Wu Chen's thoughts lingered on Heavenly Flames and treasures far beyond his reach, but a sharp cramp pulled him back to reality.
His stomach growled. He had already gambled away his last rice. All he had now were a handful of invisible points.
"…Damn it."
He pushed into the crowded streets of Wu Tan. The air was thick with spice, sweat, and the clink of coins. Hawkers shouted about miracle herbs, merchants argued with desperate townsfolk, and guards looked the other way when silver touched their palms.
Wu Tan was a city ruled by hunger and greed.
At one stall, a fat merchant held up a tiny vial, his eyes glowing with false pride.
"High-grade healing elixir! Only five gold taels!"
Wu Chen didn't need to look twice. The cloudy liquid wasn't worth even one tael. But the villagers in front of the stall didn't know that. Fear and hope flickered across their faces as they reached for their purses.
The panel pulsed in his vision.
[Warning: Intense desire detected nearby.][Conversion possible. Yield: 0.1–0.2 Greed Points per target.]
Wu Chen's eyes narrowed. "So… even their greed can be turned into points."
He slid closer, brushing against a man's sleeve as the man clutched his coin pouch.
[Convert?]
Wu Chen's pulse quickened. He whispered the answer in his mind.
"Yes."
The man shivered as if struck by cold. His hand slipped, coins clattering to the ground.
[Conversion complete. +0.2 Greed Points.]
Warmth spread in Wu Chen's chest. He bit back a laugh. The man muttered about feeling dizzy, then stumbled away, leaving the merchant cursing.
Wu Chen licked his lips. The rush of stolen desire was stronger than rice, warmer than wine.
[Reminder: Human greed is an endless source. But too much leeching may draw notice.]
Wu Chen tucked his hands into his sleeves, hiding his smile. He brushed against another customer, whispered the command, and felt another tug.
[Conversion complete. +0.1 Greed Points.]
His lips curved in a shadowy grin.
"This city… is overflowing with food."
Three months later, Wu Tan looked the same, but Wu Chen had changed.
He had grown lean and sharp. His steps through the crowd were smooth, precise. Each brush of his sleeve, each casual touch, carried intent.
[Estimated Greed Points: 257.8]
He paused by a beggar praying for coins. Wu Chen smiled—not with cruelty, but with the calm of someone who had found a resource that would never run dry.
[Conversion possible. Yield: 0.05–0.1 Greed Points.]
The coins in the beggar's cup rattled as Wu Chen's chest warmed again. Small gains, yes. But steady gains built empires.
Over time he had learned the rules of the Authority of Greed. Timing mattered. Subtlety mattered. Too much at once, and people noticed. But crowds were perfect. Market days became his fields. Festivals, his feasts. In the right place, he could gather more than a full point in a night.
Now he had more than enough to test the system.
"System," he whispered, "show me what I can do with these points."
[You can convert Greed Points into wealth, weapons, cultivation, or rare treasures. You may also bend reality in small ways. The Authority is not yet complete.]
Wu Chen's pulse quickened.
That evening, he walked back to his shabby house on the edge of the city. The sun set in a haze of orange light. He had harvested another 12 points, bringing his total near 260.
The door groaned as he entered. Dust, mildew, and bare wood greeted him, as always. Wu Chen sank into the creaking chair. The panel appeared at once.
[Current Greed Points: 259.8]
"Alright," he said. "Let's start small. Convert 20 points into wealth."
Heat spread in his chest.
[20 Greed Points deducted.][Wealth manifested: 100 gold taels.]
A leather pouch appeared on the table with a clink. Wu Chen opened it and let the gold spill out. Each coin gleamed with the imperial stamp. He ran one through his fingers.
"Enough for food, rent… even bribes." A smirk tugged at his lips. For once, he was no longer on the edge of hunger.
But money wasn't enough. He looked down at his ragged robes and the grime clinging to him. Appearance mattered in Wu Tan.
"Next. Convert 30 points into refinement. Clothes, cleanliness—make me fit in."
The panel pulsed.
[30 Greed Points deducted.][Manifestation: Personal refinement package.]
Light washed over him. His skin cleared, his hair grew smooth, his rags dissolved into ash. In their place came robes of dark blue silk with silver trim. A faint sandalwood scent clung to him. Wu Chen breathed it in, fingers brushing the fine cloth.
For the first time in years, he looked like someone who belonged.
[Current Greed Points: 209.8]
He paced the room, pulse racing. Wealth and looks were tools, but survival came from strength.
"System. Convert 100 points into a cultivation method. Something I can use."
The panel paused, then spoke.
[Conversion initiated. 100 Greed Points deducted.]
[Technique manifested: "Greed Devouring Qi Method" – Huang Rank, High Grade.]
A scroll formed in his hands. Its knowledge rushed into his mind—breathing methods, meridian charts, chants heavy with hunger. This was no clan treasure, but it fit him perfectly.
"It ties into my Authority," he whispered, eyes gleaming. "I can draw strength from greed itself."
The scroll dissolved into his thoughts.
[Current Greed Points: 109.8]
"Now," Wu Chen said, steady and sure. "Use the rest. Boost my cultivation."
The panel blazed.
[Conversion initiated. 109.8 Greed Points deducted.]
[Enhancement applied: Direct infusion into dantian and meridians. Estimated progress: From mortal baseline to Dou Zhi Qi Stage 3 (peak beginner level).]
[Breakdown: 50 points for meridian opening and initial qi gathering (reaching Stage 1). 30 points for qi consolidation and minor body tempering (Stage 2). Remaining 29.8 points for qi refinement and stabilization (early Stage 3). Note: Further boosts will require higher points due to increasing resistance; ties to Greed Authority amplify future gains in desire-rich environments.]
Energy ripped through his body, opening sealed meridians and lighting his dantian. Pain seared him, followed by a rush of power.
Stage 1: qi stirred to life.Stage 2: muscles and bones strengthened.Stage 3: his body steadied, senses sharp, energy steady in his core.
Wu Chen opened his eyes, sweat dripping. His fist tightened, qi humming inside.
"Stage 3… in one night?"