Jin Yu stared blankly at his cracked phone screen, the flickering image of an old movie he’d long since given up on watching. His room was a mess—empty ramen cups, discarded textbooks, and clothes scattered around the floor. At 22 years old, Jin Yu’s life didn’t feel much different from the clutter around him. He didn’t have a fancy job, a bright future, or any grand ambitions. All he had was his outdated phone, a budget model that barely worked anymore, and a lack of direction. With a sigh, he glanced at his reflection in the dusty mirror. Messy hair, unshaven face, and eyes that screamed “I haven’t figured my life out yet.” That’s when it happened. A sudden ping erupted from his phone screen, and a small pop-up message appeared, catching his attention: “[Welcome to the Evolution System. Your journey begins now. Please be patient as you unlock your full potential.]” Jin Yu blinked and rubbed his eyes. “What the hell is this?” He flicked the phone, expecting the notification to disappear, but it remained, mocking him with its cryptic message. He tapped the notification, half-expecting it to close, but instead, a glowing icon materialized at the corner of his screen—an icon that resembled a tiny, radiant crystal. “This... what?” Jin Yu muttered. “Did I download some weird app while binge-watching videos? This is either a prank or I’ve lost my mind.” The icon pulsed again, and suddenly, his phone went black. Before he could even think about turning it off, a deep, resonant voice boomed in his head, clear and precise: “[Evolution Points have been unlocked. You may now begin your first upgrade. Please accept your starter pack to begin.]” Jin Yu froze. His heart skipped a beat. “Okay, nope. This is definitely not normal.” He glanced around the room, half-expecting hidden cameras or someone to pop out and reveal it was all a joke. “Am I going crazy?” He tried tapping the screen again to make it turn off, but it remained unresponsive. The glowing icon only grew brighter, as if daring him to keep resisting. “[Starter Pack granted. Please open to claim your rewards.]” “Starter pack?” Jin Yu repeated, his voice dripping with sarcasm. “This is some kind of game, right? A prank?” Ignoring his growing suspicion, he tapped the glowing icon. To his astonishment, a new screen appeared with a glowing package on it. He clicked it, and a list of items appeared: Starter Pack Includes: 1x Beginner Upgrade Coupon – A free upgrade for any item, without consuming Evolution Points. 1x Instruction Manual – A simple guide to help you understand the Evolution System. Jin Yu's mind went blank. “Okay, okay, this is weird... What the hell is all this?” He looked over the items in disbelief. “Evolution System? Points? Upgrades? Am I supposed to be upgrading stuff?” The voice returned, calm and matter-of-fact: “[Congratulations. Your starter pack has been activated. You are now ready to begin your evolution journey.]” Jin Yu, still in disbelief, sighed and looked down at his phone. The broken screen, the slow processing, the glitches—it was all part of his once-budget phone. It was barely functional, always crashing when he tried to open apps. With a shrug, he decided to try out the Beginner Upgrade Coupon. He tapped on the coupon. A confirmation message popped up: “[Are you sure you want to use your Beginner Upgrade Coupon to upgrade your phone?]” Jin Yu hesitated for a moment, then shrugged. “What’s the worst that can happen?” He tapped Confirm. There was a strange hum, and for a moment, nothing seemed to happen. But then—his phone flickered. The screen crackled and shimmered, the cracks on the surface slowly disappearing as if they were never there. The device itself felt more responsive, the apps opening instantly. Jin Yu gasped. “No way... did I just... upgrade my phone?” A notification popped up on the screen: “[Upgrade complete. Your phone has been upgraded from budget model to flagship model.]” Jin Yu stared at the phone, blinking in disbelief. The sluggish, outdated phone he had been using for the past year had suddenly transformed. It was smoother, faster, and even the screen looked clearer, with no sign of the cracks that used to mar the surface. “Wait... that was it?” Jin Yu mumbled, still trying to wrap his head around what had just happened. “I upgraded my phone from a budget model... to a mid-range? How? This... this is insane.” Another notification appeared, confirming his thoughts: “[Beginner Upgrade Coupon redeemed. A free upgrade has been used.]” Jin Yu looked at the phone in his hand, feeling both awestruck and slightly overwhelmed. “Okay, okay, so I just used the Beginner Upgrade Coupon to upgrade my phone. But what does this mean? What else can I do with this Evolution System?” As if the voice could hear his thoughts, it spoke again: “[The Evolution System allows you to upgrade objects, starting with simple items.]" "[As you gain more Evolution Points, you will unlock the ability to upgrade even greater things.]" "[Continue your upgrades to evolve your world.]” Jin Yu blinked. “Evolve my world?” He chuckled nervously. “Okay, what does that mean exactly? Can I upgrade... people? Or my luck? Or—?” Before he could finish his thought, a new message appeared on the screen: “[Earth has not yet been upgraded. Current world status: Basic. 0 Evolution Points required to upgrade Earth to Lower Plane.]” Jin Yu’s mind reeled. “Wait, wait, wait... Earth? You mean... I can upgrade the entire planet? What does that even mean?” The voice answered, almost reassuringly: “[The world around you can be upgraded, just as you upgraded your phone. Begin small, and the world will follow.]” Jin Yu stared at the message in disbelief. "I can upgrade Earth? And what does it mean for the world to be upgraded to a 'Lower Plane'? What’s going on here?" The voice was calm, as if this was all completely normal: “[You may begin by upgrading objects around you. The more Evolution Points you accumulate, the greater the changes you can bring. This is just the start of your journey.]” Jin Yu felt a strange excitement begin to stir within him. He looked around the room, considering his options. “Well, I just upgraded my phone... what should I upgrade next? My luck? My bank account? How about my entire life?” Suddenly, another notification appeared: “[Every cultivator who reaches the limit of their current plane of evolution may grant you 1 Evolution Points.]” Jin Yu raised an eyebrow. “Wait, wait, wait... so if other cultivators reach their limit, I get Evolution Points? That’s... interesting.” He smiled to himself, already feeling a strange sense of power in his hands. “Alright, time to make some upgrades. My phone’s just the start. Who knows what else I can change?” As he looked at his phone again, a new reminder notification appeared: “[You will receive 1 Evolution Point every 7 days as long as you continue to evolve your surroundings. Stay patient as you build your potential.]” Jin Yu felt a spark of excitement. “Seven days, huh? That’s not too bad. If I keep going, I can rack up Evolution Points in no time!” With renewed enthusiasm, he glanced around his room. The possibilities felt endless, and as the Evolution System hummed in the background, Jin Yu knew that his life was about to change in ways he couldn’t even imagine. [End of Chapter 1]