Chapter 45: Buy a Car, Get a Car—Now Get Down

At dawn, as soon as morning arrived...

After finishing his daily washing, Hua Tian took 200,000 and went to a car dealership near Dream City to buy a vehicle.

Last night, after much deliberation, he decided to purchase a pickup truck. Since Water City University was one of the top three universities on the planet, he couldn't possibly buy a subpar car. Among the decent vehicles available in the 200,000 range, sedans and SUVs were typically small and immediately recognizable as such. But if he bought a stylish pickup, people would see it as imposing—bigger than most cars—and their first impression would naturally be that it was expensive.

So he decided to buy a pickup truck measuring 5.5 meters in length.

...

He took a car to the edge of Dream City, arriving at the only dealership that sold pickups in the area, named "Pickup God." From the outside, it was clear they specialized in high-end pickups.

Nervous yet excited, he stepped through the nearest glass doors.

He saw a group of saleswomen sitting together in the distance. “Hello! I’m here to buy a pickup. Do you have anything around 5.5 meters or less?”

Upon seeing Hua Tian’s thin attire and hearing his words, they assumed he couldn’t afford a purchase. They collectively ignored him, instead rushing to the door to greet a man in a high-end suit who had just arrived.

Left unattended, Hua Tian looked around, when suddenly a voice behind him asked, “Sir, are you here to buy a car?”

He turned to see a woman with heavy makeup, dressed in revealing yellow clothes and stockings—so scantily clad and flirtatious that, were it not for the public setting, she might not bother to wear anything at all. Apart from a red band on her arm with the word “sales,” there was nothing to indicate she worked there.

“I’m here to buy a car,” he replied.

“Then, sir, are you looking for something high-end or more affordable? What’s your preferred price range?”

“A pickup under 5.5 meters, nothing too expensive, definitely not over 200,000.”

“There’s only one pickup under 5.5 meters here, priced at about 180,000. But I can recommend the newly launched Pickup Deity—amazing performance, and not pricey at all, just around 500,000…”

“…No, I don’t want your recommendation. Just 5.5 meters, nothing longer—I’m not used to driving bigger vehicles.”

“Sir, I still recommend—”

“No!”

The saleswoman led him to a corner of the dealership.

“Sir, this is the one!”

“Do you take me for a fool? This one’s 260,000, and it’s over six meters. Enough—get lost! I’ll find it myself.”

Ordinarily, such a remark wouldn’t frighten her; she had seen plenty of men in her line of work. But his altered physique, the hardness of his body and his imposing air, made her instantly uneasy.

After saying this, Hua Tian turned and walked off to search for his preferred pickup.

Following the directions inside, he finally found the right one. The saleswoman trailing him hurried over. Hua Tian crouched down to inspect the vehicle, and when he heard someone approaching, he looked up to find her again attempting to take advantage of him. Just as he was about to say something, he noticed a gentleman approaching behind her, dressed in what looked like a manager’s uniform. She was trying to avoid being caught slacking off—while the customer was searching for a car up front, she lingered behind doing who knows what. He’d researched this dealership yesterday and knew she was only trying to get close for some extra commission, and since he had to buy, Hua Tian wanted to send her away. But after seeing the manager’s face, he instantly changed his mind.

“You really came. I’ve been waiting for you at the door, Mr. Hua,” the manager said.

“Bodyguard, why are you waiting for me?”

“Well, I’m not a professional bodyguard. But since you had dinner with Miss Han, surely you already have a car! Unless you’re here just to chat with me?”

“No, she invited me then. Aren’t you her bodyguard?”

“I am, but only when she comes to Dream City. The rest of the time, I’m also the owner of this dealership, so I have to keep a low profile!”

“So?”

“You don’t need to go elsewhere. Miss Han knows you might be short on cash. The climate here is odd, so other industries don’t thrive. I can’t guarantee much in other areas, but all the salespeople here are her bodyguards. We’re not locals, so our locations are more isolated. It’s rare to see someone like you wearing a summer vest in winter.”

Hua Tian heard this and wanted to say, “You people really know how to play! Is this some sort of test?”

“She told us yesterday, if you come in the morning to buy a car, don’t charge you. Just check if you’re honest—after all, you said you’d come in the morning, right?”

“You won’t charge me? So it’s free? I want this one!” He pointed to the pickup he’d just found.

“If it’s that one, it’s not free. We wouldn’t give you something that basic. If we give you a car, it’ll be the most expensive. Miss Han said, take it, and handle your move first. The matters in the game aren’t urgent—move house first. Follow me!”

“Alright, alright!”

Hua Tian looked at the massive 6.9-meter pickup, curiously checked his phone for its price, and was stunned.

A car worth millions—the king of pickups.

After they completed the formalities, he drove home without spending a single cent.

He and the manager entered the office.

“Manager, is something wrong?” The saleswoman who’d followed Hua Tian spoke up.

The manager initially ignored her, then finally said, “You tried to squeeze money out of him. Don’t think your looks can get you somewhere—ordinary people might let you get away with coaxing a bit, but your charm won’t work on him.”

“Even Miss Han’s friends couldn’t sway him. The first time she invited him, she admitted he could be our future leader, or at least the king of this place. Did you offend him today? If so, don’t worry, he won’t hold a grudge.” He glanced at the surveillance footage as he finished.

The saleswoman replied, “I don’t think so! Isn’t he just an ordinary person?”

“You weren’t ordinary at first either, but his luck is much better than yours. The daughter of the richest woman in Female Group invited him to dinner for the first time. He’s very likely to become part of the Han Group or its partner, but I doubt he is yet—not even a partner. I’m forging a good relationship now. As for those other saleswomen, who knows. At least you spoke with him!”

...

Oblivious to all this, Hua Tian drove home. Whenever people saw his pickup, they scattered—they’d never seen such a vehicle. Pedestrians who witnessed it speed by were amazed, and not a single sports car dared pass him. Since it was his first time driving such a long vehicle, he drove slowly and carefully. Seeing others proactively make way, he recalled the price and realized he was experiencing this for the first time.

Other people, unaware of his thoughts, only saw a man enjoying life.

A person living in luxury, driving a million-dollar car, not to be trifled with—its power was unmatched, and no one wanted to risk a collision.

Soon, he arrived home.

After settling in, he paused and looked back at his departing home, sensing that this departure might make it hard to ever return to Dream City.

He turned around, glanced at the stairs, and suddenly a small black dragon appeared before him, mouth wide open. Reflexively about to strike it, he lost his grip on his belongings and quickly tumbled from the second floor.

Hua Jie saw this and rushed to carry both his luggage and himself up to the roof.

Standing on the roof, Hua Tian recognized the dragon and, a bit frightened, asked, “Who are you? Why did you bring me up here?”

“Master Hua, really now. Did you forget me so soon just because we’re not in the game?”

“The game world… You’re Hua Jie, the Venom Dragon. Aren’t you supposed to be in the game? This feels like reality.”

“If it weren’t for outsiders, I’d continue my cycle of feigned death. But someone—not human—from Fantasy Wave Star, fearing I’d repeat past actions, found me and told me to wait for you in the game. If you found me, it meant you were the one she was looking for—a leader.”

“What are you talking about? I don’t understand.”

“All you need to know is that the game is a place to train your skills. I always existed in reality, but I appear only when others can’t see me. I make myself invisible except for flight. When the time comes, my powers will manifest, and so will destruction. When destruction arrives, only you can resolve it. I’ll appear when you’re in danger—what you see then may be bloody and brutal.”

“Oh, then why did you come to the rooftop instead of my room?”

“Well, hehe, aren’t I inheriting your strengths? I couldn’t find it!”

Hearing this, Hua Tian gathered his belongings, climbed downstairs, and moved all his food, bedding, and supplies into the pickup. After double-checking his watch, he picked up the phone.

“Hello, landlord, this is resident 202. I’m moving out now—the last ten days I won’t stay. Goodbye, never seeing you again.”

He started driving toward Water City, watching the black dragon beside him devour hundreds of chicken legs he’d bought—three or four at a time.

...

“By the way, you said you could turn invisible—why can I see you?”

“I’m invisible, but of course you can see me. We signed a true contract; whatever I do, you’ll always see me.”

“Can others see you, like those after me?”

“I can choose who sees me. If that non-human sees me, it might summon its forces to wipe us out, and then humanity’s resistance would vanish forever.”

“That non-human—isn’t it human?”

“I’m not sure; the woman didn’t explain. She only said it came from the stars. Where it was before, she didn’t say.”

“The stars—if it’s so powerful, why not just destroy humanity outright?”

“It wouldn’t dare. If the Star Police discovered it, it’d be wiped out completely. The Star Police’s armor comes from various planets, so all planets receive extra protection. If an outsider’s found, it’s eliminated without hesitation. If we appear, war can break out on the planet’s surface, and the Star Police will think it’s just a minor planetary skirmish and ignore it. Anyway, you wouldn’t understand. Just focus on your mission game.”

“Mission to save the world? Why does playing this game save us?”

“Hehe, the game contains their prototypes. You need to get familiar with them and kill them with your weapons. Then you’ll become stronger, requiring skill or mastery of your weapon. Don’t tell anyone about me—I’ll reveal myself when needed. In reality, you can use that weapon, which is on your right hand. Just don’t let people know you can summon it—at least, don’t get caught.”

On his right hand, Hua Tian saw a void tattoo appear, quickly realizing it was the same as his in-game weapon’s mark.

An hour later, he arrived at Water City and pulled up to the gates of Water City University.

A middle-aged, bald principal was already waiting for an esteemed guest. Seeing the pickup, he watched as a man in a blue vest stepped out. “And you are?”

“I’m Hua Tian—Captain Han sent me!”

The black dragon slowly crawled out and flew to Hua Tian’s head, gently lifting his right hand. In the principal’s eyes, it looked like an imperfect salute. The principal exclaimed, “Excellent! Promising, polite, courageous!”

Hua Tian replied, “Uh…” and Hua Jie laughed heartily in midair.

“Alright, student, get out of the car and come with me!”

Hua Tian parked outside and quickly ran into the campus.

...

Every time the black dragon laughed, Hua Tian couldn’t help but raise his hand to grab it, but each time the principal would turn around—the timing was uncanny.

To the principal, every time he turned, Hua Tian immediately saluted, never missing a beat. His evaluation of the boy soared.

On the walk, when the principal didn’t turn, the road signs reflected Hua Tian’s serious gaze ahead. The principal kept praising, “This student is sensible, eager to learn, sharp-eyed.”

Soon, they arrived at the Han Family Team’s study area. The principal said, “This is where you’ll study from now on. Work hard, progress every day.”

After the principal left, about five minutes later, he turned back for a look and saw Hua Tian saluting the building, shouting, “Salute! … Salute finished!”

Joyfully, the principal laughed, “Wonderful, wonderful! This child will surely be a pillar of society—he doesn’t forget to greet his elders before entering!”

...

At that moment, Hua Tian shouted, “Get down from my head! This isn’t a game—you’re too fat and heavy, you’ll crush my skull. Get down! Like the cute ‘sprite’ in the game… ‘Anyway,’ fly down.”

As the dragon descended, Hua Tian looked up and saw a pure, lively campus beauty.

The girl glanced curiously at him and asked, “Are you Xiao Yu?”