Volume One, Chapter 16: How Dare You Pilot the Number One Mecha When You're This Incompetent?

“Boss, a bottle of Coke!”

Xia Yang approached the front desk, grabbed the Coke, and then headed back to his seat. On the way, he deliberately passed by Machine No. 1, pretending to be a passerby watching Wang Li's gameplay.

Sensing eyes on his back, Wang Li didn’t turn around. He was fully focused on the final circle of the battle royale match. Confident in his shooting skills and game sense, which he considered at the level of a top casual player, he found it unsurprising that someone was watching.

“Tsk tsk tsk.”

“Don’t just focus on sniping with the guy on the roof! There are enemies closing in!”

“There’s a supply drop! Why aren’t you rushing it? No faith in yourself?”

“It’s the final circle! Stop driving around! You’ll just give away your position and get focused!”

With Xia Yang’s chaotic commands, Wang Li’s rhythm was thoroughly disrupted. Eventually, with seven players remaining, he was ambushed by a camper in the grass and wiped out.

“Hey, man, do you even know how to play? I told you there were enemies nearby,” Xia Yang said, patting Wang Li’s shoulder with obvious disappointment.

“Playing this badly and still hogging Machine No. 1? What a trash can with a gold rim…”

“You’re looking for trouble, aren’t you?!” Wang Li finally lost his patience at that last remark.

He sprang up abruptly and called out to Xia Yang, who was about to leave.

“Playing like garbage and you don’t even want to be called out? You’re sitting at Machine No. 1—the flagship of the whole internet cafe! If passersby see someone using Machine No. 1 playing this badly, their first impression will be that everyone else here is just as bad!”

“Who’d want to play in an atmosphere like this? You’d even catch their bad luck by breathing the same air! How can this place do business like this? What about the reputation of the administrator?”

Xia Yang pointed toward the front desk and spoke with an air of righteousness, growing more forceful as he went.

For a moment, Wang Li was stunned by the words. Then he glanced at the administrator, shooting a puzzled look.

Was he really playing that badly?

The administrator merely gave an awkward smile, unwilling to get involved in the matter.

Wang Li immediately realized he had nearly been led astray by this guy.

The commotion had drawn the attention of many nearby. Soon, seven or eight people gathered around, pointing fingers at Wang Li.

Of course, all these people were planted…

“What’s going on here?” Su Yixue stepped forward, feigning ignorance.

“Nothing much. Just someone hogging the throne and refusing to move, and then not wanting to be called out,” Xia Yang shrugged disdainfully.

“Who are you calling a hogger?!” Veins bulging on his forehead, Wang Li clenched his teeth and glared fiercely at Xia Yang amidst the crowd’s jeers.

This lunatic was picking a fight for no reason, making him look so bad, especially in front of a beautiful woman!

The more he thought about it, the angrier he became. He took two steps forward and grabbed Xia Yang’s collar tightly with both hands.

“Brother Li, give me some face! If you want to fight, take it outside!” the administrator, who had been quietly observing, immediately intervened.

Without a word, Wang Li began dragging Xia Yang by the collar toward the exit.

A month ago, he might have swallowed his pride after such mockery, shrugged it off, and just switched to another internet cafe.

But now, he was no longer that weakling. Ever since awakening his Contract Demon, he believed himself the protagonist of this world.

Those who had bullied or looked down on him before would all pay the price.

“What the hell do you think you’re doing?! You want to throw hands, huh?”

Xia Yang was momentarily flustered, though everything was going according to plan. He hadn’t expected Wang Li to be so strong.

His neck was hurting badly; even the collar of his thermal jacket was already torn open.

In moments, they reached a secluded alley near the internet cafe.

“You little bastard, looks like you really want to die!” Wang Li shoved Xia Yang against the wall and raised his fist to strike his face.

But just as the fist was about to connect, it suddenly froze mid-air.

Wang Li was stunned. Feeling a tug on his arm, he turned and saw a man behind him holding his arm firmly.

No matter how he struggled, he couldn’t break free. Turning his head slightly, he saw about a dozen burly men rushing toward them.

“Wang Li, you’re the one who blew up the Su Corporation parking lot, right? You’re under arrest! Come quietly to the 749 Bureau to claim your bounty!”

The man grinned widely, released Wang Li’s arm, then clenched his fist and punched Wang Li squarely in the eye socket.

In their circles, bounty hunters capturing awakened criminals didn’t care about deliberate injury.

If the target resisted fiercely, sometimes limbs got broken. As long as the target was alive to be brought to the 749 Bureau, they could beat them as hard as they wanted—just not to death.

A crisp crack echoed—the sound of bones breaking. Wang Li clutched his eye socket and staggered back, releasing his grip on Xia Yang.

Free once more, Xia Yang straightened his clothes and noticed the collar of his jacket was torn open.

“If you don’t give me a cut after this, I swear I’ll shit on your desk!” Xia Yang thought furiously.

He glared at Wang Li, then turned and walked away, muttering under his breath, “Dare to grab my clothes, that’s your fate.” The dozen burly men quickly surrounded Wang Li, their eyes cold and fierce, as if staring at a lamb about to be slaughtered.

Fear and anger filled Wang Li’s heart. His eye socket throbbed painfully, and his body trembled uncontrollably. He hadn’t expected such a sudden turn of events so soon after awakening his Contract Demon.

“Who exactly are you? Why are you arresting me?” Wang Li shouted, trying to sound tough but sounding weak inside.

The leader sneered, “Hmph, you blew up the Su Corporation parking lot. That’s a serious offense. The 749 Bureau has had its eyes on you for a while. Stop struggling and come quietly, or suffer more pain.”

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