Li Ren did not rush forward.

  That was the first rule of debt collection.

  Never act without leverage.

  He leaned against the wall, quietly observing the room.

  About a dozen servants were sweeping, carrying buckets, or scrubbing the stone floor. Their clothes were rough and worn, and most of them looked underfed.

  The fat steward paced back and forth, bamboo rod in hand.

  “Faster! Faster!” he barked. “Do you think spirit stones grow on trees?”

  Li Ren narrowed his eyes.

  Spirit stones again…

  He glanced at the glowing text above Liu Bo’s head.

  Debt: 8 spirit stones equivalent

  Status: Collectible

  Eight spirit stones.

  He still had no idea what that meant, but judging from the steward’s tone, even one seemed valuable.

  Li Ren slowly walked toward another servant, a skinny boy carrying a bucket of water.

  “Hey,” Li Ren whispered. “What’s a spirit stone worth?”

  The boy looked at him like he was crazy.

  “You hit your head or something?” he muttered. “One spirit stone can feed a servant for a month.”

  Li Ren’s steps slowed.

  A month?

  He looked back at Liu Bo.

  So that idiot owes eight months of food.

  His eyes gleamed.

  That was a very reasonable first target.

  Small debt. Low risk. Quick return.

  Perfect.

  He approached Liu Bo, who was still sweeping the floor lazily.

  “Liu Bo,” Li Ren said quietly.

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  The boy turned, frowning. “What do you want?”

  Li Ren crossed his arms.

  “You stole two spirit stones from Junior Disciple Chen four years ago.”

  Liu Bo’s face instantly paled.

  “How—how do you know that?”

  So it was true.

  Li Ren felt a flicker of satisfaction.

  The system doesn’t lie.

  He leaned closer.

  “You never paid it back,” Li Ren continued. “With interest, you now owe eight spirit stones’ worth.”

  Liu Bo’s eyes darted around nervously.

  “Keep your voice down!” he hissed. “If the steward hears—”

  “Then pay,” Li Ren said calmly.

  “I don’t have eight spirit stones!”

  “Then we’ll settle for collateral.”

  Liu Bo blinked. “What?”

  Li Ren wasn’t entirely sure what he was saying either, but it sounded right.

  “You took something that wasn’t yours,” he said. “Now you repay with something that is.”

  Liu Bo swallowed.

  “I… I really don’t have anything.”

  The system window suddenly appeared.

  Available Collateral:

  - 3 months lifespan

  - Minor strength

  Li Ren stared at the text.

  Lifespan?

  He almost laughed.

  This system is insane.

  But the other option was “minor strength.” That sounded safer.

  “Fine,” Li Ren said. “I’ll take strength.”

  Before Liu Bo could react, a cold sensation spread through the air.

  A faint golden chain appeared between them only visible to Li Ren.

  The system text flashed.

  Debt Collection Initiated.

  Collateral: Minor Strength

  Liu Bo suddenly staggered.

  “Huh? Why do I feel… weak?”

  A warm surge of energy flowed into Li Ren’s body.

  His muscles tightened. His senses sharpened. The fatigue in his limbs vanished.

  Collection Successful.

  Debt Qi Gained: +5

  Li Ren clenched his fists.

  This… this is real power.

  He had never felt this alive before.

  No meditation.

  No training.

  No years of effort.

  Just… collection.

  He exhaled slowly.

  “This world is terrifying,” he muttered.

  Liu Bo collapsed to his knees, breathing heavily.

  “What… what did you do to me?”

  Li Ren looked down at him.

  “For now?” he said. “I balanced the books.”

  A new system window appeared.

  First Collection Complete.

  Reward:

  - Debt Qi +10

  - Minor Body Refinement

  Warmth flooded his entire body.

  His bones creaked softly. His muscles tightened. The weakness of his new body faded slightly.

  Realm Progress:

  Debt Qi: 15/100

  Li Ren’s eyes lit up.

  Fifteen already…

  He looked around the room again.

  Above nearly every servant’s head, faint numbers hovered.

  Small debts. Minor promises. Old grudges.

  Nothing impressive.

  Then his gaze drifted back to the fat steward.

  Above his head, the massive golden text still shone.

  Debt: 5,100 spirit stones equivalent

  Status: High Priority

  Li Ren’s heart thumped.

  Five thousand…

  If eight spirit stones felt this strong…

  What would five thousand do?

  He shook his head.

  “No,” he whispered. “That’s how collectors die.”

  He had learned that lesson the hard way.

  Small debts first.

  Build leverage.

  Then go after the big fish.

  Still, he couldn’t help smiling.

  Back on Earth, he chased people for overdue credit cards.

  Here…

  He could take lifespan.

  Strength.

  Techniques.

  He looked at his system interface again.

  Debt Qi: 15/100

  Realm: Ledger Initiate (Stage 1)

  For the first time since waking up in this strange world, he felt a spark of excitement.

  “This place runs on power,” he murmured.

  His gaze returned to the glowing debts all around him.

  “And everyone is in debt.”

  A slow, calculating smile spread across his face.

  “Perfect.”