I Can Stay Alive by Spending Money

What does it feel like to suddenly learn you only have one year left to live?

Unfortunately, this isn’t some clickbait Q&A from Zhihu, nor is there a marketing account burning the midnight oil to spin you some tear-jerking "true story."

An Yi felt his brain go numb.

Isn’t this just the same as receiving a terminal diagnosis?!

Only one year left—what ordinary person could handle that?!

Wait, why was he even listening to Shen Muxuan’s nonsense?

This girl couldn’t even count the three steamed buns he stole from her—no way she could calculate his lifespan.

But then again… if she didn’t know his lifespan, how did she know it had suddenly dropped by ten years?

Damn it! It might actually be true!

Seeing An Yi’s expression darken, Shen Muxuan also realized something was wrong. Her face paled. "A-An Yi… don’t tell me you don’t have a way to extend your lifespan?"

An Yi’s lips twitched.

Are you kidding me?!

Since when was extending lifespan something anyone could just do?!

Waving his hand in defeat, An Yi muttered, "No cure. No treatment. Just waiting to die now."

This damn system!

It lured him with that 200% all-attribute boost from [Berserk Mode], let him use it for ten minutes, then silently deducted ten years from his life!

Back then, he’d naively thought he could live to his seventies or eighties like a normal person.

As for why his lifespan was so short now…

An Yi pondered and quickly found the answer.

Most likely, it was from escaping the Celestial Tower.

Forcibly breaking through spatial barriers!

Not only did it leave his body severely injured, but he also lost all his power!

If not for the lucky coincidence of the Villain System attaching to him and enhancing his stats, he’d probably be just an ordinary guy right now.

Shen Muxuan grabbed An Yi’s hand, her eyes brimming with tears. "An Yi, there has to be a way! There has to be! I won’t let you die!"

Touched, An Yi gently stroked her cheek and smiled. "Don’t worry. There’s no way I’m dying! I still have over a year left!"

Over a year… that’s so short.

How could he extend his lifespan?

An Yi fell into deep thought.

An emperor from Xia Country had once agonized over this same question. Later, he died.

Shen Muxuan’s tears fell like raindrops as she stared at An Yi with determination. "I’ll beg my master! She’s incredibly powerful and knows ways to extend lifespan. But… she specifically warned me never to reveal this to anyone!"

"Muxuanzi, I’m counting on you."

An Yi patted her head gratefully.

With a disciple like this, what more could he ask for?

Secretly, he swore to himself: Whatever secrets he had, he’d take them to the grave before sharing them with this girl!

"Mm! I’ll definitely save you!" Shen Muxuan wiped her tears, her expression resolute.

Ding! System Notification: Host’s lifespan is critically low. Please recharge immediately!

The system’s voice abruptly echoed in An Yi’s mind.

An Yi thought this Villain System’s timing was terrible—it should’ve waited until after he died to send this message!

But as he carefully processed the system’s words, his eyes widened.

Recharge?!

You can recharge lifespan?!

Ecstatic, An Yi immediately tapped the recharge button.

Money for life?!

This was beyond broken!

He always knew the system was a real MVP!

Money? No problem!

He still had the 50,000 Lin Chen gave him—he was practically swimming in cash!

If money could buy lifespan, then that 200% all-attribute Berserk Mode would be his to activate whenever he wanted!

Grinning, An Yi clicked the exchange button, ready to dump all 50,000 into it.

Money or life—which was more important?

Was that even a question?!

Ding! System Notification: Lifespan recharge must be calculated in days!

An Yi froze.

Days?

Then he saw the exchange rate listed below.

50,000 = 0.5 days!

What the hell?!

He’d risked his life to earn that 50,000, and now it could only buy him half a day?!

50,000 for half a day?!

Useless trash system!

Shen Muxuan watched as An Yi’s expression cycled through confusion, joy, shock, and rage like a one-man theater show. "An Yi… what’s wrong?"

"Oh, nothing. You contact your master, and I’ll focus on making money. We’ll split the work."

An Yi spoke with newfound determination.

His dwindling lifespan had forced this lazy bum into a corner—he had to start hustling!

Shen Muxuan nodded blankly, only half-understanding.

Relying on himself for money wouldn’t cut it.

Without hesitation, An Yi called one of his subordinates.

"Boss, what’s the order?"

Ding Renfeng’s voice came through the phone, solemn and serious.

An Yi chuckled awkwardly. "Uh, yeah, so… Feng, buddy… you got any cash? I’m a little tight right now."

Borrowing from his underling—he was probably the first boss to stoop this low. But pride was a luxury he couldn’t afford.

Ding Renfeng replied earnestly, "Boss, I’ve got about 300 left. After deducting cigars and Forget-Me-Not milk, that leaves around 200. Will that—"

An Yi hung up.

Clearly, he’d asked the wrong guy.

Someone who smoked knockoff cigars was never going to be rich.

These guys struggling on the poverty line probably expected him to lead them to prosperity!

Who was the wealthiest in Jiangbei City?

An Yi’s knowledge was limited, but the first name that came to mind was Qiu Xu’s father, Qiu Dafu!

No way that’d work—he’d beaten up the man’s son. No loans there.

Next was Qin Yao’s father, Qin Zhengwei!

Yunzhou City.

A damp, dimly lit basement.

Two women hung suspended, their hands bound.

One had tanned skin and a curvaceous figure, though her face was plain.

The other was burly, her build anything but feminine.

Their bodies were covered in blood, bruises, and wounds—some so infected they’d begun to fester.

Creak!

The basement door opened, and a middle-aged man walked in, followed by a mixed-race beauty.

"Still not talking, Wild Rose?"

The man lit a cigarette, flicking the ash as his gravelly voice filled the room.

The two captives were none other than the ones who’d sold Nie Qinglan to Night Blossom for 500,000.

The tanned woman was Wild Rose; the other, her subordinate.

Wild Rose lifted her battered face, pleading, "Boss Nie, I swear I didn’t know Nie Qinglan was your daughter! Please, spare me!"

"Didn’t know?"

Boss Nie smirked. "Wild Rose, I’m almost fifty. You think I’m stupid? Are all you Pleasure Sect members this dense?"

Wild Rose regretted everything.

She never should’ve crossed this man.

Boss Nie’s influence ran far deeper than she’d imagined—what she’d seen was just the tip of the iceberg.

And Nie Qinglan? She’d touched a dragon’s reverse scale!

Wild Rose gritted her teeth. "Boss Nie, I’ll tell you the truth!"

Boss Nie didn’t bother listening. He loaded a bullet into his revolver and pressed it to Wild Rose’s forehead. "Sorry. Not interested anymore."

"Boss Nie! Please—"

Bang!

Bang!

Two gunshots later, the two tortured women became corpses.

"Dare hurt my daughter? You had a death wish."

Boss Nie tossed the gun aside, his gaze icy.

"How’s Qinglan been lately?" he asked the mixed-race woman coolly.

The mixed-race beauty adjusted her black-framed glasses and spoke up, "She's still in Jiangbei City, and she's been getting closer to An Yi lately."

"An Yi..." Boss Nie pondered silently.

He had never underestimated An Yi, but every time, An Yi's capabilities exceeded his expectations.

"Boss, if you don’t rein in Qinglan soon, she might just get swept away by that An Yi kid!" the mixed-race beauty said with a playful grin.

Boss Nie’s lips curled into a smile. "I actually like that An Yi kid. If he ends up as my son-in-law, I might not mind at all."