How to Kill the Zuma Boss?

Xu Pengkun, nicknamed Big Bird, truly lived up to his name. He looked like Zhuang Zhou, yet harbored lofty ambitions.

His mother and Chen Hao's mother worked at the same unit. In today's terms, they were best friends—the really close kind.

The two families had been close since their parents' generation. Even when buying houses, they had chosen neighboring ones.

The families often got together for meals, mahjong, and outings.

So Chen Hao and Xu Pengkun had been partners in crime ever since they were in diapers. From kindergarten to elementary school, middle school, and all the way through high school, they were closer than brothers.

After hitting puberty in middle school, the two would occasionally sigh to each other in regret: if only you were a girl.

Only after the college entrance exams did they go their separate ways. The slacker and the top student were ultimately headed for different worlds.

In his previous life, Chen Hao had taught himself programming after graduating from college and become a miserable IT drone. Xu Pengkun, meanwhile, had graduated from a prestigious university and entered the financial industry, where he thrived and achieved both success and fame.

But no matter how great the gap between their real-life statuses became, whenever they had the chance to meet, it was always at roadside stalls with cheap barbecue and a case of beer, chatting about everything under the sun and shooting the breeze.

He was still the same person. Their bond would not become unfamiliar or fade with the passing of time.

If Jin Gu Liang Wen had opened the door to Chen Hao's Wuxia World, then Huang Yi's novels had shown him the beginnings of fantasy fiction.

Back in middle school, Chen Hao had been utterly obsessed with Huang Yi's novels: Twin of Brothers, A Step into the Past, Blade-Cloud-Pact, and A Step into the Void.

And in Chen Hao's eyes, Xu Pengkun was like Lang Fanyun—only by reaching the utmost depths of emotion could one reach the utmost heights of the sword!

Whatever he did, he threw himself into it completely and refused to quit until he achieved his goal. For example, in high school, he had pursued the newly assigned art teacher, who had just graduated. She was stunningly beautiful, with a seductive figure—far better than the bean sprouts at school.

Xu Pengkun had immediately thrown away gaming and studying alike. Every day, he researched romance guides and read love novels. After several months, he successfully got the art teacher to accept his pursuit and agree to try dating him. He also successfully dropped from a stable top-three ranking in the grade to the middle of the pack.

Yet only a few days later, Chen Hao saw Xu Pengkun studying day and night. Curious, he asked, "What happened to that beautiful teacher of yours?" Xu Pengkun calmly replied, "Boring. We broke up. The result doesn't matter—I enjoyed the pursuit."

Damn, that act only deserved a sixty-nine out of one hundred.

What a waste of such a pretty, gentle young lady who knew how to care for someone. Chen Hao had heard that she quit and went to teach at another school.

They both had desks, yet Xu Pengkun's was stuffed with love letters and notes from girls, while Chen Hao's was completely empty. Empty hands, loud sounds.

They were both handsome guys—equally handsome, yet loved differently. Chen Hao seriously doubted the aesthetic sense of the girls at school.

After picking up his studies again and focusing wholeheartedly, Xu Pengkun shot straight to first place in the grade when the final exam results came out, announcing his powerful return.

Ding-ding-ding. The door chime rang.

The ruthless man walked in wearing a long white down jacket. He stood over six feet tall, with sharp brows, bright eyes, and a handsome face. Yep, a perfect Hua Wuque!

Looking at the ridiculously handsome bastard across from him, Chen Hao felt that compared to himself, the guy was only slightly inferior. Chen Hao sighed with emotion, nostalgia and a hint of excitement in his eyes. He strode over, spreading his arms wide, wanting to give Buddy a hug after twenty years apart.

"Big Bird. Long time no see. Your elder brother has missed you terribly!" Chen Hao's voice was low, with no technique at all—only emotion.

One hand pressed against Chen Hao's chest, stopping his overly enthusiastic greeting. Xu Pengkun checked the time with a look of disgust.

"Fuck off! No matter how warm you act, you still have to pay back what you owe me."

"Uh, I owe you money?" Chen Hao looked confused.

Used to his best friend's fake amnesia, Xu Pengkun made his way over to Chen Hao's computer with practiced ease.

He took off his spotless white down jacket, folded it neatly, placed it on the desk, sat down, and turned on the computer.

That was Xu Pengkun—organized and meticulous. Even when sitting in a chair, he did not slump like Chen Hao. His back remained perfectly straight.

Pentium Internet Cafe was cleaner than the other internet cafes by a whole level. Old Ban made time to clean every day, handling not only internet cafe management and security, but janitorial work too.

If this were twenty years later, he would definitely win the title of the company's most overworked employee at the annual awards.

When Chen Hao sat down beside him, Xu Pengkun asked, "Go on. What's the big deal?"

Chen Hao leaned closer mysteriously. "I know how the two of us can kill the Zuma Boss!"

"How did you know I wanted to fight it?"

Chen Hao wore an expression that said he knew him too well. "The moment you stick your ass up, I know what flavor of fart you're about to let out! If you weren't planning to fight it, why did you wander around Zuma Temple all day yesterday? Because you had nothing better to do?"

A faint change came over Xu Pengkun's face. "You know the way through Zuma Pavilion?"

"Not only do I know it, I also know a bug strategy for the Zuma Boss!" At that moment, Chen Hao looked rather unfathomable in Xu Pengkun's eyes.

"Hm? A bug? How do we kill the Zuma Boss, then?"

"What about the money I owe you?"

"Did I say anything about that?"

"You're teachable. Come closer and lend me your ear."

Xu Pengkun obediently leaned over.

"There are three steps to killing the Zuma Boss. First, enter Zuma Temple. Second, reach Zuma Boss's Lair. Third, kill it."

The murderous look in Xu Pengkun's eyes was impossible to hide, and Chen Hao happened to notice it when he looked up.

"Uh, just kidding. Actually, this bug has a prerequisite. First do this, then... and finally..."

As Chen Hao explained it in simple, clear terms, Xu Pengkun nodded from time to time.

Before long, the strategy had been fully drilled into him. "Since it's just the two of us, we're short on people. Our levels are barely enough, so we'll need extremely strict discipline. We can't make a single mistake. Got it all?"

Xu Pengkun gave him a look that asked who he thought he was. "First do this, then... and finally..." He repeated Chen Hao's explanation word for word.

Chen Hao pretended to stroke a nonexistent long beard. "Good disciple, your comprehension is excellent. My painstaking teachings were not wasted." One hand reached out, trying to pat the other man's head.

Xu Pengkun slapped away the incoming dog paw. "Get lost. Whoever screws up and dies later has to kneel and call the other Dad!"

"Tch. Log in, log in. We'll see whose daddy is whose!"

Chen Hao's character was a level 28 Mage, while Xu Pengkun's was a level 29 Taoist.

Their levels placed them in the server's second tier. The highest-level players had already reached level 31, though there were not many above level 30.

Most players were between levels 26 and 28.

Xu Pengkun had actually started playing Legend a few days later than Chen Hao, but the guy could grind like crazy.

Chen Hao had no idea how he had talked things over with his parents, but during those days, aside from going to school, he practically lived at the internet cafe. With a substitute internet cafe manager around, Old Ban had been in a great mood those days.

Now, Xu Pengkun had actually surpassed Chen Hao by a level.

What? Was he supposed to pay internet fees?

Chen Hao's parents treated Xu Pengkun even better than their own son. He was sensible, well-behaved, and got good grades—the ideal child of their dreams. They were only one kick away from throwing their useless son Chen Hao out of the house.

With the relationship between their families, why would their "son" need to pay internet fees?

Although Chen Hao had heard his mother say when he was little that he had been picked up from a garbage dump, he had once seriously suspected it might be true.

Following the plan they had just discussed, the moment they entered the game, the two split up to make preparations.