Chapter 21: Challenge

Gao Yang closed his eyes.

[Entering system]

[You have gained 61 luck points]

The points were about what Gao Yang had expected. 2 days and 4 hours equals 48 points, and with Fat Jun's attack, the earnings were doubled, adding a few more points.

— I want to draw a talent.

[Learning a new talent requires 30 luck points, confirm?]

— Confirm!

[Learning in progress...]

[Learning in progress...]

[Learning failed]

— Damn it! This is too much! Is it really that difficult?

[Re-learning requires 30 luck points]

— Scammer! Fine, I've got 31 luck points left. I'll spend them all on increasing my luck.

— The interview is coming up soon, the stronger I am, the better.

[Luck points successfully added. Luck is now 132]

[Congratulations! You've gained an additional 20 permanent flexible attribute points, which can be freely allocated]

— Then add more luck.

[Nested points are prohibited]

— Fine, let me think. I'll add to charisma.

[Increase 20 points in charisma, confirm?]

— Confirm, it's only 20 points, adding to other attributes likely won't show a significant improvement, might as well raise my impression points.

[Stamina: 27 Endurance: 28]

[Strength: 17 Agility: 27]

[Mental: 37 Charisma: 39]

[Luck: 132]

[Session ended, system hidden]

[Beep—]

Gao Yang opened his eyes and turned to Qingling, "Does my face look any different?"

Qingling glanced at him indifferently, "Nothing seems different."

Gao Yang wasn't convinced, "Look closely, there should be a difference. For example, my eyes look sharper, my features more defined, and my skin is smoother..."

"Your skin's thicker," Qingling said.

This woman has no aesthetic sense. Never mind, I won't argue with her.

Gao Yang took a deep breath, adjusted his shirt collar, and stepped boldly into the arcade.

Before him was a small 20-square-meter storefront with two rows of old arcade machines lined up against the walls. The screens played vibrant promotional animations, and the dim space was bathed in retro camouflage neon light. The ceiling fan turned slowly, occasionally creaking.

A young man was sitting in the corner of the room, focused on playing a game.

Gao Yang and Qingling exchanged a glance. Gao Yang took a step forward and said, "Hello, we're here for the interview."

The young man didn't respond but didn't show any hostility either.

Gao Yang walked closer and saw that the young man was playing Dynasty Wars (a game about the Three Kingdoms). He had chosen Zhuge Liang as his character, wielding an ice sword and was exploiting a bug to freeze the final boss, Cao Cao, infinitely.

Wow, this guy is no fair player.

The young man looked a bit thin, dressed in a full set of leather clothes, adorned with studs all over. His hair was shaved on the sides, with a spiky tuft in the middle, dyed bright yellow, resembling a broomstick head.

He had tattoos on his chest, back of his neck, and arms, some of them strange, but Gao Yang recognized one of them—an unusual pig's head designed to look like a hair dryer.

"Ah—"

The boss, Cao Cao, in the game let out a scream, and his health bar hit the bottom. The game cleared.

The young man didn't stand up but glanced at them. "Just you?"

Gao Yang felt a bit discouraged. I just added 20 points to my charisma. Shouldn't I at least get some respect?

"And me," Qingling said.

The young man poked his head out and immediately perked up when he saw Qingling behind Gao Yang.

"Oh ho, a beauty!" He quickly stood up and exaggeratedly smoothed his broomstick hair with both hands. "So it's the two of you."

"And me?" Gao Yang asked.

Officer Huang lifted the blue cloth and walked in. "Sorry, I'm late. We haven't started, right?"

"We just arrived," Gao Yang replied.

Officer Huang smiled at the broomstick-head guy. "Let me introduce. This is our interviewer tonight, Mr. Wu Dahui."

The young man, with his hands in his pockets, gave off an aloof vibe. "Just call me Hai Ge."

"These two are my new companions, Gao Yang and Qingling," Officer Huang continued. "I lost last time, but this time I brought my companions to join the challenge. Is that okay?"

"Fine. If I lose tonight, don't come bother me again this month," Wu Dahui said arrogantly.

"Alright."

"Let's begin." Qingling raised her hand, and a Tang Dao (Chinese sword) appeared in her hand.

"Wow, that's some weapon! It's even retractable!" Wu Dahui's eyes lit up. "This thing isn't yours, right? Where did you get it?"

"None of your business." Qingling assumed a battle stance.

"Beauties are so proud!" Wu Dahui wasn't angry. He lazily dug at his ear. "So, who's going first?"

"I'll go first," Officer Huang said.

"Okay, the usual rules, three rounds of challenges!" Wu Dahui spread his arms wide. "Choose any three games. Win me three times, and you pass."

"Pick what?" Qingling asked.

Officer Huang smiled. "I forgot to tell you, the interview is a street fighter arcade competition. You can choose any three machines. If you beat him, you're qualified. I've tried many times and lost each time. You're young, so playing games should be your forte. The odds of winning should be pretty high this time."

"Officer Huang, when you say you're weak, do you mean in playing games?" Gao Yang asked, feeling a little speechless.

"Yeah."

Qingling frowned. She didn't understand. "Why not just kill this fool?"

"Hahahaha... Kill me?" Wu Dahui laughed until he almost choked. "Beauty, you know nothing about strength! I'm giving you a chance! Don't be ungrateful! If it's really a fight, even if all three of you attack me at once—"

Wu Dahui yelled, "Even if it's one by one, I still can't win!"

Gao Yang was embarrassed. This is the famous "saying the softest lines with the loudest tone" trope?

Wu Dahui was smug. "Hmph, I'm not a combat-type talent, so I definitely can't compete with you guys. But if you hurt a hair on me, the organization has plenty of big shots to deal with you."

"Alright, alright, we're all awakened ones, let's keep it peaceful, no infighting," Officer Huang quickly intervened. "I'll go first. I'll pick the shooting game."

With that, he walked to an arcade machine and inserted a coin. Wu Dahui followed and inserted his coin as well.

Gao Yang walked over and saw it was 1945: Strike Fighter, a shooting game.

This game was Gao Yang's childhood nightmare. After putting in a coin, he couldn't last more than a few minutes before dying. He hated flight-shooter games.

Officer Huang and Wu Dahui both chose a fighter jet and started the game.

"The usual rules, three lives, but the competition only counts as one life. No bombs allowed, whoever dies first loses."

"No problem."

The game began.

The first stage was relatively easy, with few enemy bullets. Both of them passed easily and got the best weapons.

The second stage, however, was much more intense. The bullet patterns became denser, and they couldn't use bombs to clear them. They had to rely on regular attacks, adding pressure. Both of them maneuvered with agile moves.

By the third stage, it was clear that both were getting into it.

Officer Huang, being a Gun God, likely had some advantages in this shooting game. He stayed calm and operated steadily, with quick reflexes.

When they reached the boss battle, Officer Huang deliberately stopped attacking, clearly hoping to let the boss's barrage finish off Wu Dahui.

Wu Dahui was quick with his controls but became anxious. He desperately attacked the boss while dodging bullets.

Officer Huang only used one hand to control the joystick and smoked a cigarette with the other, solely focused on dodging.

This display of arrogance—Gao Yang gave him full marks for it.

In the intense barrage, Wu Dahui's plane was shot down. Officer Huang then let go of the controls, and his plane was shot down at the same time, but he lasted one second longer than Wu Dahui.

He stood up. "I'll let you off this time."

"Hmph, you're only good at shooting games," Wu Dahui said, dissatisfied. "Let's continue."

"Next match, you two go," Officer Huang said.

"You played pretty well," Gao Yang remarked.

"I'm done, I've tried all of them," Officer Huang chuckled bitterly. "Except for shooting games, I've been crushed in everything else."

"Next, who's up?" Wu Dahui asked.

Gao Yang and Qingling exchanged a glance, and Qingling coldly spoke: "I'll go."