Return

However, stealing was now Little Fatty's only offensive skill. From now on, the kid was doomed to walk this crooked path.

Kirk sighed and traded the [Helen Keller Glasses] and 5,000 Survival Points to Little Fatty. The thing let its wearer see how many Survival Points, Skill Points, and the like other Contractors had, which complemented Little Fatty's [God's Hand]. Since he was going to steal anyway, Kirk might as well let the kid fall all the way.

Although Contractors in the Space were cruel and heartless, caring for no one and trusting no one, Little Fatty had once saved Kirk's life. He was also the only person Kirk could trust. In light of that, Kirk ought to help him this once. He couldn't just watch the kid end up on the streets and die in the next scenario.

Deep down, Kirk had always believed that you needed a generous heart and a broad outlook to achieve great things. There was no need to get hung up on petty gains in the moment. If a piece of equipment and 5,000 Survival Points could buy him a reliable ally and brother, it was well worth it. Little Fatty was carefree and not especially reliable, but in the Newbie Scenario, he'd dared to use the only medicine he had to save someone he barely knew. He had a good heart and could be trusted. He was someone Kirk could continue working with and keep an eye on.

In the Space, Survival Points, equipment, and items were important and precious. But people—only people—were the one thing that decided wars. The rarest resource in the Space was brothers: not people with whom you merely traded favors, but brothers who stood by one another through life and death, sharing every hardship.

Maybe the harsh realities of the future would teach him a lesson. Maybe Little Fatty would change. But for now, Kirk chose to believe in human nature and in brotherhood, supporting Little Fatty without asking for anything in return.

Watching Little Fatty, stripped down to his underwear, put on the aviators and don Huang Rong's Soft Armor, his little butt sticking out as he struck a pose like a young Korean Psy, Kirk could only feel speechless.

"Big Brother, I don't know what else to say. I'll never forget how good you've been to me. Please take me with you to the next world, or I'm dead for sure. I know what I'm capable of, so from now on, I'll be your loyal little foot soldier." Little Fatty was nothing if not straightforward.

Kirk said solemnly, "Little Fatty, I helped you this time, but let's make one thing clear. If next time..."

"Big Brother, you don't have to say it. I know I was wrong." Little Fatty's voice grew subdued. "In this damned Space, I'll die in the next scenario if I don't have any Survival Points. You earned yours by risking your life. I'm incredibly grateful that you helped me selflessly when I was down. Big Brother, from now on, I'll do whatever you say. Without your permission, I won't do anything stupid again."

Kirk nodded. Little Fatty's obedient, quick-witted response showed that he was a smart man. If he kept acting recklessly, he was bound to pay dearly. Kirk believed he'd rein himself in.

Kirk and Little Fatty returned to the hotel and made do for the night in Kirk's room.

The hotel was incredibly comfortable, with a Kohler bubble bath, a soft bed that made their bones feel like they were melting, and an advanced 4D game console. The two homebodies had a wonderful time. They could finally let off some steam and relax after the bloody seven-day Newbie Trial, which had left them under tremendous psychological strain. That night, the two of them even went to a bar to watch a striptease. The two pathetic losers watched until their noses bled and drool covered the floor. They partied until late, then stumbled back to the hotel, drunk, and crashed.

Incidentally, since the young Korean Psy Little Fatty had gambled and whored around (Little Fatty: When did I whore around?), he hadn't upgraded any of his skills. Fortunately, he'd only gambled away all his Survival Points; he hadn't yet had his Skill Potential Points or Base Attribute Points swindled from him. After talking it over with the life-loving Little Fatty, he chose to put everything into staying alive and taking a beating. He raised his Stamina to 10 in one go and focused his various skills on survival, bringing his Health Points up to 140. Combined with his talent and equipment, which gave him a 75% recovery rate, he'd finally become a knockoff human punching bag—not completely useless after all. They exchanged all the remaining Survival Points for medicine, leaving them completely broke.

The next day, they got ready and headed early to Transporter Plaza. There were still very few people around, and they were the first to stand on the Teleporter.

"I can finally see Mom and Dad." Standing on the Teleporter, Kirk was filled with emotion. He watched Las Vegas slowly recede beneath his feet as he rose into the vast universe, climbing higher and higher, his body growing lighter and lighter...

Kirk woke from his dream, drenched in sweat. "It was just a dream. Thank goodness." In the dream, he'd killed people. Lots of people. Equipment, strange treasures, Goddesses...

He checked the clock. It was only three. With mixed feelings, he went to the bathroom and splashed cold water on his face. But when he lifted his head, he saw a mark beneath his tank top: a sinister, blood-red demon's head outlined in gold!

He nearly cried out, but clapped a hand over his mouth and examined it carefully.

That sinister, blood-soaked demon's head exuded an air of authority. What could it be but the Space Mark?

None of it had been a dream!

Kirk didn't know whether to feel happy or worried. In the real world, he was an utterly ordinary boy. Not a single girl he liked had ever been interested in him; he was a typical loser. In the Space, even though his life was worth less than a dog's and the risks were immense, he could touch real power, feel hope, and experience what it was like to stand at the very peak. He could do things he wouldn't even dare imagine in real life. The myths and legends, heroes and beauties of the Plot Spaces, along with the countless beauties and mountains of wealth in Las Vegas, were all waiting for him to discover, conquer, and plunder!

This was what it meant to be a real man!

He couldn't fall asleep again. At long last, he made it to seven in the morning, when his mother dragged him out of bed. He listened to her rambling chatter and ate a lavish breakfast with a smile. Then he headed to school, his father's careful reminders still ringing in his ears.

Outside, the city at the center of the universe was shrouded in smog. You could barely find your way by sight. In this era, air pollution, water pollution, and noise pollution had become normal in the concrete jungle, and the trend was impossible to reverse. Earth's population had surpassed 12 billion, with people even living in the Sahara and at both poles. The fragile ecosystem meant frequent natural disasters and wars. Though Kirk's country hadn't been drawn into them, the atmosphere was still tense.

At school, seeing the familiar faces of his teachers and classmates made Kirk feel as if a lifetime had passed. He sat in a daze for a while, then began downloading tutorials on unarmed combat and swordsmanship to his phone and watching them in silence. The teacher glanced over but ignored him. Kirk had always been fairly well-behaved. Though his grades were poor, he wasn't disliked, and as long as he didn't disturb anyone, the teacher let him be.

In the Space, Kirk had bled and fought desperately to return to reality—to go home, to go back to school. That longing had become his spiritual anchor. Yet now that he was really back in the real world, he felt a little disappointed.

Now he had strength that other people couldn't reach even after a lifetime of training. He was three times as strong, agile, and fit as an ordinary person. He had incredible stamina and could get by on a little sleep at night. His digitized body was immune to illness. If he wanted, he could quickly become rich and powerful in this world. But that yearning kept rising from deep within him. He longed for adventure, longed to explore.

When would he get to hold his pistol again?

What sort of adventure would he find in the next American Drama world? What kind of opponent would he kill? What treasures would he plunder?

The class beauty could no longer hold his attention. Yuqing was prettier than she was—a thousand times prettier. And that went double for the gorgeous Hanyu. Kirk started fantasizing.

He realized that although his attributes had all improved, his fighting technique and combat awareness were still at a beginner's level. Over the past seven days, he'd been downloading all sorts of videos of people fighting and killing, hoping they would give him some inspiration. He'd also downloaded almost every American Drama and shut himself in his room to watch them, analyzing the characters and guessing at hidden plot points. In the world of The Walking Dead last time, it was because he'd watched the show that he was able to get ahead of others and stay one step ahead in many situations, ultimately earning a high reward.

This week, Kirk was only truly happy when he was with his parents. He kept finding excuses to talk with them more, because he didn't know whether he'd survive the next time and make it home again.

Amid all those complicated emotions, the seventh day finally arrived, and Kirk received a System Prompt. Following its instructions, he lay down on his bed and soon fell asleep.

"I'm finally back!" Kirk jumped onto the big bed at the Sword Bay Hotel. Little Fatty pushed the door open and came in right after him.

"Big Brother, did the System Prompt tell us what the next world is?" Little Fatty asked.

Neither of the two losers had enough money to form a team. Teaming up required a full 10,000 Survival Points, as well as completing a special team mission. So, caught in a financial crisis, they could only keep forming a temporary team, with each person paying 2,000 Survival Points per world. They had no Team Skills; the arrangement only guaranteed that they'd be sent to the same Plot Space.

"The Space just gave us a prompt. It wants us at Transporter Plaza in an hour." Kirk suddenly remembered that he still had 22 Merit Points. When he asked the Space about them, it replied, "Merit Points are rewards given to Contractors for distinguished service to Las Vegas. You can claim a military rank and the associated benefits at the Upgrade Hall."

"There's a perk like that?" Kirk jumped up and headed straight to the Upgrade Hall with Little Fatty.

The Upgrade Hall was crowded. It looked like quite a few new rookie newbies had arrived over the past few days. They found an empty spot, and it turned out to be across from Yuqing again. When she saw Kirk, she smiled. "Mr. Kirk, are you here to exchange for a skill again?"

Little Fatty nudged Kirk. "Big Brother, I never would've guessed! You've already hooked someone. And she's calling you Mr. Kirk, so sweetly, too. Did she suck you dry?"

"Damn it," Kirk whispered lewdly. "You can never suck me dry. As the philosophers say, if you're willing to squeeze, there's always a little more."

Little Fatty was impressed. Kirk turned to Yuqing and said, "I'm here to apply for a military rank using my Merit Points."

Yuqing checked his record, then her eyes widened again!

This unremarkable guy had 22 Merit Points! Many newbies didn't even know what Merit Points were, and plenty of so-called experts who'd been through three or four worlds didn't even have ten!

"You can be promoted to Second Lieutenant with 10 Merit Points. Once you reach 25, you can be promoted to First Lieutenant. Would you like to be promoted to Second Lieutenant now?"

"What are the benefits of being promoted to Second Lieutenant?" Kirk asked.

"Your military rank is a symbol of your status in Las Vegas and the Plot Spaces. It gives you privileges in many areas, such as communicating with the Space and Plot Characters. Military equipment and benefits are issued according to your rank, and you need a certain level of rank to buy military supplies. In the future, you'll need a certain rank to qualify for the Space's missions in the Space Battlefield, too." Yuqing gave a brief explanation. "You can find more detailed information in the Newbie Guide."

And so, ten minutes later, Kirk the loser became Second Lieutenant Kirk. According to the Newbie Guide, Merit Points were high-level rewards issued by the Space, and could only be earned by completing high-level missions assigned by the Space. As residents of the great Las Vegas, only high-ranking Contractors could enjoy greater privileges.

When the Space Battlefield opened in the future, only Contractors with a certain level of military rank would be allowed into high-intensity battle zones, where they would also receive some command authority. Military-rank sets also had special attributes and skills that ordinary equipment couldn't provide.

Second Lieutenants were reservists and received no equipment. Contractors had to reach at least First Lieutenant before they could claim military-rank equipment. Military-rank equipment couldn't be sold; it could only be used by its owner or returned to the Space.

The two had just walked out of the hall when they received a System Prompt: "Contractors 4444 and 4445, proceed to Transporter Plaza immediately. Transmission to the next Plot Space will begin in seven minutes. Refusal to transmit will result in immediate erasure."

The two men, terrified of death, hurried onto the Teleporter and soon lost consciousness.