Rags to Riches: The Rise of a Dual-Talent Prodigy
Chapter 35: Trust Anything but Money’s Mouth

Chapter 35: Chapter 35: Trust Anything but Money’s Mouth

"Looks like humans can freely enter and exit the instance before the boss refreshes, huh~"

Qian Qi stroked her chin. It was said that the demons in E-level dungeons refresh every 48 hours. Of course, what refreshes is a new demon of the same type, not the one that died before.

"What a pity. If the refreshed one was that lion-headed boss again, it might get a psychological shadow upon seeing me and surrender or commit suicide on its own~"

In that case, she wouldn’t have to exhaust herself doing it.

Qian Qi expressed her deep regret.

System: [...]

Looks like she’s not just a pervert but also a devil...

"But can an instance still get stuck underground?" Qian Qi gazed curiously at the instance stuck in the ground, only revealing a small pointy part.

[Of course, it could be inside a volcano, underwater, in the quicksand of a desert, or in the marshes of dense forests.]

And these sleeping instances are undoubtedly the most beneficial for the evolution of humans and Contracted Beasts.

It’s just a pity that humans don’t know.

Qian Qi thought deeply. She opened her Light Brain, and after some research, she couldn’t help but laugh, "The instance can actually be farmed repeatedly. So if I farm it many times, won’t my Strength Attribute increase to C-level?"

[Not up to C-level, but D+ level is no problem~]The system had guessed what Qian Qi intended to do.

"That sounds great!" Qian Qi couldn’t help but smile darkly as she looked at the instance stuck in the ground.

As far as she knew, instances in this world are public resources. Countless people lined up wanting to enter cleared instances, defeat demon bosses, and claim rewards.

But now...

She could monopolize an instance!

Qian Qi suddenly stood up with a serious expression, looked around, and finally fixed her gaze on a small stone on the ground.

She immediately squatted down, raised her hand to make a sincere bow: "Thank you, Big Stone, for tripping me into the instance. I will repay this great kindness and favor someday!"

After speaking, Qian Qi sincerely held the small stone in her hand, deciding to worship it after going back.

But the blue panel that actually tripped Qian Qi: [...]

It truly couldn’t stand this stupid thing anymore!!!

The unsuspecting Qian Qi did not notice the system’s irritation. She scratched her messy hair, looked at her tattered clothes, and decided to find something else to wear first.

Before leaving, she also placed a large stone on the instance, to prevent the orphans from accidentally entering it.

"No, it still doesn’t feel very safe."

Qian Qi stared at the stone for a while, wiped her clothes with her hand, and used the black ash on her body to draw a ferocious little figure showing its teeth on the stone.

She then marked it specifically: Qian Qi’s exclusive, Do Not Touch!!!

"Hmm~ safe now~" Qian Qi left the vegetable patch in a good mood.

The system panel stayed in place, looking at the large stone: (｡ŏ_ŏ)...

Hmm, it really was secure; even it did not want to touch that stone.

...

On her way back, Qian Qi happened to pass by the window of the director’s office. Just as she was about to ask if there were any spare clothes, she saw Xiang Wen Yun inside holding a photo, wiping her tears with her sleeve.

"Mom, your daughter is incapable. The orphanage can’t be sustained."

Xiang Wen Yun gently stroked the photo of an elderly woman with a kind smile. She had inherited the orphanage from her mother, along with her mother’s will and beliefs.

As a child, she didn’t understand why her affluent mother would put money into maintaining the orphanage. Her mother explained that she too inherited the will of her ancestors, and when she grew up, she’d understand.

When she reached adulthood and started managing the orphanage herself, her mother didn’t say anything, but she understood everything.

This world was too cruel to orphans.

The awakening of skills was random. Some people might awaken skills as young children, while others might not awaken them until middle age.

In this world, where having awakened skills meant being above others, orphans who awakened skills from a young age undoubtedly became a delicious piece of meat.

Besides trafficking, brainwashing, and exploitation happening underground, making them terrifying to hear about.

Those born with "high hopes" but abandoned by their parents upon birth for not awakening skills couldn’t get enough food or clothing, even in a regular orphanage. They were nagged by directors to awaken skills quickly every day.

Some orphans experienced parental love but lost their parents in magic beast turmoil; some orphans born with love found it all false and were discarded. No one could say which was more tragic.

And amongst orphans, those who grew up impoverished and became timid and ordinary, and those awakeners revered but lacking personal will—who was more pitiful?

Xiang Wen Yun, like her ancestors, wanted to protect them.

At least, be well-fed, warmly clothed, grow up in warmth, learn a skill, and be able to support themselves.

"If only I were an Awakener...," Xiang Wen Yun lightly clenched her fingers, her gentle eyes now filled with unwillingness.

All of her matrilineage were Awakeners, even if they were short on money, they could enter instances to hunt demons and exchange them for money.

Yet in her generation... she became an ordinary person, unable to do anything but watch resources diminish.

"Sigh, I still want to have a child to inherit the orphanage, but I’ve been too busy to find someone."

Xiang Wen Yun let out a bitter laugh. Her gaze fell on the fruit on the table, and her mood brightened, "Oh, remember I told you about Qian Qi? That child came back today and even brought fruit."

"I always knew that child had a kind heart. When she first came to the orphanage, her Light Brain album had her smiling so cutely, what a pity her parents..." Xiang Wen Yun sighed gently, "It seems that entering the Magic Plant Academy helped her gradually resolve some issues."

"I hope the future gets better and better..."

Outside the window, Qian Qi listened to these words, her chest tightening a bit.

It’s a pity she couldn’t remember anything. Perhaps these were memories the original owner deeply didn’t wish to be explored, which made them hard to recall?

After a long silence, Qian Qi turned and left.

She decided not to bother the director. Seeing her current bedraggled state, she couldn’t explain anything when questioned.

Where could she find clothes...

Qian Qi sneakily moved, her sight landing on the rows of clotheslines in the front yard.

Qian Qi: (*￣︶￣)~

System: ...

[You’re not thinking of...]

Qian Qi spoke righteously, "What! Can’t I?"

Seeing no one around, she stealthily approached the clothesline and reached out her small hand to pull down a couple of clothes.

Fortunately, there were older kids in the orphanage, and the clothes were barely big enough for her.

Qian Qi was about to find an empty room to change when she turned around and met the eyes of a child.

Qian Qi: ...

Child A: ...

Child A looked at Qian Qi with an indescribable expression, "Do you have no shame, even stealing children’s clothes?"

Qian Qi blushed, "Shoo, shoo, haven’t you seen my clothes are torn?"

Child A glanced at her ragged clothes, sighed with an exaggerated maturity, turned around, and said, "The clothes you took aren’t even dry yet. Come with me."

Then, he paused and added, "I’m only saying this for the sake of the candy."

Qian Qi was suddenly very moved. She returned the clothes to the clothesline and happily followed Child A, promising, "Don’t worry. I won’t take these clothes for nothing. In a few days, I will have the director mother buy you new clothes."

Child A looked at her with a mocking smile. He didn’t believe a word a woman’s mouth said, especially Qian Qi’s.

He already knew. The director mother had run out of money, and the orphanage was about to be disbanded. The kids of his age in the yard knew that, but everyone pretended not to know.

Unfortunately, they were too young and hadn’t awakened skills yet, unable to help the director mother make money.

Thinking about this, he couldn’t help but glare at the oldest, Qian Qi.

Useless, already 19 but still haven’t awakened any skills!

Qian Qi: (⊙_⊙)?