Chapter 66: Making a Name for Myself
In the end, Zhou Jing Hui had Little Ma send over thirty thousand yuan to settle the bill.
When Little Ma arrived, he brought along a camera.
“Brother Hui said to take a picture of the motorcycle!” he explained while snapping shots. “He’s never seen a bike worth thirty thousand before. Wants to open his eyes!”
Chen Xue Wen couldn’t be bothered to respond. He handed twenty thousand to the shop owner and pocketed the remaining ten thousand without a second glance at Little Ma.
After finishing the photos, Little Ma turned to Chen Xue Wen. “Brother Hui said this is the last one!” he warned. “No more of these so-called relatives needing help. From now on, you’re on your own!”
Chen Xue Wen laughed. “Relax, I won’t need to ask again. Little Ma, tell Brother Hui thanks for me.”
Little Ma clenched his jaw, visibly frustrated, but he knew there was nothing he could do. He had watched Chen Xue Wen pocket ten thousand yuan right in front of him, yet he was powerless.
Ever since that night when he had seen Chen Xue Wen swallow a venomous snake alive, Little Ma had lost any thoughts of challenging him. He had been through plenty of street fights, but a guy as ruthless as Chen Xue Wen was simply out of his league.
With the new Wuyang Honda, Wu Li Hong took Chen Xue Wen for a ride straight to Old Square Arcade.
Both arcade locations were now open. Wang Zhen Dong managed one, while Lai Hou and Li Tie Zhu oversaw the other. Though, in Li Tie Zhu’s case, “managing” was a loose term—he was more of a permanent guest. Right now, he was hogging a Raiden arcade machine, having pumped in hundreds of tokens as he blazed through levels, leaving NPCs utterly helpless.
Lai Hou sat at the entrance, yawning under the sun.
“Hey, grandson!” Wu Li Hong revved the throttle and charged toward him, startling Lai Hou so badly he jumped up.
Realizing who it was, Lai Hou burst into laughter. “Damn! You guys already got the bike? That was fast!” He whistled. “Wow, it suits you, Sister Hong. Real flashy!”
Wu Li Hong was beaming. The bike was stunning, and she had caught plenty of eyes while riding over.
Inside, Chen Xue Wen saw around twenty or thirty customers—decent business, but most were playing regular arcade games. The slot machines remained untouched.
“The slot players are mostly at Snake’s Arcade now,” Lai Hou noted. “Pulling them back won’t be easy.”
Chen Xue Wen nodded calmly. “No rush. We’ll find a way to bring them over in time. How’s daily business?”
Lai Hou shrugged. “Barely covering rent and utilities. Hiring extra staff isn’t even an option.”
Wu Li Hong walked over. “Starting tomorrow, I’ll work here.”
Both Chen Xue Wen and Lai Hou were stunned. “You?” Chen Xue Wen asked. “You’re quitting your job?”
Wu Li Hong met Chen Xue Wen’s gaze. “My brother’s surgery money is covered. No need to keep grinding.” She smirked. “You think I actually like drinking all the time?”
Chen Xue Wen nodded. He knew she had been pushing herself to earn for her brother. Now that she had the funds, sticking around to help made sense.
With Snake laying low, security wasn’t a big concern anymore.
As Chen Xue Wen strolled through the arcade, a loud argument suddenly broke out.
He turned to see two customers in a heated dispute.
Lai Hou moved to intervene, but Chen Xue Wen stopped him. “Wait. Let’s hear what’s going on first,” he said in a low voice. “It could be someone deliberately stirring up trouble. Don’t fall for it.”
Lai Hou nodded. After everything they had been through, he had learned to be cautious.
Listening in, Chen Xue Wen realized it wasn’t staged. The two were simply furious over a King of Fighters ’97 match. One guy had picked the game’s final boss, Orochi, and was spamming projectile attacks, making it impossible for his opponent to get close. Frustrated, the other accused him of cheating, and their shouting escalated.
Chen Xue Wen smirked as an idea formed.
He walked over, smiling. “Come on, guys, no need to fight over a game. You both seem skilled. How about this: play a proper match—same characters, fair fight. Best of five. Winner gets a hundred yuan on the house.”
Both players’ eyes lit up. A hundred yuan was no small sum.
Glaring at each other, neither wanted to back down. They quickly agreed.
Chen Xue Wen slapped a hundred yuan onto the table. “Alright, decide on your characters. No Orochi—that’s just boring.”
The match began. One player was clearly superior, winning three out of four rounds and pocketing the cash. He sneered at his opponent. “With that level, you dare challenge me?”
The loser bristled. “Don’t get cocky! Just wait—I’m calling my master over!”
Storming out, he returned minutes later with three more players.
Chen Xue Wen signaled Lai Hou, who immediately brought Li Tie Zhu over as backup, just in case.
But it wasn’t a fight—they just wanted to play.
The new challengers took on the previous winner, and this time, he was completely outclassed.
Unwilling to accept defeat, he left and brought his own reinforcements.
Within the hour, Brothers Game Arcade was packed, nearly a hundred people gathered. What had started as a simple bet had turned into an all-out competition.
Now, it wasn’t even about money—it was about face, about honor.
Players took turns proving their worth, while the audience cheered them on. Rumors spread that the city’s top King of Fighters players had gathered here, drawing even more spectators.
By noon, Brothers Game Arcade was overflowing, while Snake’s Arcade was nearly empty. The competition had pulled their crowd away.
Even non-competitors bought tokens just to experience the thrill of the game.
By midday, they had raked in over five hundred yuan in tokens—more than the past few days combined.
Lai Hou gawked. “Holy shit, this morning alone made more than the last few days put together!”
Chen Xue Wen smirked. He had a plan.
Pulling Lai Hou aside, he whispered, “This afternoon, more pros will show up. Watch carefully—get their contacts.”
“Why?” Lai Hou asked, curious.
Chen Xue Wen grinned. “I’m setting up a Fighting Game Tournament.”
“I want every gamer in Peaceful City to know about Brothers Game Arcade.”
“We’re making a name for ourselves!”
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation