Simon was dragged by his roommate to an internet cafe near the mall.
"Didn't they say internet cafes are strict now and don't let minors in?" Simon hesitated at the entrance.
Wang Tianyu chuckled, "They're just putting on a show. Just say you didn't bring your ID, they'll mostly understand."
Simon felt a little excited, and of course, he also thought it was very normal. Everyone was a cool kid, and minors going to internet cafes was just—common sense!
However, he acted like a dazed goose in front of the internet cafe manager. Throughout, Wang Tianyu would say something, and Simon would follow with, "Me too."
In the end, Simon declined the offer to get a membership card, then pulled out a half-worn fifty-yuan bill and received a short receipt.
"Internet cafe computers really are different!" Simon marveled at the wide screen, while Wang Tianyu was nonchalant, "They're just so-so."
"No way, you've seen better?"
"Uh, no, but I know what the best computer is."
"Tch." Simon pouted, intending to end the conversation.
The two of them silently turned on their computers.
Wang Tianyu couldn't help but turn his head, "Aren't you curious about what I said was the best computer?"
Simon was expressionless, "Not curious."
"Oh, okay."
They each played on their computers.
Simon looked at the dazzling game menu, feeling a bit overwhelmed.
He idly opened a webpage, only to turn and see Wang Tianyu already furiously operating his game.
A hooded man sprinted gracefully through a tomb. When he encountered an enemy, he flicked his hand. Simon heard the click of a mechanism, a cold star glinted by the hooded man's hand, then he leaped up, tackled the enemy from behind, raised his right hand high, and a hidden blade from his sleeve swiftly pierced the enemy's body.
It was clean and decisive, and most importantly, very cool.
Simon was immediately shocked, "What game is this?!"
Wang Tianyu shrugged, "Weren't you not curious?"
"Stop messing with me!" Simon put him in a headlock from behind.
"Stop, stop, stop! I'm playing!"
"Playing my ass! What's the game called?!"
"Assassin's Creed!"
Simon scurried back to his seat and began his own gaming journey.
An assassin, a common man, a treasure, shaking human destiny.
As the game's story unfolded little by little, Simon, while enjoying every assassination of the assassin, sincerely wished he could become the protagonist, flying over rooftops and chasing enemies for thousands of miles.
Since stealth operations were quite hardcore for a beginner, Simon often found himself in group battles. However, with simple and straightforward controls, the protagonist Altaïr often cut down everyone on the field.
Victory often felt unreal, making Simon scratch his head a bit.
Is this still an assassin?
Even a berserker wouldn't be much different.
Unconsciously, he had been at the internet cafe all morning. Wang Tianyu rubbed his stomach and asked him if he wanted to eat something.
Simon licked his dry lips, just thinking about buying some water, when a group of smoking kids arrived at the opposite computer, making a ruckus.
It instantly ruined his mood.
Wang Tianyu knew his roommate couldn't stand the smell of smoke, so he turned off his computer, patted Simon's shoulder, "Let's go, let's head back. You can just download it on your own computer."
That day, Simon walked home under the scorching sun, absentmindedly.
His mother's first question upon seeing him was whether he had finished his homework.
Simon perfunctorily replied, "Almost."
He slipped into the study.
He turned on the computer.
Back then, playing games always involved downloading from pirated platforms, never knowing about official channels, and Simon was no exception.
3DM and Youxia.com, these were what Wang Tianyu told him, and Simon used them with peace of mind, feeling no guilt, even believing they were the official websites.
The Assassin's Creed series had more than one installment, but the only download link Simon could use was for the first Assassin's Creed.
During the download, Simon feigned opening a few webpages, pulling up some study-related websites to make the computer's content look like what a student should have.
After thinking for a moment, Simon took out his homework book, spread it open, and twirled a pen in his right hand.
Simon's mother was about to go out to run errands. When she saw Simon looking very well-behaved in the study, she was immediately relieved, "There's a box of cherries in the fridge, go get some to eat. I'm leaving."
"Got it!" Simon put on an air of deep concentration.
The door closed. Simon heard his mother's footsteps, thudding, to the entryway, putting on her boots, and leaving.
He let out a sigh of relief, his posture becoming arrogant. He pushed his homework to the corner of the desk, put the pen in his pocket, and leisurely went to get a plate of cherries, eating them while reading a novel.
By the time the cherries were finished, the game had also downloaded.
Simon played dazedly all afternoon. After finishing the entire storyline, he let out a sigh of wistful satisfaction.
He returned to his dorm, lay comfortably on his bed, and unknowingly fell asleep.
...
"Hales! Hales! Wake up!" Simon was shaken awake by a man.
"Who? Who the hell are you?!" Simon was startled. As soon as he opened his eyes, he saw a burly Western man. A gaping maw moved within his thick beard, as if he was about to eat a child.
"I'm Skerry! You didn't hit your head, did you?!" The man looked utterly bewildered, and there was a familiar hint of schadenfreude.
Simon immediately put Skerry in a headlock. Skerry yelped and squawked, "Let go! I'm sorry!"
"Wang Tianyu?"
Skerry paused, "Who?"
Simon released the Western-faced man, straightened him up, and cupped his chin with his right hand. The gaping maw puckered, turning into a cherry—no, a watermelon-sized mouth.
Simon laughed in exasperation, "You're quite good at pretending, Wang Tianyu, wait a minute," he froze, "where did you get this outfit?"
This Skerry, who was presumably Wang Tianyu in disguise, was wearing a flashy bright red assassin's outfit, looking like a cool and aloof red eagle.
"Hales, you're really not yourself today!" Skerry was unusually perplexed.
And Simon looked down to see that he himself was also wearing an assassin's outfit, a somewhat shabby dark blue one.
"Why couldn't I pick any other color? Why did I have to wear this one?"
Skerry saw Simon retreat into himself, and scratched his beard, "Hales, are you still going to practice the Leap of Faith?"
Simon was startled. He turned his head to look around. He wasn't at home now, but in a medieval castle.
Large blocks of white limestone made up the walls, the floor was marble, and a thick red carpet with gold embroidered patterns was laid in the hallway.
In the corners, there were several suits of full steel armor, standing like Guards.
These were all things that might appear in a medieval noble residence, but the extravagant Baroque-style decor was a bit strange.
Crystal candelabras, gold-framed paintings, exquisitely carved furniture...
Silk hangings adorned the walls. Simon recognized one as "The School of Athens," though he didn't know if it was a replica.
Simon thought, it's not the Middle Ages, could it be the Renaissance?
Then he felt something moving under his eyelids. He looked down, and it was a robot vacuum cleaner.
--+--
T/N: Although I'm an inexperienced Editor, I do have a Patreon account! Although it seems like I don't have many supporters right now, my webnovel will be released in full every day, and the advanced chapters will be uploaded to Patreon.
It may not be worth it now, but who knows, it might be different in the future. Who knows!
patreon.com/Greyhounds
If you want to see it, then why not?