Clap, clap, clap!
"Splendid, truly splendid."
"Kong, it's been so many years. Your skills, kid... they've gotten better and better."
A crisp sound of applause came from the nearby audience stands. Chen Kong looked up to see a boy in a loose arcade hoodie leaning against the railing.
He had a pair of over-ear headphones draped around his neck and a pair of non-prescription black-rimmed blue-light-blocking glasses perched on his nose, smiling as he looked at him.
In just a moment, Chen Kong realized who this person was.
"Mi Yao?"
"Yo, I didn't think a nobody like you would still remember me."
Hearing Mi Yao's teasing words, Chen Kong's expression gradually turned serious.
He certainly remembered this guy.
Because, in the base when they were kids, this guy was the one who loved to tease him the most.
In his words, the world was a game, Tendo was the final boss he wouldn't dare provoke.
But he, the bottom-ranked Stars NO.36, was a clear, easy 'experience farm' mob. Who else would he target but him?
Therefore, back at the base, this guy was always looking for various reasons to bully him.
It was only later, perhaps when he felt he couldn't 'farm' any more 'experience' from him.
So, this guy changed targets.
For example, Liu Ma, NO.35.
"Why are you here?"
Facing Chen Kong's question, Mi Yao smiled and said, "Why else? Of course, to find you, this reskinned elite monster, and continue farming experience."
"Reskinned elite monster..."
Chen Kong's expression turned ugly.
A 'reskinned elite monster' usually referred to game monsters whose attack modules and ability mechanics hadn't changed much, only their appearance had been slightly altered.
It was a lazy move by game developers to forcibly extend a player's game time without wasting too much money.
But reality was not a game, and he was not some reskinned elite monster.
"Mi Yao, if you want to farm experience, you can go find someone else. I'm not interested in playing with you."
Saying this, Chen Kong prepared to turn and leave.
However, just as Chen Kong was about to leave, the sound of jingling rang out.
Mi Yao suddenly pulled out a handful of martial arts badges from his hoodie pocket and tossed them onto the ground with a whoosh.
The six badges rolled to Chen Kong's feet before finally stopping, faintly glowing with Star Energy under the light.
"Don't be in such a hurry. It seems you're still unaware of the other method for collecting martial arts badges in Martial Heaven Capital."
Hearing Mi Yao's words, Chen Kong suddenly stopped.
Seeing this, Mi Yao looked like a hunter who saw his prey fall into a trap, smiling: "Kong, the rules of Martial Heaven Capital only say you need seven badges to participate in the Star-Dome Ladder, they never said you had to earn them yourself."
"So... dare to play a round with me?"
"If you win, these six martial arts badges are yours. If you lose... your Rich Martial Badge is mine. After all, I haven't gotten a Rich Martial Badge yet."
"Think carefully, because that's a huge one-to-six odds."
Hearing Mi Yao's words, Chen Kong fell silent.
Because the situation was indeed as Mi Yao said: a one-to-six gamble was very tempting.
Besides, this wasn't the base from their childhood anymore.
He had grown tremendously over the years.
If he could convince Bai Kong to help him, he was over ninety percent sure he could win this gamble.
But since Mi Yao dared to say this, it meant he was absolutely confident in defeating him.
Should he really agree to this guy's game...
Seeing Chen Kong still hesitating, Mi Yao decided to lower the 'game difficulty' for him.
"How about this, Kong, I can tell you my current Star Source effect first, and then you decide whether you want to start a game with me."
As he spoke, an old arcade machine appeared out of thin air behind Mi Yao, with a sticker of 'King of Fighters '97' on its body.
On the screen of that arcade machine, Mi Yao's Star Source effect was clearly displayed.
[Star Source: Arcade Master]
[Type: Trait-based]
[Effect 1. Game Realization: You can add a game you complete in reality to your game catalog and gain a portion of the abilities from that game once the game starts. (Including but not limited to specific game items, BOSS effects, unique game mechanics, etc.)]**
[Effect 2. Save/Load: You have one ability to save and load. By loading, you can fully return to the state of the previous save. (Can only be used once per calendar month)]**
[Secondary Awakening Effect: Game EXP: Defeating an opponent grants a certain amount of EXP, which can be used to increase your 'Level'.]**
[Description: 'If a game cannot be beaten, it's not the player's problem, but the game designer's.' - Mi Yao]
[Currently Selected Game: Silver Shovel]
[Realized Ability: Demonic Pact]
[Demonic Pact: Your Health can be converted into Star Energy, and Star Energy can be converted into Health]
Silver Shovel was a popular 'auto-battler' game in the Star World.
The effect of 'Demonic Pact' in that game was to exchange 'Health' for the 'experience points' needed for leveling up.
However, when Mi Yao materialized it into reality, the ability underwent a slight change, becoming more suitable for the grand 'game' that was reality, the 'Stars.'
"How about it? Are you interested now?"
Mi Yao patted the arcade machine behind him. The screen suddenly switched to the 'Versus Screen.'
On the left was Mi Yao's cartoon avatar; on the right was the empty 'Player 2' slot.
"Don't worry, once the game begins, I promise not to switch the game mode. I'll just use Demonic Pact to fight you."
Hearing these words, Chen Kong did not rush to respond. Instead, he tried hard to recall Mi Yao's 'Star Core - Faulty Command.'
In the base files back then, Mi Yao's Star Core - False Command was a Mechanist-type Star Source that could issue false commands to quantum Synthetics.
If that Star Core had awakened, could it modify 'game data'?
For example, infinite health, infinite Star Energy, etc.?
But... if he missed this opportunity, how long would it take him to gather seven badges again?
After weighing the pros and cons, Chen Kong suddenly spoke.
"I can agree, but we need to add a rule."
Chen Kong spoke suddenly, placing his Rich Martial Badge on the ground.
"Oh? Tell me, what's the condition?"
"Neither of us can use the abilities of our Star Cores; we can only duel with our Star Sources."
He had to restrict Mi Yao's 'False Command.' If the opponent could modify his own game data, then this gamble would be a scam from the very beginning.
"That's interesting. You've gotten smarter, kid, but... no problem."
With that, Mi Yao smiled and reached out to press the 'Start Button' on the arcade machine.
"Then I wish us a pleasant game."
Buzz!
The arcade screen suddenly flashed with blinding white light, and a pale purple Star Energy radiated from Mi Yao's body.
The next second, his previously ordinary hoodie glowed with the blood-red pattern of 'Demonic Pact,' and his eyes turned a fluorescent color like a game character's.
The game had begun.
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