Singlehandedly - Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Passing Off the Fake As Genuine

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

The cool wind rushed in from the car window, blowing hard on Tang Hong’s cheeks.

‘What best!’

‘You don’t even know what situation I’m in now!’

It was a very different answer from what he had imagined.

Tang Hong originally thought that she would ask a few more questions, and realize that it was a mistake leaving him.

Then, he would decisively say that they should not see each other again, and that the past was the past.

He would then be able to prove himself, and put an end to it. From then on, the relationship would be completely cut and there would be no more useless thoughts.

But she was so indifferent and calm, as if she didn’t care. Tang Hong had nothing more to say. The saddest thing was not to be blocked and deleted by Jiao Xiaoyu, it was her name appearing in his list of friends, and he could no longer get her attention. What else was there to say?

He was just not content.

He lost, who won then? Neither won.

“En.”

Tang Hong replied.

“Thank you.”

Then, he replied again.

At this moment, his feelings of wanting to brag, his joy, or complacency disappeared in the blink of an eye. Instead, emptiness and bewilderment filled Tang Hong’s heart. “How can I be so childish, what am I trying to prove?”

Those thoughts came to an abrupt end as Tang Hong put away his phone.

[Ding dong!]

[First experience of taking a taxi alone, individual value +1]

The corners of his mouth barely curved up. The joy of receiving individual value could not cover up his disappointment.

“We’re almost there.”

“Which terminal?” The taxi driver glanced at the rear-view mirror.

Tang Hong said softly, “I remembered the date wrongly. Let’s go back to Caida.”

“Eh?”

The taxi driver was confused. He couldn’t help but turn around to look at Tang Hong.

He pouted and complained. “How can you remember the date wrongly, what’s wrong with you. You’re wasting my time.”

“I’ll pay you accordingly.” Tang Hong was a little tired, and simply closed his eyes.

Hearing that, the taxi driver felt relieved. He was afraid Tang Hong would not pay. After all, there were all sorts of people in this world… He didn’t say more, and continued driving. He secretly observed Tang Hong via the rear-view mirror… He looked tired and reserved. Ridiculous situations kept appearing in the taxi driver’s mind.

He struggled to remember.

What was that term that his daughter always mentioned?

He thought for very long while, the cool breeze finally awakened his memory.

“Lapdog!”

“Yes yes yes, it’s lapdog!” At this moment, he and his daughter’s thoughts were in perfect harmony. A lapdog’s money was easy to earn.

Leaving the speed limit area of Yunhai City Airport. Sixty kilometers per hour made him anxious. To taxis, time was money.

He stepped hard on the accelerator.

Rumble!

Han Shibin kicked open the quad dorm room’s anti-theft door carrying two bags. He threw them to the side directly and rushed to the bathroom. He was probably in urgent need of the bath room, what followed next was the flushing sound of the toilet.

Han Shibin looked relieved.

“Tang Hong!”

“Tang Hong!”

His shouted echoed in the small living room beyond the bedrooms, but no one answered.

He…

went to study at the library again…

Han Shibin froze for a moment, and picked up the two bags he had just thrown aside. He pushed open the wooden door of his dormitory, and prepared to jump onto his bed. “Damn! Tang Hong! What are you doing!”

What came into his view was a familiar back pervaded by loneliness and desolation, lying on the table without saying a word and without moving.

Deadly solitude.

Dusk approached with a slight breeze. The whole dormitory was quiet.

Han Shibin was a little shocked. “Hello? Tang Hong?”

“Eh?”

The figure stood up suddenly and turned around. It was Tang Hong who was working hard on being alone. “You’re back? Don’t disturb me.”

As he spoke, he rolled his eyes. After three hours, he finally managed to achieve a bit of loneliness which disappeared all of a sudden. All his efforts were wasted.

And that validated his idea: It was too easy to just plop down and stare blankly in the dorm alone.

No matter how strong the mood was, it was difficult to make up for it.

In order to earn individual value, he had to do something more difficult. It cannot be too easy.

“What did you buy?” Tang Hong looked at the bags Han Shibin was carrying, and stretched lazily.

“Branded mouse and keyboard!” Han Shibin puffed out his chest. “We bought it on a sale at the store. More than one thousand for a set.”

Tang Hong laughed. “Rich.”

Han Shibin shrugged and said, “Stop it. I cannot be poorer. These were all paid for by Boss Zeng.”

Zeng Li’s family was extremely well-off, a fact recognized by his classmates. It was said that right after he got into college, his mother wanted to buy him a BMW. It was only because Zeng Li felt it was too flashy and too high-profile, that he got his mother to buy him a second hand Audi A4L.

“Tang Hong.”

Han Shibin shook the two bags in his hands. “Take it, one of them is yours. You can’t say no again this time. Boss Zeng has already bought it for you. Take it.”

Bam!

He placed one of the bags on Tang Hong’s table.

“For me?”

Tang Hong was confused, and was a little reluctant, yet a little touched.

He didn’t want to accept the mouse and keyboard Zeng Li bought for no reason. It cost more than one thousand Hua dollars, it wasn’t nice. But Zeng Li and the others did not forget him even when they went out to play, and even bought a set of mouse and keyboard for him without saying anything. Han Shibin even brought it back for him…

It was hard not to accept it.

“I’m going to fight.”

Han Shibin chuckled as he turned around to take out the laptop from the cabinet. He plugged it in and turned it on. It was obvious that he couldn’t wait to try his new items out.

Without looking back, he said in a low voice. “Both me and Wu Jie got a set too.”

“I understand.”

Tang Hong opened the bag and looked at the new and exquisite mouse and keyboard. He couldn’t help but smile.

It was rare for students in the college dorm rooms to be as close as brothers.

Even if there was, most were just brothers on the surface. After all, how many were willing to address someone who was only slightly older by them, and whom they have only known for a short period of time, as Big Brother or Second Brother? Who would willingly be the younger brother?

The room which Tang Hong was in was more ordinary.

They would quarrel and get into little disputes occasionally. That was usually resolved by a get-together.

Otherwise, they would go to a internet cafe together for a night. Although Tang Hong never understood the difference between an internet cafe and an internet bar.

“This mouse…”

Tang Hong took off the mouse’s plastic seal. The surface of the blue-colored mouse felt quite good.

“So that’s what frosted is like.”

Tang Hong immediately perspired from embarrassment. He remembered the 9.90 postage included Taobao black frosted headphones felt a little slippery. It didn’t seem right.

As he thought about it, he took out the keyboard and looked at the bottom of the bag. It was empty, there was no receipt.

It was probably thrown away by Zeng Li.

One must admit, even though Zeng Li was rich, he knew how to get along with others. “Erm. Han Shibin, how much did you spend on your trip to Hangzhou?”

Tang Hong couldn’t help but ask.

Han Shibin faced the computer screen and logged into the League of Legends TGP. “I don’t know how much we spent. Boss Zeng spent about 20,000.”

“I meant that expense.” Tang Hong asked reluctantly.

“Which?”

Han Shibin was about to turn around when he suddenly understood what Tang Hong meant. He chuckled without saying anything.

“I can’t say it. The walls have ears.” Han Shibin knew trouble came from the mouth. He didn’t tell Tang Hong anymore and just put on his headphones to look for someone to check his ranking.

Tang Hong kept the mouse and keyboard, and patted on Han Shibin’s shoulder. “Where is Zeng Li?”

Han Shibin did not turn back. “He went to Sheng Yuan Cafeteria with Wu Jie.”

“Sheng Yuan?”

Tang Hong was puzzled.

There was no such cafeteria in school.

“Sheng Huan and Xin Yuan are obviously in the same building, yet are given two different names.” Han Shibin mumbled and clicked the mouse furiously. He was engaged in an incomparably intense level one group battle.

Tang Hong urged him. “Stop playing, let’s go eat something.”

“You go ahead first! I must win!” Han Shibin stared at the chat box at the bottom left corner of the screen. He had almost gotten a pentakill, short of three people.

Even so, he had gotten a great harvest. Han Shibin returned to the base to buy equipment.

“Aye.”

Tang Hong shook his head, put on his tracksuit jacket, and went out for dinner.

The emergence of the Power of One support system, how to trigger the value of a person… the secret news about the invasion of the gods from the other dimension, Transcendent, the Yellow River Organization… In just two days, as if a veil was lifted, the world was presented in a very different and strange light from usual.

If not for the increase in willpower, ordinary people would let their imagination run wild. They might even lose the ability to think normally.

”A little more calm and composed.”

“More focused than before.”

‘Other than that, there was no better usage of the increase in willpower.’

Tang Hong pondered on the changes brought about by the increase of willpower.

He felt that the idea of prioritizing the increase of the percentage value of willpower should be correct. After all, the mind was the most important.

It was easy to feel sleepy after eating. Tang Hong chose to walk around, which could aid in digestion. He pulled out the earphones in his left trouser pocket, which was all tangled up.

Tang Hong was not in a hurry. He untangled them slowly while strolling along the edge of the green playground.

“System.”

Tang Hong thought, and called up the information interface.

The system interface and information prompts might be nerve signals. Otherwise, how could there not be a single lag? It was extremely smooth.

Of course.

It could be higher-technology.

Tang Hong stared at his individual value. “Only 2, should I add?”

Mortal: Extremely small and weak creature.

Willpower: 42%

Strength: 29%

Realm: 0.00

Individual value: 2

Tang Hong secretly thought to use the individual value to raise the realm.

Nothing happened.

He was not disappointed. After many attempts in the past two days, the realm 0.00 seemed like a meaningless value. It neither increased nor decreased.

‘Increase willpower then.’

The percentage value of willpower started flashing and soon became 44%.

The night breeze in early May. The air was fresh and the leaves rustled. Tang Hong stood under the green trees at the exit of the playground. It was as if something had happened, yet it seemed like nothing.

He only felt a slight chill on his head.

“Did the temperature drop?”

Tang Hong shivered. He was wearing short sleeves.

He did not continue his stroll. He quickly returned to his dormitory while listening to light music.

Tang Hong had just reached the door when he heard a barbell-like pompous laugh. It was Wu Jie’s voice. “”Look guys, look what I found, a fake car key!”

“It looks real!”

“The perfect item for picking up girls at the nightclub!”

Soon after.

A gentle voice resounded. It was probably Zeng Li speaking. “Wu Jie, put it back.”

“Oh.”

Wu Jie smiled disapprovingly. His bed happened to be next to Tang Hong’s, and he saw the key that was exposed from the corner of his eye.

If it were at other times, he would not have taken it. He was not that curious.

They were college students after all, their EQ was not that low.

But the edge of the key felt familiar somehow.

It was extremely similar to Zeng Li’s car keys. Hence, Wu Jie took a second look. “Brother Zeng, it’s especially similar to your car keys, except there are two more letters at the back…”

“Without those words, I would have thought they were real.” Wu Jie shrunk back and stuffed the key back, helping Tang Hong smooth out the folds of his pillow in the process.

It would have been okay if he didn’t say anything.

His words made Han Shibin took off his headphones. He was in the queue. “Which two letters? Made in china?”

“That’s a string of letters.”

The handsome Zeng Li immediately beamed as he looked toward Wu Jie.

Curiosity, everyone had it. Zeng Li was no exception.

Wu Jie: “Guess it.”

Han Shibin grunted. “Don’t say it then. I’ll continue playing my game.”

Wu Jie rubbed his hands. “R8. It has R8 engraved on the back.”

“What is that?” Han Shibin looked at Zeng Li, confused. Zeng Li was astonished, his mouth wide open.

He did not say anything.

Han Shibin asked, “What situation is this?”

“It’s a car model.” Zeng Li said, and added. “That model is very expensive.”

“Oh.”

Han Shibin pouted. He didn’t care, and continued to put on his headphones and played his game.

Wu Jie jumped off the bed and went to wash up. Only then was the dormitory door pushed open. Tang Hong had returned to the dormitory looking as normal.

“Went to study?”

Zeng Li, who was sitting at the edge of the bed, said with a smile.

He had a tall and straight stature, long legs, and was more than 1.8 meters tall. He was quite good-looking, even in singlet and shorts. He was the typical tall, rich, and handsome guy. The only problem was that he liked the great sword too much. Since the first semester of their sophomore year, they said to experienced it together, and have since become close as brothers.

“Tang Hong, you went to study again?” He saw Tang Hong with his earphones on with the volume raised. It seemed like he was deep in thoughts.

“No, I went to eat something.” Tang Hong took off his earphones and said, “How was your trip?”

Zeng Li nodded. “It was okay. It’s a pity you didn’t join us. Let’s go together next time. It must be quite boring staying in the room by yourself.”

“Let’s talk about it next time. You know I just broke up with my girlfriend.” Tang Hong took out his phone to charge.

Zeng Li glared. “It’s been two months, right? Who are you kidding?”

“Aye, time is relative.” Tang Hong shook his head.

“Drama queen.” Zeng Li rolled his eyes.

As they chatted, Wu Jie returned with a towel on his shoulders and a white cylinder with his toothbrush back. He smiled and looked at Tang Hong. “Lao Tang, , smiling stared at Tang Hong: “Lao Tang, can you share your microeconomics homework with me?”

Tang Hong turned back to his desk and found the microeconomics homework. “Feel free to read it, and remember to return it to me tomorrow morning.”

“OK.”

Wu Jie didn’t say more, he only pretended to scan Tang Hong’s bed.

Zeng Li looked at Tang Hong, wanting to say something. Instead, he turned around to open the Youku app to watch a movie.

Only Han Shibin was still indifferently playing his games with his headphones on. On the other side of the headphones, was a young lady’s voice. “Heal me, heal me, hurry up!”

Tang Hong: “…”

He secretly let out a sigh of relief.

After all, he didn’t know if the key given by Fang Nanxun was real or not. “He didn’t tell me where the bungalow is either. I’ll ask him on WeChat tomorrow!”

“And the entry test!”

“Not for that bit of bonus! It’s to feed my family! I must get first place!”

In the dimly lit corner of the dormitory.

Seeing Tang Hong’s seemingly excited face, Wu Jie wanted to say something but didn’t. He was a little worried that his housemate had suffered from some kind of blow.

It was a quiet night.

Early the next morning.

Tang Hong tossed and turned to sit up. He tried to open his eyes a few times, and was dismayed. Where was the first sentence every day when he got up, individual value + 1? Why did it suddenly disappear?