMTo1Zr7YP
"Wait... so I can customize each orphan's growth like they're RPG characters?"
[Disclaimer: Please refrain from treating children like collectible cards. You are still legally responsible.]
Lin snorted.
Then he saw the Talent Gacha Roulette.
The interface was... flashy.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡBY3A5iPaUa
A massive wheel spun before him, icons ranging from low-level skills like [Quick Nap] to mythical ones like [Phoenix-Born Bloodline]. Right now, it was grayed out.
He figured he'd tidy up the shack first and go pick up the kids who had agreed to leave the city with him. Until he remembered...
"The Beginner's Box!"
He opened it.
DING!35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡSATS01iPMH
[Congratulations! You've received:]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡqWqP9Olopv
• 1x Golden Roulette Ticket (High-Rank Talent Guaranteed)35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡD6Le5oWIvf
• 3x Moderate Satiety Potatoes™35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHTr9UAtq73
• 1x Underwear of Resilience (Stain-Resistant)
Lin stared.
—"More potatoes? And... this is supposed to be my lucky underwear?"
[You don't get it. Stat bonus: +3 Endurance, +5 Dignity Recovery.]
He ignored the insult. For now.
But the Golden Ticket... that was different.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnAOtV3szxe
The system grew theatrical as it hovered toward the roulette.
DING!35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡLVgFLKHMPr
[Activating Talent Gacha with Golden Ticket...]
The wheel spun. Faster. Brighter. So flashy it reminded Lin of those shady online slot ads.
Then it slowed.
Slower...
Tic...35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡdTHezk43h7
Tic...35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡzwYzsBpqcE
PING!
[Congratulations! You've obtained:]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQbGiXEos4r
Skill: Jade Emperor's Eye35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuM3qT3TyYR
Type: Divine Talent / Cosmic Perception35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡTKWqAK2HRA
Grade: ???35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuH5XV99E8H
Bound to Host
Lin blinked.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxOeLbmc0YS
"...Do I have an eye now?"
The system unfurled like a proud parent at a science fair.
[Skill: Jade Emperor's Eye]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡx8kkjyBtQX
Passive Effect: Vision of Potential35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwZRO37r3Vk
You can see hidden talents, emotional imbalances, and cultivation affinities in anyone you directly observe.
Active Effect: Revelation of Destiny35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO88lLnMWla
Once per day, through deep focus, glimpse fragments of a person's possible futures. Use sparingly. May cause headaches, emotional damage, or existential crisis.
Warning: Overuse may deplete mental reserves. The system is not responsible for accidental prophecy addiction.
Lin sat back, reading through the ability.
For the first time in seventeen years, he didn't just feel lucky.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvjADMUks4q
He felt... chosen.
He had always believed people could be more than they appeared.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVSFVBvQrS
Now he could see it.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmllWseKPLc
And more importantly—he could shape it.
But first, he gestured to finally inspect the Spiritual Technique from the beginner rewards.
[Spiritual Technique: Tranquil Willow Breathing]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡyzsWc4855T
Rank: Mortal Grade (Upgradeable)35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQwj7Toz2iB
Effect: Stabilizes spiritual energy. Improves focus, recovery rate, and sleep quality. Removes minor demonic influence and bad breath.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡHd3OsmJUWI
[Note: A solid foundation for beginners. Also good for anxious orphans.]
Lin approved. Impressive.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡhF5cbfvbQZ
He crossed his legs, tried the breathing for a few seconds—and immediately felt the potato digest smoother.
But this wasn't the time for enlightenment.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡxeDjIExAwp
Not yet.
It was time to act.
He fortified the shack in the mountains—plugged holes, scared off pests, added a symbolic rock he declared "sacred" to make it look more mystical.
Then he stood, cracked his neck, and marched toward the city.
In the outskirts, a group of ragged children already watched him: three boys and a girl, half-starved and half-suspicious. One waved.
"Hey, Boss Lin! Did you really get the land?"
Lin grinned smugly.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡn81ZmTcvdb
—"Better. I got a promise of change."
They looked confused.
He spread his arms.
—"Want food? A roof that doesn't try to kill you at night? Want to be more than just survivors?"
They stared.
"Then follow me. Welcome to Dawn's Refuge."
He turned and headed back to his little wooden shack.
Behind him, steps followed—curious, hesitant, but hopeful.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡfVcsh0ZyoR
After all, these were the kids he'd looked after for years, the ones who chose to come with him to the orphanage.
And somewhere in the back of his mind, the system hummed softly.
[Mission Progress: Recruit Your First Orphan – 1/1]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnKDHWIAknd
[Reward: +50 Points | +1 Random Skill Unlocking Soon]
Lin Yuan smiled.
Ever since he had obtained the Jade Emperor's Eye, Lin Yuan could see it clearly.
The children were surrounded by a faint aura—one that no ordinary eye could perceive. From a distance, each one radiated a muted gray, except for the girl, Xiao Lian, who occasionally flickered with a deep violet when she thought no one was watching.
But the moment they saw him, all four were instantly cloaked in a soft blue.
It didn't take a genius—or even a divine system—to see it: these children cared.
And if the system had marked the mission "Recruit Your First Orphan" as complete, it could only mean one thing: at least one of them had potential. Something real. Something worth nurturing.
Lin turned to face them, a half-smile playing on his lips.
—"So… how have you been while I was away?"
They sat beneath the old crooked oak by the roadside, forming a lopsided circle. Between shy laughter and bursts of mischief, they began recounting their exploits: how Zhenglian had tried selling pebbles as "dragon eggs" to drunk merchants; how Roman had tricked a rooster into chasing the butcher across three streets. Xiao Lian had stolen bread—not for herself, but for a limping stray dog. And Ben… Ben had managed to get blamed for everything, smiling like it had been his plan all along.
Lin listened quietly, and then activated his skill.
DING.
Small blue screens unfolded before his eyes—one for each child. Only he could see them.
[Name: Zhenglian]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡwKmh6aUb6w
Race: Human35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡGvILkrpIWd
Profession: None35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡbwBqXcaJGQ
Talent: —35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡC2YEPpiujc
Status: Restless / Loyal
[Name: Roman]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡO7iF1VTvWh
Race: Half-Elf (Hidden)35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmUnxSkafGI
Profession: None35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡuI8m9dGkU3
Talent: —35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡQh6QYcLUTL
Status: Clever / Distrustful
[Name: Ben]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡDfehu0l1N3
Race: Human35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡz0qw0OWk9M
Profession: —35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡmJm2cgKsZ7
Talent: [Elegance]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡnhQ8SPvTgC
Type: Social / Charisma35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡFjY2bto9NU
Description: Enhances presence, persuasive speech, and adaptable behavior. Ideal for mediation, infiltration, or leadership.
[Name: Xiao Lian]35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡVTMv8pK2ts
Race: Veilblood/ Human35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡvmQFvgpcUK
Profession: -Talent: [Deathweaver] (Dormant)An affinity for precision, silence, and threads unseen. The path has yet to open, but the seed is there. Latent traits suggest instinctual understanding of weakness and fate entanglement.
Lin narrowed his eyes.
—"So... a charming diplomat and a chaos artist."
He sighed. "Perfect."
Looking at them now, he felt something he hadn't felt in years—a sense of responsibility, and more than that, a calling. These weren't just orphans. They were possibilities. Pieces in a larger game. Seeds that might grow into something the world could never have expected.
And he... he was the gardener.
—"From today on," he said, the sun filtering through the leaves, "we're not just surviving. We're becoming something the world can't ignore."
The children's eyes sparkled—not just at the promise of food or shelter. But at something deeper.
A future.
The story of the slum boss was over.35Please respect copyright.ＰＥＮＡＮＡjxR5QA0BTh
The story of the orphan master had just begun.
