"Ding-dong, your delivery has arrived, please collect it quickly."
Chen Mo pressed the doorbell with practiced ease, wiping the sweat from his brow. This weather was as fickle as his scummy boss, shifting from sunshine to storm in the blink of an eye. One minute he was being hailed as the company's backbone, the next he was shown the door.
"Dude, you're fast! I'd be paying a penalty if this order was two minutes late," a burly man in flip-flops and a thick beard said, giving Chen Mo a grateful pat on the shoulder.
"Piece of cake," Chen Mo boasted, "My speed is legendary, like a bolt of lightning, a whisper in the wind, a… " He trailed off, his phone ringing. The number flashed on the screen, and his bravado deflated like a punctured balloon.
"Hello, Mr. Zhang…" Chen Mo's voice was as low as a mosquito's hum, a sense of dread creeping into his gut.
"Chen Mo, you're fired. Pack your things and get out," the voice on the other end, belonging to Zhang Xiao-li, was as cold as winter, as if he were some kind of criminal.
"What? Why?" Chen Mo was stunned, as if someone had doused him with ice water.
"No reason, it's the company's decision," Zhang Xiao-li's tone was firm, leaving no room for explanation. "You have until the end of the day to complete your exit procedures, or face the consequences!"
Beep-beep-beep…
The line went dead. Chen Mo clutched his phone, a surge of anger coursing through him. Three years he'd given to this company, working tirelessly, going above and beyond, and this was the reward? Cold, heartless dismissal!
"Fine! Good!" Chen Mo gritted his teeth, a spark of fury in his eyes. He knew Wang Fatty was behind this.
"These days, getting a job is harder than winning the lottery. Gone in a flash," Chen Mo chuckled bitterly, shoving his phone into his pocket. He looked up at the sky, only to see the sign across the street: "King's Glory, Join the Battle!"
"Alright, let's go play some games, clear my head," Chen Mo tossed his phone into his bag, striding towards the internet cafe. He needed to vent his frustration.
The cafe was a haze of smoke and noise, a cacophony of game sounds and chatter, a world seemingly cut off from the outside.
"First blood!"
"Double kill!"
"Triple kill!"
Amidst the deafening sound effects, a familiar voice came from a corner: "Mo, over here!"
Chen Mo turned to see a slightly overweight guy with glasses waving at him, his best friend, retired esports player Li Qiang. He was completely engrossed in the computer screen, his fingers dancing across the keyboard like a conductor leading an orchestra.
"Qiang, what brings you here today?" Chen Mo smiled, plopping down beside him, grabbing a can of soda and chugging it down.
"What else? You, the big shot, graced us with your presence, so I, your humble servant, had to come pay my respects," Li Qiang replied without looking up, his fingers still flying, his character on screen dodging attacks with agility, then seizing an opportunity for a decisive strike.
"Cut it out! When did you learn to flatter?" Chen Mo laughed, knowing Li Qiang was just trying to cheer him up.
"Just trying to make you feel better, seeing as you're down in the dumps today," Li Qiang chuckled, finally sparing a glance for Chen Mo. "So, what are we playing? My treat!"
"Let's play 'King's Glory!' It's been ages since we fought side-by-side. Today, we're gonna dominate!" Chen Mo declared with a flourish, as if he was going to unleash all his pent-up anger on the game.
"Alright, that's what I was waiting for!" Li Qiang rubbed his hands together excitedly, booting up his computer, ready to embark on their "King's Road."
"Wait, what's that on your arm?" Li Qiang suddenly pointed at Chen Mo's right arm, his face full of curiosity.
Chen Mo looked down and saw a black metal bracelet on his right arm. It was the "smart mechanical arm" he'd been secretly developing at work, intending to unveil it once it was perfected. But now…
"Heh, it's my secret weapon, pretty cool, right?" Chen Mo grinned, shaking his arm, a mischievous glint in his eyes.
"Holy crap, what does it do? Can it cheat in games?" Li Qiang's eyes widened, as if he'd stumbled upon a priceless treasure.