The next morning, when Li Wei woke up, Don Quixote was already gone.
Li Wei climbed off the mattress. He glanced out the narrow window at the dry pavement and clear sky and knew Don Quixote had gone to the construction site to haul bricks again.
When he stepped out of his partitioned space, he saw that the fried beef shank he'd left on the table for Don Quixote was gone, picked clean. There were also several new letters on the table, all addressed to Don Quixote.
Curious, Li Wei picked one up. The bold, red font seemed to glare at him, menacing and ready to swallow him whole.
Li Wei casually tore open the first envelope. The top-left corner bore the conspicuous logo of the New York City Department of Finance.
The letter inside was addressed to a Mr. Cervantes, informing him that the parking ticket for his vehicle, license plate GDT-592, was now overdue.
Li Wei scanned the amounts listed below: a fine of 115 USD, a late fee of 10 USD, for a total of 125 USD due.
In New York, there are designated times each week for street sweepers. If your car is still parked on the street when they come by, you get a ticket.
"A street sweeping ticket…" Li Wei shook his head. He put down the notice and picked up the second envelope. "Edison United Electric Company?"
It stated that the account was 342.45 USD in arrears. If full payment wasn't received by August 25, the company would have to shut off the electricity and gas supply.
"An electricity bill for 342 USD?" Li Wei was stunned. He looked around the dark, damp basement, which lacked even a single decent appliance. 'How long has it been since he paid the bill?'
Next came a penalty notice from the electronic tolling system, a water bill, a bill for legal fees, and more. There were seven or eight bills delivered this morning alone, totaling seven or eight hundred USD. The sheer amount made Li Wei's own scalp tingle with dread.
'Truly the capital of the White-headed Eagle, the heart of ruthless capitalism.' Li Wei now understood just how difficult Don Quixote's life really was.
Working sixteen hours a day with no days off, he only made a little over 3,000 USD a month. The bills, plus alimony for his ex-wife, already ate up 3,000 USD of that.
Li Wei's eyes fell on the last letter: a bill from a law firm demanding this month's alimony payment of 2,000 USD. He shook his head, took out 150 USD, and placed it on the table—a small contribution to help.
"I'll pay them for you once I've made it," Li Wei muttered to himself. He quickly ate a piece of bread, grabbed his bag, and headed out the door toward the subway station. "This is all I can spare for now."
The Eighth Avenue station had been shut down yesterday because of a shooting. But when Li Wei returned today, the bustling crowds acted as if nothing had happened.
Li Wei gave a final glance at the bullet holes and bloodstains on the wall, and the area still cordoned off with tape. After a moment's thought, he decided against following the example of the young Latin American immigrant ahead of him who had just jumped the turnstile. Instead, he dutifully paid the 2.90 USD fare for a ticket to Madison Square.
'I'm in the critical period of transferring from a B-2 to an F-1 visa. It's not worth risking getting caught over a three-dollar fare.'
'Madison Square is in a wealthy area; I'm more likely to get caught getting off there. If I get arrested for a misdemeanor, I'll be deported for sure.'
He walked down the concrete stairs, which were pockmarked with blackened chewing gum stains. A huge industrial fan churned an indescribably complex smell up from the tunnels below, blasting it indiscriminately into the faces of the commuters.
In the high-definition view afforded by his 1.1 Spirit, the station was filled with unsettling details. Large sections of white tiles had peeled away from the walls, exposing red brick that looked like dried flesh. White lime stains streaked down the walls, and the corners were wet with what could have been yesterday's rainwater, or the urine of the homeless and drug addicts.
SCREEECH!!!
Accompanied by a metallic shriek that set his teeth on edge, a massive gust of air thick with rust dust blasted past. An N-line train, its graffiti-covered, stainless-steel shell riddled with scratches, burst from the dark tunnel like a giant steel worm.
The car doors slid open and blasting music flooded out, followed by a system notification in Li Wei's mind:
[Adventurer Li Wei, you have encountered the 'Steel Giant Dragon' for the first time.]
[The Steel Giant Dragon is a primary mode of transport in this Magic Empire. Its semi-enclosed ecosystem and unique environment have given rise to a species known as the Rat People, who emit spiritual interference and noise.]
[Quest Issued: Spiritual Barrier]
[A true Knight can construct a sanctuary of absolute tranquility within their mind, even on a clamorous battlefield. Your will must not waver in the face of the Rat People's spiritual assault.]
[Before the Rat People's performance is over, you must memorize an entire section of your Knight course material with unwavering focus.]
[Quest Reward: Spirit +0.1]
'Rat People?'
Before Li Wei could even process this, a massive surge of people pushed him into the train car. A deafening, low-quality bass drop exploded next to his ear, making his eardrums throb.
"What time is it?!" A Black teenager wearing a crooked baseball cap and sagging pants darted out from the crowd. Grabbing the overhead handrails, he flung himself into the air like a monkey. "It's showtime!"
The car, which had been packed as tight as a sardine can, suddenly cleared as people pressed to the sides, as if Moses were parting the Red Sea. A long, narrow clearing formed in the middle.
Li Wei was pushed against a bench in the corner and took the opportunity to sit down.
'So these are the Rat People?' Li Wei watched the teenagers spin, do handstands, and perform splits on the poles. He sighed, pulled a copy of *AP Macroeconomics* from his bag, and started to read intently.
It was incredibly difficult, but Li Wei managed to enter a state of flow. The instant the music stopped, he snapped the book shut.
[Quest Complete: Spiritual Barrier]
[You have maintained your sanity amidst the Rat People's spiritual pollution.]
[Quest Reward: Spirit +0.1]
[Spirit: 1.1] -> [Spirit: 1.2]
It felt like a splash of cool mint water on a scorching-hot CPU.
The world before his eyes grew another degree sharper. At the same time, the passage he had just read was imprinted perfectly in his mind. Both his memory and his comprehension had noticeably improved.
Li Wei stared at one of the teenagers, who was now walking through the car with his hat out, collecting money. Li Wei could perceive a weakness in his eyes. He couldn't explain the analysis or reasoning behind it; it was more like an intuition, a sliver of superhuman Insight.
[Spirit Upgrade Detected] -> [Skill Change: Clumsy Persuasion]
[Effect: 60% chance to persuade greedy individuals with weak willpower.] -> [Effect: 70% chance to persuade greedy individuals with weak willpower.]
[The Knight's Trial: Stage One Complete. Spirit has reached 1.2. Reward: 3 Gold Coins.]
Li Wei felt a weight settle in his pocket. Three Gold Coins, each potentially worth more than 500 USD, had appeared silently within.
'Now I have four Gold Coins, and my skill has been upgraded,' Li Wei thought. 'Does this mean I have a better chance of persuading that crooked merchant, Leon?'