Game: Civilization Paradise

Chapter 5: Chapter 5: Best Friend

Half an hour later, Long Ming was walking toward the Hai Chang Street intersection with a small stool in hand. As he got closer, he saw a long, all-too-familiar line snaking ahead of him.

Long Ming’s expression instantly became a picture. It turned out the line he’d seen earlier while eating wasn’t for some new influencer-hyped store opening, but for a new game release!

"I’m screwed!"

A chill ran through Long Ming’s heart. He was completely screwed this time.

Still, he could only brace himself, walk to the back of the line with his stool, and start waiting.

Just then, Boss Zhao Ku saw Long Ming queueing up with his stool and asked with an awkward expression.

"Long Ming, you here to be a paid shill too?"

"Uh, no. It’s not for an influencer store opening, it’s for a new game release."

Long Ming explained awkwardly.

"Oh, well, get in line then."

Boss Zhao Ku nodded.

"Alright."

Long Ming gave a small smile.

By the next morning, Long Ming was sitting on his little stool, propping his cheek up with one hand, groggily on the verge of falling asleep.

Just then, a few staff members in work uniforms walked over with a megaphone and shouted.

"Everyone at the back, break it up! We don’t have enough helmets to sell. There’s no point in waiting!"

"What? No way!"

"Sell to us! We can pay more!"

...

The crowd shouted, unwilling to give up.

"Paying more won’t help! We only have so many helmets. Everyone, please disperse!"

the staff member explained helplessly.

"Sigh!"

Watching this scene, Long Ming also got up and left, feeling utterly helpless. ƒгeewebnovёl.com

...

A short while later, Long Ming dragged his exhausted body back to his house, carrying the small stool. Every single sales point in the entire lower city district had a massive line.

It was safe to say there was no hope at all.

BZZZT~

His phone vibrated. He quickly picked it up to check the message.

"Dear Mr. Long Ming, we regret to inform you that your application for a temporary pass to the Upper City District has not been approved. All available slots are currently full. Please wait patiently!"

"Sigh..."

Seeing that his application had failed again, Long Ming sighed in resignation.

He had wanted to apply for a pass to the Upper City District to see if he could buy a helmet there, but too many people had the same idea, making it impossible to get approved. And even if he had been approved, they would have likely been sold out by then anyway.

’How am I supposed to play if I can’t even buy a helmet?’

After a few seconds of silence, Long Ming typed in a phone number and dialed. A contact name immediately popped up on the screen: Asshole.

BEEP... BEEP...

Long Ming had always been an excellent student, and he later got into the top-ranked Mountain City Mountain First Advanced Academy. The guy saved as "Asshole" was named Wang Yang. He had been one of his three roommates and also his best friend.

Back then, however, they had both been "Uppers." Now, he had sold his house and moved to the lower district to become a "Downer." Since they hadn’t been in touch for so long, he had no idea if Wang Yang would still be willing to help him.

Just then, the call connected, and a polite voice came through the phone.

"Hello, who are you looking for?"

"It’s me."

Recognizing the familiar voice, Long Ming hesitated for a few seconds before speaking.

Hearing Long Ming’s voice, Wang Yang’s tone immediately turned cheeky as he replied.

"Well, well, if it isn’t my dear Brother Long? What a rare sight!"

"Asshole, can you just talk normally?"

"Nope. Who was it that disappeared without a word after graduation and never contacted any of us again? The bond has truly faded. I’m heartbroken."

"Stop messing around. Ahem."

Long Ming took a breath and immediately coughed a few times.

Hearing Long Ming cough, Wang Yang laughed and said.

"Alright, I’ll stop joking around. Why the sudden call? Had a crisis of conscience?"

"I need to talk to you about something."

"Something important? Should I come find you so we can talk in person?"

"Okay, I’ll send you the address. Oh, and when you come, keep a low profile. It’s best if you take the subway."

"Got it."

Wang Yang replied with a grin.

Long Ming then hung up the phone, composed a message, and sent the meeting location and travel route to Wang Yang.

...

「Nightfall.」

On the edge of a noisy, bustling street, Long Ming stood waiting patiently under a dim streetlight. He hadn’t seen Wang Yang since graduation. After so many years, he felt a small thrill of excitement.

BEEP BEEP~

Just then, the piercing sound of a car horn blared.

Long Ming looked up and saw a flashy red car with a three-ring logo parked in front of him.

A young man with spiked-up yellow hair, wearing a colorful plaid shirt and black sunglasses, opened the car door. He swaggered out, looked at Long Ming, and asked with a roguish grin.

"Cool, huh? I just spent 300,000 on this new car."

The corner of Long Ming’s mouth twitched, and a look of resignation crossed his face.

"Didn’t I tell you to keep a low profile? Why did you still drive here?"

"Low profile is impossible. I’m a successful man now."

"Fine. Drive forward, and after three intersections, park in the lot over there."

"Too much trouble. The roads here are narrow as hell. I’ll just park in a spot on the street."

"It’s not safe."

"It’s fine. You’re still the same as always, worrying about this and that."

Wang Yang paid no mind to Long Ming’s warning.

"Alright, let’s go."

Long Ming led Wang Yang toward the night market up ahead.

The two found a barbecue stall, sat down, and ordered some meat skewers and a few bottles of beer.

Long Ming opened a bottle of beer, poured a glass, and handed it to Wang Yang.

After taking it, Wang Yang glanced around at the noisy, messy surroundings out of the corner of his eye and asked with a chuckle.

"You live around here?"

"Yeah."

"Can you get used to it?"

Hearing Wang Yang’s question, Long Ming’s hand paused as he was pouring. Then, he replied nonchalantly.

"It’s alright."

"It’s been two years since we last saw each other, right?"

"About that."

"You’re a real piece of work, you know that? Right after graduation, you immediately left the university group chat and disconnected your phone number. It was like you’d vanished off the face of the earth."

Long Ming fell silent at this.

Seeing Long Ming go quiet, Wang Yang chuckled and started teasing him.

"Long Ming, it’s such a shame you left that university group chat! It’s super active now. We’re always chatting and laughing in there. Not too long ago, one of the girls even brought you up. Wanna know who?"

"Not interested."

Long Ming replied coolly.

"Wait, did you sell your place in the Upper City District and move to the lower district because of your surgery?"

"Yeah."

"Then let me ask you something. During your surgery... you didn’t get your little brother chopped off, did you?"

Wang Yang flashed a shit-eating grin.

"Fuck off. You’re the one who got it chopped off."

"Then that’s weird. Life is all about eating, drinking, and having fun. But you don’t like to eat, you don’t like to play, you’re not into women... you’re not interested in anything. What’s the point of you being alive?"

"It’s too complicated to explain to you. I’m not gonna argue about it. I called you for something important."

Long Ming cut Wang Yang off, annoyed.

Just being alive was a luxury for him now. How could he still have any interest in those things?

"Go on, then. What’s this important business?"

"I want to ask you to help me buy one of the newly released gaming helmets in the Upper City District. It’s fine to pay extra."

"You’re talking about that new game from Mountain City Mountain, Civilization Paradise?"

"That’s the one!"

"That thing’s not easy to get, but I can give it a shot for you."

Wang Yang wasn’t too confident either.

"Thanks. By the way, you wanna play together?"

"Can’t. I’m a 996 corporate drone now. Seriously, I don’t have a single second to play."

"Alright. Give me your account number and I’ll transfer you the money."

"No rush on that. I’ll send it to you later. Let’s drink!"

"Alright."

Long Ming didn’t say anything more.

For now, he could only pin his hopes on Wang Yang, hoping he could help him buy one in the Upper City District. After all, compared to the lower district, the Upper City District had a smaller population and a larger supply of the helmets.

...