Christmas Eve, the last day before Christmas, is one of the most important days in Christian culture.
This also marks the end of another year.
For the vast majority of people, this is a time to celebrate.
But that wasn't the case for Kevin.
He needs to take advantage of these rare few days of high pay to work overtime so he can earn enough money to live on.
" Kevin! Slacking off again! I think you really don't plan to take today's pay."
Hearing the noise behind him, Kevin, who was lost in thought watching the bustling scene in the store, suddenly snapped out of his reverie.
"Sorry, manager!"
After saying that, he quickly took out a few items from the cardboard box under his feet and carefully arranged them on the shelf.
Restocking and organizing the shelves was the easiest job he had done that day, so it's no wonder he got distracted and started thinking about other things.
"Snort."
The store manager snorted coldly.
Who the hell decided that overtime work on holidays should be paid extra?
That's so unfair!
Kevin's appearance was utterly unpleasant to him.
"If apologies were enough, why would I bother spending money?"
The store manager angrily poked him with the tip of his shoe, "Hurry up and finish this, then go to the warehouse to move the goods."
After saying that, he strode away.
As he walked, he muttered to himself, "Damn it, what kind of spell has Gamenova cast on them?"
Sitting in an office, you can print money by the handful with just a few clicks of your finger.
Dry!
Anyone would be envious!
Kevin watched the store manager walk away and silently returned to his work.
He reached into the cardboard box and pulled out a palm-sized cartoon bald eagle figurine, examining it closely in his hand.
The GAMENOVA logo is engraved on the back of the figure, indicating who its creator is.
An amazing game company.
Kevin was well aware of their strength.
Because he himself is a staunch supporter of NovaSwift.
As an unemployed man who lives in rented apartments year-round and has to move frequently, Kevin couldn't afford to buy himself a Notebook.
Or an NX host.
Even though he really wanted it.
However, for the sake of convenience when moving, he had to give up the idea and rely on going to the local arcade from time to time to satisfy his cravings.
However, he wasn't completely without a solution.
The thoughtful GAMENOVA has also prepared suitable equipment for people with similar needs.
NP handheld and NS handheld!
Praise be to GAMENOVA!
cough cough----
The only trade-off is that Kevin often has to work extra days.
After all, besides necessary living expenses, the cost of playing GAMENOVA games is indeed quite high.
"Click"
Kevin straightened his back, his bones cracking all over.
I feel like I'm about to fall apart from exhaustion.
Fortunately, it was all worth it; today's work is finally over.
Here is your pay for today.
The store manager opened the cash register, casually counted out five ten-yuan bills, then thought for a moment and put one back.
Labor Law?
In my shop, I am the law!
"----No tip?"
Kevin pursed his lips, secretly lamenting that he had really chosen a terrible supplier.
In the past, shop owners would often kindly give out red envelopes containing ten or twenty yuan as a Christmas reward.
It's rare to see someone as stingy as him.
"No, take the money and get out of here."
The store manager waved his hand dismissively, as if shooing away a fly.
He also planned to close the shop early and rush home to spend Christmas Eve.
"What a bastard!"
Kevin sighed inwardly.
If you're hoping to squeeze any money out of him, you might as well hope for world peace.
Kevin reached out and pushed away the banknotes the store manager handed him.
"Manager, could I forgo my salary and just take a copy of Angry Birds that arrived today?"
"Ha?"
The store manager was taken aback.
Having lived most of his life, this was the first time he had ever heard such an outrageous request.
Why would you turn down a pile of crisp banknotes and choose a tattered plastic case?
Hmm, the prices are indeed about the same.
For the store manager, this requirement is entirely beneficial and harmless.
It's basically equivalent to selling an extra set.
"But could I get an extra ' Barcode Battler ' from the Mighty Eagle?"
The store manager nodded slightly, a knowing look on his face.
Well, buddy, so that's where you were waiting.
A single Mighty Eagle retails for a full $12.
So, by that calculation, I'm essentially paying him a little more per hour.
I suffered a small loss, but overall I still made a profit.
"What a lunatic----"
The store manager shook his head, stuffed the banknotes back into the cash register, and then went to the shelf to get a set of " Angry Birds ".
It's hard to imagine that such a small plastic shell could sell for tens of dollars.
What's even harder to imagine is that it actually has such a group of crazy fans.
They're even willing to forgo their salary just to buy a game cartridge.
"Grateful!"
Kevin's eyes lit up, and he quickly took the cassette tape and the Mighty Eagle, excitedly pushing open the door and leaving.
See, he should thank us.
What's wrong with this world? Have all the young people gone mad?
Regardless of how others perceive him, at least for Kevin at this moment, he has received the Christmas present he wanted most.
"Click"
He opened the refrigerator and took out a rock-hard frozen cheese pizza, completely devoid of sausage—a veritable pure...
pure.
After setting the oven in the rented apartment, Kevin couldn't wait to pick up his NovaSwift, which he had bought outright after eating dirt for a month.
Both physical and spiritual nourishment are forms of sustenance. Although his meals weren't particularly good, Kevin felt immensely fulfilled on a spiritual level.
Even just playing Pokémon Red or Hill Climb Racing all night is quite enjoyable.
Not to mention that he also got his hands on GAMENOVA's new game, Angry Birds, today!
Clang, clang, clang----"
The upbeat background music emanating from the handheld console's speakers instantly swept away all of Kevin's mental fatigue.
The frustration of a busy day could no longer bother him at this moment.
Surprisingly, GAMENOVA even prepared a complete opening animation for such a casual little game.
Several plump green pigs were munching on the grass on the ground with a listless expression.
Ptooey! Ptooey!
It seems this thing is not to their liking at all.
The scene shifts, and the pig wearing the crown sees a nest of rather large bird eggs in the distance.
With something so fragrant sitting there, how could one possibly have any room for thought?
only----
Beside the nest, there seemed to be a group of birds of various colors and shapes guarding it.
The lead bird, a round, red bird with thick eyebrows and big eyes, was clearly not someone to be trifled with.
If you can't rob it outright, then steal it!
A game of chess between the two sides that would usher in an entire era officially began at this moment.
Perhaps even Rovio itself never imagined that these two forces could give rise to such a vast IP universe.
"Bite!"
Just as the opening animation ended, the pizza in the oven was perfectly heated.
A bottle of drink, a slice of pizza, a game board.
Goodness.
That's what life is all about, bro.
Upon entering the first challenge, Kevin's movements froze slightly.
Logically speaking----
A flock of birds, if they want to attack the enemy, shouldn't they just use Ace Aerial Combat?
Why is there a slingshot stuck on the ground here?
For some reason, even though there were no level guides when he arrived here, Kevin immediately understood how to play the game.
He almost instinctively pulled the joystick.
The slingshot actually followed his drag and was pulled backward.
Not far ahead, a few planks formed a simple small fortress.
That annoying green pig was hiding inside.
Looking at its shabby appearance, Kevin felt a surge of anger rising within him.
It was as if he himself had been the one whose eggs were stolen.
It's like----
It's like this guy is the boss of the ditch where he works today.
That's true; stealing the fruits of one's own labor is also a form of theft.
"You bastard, you'll be done for if I don't kill you."
Kevin estimated the distance between them, pulled the slingshot to a suitable angle, and then released it with a sudden jerk.
The angle of the joystick perfectly matches the angle of the slingshot, and even the force applied is perfectly matched.
As the joystick snapped back to its original position, Kevin felt as if he were actually dragging a slingshot and launching it.
A highly mesmerizing bird call suddenly emanated from the handheld console.
"Ah-hin ya!"
Thanks to the excellent physics engine that has been iterated through several versions, the red bird drew a graceful arc in the air and crashed into the simple wooden fortress along the parabola that Kevin had envisioned.
Bang!!!"
Boom! A house collapsed.
The green pig happened to be in a spot where it was hit squarely on the forehead by a falling plank.
Its large, dead-fish eyes immediately swelled up.
But this is just the beginning.
Kevin's chosen route was so treacherous; he precisely struck the load-bearing side of this seemingly crumbling house.
In the chaos, the house that had been standing firmly there was reduced to ruins.
Then the pig was smashed into dust as well.
"Hiss----"
There are no fancy special effects.
Compared to those meticulously crafted, top-tier visual masterpieces of the past, its graphics are far too simplistic.
But even this simple moment made Kevin feel like his pores had opened up.
Destruction, the purest form of venting, the ultimate stress reliever!
Watching the house being completely destroyed by myself, a feeling of exhilaration shot straight to the top of my head.
Passed, Samsung. There's nothing to worry about; everything just fell into place naturally.
The exhaustion and frustration of the whole day finally found an outlet.
No, it's not just the oppression we feel today.
Kevin felt as if a dam in his heart had been suddenly breached.
The crack kept widening and widening at that moment.
until----
The floodwaters breached the dikes.
All the repression and grievances were released at this moment.
Kevin wanted to put everything he had ever endured on that tower.
Then, using that bird guy with thick eyebrows and big eyes, he ate them all----
Boom! Slaughter! To! Ashes!
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