C5 5
What’s the core thrill of playing a legendary online game? It’s the satisfaction of vanity. In real life, no matter how wealthy you are, you wouldn’t dare to commit a crime, right? But in a game, there are no such restrictions. As long as you’re skilled enough, you can take down anyone you dislike, provided you have the ability to do so. Currently, the pinnacle of gear on the Official Server is still the Dragon Slayer Sword. There are more unreleased sets in the Official Server database, but they’re being released at a snail’s pace, like squeezing toothpaste. Players back in 2003 were pretty straightforward, and the internet wasn’t as advanced as it is today. Even if someone discovered these unreleased items in the game database, they wouldn’t casually share them with others. After creating a few sets of gear that could be bought with cash but had a very low drop rate, Wang Qi tried tweaking titles, the kind that appear prominently above a character’s head, big and bright, to showcase status. With everything set up, including payment channels, Wang Qi encrypted his Private Server using his unique method. The only remaining issue was the server itself. Rent a server? Wang Qi couldn’t afford it. Even today, with cloud servers everywhere, renting one for a year would still cost thousands of dollars. But there was a workaround: setting up the server in an internet café, using the café’s server for his Private Server. Then he could buy a machine outright and keep it running continuously. Problem solved. As for whether the people in the internet café playing games would experience lag or if it would affect the café’s business, what did that have to do with Wang Qi? After setting up the server and posting his Private Server client and instructions on various gaming forums, Wang Qi was ready to log off and head home to sleep. It was almost 11:00 p.m. "Whoa, Wang Qi, when did you get a level 100 warrior? And you’re the lord of the castle," Liu Chao suddenly shouted from beside him before Wang Qi could log off. "Level 100? What kind of nonsense is that? If you’re level 100, I’ll eat my keyboard," Liu Chao said. With the all-nighter crowd settling in, his exclamation immediately drew everyone’s attention in the café. The guy who claimed he’d eat his keyboard took a closer look and was left speechless, only managing to mutter a stunned, "Whoa."
Soon, more and more people gathered around Wang Qi, and the place became increasingly lively. "Hey man, which server are you on? Can we be friends? Help me out?" "Hey buddy, here's a drink. If you ever get any junk gear you don't need, feel free to toss it my way." Finally, once the crowd quieted down, Wang Qi explained that he was playing on a private server and demonstrated how to download and access it right there. Wang Qi's demonstration had quite the effect. Those who usually hesitated to spend $1.50 an hour on internet fees and preferred to come late at night for an all-nighter were now eagerly logging on early. The internet café suddenly buzzed with excitement. "Wow! I just leveled up to 100 after taking down a deer. This is awesome!" one player shouted. "Whoa! I got a Dragon Slayer sword from a deer drop. I'm unstoppable!" another player exclaimed. "Ha! You think a Dragon Slayer is something special? Check out the equipment shop. They just released the Holy War set, the War God set, and the Celestial set. Those are the real deal!" a player retorted loudly. Standing in the newbie village, Wang Qi watched as more players gathered, a knowing smile spreading across his face. Everything was set; now it was just time to rake in the profits. He locked his computer and headed home for some sleep. "Let's go, it's almost eleven," he said, getting up. Seeing Liu Chao deeply engrossed in his game, Wang Qi couldn't help but chuckle as he patted him on the shoulder, signaling it was time to leave. "You go ahead, I'll play a bit longer," Liu Chao replied, having discovered something new. Without turning his head, he waved Wang Qi off and then suddenly shouted, "Whoa! I just unlocked the Summon Kirin skill for my character!" "Where is it? Where is it? Buddy, sell it to me for $50." "$50 for a Kirin? You can't even get it for $500 on the Official Server. Buddy, I'll give you $100." "Buddy, I'll offer $150."
The next morning, Wang Qi got up early. After washing up, he grabbed his bank card and headed straight to the nearest ATM. He wanted to see how much profit his Private Server had brought in overnight. $8,200! Seeing the number on the ATM screen, Wang Qi couldn't help but laugh out loud. He was thrilled with how quickly his Private Server was raking in money. The consumables in the store, like the potions that automatically replenish health and mana, and the luck potions that boost weapon luck, were all selling fast. Even the sets he had created were, in a way, consumables. With such impressive earnings after just one night, what would happen when the big guilds joined in and the weekend events like Treasure Hunt and Castle Siege kicked off? It would be a blast. Filled with excitement and joy, Wang Qi hummed a little tune as he walked to school, already planning his next steps. As soon as Wang Qi walked into the classroom, he noticed Qu Menghan already seated at her desk. "Morning. I brought you some warm buns and strawberry milk. I remember strawberries are your favorite, right?" Wang Qi approached with a smile, handing over the breakfast he picked up on the way. "How did you know?" Qu Menghan looked at Wang Qi in surprise, then waved her hand. "No, no need. I already ate before coming." Wang Qi found it amusing, seeing the undeniable longing in Qu Menghan's eyes, but he chose not to call out her little lie, simply watching her with a playful smile. "Don't look at me like that." Feeling uneasy under Wang Qi's gaze, Qu Menghan lowered her head, unable to hold her ground. It didn't take long before she gave in, reaching out to take the breakfast from Wang Qi, and said sheepishly, "Thank you." "This is the second time you've lied to me. I hope there won't be a third, okay?" Wang Qi shook his head with a smile, his eyes meeting hers with a hint of insistence. "Um, I'm sorry." Qu Menghan apologized, nodding repeatedly. "Hurry up and eat. It won't taste as good if it gets cold." Wang Qi chuckled, giving Qu Menghan's head a gentle ruffle before heading to his own seat. "Hmph. No taste." As soon as Wang Qi sat back down, he heard Zhang Wantine grumbling discontentedly beside him.
"This is already the second time you have lied to me. I do not want there to be a third time, understand?" Wang Qi smiled and shook his head. Then his gaze turned sharp as he stared directly at Qu Menghan.
