Chapter 68: A Booming Business
After a chaotic night, Chen Xue Wen didn’t wake up until past ten the next morning.
When he got up, he found that Wu Li Hong had already prepared breakfast and was waiting for him.
Seeing Chen Xue Wen come out, Wu Li Hong acted as if nothing had happened. She called out casually, “Hurry up and eat. It’s getting cold.”
Chen Xue Wen hesitated as he sat down, a little awkward. “Last night…”
Before he could finish, Wu Li Hong interrupted him, “Don’t go running your mouth about last night.”
“We both got what we wanted. No one owes anyone anything.”
Chen Xue Wen was stunned. This sudden shift in attitude left him utterly confused.
But looking at Wu Li Hong’s indifferent expression, he ultimately said nothing more.
After finishing his breakfast, he hopped on his motorcycle and headed straight to Brothers Game Arcade.
Standing inside the house, Wu Li Hong watched him leave. The coldness on her face vanished in an instant as silent tears rolled down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry.”
“It’s not that I don’t love you. It’s just… I’m nothing but trash—used and discarded by countless men.”
“I don’t deserve you!”
“You deserve someone better!”
She murmured to herself, her expression filled with self-loathing.
But Chen Xue Wen could not see any of this.
After a long while, Wu Li Hong took a deep breath, straightened her posture, and lifted her spirits. “No matter what, as long as I can stay by your side, I’m content.”
Humming a cheerful tune, she resumed her house chores.
For the next three days, Chen Xue Wen spent 1,000 yuan hiring Lai Hou and a few others to scout the best fighting game players in the entire city.
During this time, Brothers Game Arcade occasionally saw a few skilled players show up to test their skills, which brought in some business.
However, most of these visitors were strictly there for fighting games. Hardly anyone played the slot machines.
As a result, daily income remained low.
Compared to Electronic Dynasty, which raked in tens of thousands daily, Brothers Game Arcade barely made a few hundred yuan per day—peanuts in the grand scheme of things.
After deducting rent, utilities, and other expenses, hardly anything was left.
This naturally made Lai Hou and the others anxious.
But Chen Xue Wen remained completely unbothered. He was laser-focused on the upcoming Fighting Tournament.
During these three days, his relationship with Wu Li Hong remained the same.
At night, Wu Li Hong would come to his room.
But by morning, she would revert to being just a friend, leaving Chen Xue Wen utterly speechless.
He couldn’t figure out what kind of relationship they even had.
Lovers? Friends?
Three days later, the list of the city’s top fighters was finalized.
Chen Xue Wen handed it to Lai Hou, instructing him to invite these players to the competition.
He also unveiled the rewards for the tournament.
The competition would be divided into two main categories—The King of Fighters and Street Fighter, the hottest fighting games of the time.
Chen Xue Wen put up 20,000 yuan in total and even had six specially-made trophies crafted for the winners.
First place: Champion Trophy + 5,000 yuan.
Second place: Runner-Up Trophy + 2,000 yuan.
Third place: Third Place Trophy + 500 yuan.
The remaining funds would be distributed among the Top 4, Top 8, and Top 16.
Though the lower ranks wouldn’t get much, the first-place prize was incredibly tempting.
Five thousand yuan was enough to buy a motorcycle.
So, when the tournament was officially announced, it instantly set the city’s gaming community on fire.
Those skilled in fighting games were particularly thrilled.
After all, this was a rare chance to show off their skills, gain fame, and win actual money. Who wouldn’t be excited?
Within a day, almost every arcade enthusiast in the city was buzzing about the event.
The morning after the announcement, Brothers Game Arcade saw its first-ever customer rush the moment it opened.
At least thirty to forty people were waiting outside as if they’d camped there all night.
Lai Hou was stunned. Normally, it took an hour before even a handful of players showed up.
But today? The second he unlocked the doors, a crowd swarmed in, all talking at once:
“Boss, is it true you’re hosting a Fighting Tournament?”
“5,000 yuan for first place? No way!”
“Are you guys bluffing? Do you really have that much prize money?”
Lai Hou finally understood what was going on and quickly reassured them:
“Everyone, listen up! The tournament is 100% real, and so are the prizes!”
“Look, we already had the trophies made!”
“Our boss put up 20,000 yuan as prize money. You have my word, the money is legit!”
Hearing this, the crowd erupted in excitement.
These were some of Peaceful City’s most skilled fighting game players—naturally, they were eager for the prize.
Without hesitation, they rushed to buy game tokens and start practicing.
“Gotta get familiar with the machines first!” they reasoned.
After all, arcade joysticks had a unique feel. A player unfamiliar with a specific machine could lose 30% of their skill level.
Winning required adjusting to the controls beforehand.
By 10 AM, when Chen Xue Wen finally arrived at the arcade, the place was packed.
Especially around a few specific machines, where multiple layers of spectators had gathered.
Turns out, several high-level players were already locked in intense battles, drawing a captivated audience.
Chen Xue Wen approached Lai Hou, grinning. “Quite the crowd today. How’s business this morning?”
Lai Hou beamed. “Brother Wen, you won’t believe this!”
“Just this morning alone, we made over 400-500 yuan!”
“At this rate, today’s revenue might hit 2,000 yuan!”
“After deducting rent, utilities, and wages, we’re still looking at a solid 1,600 yuan profit!”
“If this continues, even without the slot machines, our arcade will still make great money!”
Chen Xue Wen shook his head. “Arcades alone won’t cut it.”
“Even if we make 2,000 yuan a day, that’s only 60,000 yuan a month.”
“And part of that has to be set aside for ‘business expenses’.”
“Meanwhile, at Snake’s place, when business is booming, he makes 60,000 a day. Can we really compare?”
Lai Hou scratched his head. “Brother Wen, we’re doing pretty well already. How can we compete with Snake?”
Chen Xue Wen smirked. “We didn’t get into this business to stay small.”
“My goal isn’t Snake.”
“And I’m not interested in making just 60,000 a day.”
Lai Hou was stunned. Chen Xue Wen’s ambition was terrifying.
At that moment, Chen Xue Wen turned to the crowd.
“I assume most of you are here for the tournament?”
“The event will be held in two weeks.”
“To help you train, I’m introducing a new special offer.”
“Starting today, every day, we’ll select ten players who get to play for free—all day!”
The arcade exploded with cheers.
“Free play? Hell yes!”
Soon, players began calling their strongest friends to join in.
And just like that, Brothers Game Arcade officially exploded with business!
This novel is translated and hosted on Bcatranslation