In these times, earning a small amount of money was easy. You could sell labor, run a small business, or find a job almost anywhere. But making a bit more money meant either getting involved in gang activities or dealing with businesses monopolized by the city's big shots, areas where John Han had no chance to intervene.
John thought long and hard but couldn't come up with a job or business that could earn him money quickly.
"I still need to find a way to leverage my abilities. I'm fast-thinking and have a good memory, but how can I monetize that? Hmm, besides the casinos..."
John pondered deeply.
Suddenly, his mind lit up.
Right, how could I forget about this...
He finally thought of a way, a method to make more money quickly without involving gang activities or monopolized industries. However, this required some startup capital.
After careful calculation, John realized he needed $20,000 to buy all the necessary equipment.
$20,000...
He couldn't even come up with $200 now.
"I'll have to ask Brother Shawn for a loan."
John sighed. "I really have no other options now. I've already owed so many favors; a few more won't make a difference."
Over the years, John managed to establish himself in the market district, barely getting by, thanks largely to Butcher Shawn's help.
The next afternoon, John returned to Aunt Wang's food stall.
"Aunt Wang! A large bowl of noodles, and... add an egg!"
"Alright, sit tight, it's almost ready."
Aunt Wang quickly cooked the noodles and brought them over. Seeing no extra serving, John felt relieved.
After devouring the noodles, John noticed that there weren't many customers at Butcher Shawn's stall and walked over.
Butcher Shawn glanced sideways at John. "What brings you here?"
"I... I need to borrow some money. $20,000."
$20,000 was not a small amount. After a moment of silence, Butcher Shawn took out his phone and transferred the money.
John sighed in relief. "Thank you, Brother Shawn. I'll repay you within three months."
"Go on, go on."
Butcher Shawn seemed a bit impatient, shooing John away as he lifted the pot lid to check the braised meat.
He sold not only raw meat but also cooked meat.
The lid lifted, and the aroma of the braised meat wafted over. Even after just eating noodles, John's mouth watered.
"Um... give me $20 worth of pork head meat."
John decided to splurge today, as a celebration.
"I'll bring the meat to your place tonight."
"Huh? Well... okay."
John smiled bitterly.
After finally deciding to buy some meat for a quiet meal, his plan was thwarted again.
With money in hand, John returned home and immediately started purchasing the tools needed for his money-making plan.
He selected some robotic arms, wires, drive motors, shafts, circuit boards, industrial chips, and other items, placing the order.
This cost nearly $2,000. After that, John began looking at neural control devices.
Neural control devices existed before the Itan civilization arrived, allowing rudimentary interaction between the human brain and computers. However, they were basic and had few practical uses. Even gamers didn't like them, only a few novelty seekers bought them.
But they weren't cheap; a low-end model cost $10,000. After much thought, John decided to buy a second-hand one for $6,000.
In an instant, $8,000 was spent.
Despite this, he hadn't bought everything he needed. John planned to buy a set for testing first. If it worked, he would buy more.
That evening, Butcher Shawn brought the pork head meat as promised. But unlike usual, he was very quiet, not mentioning the Blue Army or reminiscing about the past.
He simply sat silently, occasionally sipping wine and eating meat, making John anxious.
"Brother Shawn, are you okay?"
Shawn shook his head, still not speaking. After a while, he said in a low voice, "Wa is dead."
"Wa?"
"A codename."
"Oh..."
"He went to the Yang Iron Mine to rally the workers. The conditions there are brutal; most workers don't survive five years. Wa was caught by the guards and beaten to death on the spot."
John fell silent.
Shawn's voice choked up slightly.
"Over the years, my comrades have died one by one. Wa is dead, Kangaroo is dead, Box is dead, your parents are dead, and there's still no hope... It's so dark; when will the dawn come..."
Boom...
A racing car roared past in the night sky.
John was startled. "You knew my parents? You knew their identity?"
Shawn looked at John with a hint of sarcasm. "Why do you think I've been looking out for you all these years? Why did I trust you enough to tell you I'm with the Blue Army? Do you think it's because you're good-looking?"
John remained silent. After a long pause, he said, "There is no hope on Earth, not even in the solar system. Hope... lies beyond the solar system."
The Itans would never allow resistance forces to grow under their noses.
Only by leaving the solar system, far from the Itans, in a place unnoticed by any power, could there be hope for development.
Shawn said despondently, "We don't have the means to leave the solar system. Even if we could, it would be pointless with so few people. Without a sufficient number, we wouldn't survive in space, let alone establish a base and develop."
For human civilization, this was an inextricable deadlock.
Only by leaving the solar system could they develop. To develop, they first needed to leave the solar system.
John didn't speak, silently thinking, "Maybe my abilities can break this deadlock."
For the first time, Shawn got drunk in front of John. Worried, John escorted him home with a knife before returning.
"No matter what, I need to earn my first bucket of gold. Without money, nothing is possible."
John mused silently.
Even the greatest goals and loftiest ideals must have a very grounded beginning. At this moment, John planned to practice this principle.
The industry John chose for his first bucket of gold was very down-to-earth.
Game boosting.
With the computer chip integrated, he could operate multiple computers simultaneously, taking multiple boosting jobs and earning multiple incomes!
Of course, this was assuming his concept worked.
Despite the troubled times, the online gaming industry thrived. Except for those living in chaotic districts like John, struggling daily for survival, and the bottom-tier who begged and relied on social assistance, most people with a decent job indulged in online games.
Especially city office workers, who enjoyed gaming after a busy day.
The reason was simple: these people had solved their survival pressure but had no upward mobility. Striving seemed pointless, so they chose to enjoy life.
Other entertainment options were too expensive, leaving online games as the cheapest form of entertainment.
Technological advancements had mostly eliminated game cheats, but the large user base created a huge demand for game boosting. John targeted this market.
To John, this market seemed tailor-made for him, fitting perfectly.
Once his purchases arrived, John immediately began research and assembly.
The experience of handcrafting a computer chip had honed his skills. During this time, he also studied mechanical engineering, boosting his confidence.
The rods, wires, bearings, motors, and other components came together in his hands like magic, forming a strange-looking contraption.