Chapter 1

"Ah, I'm scared to death!" Chu Tianlin, who was lying on the bed, suddenly sat up, feeling his face and arms with both hands, his expression full of fear.

It turned out that while sleeping, Chu Tianlin had dreamed that he had turned into a computer, without hands or feet, unable to move, and even the power on and off were controlled by others. Although Chu Tianlin's current life was a bit tough, it was still better than being a computer like a vegetable. Fortunately, it was just a dream! Chu Tianlin confirmed again with his hands that everything he should have was there and could move. It was all good, all good!

After confirming that he hadn't turned into a computer, Chu Tianlin lay down again, but he couldn't fall back asleep. It was already midnight, and the entire room was pitch black and quiet. Many things that could be avoided during the day could not be avoided in the dead of night.

In half a month, he would graduate, but Chu Tianlin's future was bleak. There were four people in the dormitory, and the other three had already determined their paths after leaving school. Only Chu Tianlin himself would be unemployed upon graduation. Chu Tianlin studied computer science, and although his knowledge wasn't very solid, he wasn't completely unskilled. Finding a job shouldn't be too difficult.

However, just as various companies were recruiting at Fuzhou University, Chu Tianlin's girlfriend, whom he had pursued for over half a year, broke up with him. This was a huge blow to Chu Tianlin. After all, their relationship had just been established and was rapidly progressing. Chu Tianlin was about to escape his lonely life, but unexpectedly, she broke up with him. Chu Tianlin lost both his girlfriend and his prospects!

No longer believing in love, Chu Tianlin fell into a month of depression, staying in the dormitory and playing games every day. He missed all the job fairs at the school. When he finally pulled himself together, he could only submit resumes online to look for jobs. However, out of dozens of resumes, only a few received any response.

The few companies he interviewed with either didn't meet Chu Tianlin's requirements or he didn't meet theirs. Each time, he returned home disappointed. Work experience was a crucial factor in job hunting. Apart from the companies that recruited on campus, very few companies hired fresh graduates.

Missing the school job fairs made finding a job much harder. Chu Tianlin's personal competitiveness was also quite average, so he became one of the many unemployed. Although he hadn't graduated yet, Chu Tianlin was very clear that graduation meant unemployment for him.

Chu Tianlin's family background was also very ordinary, and they couldn't provide him with any useful connections or resources. During the day, Chu Tianlin tried not to think about these things, but now, he couldn't help but worry. As for his ex-girlfriend, he had become much more detached.

Chu Tianlin's ex-girlfriend, named Zhai Xiaolan, was in the same department but a different class. She had a decent figure and, when dressed up, could be considered quite attractive. The reason she broke up with Chu Tianlin was that she had found a better target. The deputy manager of the software company she applied to earned a monthly salary of 20,000 to 30,000 yuan, which was considered high in Fuzhou, a third-tier city.

They met a few times and quickly established a relationship. As for Chu Tianlin, he didn't even have a job yet. Even if he found a job in Fuzhou, his salary would be around 3,000 to 4,000 yuan, and his family background was also average. To Zhai Xiaolan, Chu Tianlin was just a stopgap.

After the breakup with Zhai Xiaolan, Chu Tianlin finally realized that to win a girlfriend, it wasn't about how well you treated her or how much you pleased her; improving yourself was the key. If Chu Tianlin were already a social elite with a million-yuan annual salary, would Zhai Xiaolan have left?

Even if they were together, it would be Zhai Xiaolan who would be trying to please Chu Tianlin. Understanding this, Chu Tianlin wasn't too upset about Zhai Xiaolan's departure. However, although he understood this, becoming a social elite was no easy task. Without any background or solid skills, and without even a job, how could he become a social elite? Besides dreaming, there seemed to be no other way.

Just as Chu Tianlin was thinking this, a clear voice suddenly said, "Start a beautiful dream thirty minutes after shutdown. Confirm?"

"Who? Who's talking?"

Chu Tianlin was startled by the sudden voice and sat up abruptly, looking around. It was midnight, and it was very dark, with only a sliver of moonlight. If someone moved, he should have been able to notice some abnormality, but he saw nothing. His three roommates were still sleeping like pigs. The voice was unfamiliar, and Chu Tianlin was sure it wasn't one of theirs. Who could it be?

At that moment, the voice spoke again, "I am the Computer Manager!"

Hearing the voice again, Chu Tianlin calmed down a bit. With a mix of curiosity and fear, he asked, "Computer Manager, what is that?"

"It's the thing that manages you."

"Manage me? ... What, did I really turn into a computer?"

In his dream, Chu Tianlin had turned into a computer, unable to speak or move. Now, after waking up, a Computer Manager appeared. Had he fallen asleep again? Chu Tianlin pinched his thigh. It hurt! This wasn't a dream. What was going on? The Computer Manager continued, "Call my computer to see your status!"

Chu Tianlin was puzzled, "My computer?"

As soon as he thought this, a computer-like desktop appeared before his eyes. It was a virtual screen, and Chu Tianlin could see a very three-dimensional photo in the center, almost like looking in a mirror. Next to the photo was a circular icon with the words "Computer Manager." So, that was the Computer Manager!

Chu Tianlin then focused on the image of himself on the screen. It was like a double-click effect, and the screen changed. His entire body was divided into several parts: his head, limbs, and torso, and the third part, which was a bit eerie, showed his internal organs!

At this moment, the voice spoke again, "First boot-up, do you want a full health check?"

Chu Tianlin replied, "Health check? Sure, let's do it."

"Your energy is insufficient. Continuing the health check will consume 3 kilograms of fat. Confirm?"

Chu Tianlin, feeling as if he were in a dream, eagerly said, "Of course, continue!"

Compared to high school, university life was much more relaxed. Many people gained weight during their four years at university. Chu Tianlin, who originally had a good physique, had gained nearly 20 kilograms and developed a small belly. If he could lose a few kilograms of fat, he would be very happy!

Next, the virtual screen displayed "Health Check in Progress," followed by a series of scores. The first was the head score, with his nose, ears, and mouth all scoring around 80, indicating that these organs were very healthy.

His eyes scored only around 40. Although Chu Tianlin wasn't a glasses-wearing man, he had a few hundred degrees of myopia. It seemed that myopia affected the eye score. In addition to the individual scores of the facial features, there was also a beauty score. Indeed, the face's beauty was very important, and the beauty score was also significant.

However, this score satisfied Chu Tianlin. 77 points. It seemed he wasn't a big handsome guy, but he was still a small handsome guy! Chu Tianlin felt quite pleased. Because his eyes significantly lowered his score, his overall head score was 76.

Next was the score for his limbs and torso. The health check was very quick, but the scores were quite disappointing. Both his limbs and torso scored around 40 to 50 points, with an overall score in the 40s.

It seemed that his four years of being a homebody in university had greatly reduced his physical fitness.

The last part of the health check, the internal organs, scored a bit better, around 70 to 80 points. Although his limbs and torso were in poor condition, his internal organs were healthy, and Chu Tianlin felt relieved. At this point, Chu Tianlin was sure he wasn't dreaming, but he was still very excited about this bizarre situation.

At this moment, the Computer Manager said, "Health check complete. The hardware condition of the main unit is very poor. It is recommended to immediately replace the hardware; the processor and memory are in poor condition. It is recommended to upgrade the processor and increase the memory capacity; the external devices, except for the camera, which needs to be replaced, are still usable."

Chu Tianlin almost jumped up. This was too harsh!

The hardware condition must refer to his limbs and torso, right? Was it suggesting he replace his body? Would he still be alive after that? What about the processor and memory? Did it mean his heart and brain?

But these things couldn't be upgraded. And the camera, which must refer to his eyes, could be replaced with a retinal transplant, but that was for the blind. Why would a normal person need a retinal transplant? The rejection reaction would be severe. This Computer Manager was really making things difficult for him!