Chapter 5

After the second evening self-study session, some students had already skipped class.

Zhou Hang was still excited from playing Counter-Strike (CS) at noon, and Bian Xuedao wanted to continue applying for some fancy QQ numbers, especially to find Xu Shangxiu's QQ number. The two decided to skip class together.

The internet cafe was packed, and they had to wait nearly 20 minutes before they managed to get two computers, which were quite far apart.

Bian Xuedao logged into his six-digit QQ number. Although he had zero friends, he still felt extremely good. This should be the first good change since his rebirth. He was determined to get a few fancy QQ numbers from his classmates before the college entrance exam.

He entered Xu Shangxiu's QQ number in the QQ search bar and clicked search, his heart rate accelerating uncontrollably.

The result appeared!

"Huh? A man? 31 years old? Nanjing?"

Bian Xuedao was stunned. Xu Shangxiu's family was in Tianhe City in their province, so how could her QQ number be in the hands of a 31-year-old man in Nanjing in 2001?

Bian Xuedao carefully confirmed the search number again. Yes, it was this number, one he was very familiar with.

Bian Xuedao couldn't wait any longer and decided to add the person as a friend first. Damn, there was a verification setting. What should he say? Bian Xuedao was at a loss.

Saying "I am your husband from nine years later" was definitely not an option. Not only did he not know who had the number now, but even if it was Xu Shangxiu, a high school girl would not be able to handle such a statement. He and his peers were not the same as the non-mainstream crowd of several years later.

Saying "Hello, let's be friends" was also likely to be rejected. Based on his understanding of his wife, she would probably reject it.

What a headache!!!

Forget it, Bian Xuedao simply typed "Let's meet" and sent it.

The other party was clearly not online, so waiting was pointless. Bian Xuedao looked at the games on the computer, but none of them really interested him.

Just as he was about to check the news, Zhou Hang called out from the front computer, "Bian Xuedao, quickly join the 'gansini' room, we need one more person on the CT side."

Bian Xuedao went in and saw that they were playing the "White House" map.

He joined the CT side, with no money, he bought a flashbang and used the default pistol, following the team.

In the first round, Bian Xuedao used the pistol and flashbang to kill three people at the back door, winning the round.

In the second round, he bought a Desert Eagle and killed four people, winning again.

The CT side was invigorated.

In the third round, Bian Xuedao, named "biange," bought a B45, and the nightmare for the terrorists began.

Bian Xuedao had been playing CS on his personal computer from college to work for over ten years. During his free time at work, he would often play CS online. His best gun was the obscure B45, and years of practice had made his aim very good. When using the B45, he could hit 90% of his shots at close to medium range, and even 50% at medium to long range.

The CS skills of high school students in 2001 were generally very average, with a poor understanding of gun characteristics and no settings for mouse speed or resolution. High-level players were rare. Encountering a monster like Bian Xuedao, they were utterly crushed.

A voice came from the inner room, "CTs in the 'gansini' room, don't leave, change the map."

Zhou Hang, being a top student, immediately found inspiration from Bian Xuedao's name "biange" and changed his name to "zhouge" after the map change.

The new map was "Italy," and the terrorists were still the nightmare for Bian Xuedao.

So, the map was changed again, to "Desert."

Soon, it was changed to "Blood Pool."

"Blood Pool" was the longest map they played. Bian Xuedao still used the B45 and Desert Eagle, while Zhou Hang, who mainly used guns, alternated between the B21 and B22, eventually settling on the B21.

As long as Bian Xuedao used the B45 to reduce the opponent's health to half, Zhou Hang would immediately jump out and finish them off with a single shot. If hit, the opponent was basically done for.

The inner room was filled with groans and screams.

Zhou Hang was in high spirits, but the other side quit. Soon, a few boys came out of the room, looked around, and saw Zhou Hang's monitor, glanced at it, and paid and left.

When Bian Xuedao pulled Zhou Hang out of the internet cafe, it was almost 11 PM. Bian Xuedao went back to school to get his bicycle and hurried home.

The next day, after lunch, Zhou Hang dragged Bian Xuedao to the internet cafe again. Bian Xuedao was quite bitter, thinking, "Bro, you don't care about this little break, but I still have a pile of books to read." There was nothing he could do; he still needed Zhou Hang's help, so he had to accompany him.

It had to be said that Zhou Hang's mind was sharp. By noon, he had mastered the key techniques of the B21, shooting and moving, and jumping. This time, they sat next to each other, and after Bian Xuedao reminded him to aim at the opponent's chest and neck, Zhou Hang's kill count increased significantly.

In the Big Eyes Internet Cafe, almost every Counter-Strike server had seen the duo, one with a B45 and the other with a B21. This combination was unstoppable, and within a few days, as soon as "biange" and "zhouge" appeared on one side, the other side would immediately defect to the minimum number.

A few days later, on a Saturday afternoon, Zhou Hang dragged Bian Xuedao to play Counter-Strike again. This time, they encountered a few skilled players who used the B41 and B46 smoothly. Bian Xuedao could still hold his own against multiple opponents, but Zhou Hang would die as soon as he showed his head. The sense of honor they had gained over the past few days was quickly shattered.

After a victory, Zhou Hang learned to taunt the dead. The other side taunted him, and he taunted back. Eventually, the other side would kill Zhou Hang and then focus on his corpse, shooting and jumping on it.

Seeing Zhou Hang's face turn pale, Bian Xuedao paid and pulled him out, taking him to a nearby skewer shop for some skewers.

Bian Xuedao had already decided to explain to Zhou Hang that he would not come to the internet cafe again before the college entrance exam. They had been a bit too indulgent recently.

After eating about three or four skewers, three young men entered the shop. The one in front was wearing a short-sleeved denim jacket and a big hairstyle, clearly not a local student.

The man in the denim jacket grabbed Zhou Hang by the collar, "CNMD, was it you who taunted the dead just now?"

Zhou Hang's face turned white, and he tried to pry the man's hand off, saying, "Let go, let go, what are you doing?"

A skinny man who followed in kicked Zhou Hang's chair over, "Aren't you cool? Weren't you the one who taunted the dead? CNMD!"

Bian Xuedao realized this was an opportunity to "deepen their friendship." Although they had been classmates, they had not spent much time together. But if they went through this together, it would be different.

"Bro, bro, don't do this, it's just a game, don't get so worked up, don't use your hands, sit down and have something to eat, I'll treat you!"

Bian Xuedao stood up with a fawning smile. The man in the denim jacket, who was a few centimeters shorter, looked at him and was thinking about how to respond.

Another man with a flat head rushed to Bian Xuedao and pushed him hard, almost knocking him to the wall.

Seeing this, the man in the denim jacket felt relieved, thinking, "Thank goodness I didn't respond just now. Just two high school students, what's there to be afraid of? Beat them up and get some money out of them."

"Bro, bro, don't use your hands, we're wrong, don't take it personally, sit down, sit down, I'll order more skewers..."

Bian Xuedao bent over, smiling, and moved toward the next table. The flat-headed man was about to come over again when Bian Xuedao suddenly picked up a beer bottle from the ground, smashed it against the wall, and kicked the flat-headed man, who was much shorter, to the ground. In one step, he brought the broken beer bottle to the man in the denim jacket's shoulder.

Bian Xuedao was still smiling, "Bro, it's no big deal, let's just drop it. If I bleed, you bleed, it's not good for either of us. I have 100 yuan, not much, but it's a token of apology, okay?"

Seeing the man in the denim jacket not letting go, Bian Xuedao pressed the beer bottle against his neck.

The man in the denim jacket felt a chill on his neck, not sure if he was bleeding. He shivered, and his grip on Zhou Hang loosened.

Bian Xuedao took out 100 yuan from his pocket, placed it on the table, and pulled Zhou Hang out of the shop. They ran as soon as they turned the corner, sprinting back to the school. Bian Xuedao threw away the half-broken beer bottle when they reached the school gate.