Ryan was heading back to his modest one-bedroom apartment after a grueling day at work. As a computer programmer for Googal, his life was far from easy. Despite earning a substantial salary of around 200k dollars annually, he found himself with little time to enjoy it. At just 21, Ryan had joined Googal with an initial package of 60k dollars, marking him as one of the youngest talents in the company. His seniors had always been supportive.

However, as the years passed, Ryan realized that while he had a headstart, it did not guarantee success. After all, success was a relative term, and for him, it equated to having a life of freedom. He had thought that securing a company job would be his path to that freedom, providing him with job security, a stable income, and insurance. Yet, in spite of obtaining all these things, what he lost was the very thing he desired: his freedom.

Nonetheless, Ryan continued working. His new life demanded it - he had rent to pay, money to send home, and a lifestyle to maintain. Besides, living in New York was expensive.

As he rode the metro, he couldn't resist a melancholic sigh. "Where did I end up?" he asked himself silently.

Once at his apartment, he looked around the lifeless space and sighed again. "What a depressing environment. If only there was more excitement, if only life was more colorful."

He cooked a quick meal of ramen, then watched a movie before going to bed. This was his routine.

As he was about to fall asleep, his cellphone buzzed. His mother was calling.

Ryan answered the phone, "Hello. What's up, Mom?"

"Oh, so you do remember me. How have you been? Can't you come back to visit us? It's been five years since you left." His mother's words came out rapid-fire.

"Of course I remember you guys. It's just that work is very busy. If I take a vacation, there's no guarantee that they won't lay me off. Plus, I need to pay for the apartment and all. Wait for another year, and once I get the promotion, I'll take a month-long vacation and come back," Ryan assured his mother.

His mother sighed over the phone and said, "You always say that. Well, you rest well. Goodbye."

"Take care, Mom. Bye." Ryan replied, then ended the call.

Staring at the phone, Ryan let out another sigh. 'When will my fortune change? How long will I have to continue this grind?'

With these thoughts, he drifted off to sleep.

The next morning, as per his routine, Ryan woke up at 7. He freshened up, had bread and milk for breakfast, and by 8, he was on his way to the Googal office.

As he navigated the city streets, he heard a screech of tires. He turned to see a black sedan crashing into a parked car. Two figures emerged from the wreck, each wielding a gun.

A police car had been tailing the sedan at the time of the crash. The officer quickly exited his vehicle, shouting, "Stop right there! NYPD officer on duty." He relayed the unfolding situation to other nearby patrol cars via radio.

Amidst this chaos, Ryan stood frozen, confusion painting his face. When he saw the armed men rushing towards him, the danger of his situation sank in. His mind screamed at him to run, but his body seemed to be in disagreement, refusing to respond in the face of impending danger.

"Stop right there, or we'll shoot!" one of the assailants threatened, his gun pointing directly at Ryan.

Ryan could only watch in terror as he was taken hostage. Moments later, the police officer arrived at the scene.

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"What are you guys trying to do? Leave that civilian out of this!" The officer ordered.

"Do you think we're fools? If we let this guy go, we're as good as dead," one of the assailants retorted.

"Let us go, and we'll release him once we're sure we're not being pursued. If you don't, his life is on the line," his partner warned.

"Okay! Don't shoot. I'll back up slowly," the officer conceded, prioritizing Ryan's safety.

As the officer slowly retreated, fate seemed to have a different plan. Another police car sped onto the scene, and an officer shot one of the assailants.

Seeing his partner fall, the remaining assailant reacted instinctively, shooting Ryan before he himself was gunned down by the retreating officer.

Sadly for Ryan, the bullet from the assailant had already found its mark, piercing his skull just before the shooter's own demise.

"Damn it, I was just a moment too slow," the officer lamented.

'Fuck you, your momentary delay cost me my life.' That was Ryan's final thought before everything faded to black.

'Motherfucker, how can I die like this? I haven't even married yet. I wanted to go home. I still had to finish that project of mine.'

Regardless of his unfulfilled wishes, the brutal reality remained: Ryan was dead, and nothing could undo that tragic fact.

———

After what felt like an eternity, Ryan's body ached as if it had been torn apart and reassembled. Slowly, he opened his eyes and found himself in a dumpster.

'Ugh, where am I? Didn't I die? Why does my body hurt like hell?' As Ryan tried to piece together what had happened, a torrent of memories flooded into his mind. Along with his physical pain, he felt as though he were dying all over again.

But after enduring a few agonizing moments, the pain subsided, and a look of understanding settled on Ryan's face.

This was a world of cultivation. The name of the person he had replaced was Raju, a sixteen-year-old orphan. As per the rules of the orphanage, those who turned sixteen would have to leave. That very morning, Raju had packed his few belongings and departed the only home he'd ever known. Grateful for the years of care, he knew he was now on his own and must fend for himself.

Upon leaving the orphanage, Raju sought employment but found no one willing to hire him, as he had no experience. In his search, he inadvertently attracted the attention of a group of ruffians.

These thugs followed him, ensuring he was not someone of importance. Once they were convinced, they lured him away with the promise of work, only to brutally beat him and steal his meager possessions. Though there was nothing valuable among his belongings, these ruffians were the type to kill and steal for even the smallest gain.

Growing up in the orphanage, Raju had never been well-fed or adequately cared for. His build was lanky, and his appearance feeble. Ironically, this is what saved him from a fate worse than robbery. If he had looked stronger or healthier, he might have been sold into slavery. The ruffians, after dumping him in the dumpster, took one last look of disdain before deciding he wasn't even worth selling.

Ryan, or from now on, Raju, caught their contemptuous glances before blacking out in the dumpster.

'The value of life here seems so low. This is a world where might makes right. What else should I have expected? Equality? Ha.' Raju mused to himself.

The memories of both Raju and Ryan had merged, and from that moment forward, they were one and the same.

Raju pulled himself out of the dumpster and surveyed his surroundings. 'Now, let's focus on survival.'

His initial plan was to beg, earn a bit of money just to scrape by. He would go to a busy street and beg there, hoping that someone might offer him something out of pity.

As Raju started to walk, the pendant around his neck began to glow. This was a pendant he'd had since he arrived at the orphanage. Everyone assumed it was a final gift from his parents. The pendant, essentially a ring threaded onto a piece of string, was anything but beautiful. Because of its unappealing appearance, the ruffians had not bothered to steal it. It looked like a piece of scrap.

However, when the ruffians had beaten Raju and discarded him in the dumpster, his blood had splashed onto the ring. Now, it illuminated with a soft light.

'What on earth is happening? Have I struck gold? Am I getting a cheese?' Raju wondered. Being an Earthling, Ryan had been an avid fan of webnovels. He had read enough of them to know that without a goldenfinger, a webnovel won’t be a success.

Now that he had been transmigrated into such a story, he was being granted one. His harsh circumstances had prevented him from considering this possibility, but when he saw the glowing ring, he realized his golden opportunity had arrived.

[Congratulations on being selected by The Eternal System.]