028, New Upgrade

Lin Mi pulled her petite suitcase along, leaving the old apartment complex where she had lived for several months. The evening breeze carried a faint chill, but also the scent of freedom and hope. She didn’t look back at the aged neighborhood, for her heart was already filled with the warmth of her new home and the limitless possibilities ahead.

Though this place had accompanied her through the difficult days right after graduation, one must always look forward. Soon, her new car glided smoothly into the underground parking lot of Building V-2. She took the elevator straight up to the top floor, and as she opened the door and stepped into the three-hundred-square-meter, exquisitely decorated apartment, an indescribable sense of belonging and happiness surged within her.

The light wood flooring glowed gently under the soft lighting, and the beige and gray furnishings were perfectly matched, creating an atmosphere of ultimate comfort and serenity. She casually placed her suitcase in the spacious walk-in closet and gazed at the empty compartments, already envisioning them filled with beautiful clothes in the future. Though she had gone shopping today, her desire to “fill it up” went far beyond material things—it was a longing for a life of abundance and freedom.

“A big house really is wonderful,” she murmured, standing before the floor-to-ceiling windows and opening her arms to embrace her new world. Outside was the dazzling nightscape unique to Rong City. Standing high above, surveying the cityscape, gave her a sense of exhilaration, especially the sweeping view that soothed and delighted her heart.

Lin Mi quietly enjoyed the scenery for a few minutes before turning to organize her belongings. By the time she finished, it was already half past eight.

“Did I forget to eat dinner?” she wondered. The whole day had been a whirlwind, and none of her meals had been on time. Thankfully, she’d had afternoon tea at the car dealership, or her stomach would have been empty long ago.

The new kitchen was fully equipped, but there were no ingredients or seasonings, so cooking was out of the question. Lin Mi opened the food delivery app and effortlessly ordered a beef and vegetable salad from a health-focused restaurant. Though she no longer needed to scrimp, she still cared about her figure, and it was far too late for a heavy meal.

By now, night had fully descended, and the lights of Rong City spread out beneath her like a river of stars, breathtakingly beautiful. While waiting for her food, Lin Mi went to the living room window, pulled a plush pillow from the soft fabric sofa, and sank comfortably into it. The contrast between the vibrant cityscape and the cozy interior sharpened her thoughts.

Sitting on the sofa, she began a frenzy of shopping on her phone. There were many household items to add to her new home, and if she shopped in person, she couldn’t carry everything herself. She had no desire to tire herself out or suffer. Online shopping and delivery services were now so thorough and convenient; most large supermarkets offered online orders, and after placing one, a specialist would deliver everything right to her door.

With money, what service in this world wasn’t accessible? After a day spent rushing about from morning till night, Lin Mi had no intention of wasting energy shopping at stores. Now, she wanted to indulge in the privilege of being “rich and willful.”

After her spree, the food delivery arrived right on time. Lin Mi eagerly returned to the sofa, opened the meal box, and tapped into her phone’s system interface.

What she anticipated most was the newly upgraded fifteen-day city “hot search” feature! On the system screen, her energy points and wallet balance were displayed:

Wallet balance: 156,231,000
Energy points: 522

Seeing the energy points had dropped so much made Lin Mi wince a little, but her greater feeling was excitement for the new function. She immediately clicked the “hot search” tab, and with a flash of white light, a new page appeared before her:

[Predictive Hot Searches · Rong City Exclusive]
Upcoming hot search events for the next fifteen days (continuously updating…)

Lin Mi could hardly contain her excitement—fifteen days of hot searches! This meant she could grasp more information in advance, have ample preparation time, and participate, influence, and create more positive miracles.

She impatiently scrolled through the screen, and one by one, the future hot search headlines appeared:

[#Heartwarming ‘Hero’ Appears on Rong City Streets, Finds and Returns Lifesaving Money# Energy points 70]
[#Famous Food Blogger Accused of False Advertising, Multiple Restaurants Named# Energy points 15]

[#Elderly Man Living Alone Falls Ill at Night, Food Delivery Worker Saves His Life# Energy points 60]
[#University Professor Found Guilty of Academic Misconduct, PhD Thesis Revealed to be Plagiarized# Energy points 20]
[#Rong City Volunteer Group Launches ‘Old Clothes Remake’ Charity Project, Helping Mountain Children Stay Warm in Winter# Energy points 100]
…..

As she looked at the updated hot searches, Lin Mi was surprised to find that the hot search list had also been upgraded. Previously, it had resembled a daily news report, but now, each headline came with an energy point rating.

What did this mean? It was almost like supermarket items with price tags, neatly displayed on the shelves for customers to pick and choose as they pleased.

It was actually quite convenient. Now she could see the importance and urgency of each event, effectively filtering for the most beneficial ones to act upon, rather than blindly jumping in.

Moreover, the system’s energy point values made clear that charity and life-and-death situations had higher ratings. Among several events, she could take on tasks that would not only earn energy points but genuinely help others and promote positive energy in society.

The “lifesaving money” incident and the “delivery worker saving an elderly man” event brimmed with positive energy. If she could participate in advance—perhaps by using her influence to widen the search for the owner or contacting the delivery worker quickly to help the elderly man—it should count as completing the tasks, right?

As for negative hot searches, such as the “blogger’s false advertising” and the “professor’s misconduct,” though she couldn’t intervene directly, she could still contribute indirectly.

Other social issues, though impossible to change single-handedly, could be addressed through her actions, such as taking part in charity campaigns or posting rational appeals online, fulfilling her civic responsibility and helping society progress.

Lin Mi picked up her fork and ate her salad slowly, but her thoughts were already flying to the “future hot search” events. She needed to accumulate enough energy points to upgrade the “Friends’ Future Activity” feature. The more she knew, the more confident and secure she would feel.

So she had to make full use of the “fifteen-day hot search” function, carefully planning her actions.

Lin Mi’s eyes grew increasingly bright as she began to sketch out her plans in her mind.