Chapter 11 of 100

Chapter 11

13 min read3,223 words

The children born in the 1980s were the first generation to be affected by the family planning policy, especially those like Li Mu, whose parents were employees of state-owned enterprises. To keep their jobs, most parents only had one child. Although this generation of only children was often referred to as the "little emperors" of the family by the media, almost every 1980s only child had a deep desire to prove themselves to their family.

For the group of children in Li Mu's neighborhood, this desire basically began at the age of ten.

In elementary school, they would often sneak into nearby construction sites to pick up some scrap iron or steal a couple of large clamps from the scaffolding, then go to the scrap collection station to exchange them for a few dollars. Each child would buy an ice cream, and the remaining money would be used to buy a bunch of radishes and cabbages, which they would carry home, feeling extremely proud that they could contribute to their families, regardless of whether their families really needed it.

As they grew up, they no longer did such childish things, but the passion to prove themselves never faded.

Although Zhao Kang was much more rebellious than Li Mu, his desire to prove himself was no less intense.

The moment he heard about the possibility of earning a year's tuition during the summer, Zhao Kang became immediately interested. He stopped practicing his headshots in Counter-Strike and asked hesitantly, "Xiao Mu, I know you well. You never make promises you can't keep. Tell me, how can we earn so much money?"

"By making cheats," Li Mu said calmly. "I'll do it. You don't need to worry about the other things for now. Just keep it a secret for now. Later, I'll need you to do some online promotion."

"What does 'online promotion' mean?"

"Don't worry about what it means. If you're willing to do it, you're in. Just wait for my instructions. If you're not willing, I won't blame you."

"Damn, I'll definitely do it. Count me in. Just tell me what to do!"

At that time, earning a year's tuition over the summer was unimaginable for an average office worker, who would need to earn at least 3,000 yuan a month to say such a thing. For a high school student like Zhao Kang, Li Mu's words immediately caught his attention.

"First, familiarize yourself with a game called 'Stone Age.' I don't want you to learn how to play it, but rather how to promote it in the game. Also, search online for forums and chat rooms related to Stone Age. Once my cheat is ready, you'll need to start promoting it everywhere."

"Okay." Although Zhao Kang didn't understand, he had a strong and persistent spirit. Once he made a decision, nothing could change his mind.

So, Li Mu went home and took out the remaining 400 yuan, went back to the internet cafe, and paid Er Bin. Then he started researching the cheat in a private room.

Li Mu's understanding of Zhao Kang was almost entirely from before he turned 18, and they had no significant financial entanglements. It was just a matter of who treated whom to a meal or bought a bottle of water. The cheat business was a six-figure deal, and Li Mu wasn't sure if Zhao Kang's character would remain unchanged after seeing such a large profit.

However, he thought about it and remembered that in his previous life, Zhao Kang had traveled to countless places over the years but always remembered to call him on New Year's Day. This alone was enough for Li Mu to trust him.

He had many things he could do in the future and needed trustworthy people around him. For Li Mu, he hoped Zhao Kang would be absolutely reliable and become his right-hand man.

...

Programming was tedious, especially for a simple cheat. It felt like a person who had written novels for years was now writing a 300-word essay for elementary school, finding no sense of achievement.

However, Zhao Kang didn't find it boring. On the contrary, he was very engaged.

He quickly learned how to shout in the game and, under Li Mu's guidance, registered accounts in several zones. He then went downstairs to get paper and a pen from Er Bin and began recording forums and chat rooms related to Stone Age, preparing to register accounts and explore how to post, with a very serious attitude.

Li Mu stopped him before he started registering BBS and chat room accounts, then found a suitable overseas proxy. After connecting through the proxy, he let Zhao Kang continue. Since making cheats was illegal, it was better to be cautious.

The two stayed in the internet cafe until the next morning. Li Mu's programming work progressed quickly, and the planned cheat was about 30% complete. It seemed that with another twenty hours of work, the cheat would be ready.

Li Mu decided to name his cheat "Stone Age Overlord." The name was crude, but for early internet users, it was the kind of simple and direct effect they wanted.

After a night of hard work, to avoid making their parents worry, they returned home before their parents went to work.

The last time Li Mu's parents saw him was before they went to work the previous day. When they saw him again, they almost didn't recognize him.

Li Mu's mother exclaimed, "When did you get a haircut? And why did you shave your beard? Didn't I tell you that you shouldn't shave at your age? You'll have a full beard by your twenties, which will look terrible!"

She circled around Li Mu, examining his new haircut from all angles, muttering, "The haircut is good, it makes you look more spirited, but the beard..."

Li Mu's father glanced at him, waved his hand, and laughed, "Ah, he's grown up. Why worry about whether he shaves or not? When I was his age, I had already been working for half a year. My master used to say I was unreliable because I had no facial hair. I had to shave for two years before I finally had a bit of a beard."

Li Mu's mother shook her head helplessly, "Can you compare? My son is much better looking than you."

"Hey, it's like you're saying he's only yours," Li Mu's father said.

The couple bickered a bit, and Li Mu's mother noticed his dark circles. She knew he had stayed up all night at the internet cafe but didn't scold him. "Son, there's breakfast in the kitchen. Eat and then go to sleep. You need to go to school tomorrow morning to estimate your scores. Don't go out tonight."

Li Mu nodded and said, "Mom, don't worry. I'll go to bed early today."

"That's better," his mother smiled, "After estimating your scores, call my finance department to let them know!"

Li Mu's father chimed in, "Don't forget to call our surveying team and give me the good news too!"

Li Mu laughed, "Dad, Mom, estimating scores isn't always accurate. Let's wait until the results are out."

"It's not 100% accurate, but it's still quite reliable!" His mother smiled and patted Li Mu's shoulder, "Go eat, then wash up and go to bed. Look at those eyes, you'll turn into a panda if you stay up all night!"

After his parents left, Li Mu ate a few bites of breakfast. He thought that if he went to sleep now, he would probably sleep until the afternoon and wouldn't be able to sleep at night. Besides, "Stone Age Overlord" was only 30% complete, and he was eager to finish it.

So, Li Mu decided to stay up one more day, go home to eat and sleep early before his parents came home from work, and then go to school the next morning.

Oh, going to school tomorrow, he would see his teenage crush, Su Yingxue. Although she was the school's beauty, she was in the same class as him, so he would definitely see her at school!

Just thinking about her, Li Mu, a man in his thirties, felt a ripple in his heart...

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