Zeng Haofeng stood on the rooftop of his crumbling apartment building, barefoot and wrapped in a threadbare bathrobe he found in a dumpster labeled "Hotel Lost & Found."
In one hand, he held his latest creation—a taser-glove forged from two discarded vape pens, duct tape, copper wire, and something he swore was the divine essence of lightning.
He raised it solemnly to the heavens.
"Thunderstrike Gauntlet, version seven."
Electricity danced across his knuckles, crackling like a nest of angry wasps. He grinned. The glove pulsed with raw voltage, and for a brief moment, he felt the thrill of power again—real, tangible power.
Then the glove exploded.
"AHHHHHHHHHH—!"
His scream echoed across rooftops, scattering pigeons and waking up a very angry neighbor who shouted something unintelligible from a nearby window.
Smoke trailed from his fingers as he dropped the glove, which landed with a sad fizzle on the cracked concrete.
Pixie, hovering overhead, let out a digital sigh. "I warned you not to test it on a metal railing, genius."
"I was… calibrating the heavenly arcs," he muttered, cradling his scorched hand.
"You were electrocute-punching a guard rail. In slippers. Again."
Zeng Haofeng looked down. "My footwear has no bearing on my cultivation."
Pixie buzzed in frustration. "You're wearing mismatched bunny slippers!"
Before he could respond with something philosophical (and definitely incorrect), a sudden ping echoed in his mind.
A screen blinked into existence.
[Local Network Pulse Detected.]
[Invitation Received: TechStart Startup Contest – Hosted by BaiTech Holdings]
[Prize: 10,000 Credits + Tier-2 Component Access + Mentorship from Bai Tianyu]
[Entry Requirement: Submit Working Prototype of Original Tech Artifact]
Pixie gasped. "Wait. Bai Tianyu? As in, the Bai Tianyu?"
Zeng blinked, unamused. "That name means nothing to me."
"He's the richest 19-year-old in the Eastern Federation," Pixie explained. "Top of his class at the Omega Institute. Built a smart drone company at sixteen. Drives a gold-plated hovercar. Basically, everything you're not."
Zeng frowned. "Is he strong?"
Pixie paused. "Strong in money. Probably couldn't punch wet rice."
Zeng crossed his arms. "Then I will defeat him."
Pixie groaned. "That's not how pitch competitions work—"
"I will forge an artifact so magnificent, the heavens will weep!"
"That's really, really not how pitch competitions work."
[Side Quest Accepted: Crush the Contest]
[Goal: Win the BaiTech Startup Tournament]
[Main Reward: Tier 2 Component Pack, 10,000 Credits]
[Bonus Reward (???): Cultivation Method Adaptation File]
Zeng's eyes lit up. "A cultivation manual? Hidden within a business contest?"
"It's a PDF file, not a Dao scroll, but yes."
"I will still obtain it with honor."
Pixie hovered low, projecting a grainy promotional clip into the air. Bai Tianyu's flawless smile beamed across the projection, standing beside a polished humanoid robot flanked by digital fireworks. The boy looked smug—punchably smug.
Zeng stared at the image. "I dislike his face."
Pixie nodded. "That's fair. Most people do."
His eyes turned back to the burned glove, his mind already dissecting its failures. He would need better circuits, shock insulation, a non-explosive power source… and maybe a working toaster.
But before he could dive into his bin of junkyard treasure, his stomach growled. Loudly. Ravenously.
Pixie's eyes glowed red. "When was the last time you ate something that didn't come from a vending machine or involve chewing copper wire?"
He blinked. "Does swallowing AA batteries count?"
Pixie's response was immediate.
[Emergency Quest: Obtain Food]
[Reward: Physical Recovery + Morale Boost]
[Optional Bonus: Impress Store Clerk (???)]
"We're going shopping," Pixie declared.
"Shopping?" Zeng raised an eyebrow. "Like, with… mortal currency?"
She projected his balance: $3.41.
"...We're going dumpster diving," Pixie corrected.
***
Ten minutes later, Zeng was climbing into a grocery cart, arms full of bent aluminum cans, expired coupons, and a solar garden light he claimed "smelled faintly of Dao energy."
They passed a street TV on the sidewalk. Onscreen, Bai Tianyu was giving a speech at some tech gala.
"We believe in a future where artificial intelligence doesn't replace humanity—it empowers it," Bai said smoothly. The crowd applauded.
Pixie muted it instantly. "If that guy was any more polished, he'd reflect sunlight."
Zeng stared at the screen. "I will destroy his robot. With a better robot."
"Built from microwave parts and an old blender?"
"With faith, Pixie. Faith and fire."
Pixie sighed. "Just don't build another taser-glove."
Zeng nodded solemnly. "I'm building a taser sword this time."
Pixie screamed.
Zeng Haofeng was already rummaging through the nearest trash heap like a man possessed. "What I need is a long, conductive shaft. Preferably aluminum. Maybe a curtain rod. And something sharp. Like… a broken spatula."
Pixie hovered cautiously above. "I don't think a spatula qualifies as 'sharp,' unless your goal is aggressively flipping omelets."
He pulled out a rusted umbrella handle and held it aloft like Excalibur. "This shall be the hilt."
"You know what? Sure. Lean into the madness."
By the time they returned to the apartment, the sun was creeping over the skyline, casting long shadows across cracked rooftops and rust-streaked gutters. Zeng sat down in his sacred circle of cables, noodle cups, and dreams. With duct tape, desperation, and divine conviction, he began assembling the taser sword.
He installed the capacitor from a busted taser toy, mounted the garden light core into the umbrella shaft, then wired the entire thing to a repurposed phone battery. He even wrapped the grip with rubber bands for "safety."
Pixie watched silently.
"You're not going to stop me?" he asked.
"I'm not your mom," she replied. "Also, I want to see how fast it explodes."
Zeng grunted and touched two wires together. A spark snapped. The sword hummed to life, glowing with faint blue energy.
It didn't explode.
Yet.
[Prototype Artifact: Taser Saber Mk.0]
[Grade: D]
[Effect: Emits low-voltage electric arc along blade edge. Primarily useful for intimidation, light cooking, or minor self-defense.]
Zeng held it with reverence. "We march to war, Pixie."
She whirred. "You realize this contest is in a business center, right? No actual war, just presentations and PowerPoints."
He pointed the sword skyward. "Then I shall present… my wrath."
Pixie silently enabled fire suppression protocols. Just in case.