"Sex and sleep: the less you have, the more you crave."
In a public library, the last thing Max wanted to read was a weird sexual book, he was too tired to react. With a belly full of hunger, sex philosophy felt boring.
He took the book back to its shelf, then pulled out his old ragged leather wallet. The leather wallet was chipped in places but nonetheless usable, but if you drop it once, you have to rethink if you really want to keep it or throw it away.
"Seven, oh! Eight euro and twelve cent "
His eyes glowed up when he saw an extra unexpected euro in his wallet. This month was almost over, so he was not that worried about the budget. While walking outside, he casually pulled out his phone to check today's date.
'26 September 2025, still 4 days till I get the government allowance.
He had to squint his eyes to see clearly, this seven-year-old Android phone was not bright enough outdoors, and the little cracks on the screen made it harder for him to see. Locking his device, his green, lackluster eyes looked outside the glass door.
Snow, sigh! I don't like snow very much.
*Ring-Ring*
The weather outside was very chilly, but what made him more uncomfortable was his phone ringing, if he doesn't like snow very much, then he absolutely hates his phone ringing.
"Eh? Surveillance Officer?"
Eighteen this year, Max was an orphan, he has never seen his parents. He used to live happily with his foster parents when both of them passed away in a car accident two years ago, which put him in a difficult position, he was too old for another adoption while too young to be an adult.
The German government gave him an apartment and 200 euro monthly as an allowance for food. This surveillance officer was the person who managed him and others like him in this area.
"Hello?"
"Max? Congratulations! For getting accepted into LMU Munich, very well done."
"T... Thank you, Mr. Patrick.
Even though the voice on the phone was very cheerful, Max was feeling uneasy, Patrick was very picky and strict with rules, and Max had an idea of what could go down on this phone call
"Listen here, you're eighteen now, and you know what that means. You won't get that allowance or the apartment legally, I have filed your age already. You will be leaving the town for Munich anyway, right?"
"But I turned eighteen just yesterday."
The officer was sounding very happy and helpful, but Max knew what this meant, it meant he would lose his allowance and place to stay.
"You're very cruel, Sir."
"Listen here, lad. You're eighteen, and you should've thought this through from when you were seventeen. There are real minors who need this facility more than you."
"But I was busy preparing for the university."
"We also went to the university. My generation has seen days harder than you can ever imagine, we never complained. Pack your bags by the end of the month, an adult is no orphan."
*BEEP-BEEP*
Without even giving him time to talk more, the phone call abruptly ended. When Max looked at the screen, his bland yellow hair obstructed his view, he wanted to rip his hair out—the frustration was just too much.
Trembling hands could barely keep the phone still, he wanted to check his bank balance, hoping for a miracle. His last hope was that his next month's allowance would be paid to him in advance, but all he can see now is a watery blur.
Warm teardrops falling on the back of his hand made him realize he was, in fact, crying. There was no place for him to go, he knew no one. All his life he didn't make friends, he only studied for a better future. He didn't like it but still endured, he wanted to become a doctor.
I… I don't know, what should I do?
His leg shook with tiredness, he could not even muster enough strength to cross the bloody road to the convenience store. Getting into LMU Munich in their medical department took its bloody toll, and when the rug called 'Hope' was finally pulled out of him, his body was finally giving up.
I tried my best… In a world full of strangers, I really did.
[Ding!!]
Suddenly hearing the Church's funeral toll in his head, the pain he felt finally eased up. Max felt like he was getting embraced by God, if he knew death was this relaxing, he might have died earlier. A smile formed on his face as he prepared to forgive and forget this world once and for all.
[Urban LitRPG System has been Awakened!!]
[Mission: Get Into a Prestigious University] [Passed]
[Passing Grade: SS+]
[Reward: Palladium Credit Card Elite Tier (Item), Locksmith God Tier (Skill)]
[Press here to get the rewards and a new main mission.]
"What the fuck is this?"
A holographic game-like panel appeared in front of him, which scared the crap out of the dying Max, his body, which was collapsing on the bench, instinctively pulled his feet up within a fraction of a second.
"What are LitRPG and System?"
Getting jump scared was one thing, but he was doubting his life, he didn't know he had this much energy left to hallucinate bullshit.
His hands went inside the holographic panel like it was not there at all, but the [Press Here] button was glowing in red, so he pressed it. He felt like he touched some kind of keyboard button, but what followed next felt like magic.
A silver-colored credit card appeared in his hand first, his name was engraved in it using diamond. There was also a small Visa logo just beside it that looked forged in gold. Then he felt his head spin for a second, and a bunch of information about locks, from ancient locks to even futuristic ones, came to him. He can understand, make, and unlock any lock this earth has to offer.
M…Magic?
[New Main Mission: Get a beautiful female to like you]
[Skill: Locksmith (God Tier)]
[Item: Palladium Credit Card (Elite Tier)]
Both Skill and Item were just like before, buzzing with red light, which any person with common sense can guess meant they were touchable.
[Locksmith (God Tier): Touch to unlock any lock on Earth]
[Palladium Credit Card (Elite Tier): All the illicit assets in the 3-kilometer radius will convert to legal assets for the holder.] [Press on the ground to activate.]
The card in his hand hummed a little as if to make him believe in it, his throat dried up just by reading the screens appearing one after another. He would've laughed his ass off if the card didn't appear out of nowhere.
C...Close?
The system vanished when he said "close" in his mind. He wanted to check what this card was all about, he gently pressed the card on the ground.
[Activate?]
[Yes/No]
He, of course, pressed 'Yes,' then the screen changed, it was like a game, with screens constantly popping up everywhere, and Max realized he could even control by looking where they would pop up.
[All the illicit assets in the 3 kilometers are being converted… Success!!]
[Current Legal Balance: 385,960€] [Level up the card by using 3,000,000€.]
"God damn!!"
Maximilian Karl Weber has never seen this many numbers in his life, he was not sure what just happened, but something magical was happening with him, and he was not even trying to believe it—it's too grand and too much.
Taking the silver card back in his hand, he closed the pop-up and took big breaths to calm himself down. Life can't be this good with him, this cold world was never this warm.
Let's eat something expensive with it, something that might be my last meal or a meal that I will never forget.
Max's plan was to eat €8 worth of food, if the card worked, then this might take him to places he never imagined going, if declined, his pocket only has €8 in cash.
Eh? Is my banking app changing?
His phone vibrated very harshly, Max had to look at it, and he saw his online banking app change to the credit card in his hand-like icon.