Chapter 1: Reborn with a System

Li City.

A remote alley.

A person was squatting at the entrance of the alley, eyes fixed on the trash can ahead with an eager expression, secretly rubbing their fists. A stray dog passing by was so frightened that it stumbled backward and bolted away.

Huh, where did this crazy woman come from in broad daylight?

"Jiang Xiaoya, there's no one around right now. Hurry up and go rummage through the trash can. If this keeps up, forget about completing the mission—if you faint from hunger again, our show is going to be delayed."

Through the "Sky Eye" earpiece she was wearing, the assistant producer was forced to speak up.

Listening to the assistant producer's urging, Jiang Xiaoya knew that this live-streaming Sky Eye device was waterproof, heat-resistant, and connected directly to the live broadcast room. Needless to say, the netizens in the chat must be hurling insults again. She looked at the group of stray dogs in the distance, baring their teeth and eyeing her covetously, and let out a long howl toward the sky: "Stop urging me! I'm about to snatch food from the dog's mouth right now!"

This is truly absurd, like absurdity opening the door for absurdity—absurdity has reached its peak.

In her previous life, she was the only daughter of a famous self-made billionaire, a proper second-generation rich kid. Who would have thought her starting point after rebirth would be such trash.

The original owner had a miserable life story: she couldn't find a job after graduating from college, so she signed up for a national variety show focused on competition among the lower social classes. Logically, with such a miserable background, she shouldn't have been so timid, but reality is just that dramatic. The original owner lacked the resilient qualities of someone from a poor family and instead suffered from the common flaws of low self-esteem and sensitivity. In three days, let alone winning a ranking, she couldn't even scrape together money for food and had actually 'fainted' from hunger.

Never mind the show's ranking; Jiang Xiaoya knew that if she didn't dig something up, she would soon follow in the original owner's footsteps and ascend to heaven.

Literally starve to death!

Jiang Xiaoya seemed to have made up her mind. She clenched her fists and initiated her food-snatching plan.

She picked up a red brick from under her feet, weighed it in her hand, and suddenly charged toward the trash can across the street, coincidentally bumping into the large black dog that had been waiting for its chance and slowly approaching the bin.

The large black dog seemed startled by the madwoman who suddenly lunged out; it stumbled violently and retreated, baring its teeth.

Startled, Jiang Xiaoya stepped back, tripped over a stone, and landed hard on her butt.

The large black dog: "..."

Netizens in the live stream: "..."

After a brief silence, the comments flew by.

【What a loser! You've got a brick, what are you afraid of?!】

【Is she scared stupid?】

【First time I've seen a dog look at an idiot like that...】

【From the moment I first saw this stream, I was attracted by the aura of stupidity on her. The second day she wandered around a few streets, I bet she was a dark horse. The third day she starved herself unconscious, giving little old me a huge shock. Just when I thought her potential was finally being triggered and she was bound to rise, sigh... she should have just starved to death earlier.】

【How did the production team recruit someone like this? Aren't they afraid something will actually happen?】

【It's a competitive survival show, they signed contracts, don't worry.】

【Where did this idiot come from?】

However, the reason Jiang Xiaoya didn't immediately get up to fight was that she had awakened a system!!

【Ding, system is detecting the environment.】

【Detection successful.】

【Activating Social Work Skills System!】

【Activation successful!】

Jiang Xiaoya was immersed in the joy and confusion of obtaining a system.

She carefully examined the newly acquired system.

【Social Work Skills System.】

The gloomy mood she felt just moments ago due to her low starting point vanished instantly. Her expression became excited, sweeping away the frantic and lost image she had just projected.

How does that saying go? When you're sleepy, someone brings a pillow; before you starve to death, the God of Wealth brings you a rice bowl.

【Ding, detected host's occupation as... Scavenger.】

【Reward skill: Detection.】

【System tasks use a point system; points can be exchanged for gifts. Scavenging can also lead to wealth, host, hurry up and take action.】

Detection?

As Jiang Xiaoya pondered how to use this skill, her eyes inadvertently swept over the trash can across the street.

She saw that the originally green trash can was now covered in a faint, red, mist-like layer.

At the same time, a system alert sounded in her mind.

【Ding, valuable item detected, valuable item detected...】

Jiang Xiaoya's eyes instantly burst with light. She threw away the brick in her hand, scrambled up from the ground, and charged toward the street across from her.

The large black dog was so scared by the person who had suddenly gone crazy that it ran away.

The netizens in the live stream were all "WTF."

【Is she changing careers to staged accidents because she can't find trash?】

【666, what a genius, why didn't I think of that?】

【Is she...!!! Planning to pull up the trash can and sell it for money?!!】

【This is a big deal. We told her to pick up trash, not commit crimes.】

【The trash can is public property. Does she have a brain?】

【If she had a brain, would she have starved herself unconscious?】

【She must be starved crazy.】

At first, Jiang Xiaoya was very patient, leaning over the trash can to rummage, but she couldn't reach the bottom. In a fit of anger, she pulled the trash can over and dumped everything inside out.

Her mind was filled with the "valuable item" the system mentioned. Seeing a black plastic bag at the bottom, she felt like she had found a treasure and quickly stepped forward to untie it.

I'm rich, I'm rich, I'm really rich this time.

"Goodbye, mother, I'm setting sail tonight. Don't worry about me, I have the oars of happiness and wisdom... AHHH!!!!"

The netizens in the live stream, hearing the woman suddenly start singing in an inexplicable tune, were all speechless. Then, with her sudden scream, everyone in the chat covered their ears in unison.

【My mom asked if I have some kind of serious illness for watching this retard.】

【Hahaha, what is she singing? It's hilarious.】

【The crazy woman is scaring herself. There is no craziest, only crazier.】

【Wait, look closely at what fell on the ground.】

【Black hair, red blood... is that a human head??!!!】

【AH!!!!!!】

The plastic bag in Jiang Xiaoya's hand dropped. The head inside rolled to her feet, its eyeballs staring fixedly upward at her. Jiang Xiaoya let out another scream.

She must have bound to a prank system. This is deadly, damn it!!

Jiang Xiaoya couldn't care about her foul-smelling fingertips; she tremblingly took out her phone, which had only one bar of battery left, and dialed the police.

"Hello, Officer, I want to turn in a head. Pfft, not my head, someone else's head. I didn't kill anyone, but the head is in my hands... sigh, it's hard to explain. Anyway, hurry over here, someone's dead."

In less than half an hour, the news of someone live-streaming the discovery of a human head hit the trending searches. Netizens flooded into the live stream upon hearing the news, crowding the front row to watch the crime scene.

The police arrived quickly, cordoned off the scene, and detained Jiang Xiaoya to take her back for a statement.

At first, Jiang Xiaoya refused to go. She had just been reborn and hadn't experienced a good life yet; she didn't want to be labeled a suspect.

But when she heard the officers whispering about how this might be the bounty task their bureau had just released—finding human remains would earn a reward—she immediately agreed and went with them without another word.