The morning sun filtered softly through the dorm room window. Lin Yi's phone buzzed with a notification. He unlocked the screen, curious.
[New Email from Jiangcheng Tech Ventures]
Lin Yi's heart skipped.
Jiangcheng Tech Ventures was one of the city's most prestigious startups—a place where talent was carefully sought and fiercely competed for. Their internship program was legendary for launching top students into high-paying careers.
He opened the email.
Dear Lin Yi,
We have been following your progress in the Artificial Intelligence Club. Your recent project "SmartSchedule" has impressed our review board. We would like to invite you for an interview for our summer internship program.
This internship will offer hands-on experience, a monthly stipend of ¥8,000, and a chance to collaborate with our lead AI developers.
Please reply by end of day if you accept the invitation.
Best regards,
Jiangcheng Tech Ventures Recruitment Team
Lin Yi stared at the message, a mixture of excitement and hesitation swirling inside him.
Accepting the offer could mean stepping into a world far beyond his current reach. But it also meant exposing himself more—showing off skills, competing on a bigger stage.
[System Reminder: Internship acceptance may increase Reputation and unlock advanced missions.]
[Warning: Increased exposure may risk revealing Shenhao System access.]
He leaned back, fingers tapping the desk. Was he ready?
The rest of the day passed in a blur. His roommates teased him relentlessly when they found out about the email.
"Wow, Lin Yi! Looks like you're finally climbing out of the gutter," Zhang Chao laughed.
"Just don't forget us little people when you're rich and famous," another joked.
Lin Yi smiled faintly but kept his thoughts to himself.
That evening, he replied with a simple:
Thank you for the invitation. I accept and look forward to the interview.
Interview day arrived.
Jiangcheng Tech Ventures' office was sleek, glass walls reflecting the city's skyline. Lin Yi felt the familiar pang of insecurity, but also the quiet determination that had carried him this far.
The interview panel was three people: a middle-aged woman with sharp eyes, a younger man typing rapidly on a laptop, and a senior developer who smiled faintly.
They asked him about his background, his coding process, and challenges he'd overcome.
When asked how he designed SmartSchedule, Lin Yi carefully explained his methodology—emphasizing adaptability and user experience.
They nodded, impressed.
But then came the technical test: a complex AI problem involving dynamic resource allocation under unpredictable conditions.
Lin Yi's system interface floated invisibly in his mind, guiding him as he coded.
He solved the problem efficiently and elegantly.
The panel's expressions shifted from curiosity to admiration.
Walking out of the building, Lin Yi exhaled deeply.
This was just the beginning.
Back at his dorm, he opened the system panel.
[New Mission Unlocked: Complete Jiangcheng Tech Ventures Internship – Reward: Advanced System Modules and Capital Injection]
He smiled.
The road ahead was long and uncertain—but no longer impossible.
He was no longer the boy picking bottles in the rain.
He was becoming something else.
Something greater.