Chapter 17: Pay-to-Win Game

“Unbelievable.” After finishing another E-level simulation exam training, all I encountered was an electric eel. My Electric Power Control only went up by +1!

This really frustrated Yang Bo. If it only increases by +1 each time, it would take dozens of attempts to reach an advanced level. Each attempt costs 4000 credits, meaning it would take almost a year to gather enough points.

“Forget it, let’s try the mecha game instead.” Yang Bo decided he needed to relax.

Yang Bo had played the mecha game before, but he had failed the initial simulation test and didn’t get a pilot license. Yes, this game first tests hand speed to play.

This game was called ‘Mecha World.’ It was said to be a serious pay-to-win game, but some also said it was the most profitable. If your mecha got damaged and you didn’t have enough in-game currency, you’d have to spend real money. However, skilled players could earn a lot from their loot.

The key feature of this game is that no identity verification is required. You don’t need real names; anyone can play. Unlike real life, where mecha piloting requires Gene Evolution abilities.

In reality, piloting requires Gene Evolution abilities for two reasons. First, because of physical strength: mechas are for ground combat, and their acceleration can suddenly exceed 15G. Even with pressure suits, if your body isn’t up to it, you’d be crushed instantly. The second reason is the number of commands to manage.

Some people might ask, ‘Aren’t there fully automated mechas out there?’

Mecha combat is close-quarters, with a lot of interference and suppression. Also, while there were early models with full AI control, if your algorithm gets cracked… all your mechas are done for.

Since then, human-piloted mechas have become the standard.

Once in the game, Yang Bo created a new account and gave himself a random nickname — ‘Chatty Eighth Uncle.’

Looking at the strange nickname, Yang Bo didn’t mind. What if he failed the test again? He wouldn’t even make it into the game.

Time for the test. The test was all about hand speed, requiring a minimum of 120 actions per second. Using both hands, Yang Bo worked the controls like mad, but only managed 65 actions per second. He failed.

Luckily, the game offered practice simulations. Without hesitation, Yang Bo entered practice mode. As an Earthling transported to this galaxy era, how could he miss out on experiencing mechas, even if only in a game?

With virtual sensor gloves on both hands, Yang Bo’s hands moved faster and faster, becoming more and more skilled with each practice session.

The hand speed in the test also determines which type of mecha the game assigns you. Mechas have progressed through more than a dozen generations, with many different categories. Once he met the simulation requirements, Yang Bo re-entered the game.

“Congratulations, Chatty Eighth Uncle, you have earned your E-level pilot license. Please select your mecha type.” A message flashed across the virtual screen.

Yang Bo then looked at the mecha options. The first one was a giant spider-like machine with twelve legs, each equipped with different weapons: laser emitters, plasma cutters, and more.

The second option was a beast-type mecha, mimicking animalistic combat. Its tail was a laser cannon…

Yang Bo didn’t even bother looking at those. His eyes settled on the third option, a humanoid mecha that resembled a Transformer.

This mecha, code-named Razor, was an assault-type model produced 300 years ago. It’s equipped with a laser sword, an energy shield, and a Jetpack. It uses a Nuclear Power Cell, but the full-power burst only lasts 20 minutes, followed by a 30-minute cooldown. In other words, full power can only last 20 minutes at a time before having to reduce energy output.

Before entering the game, the official description clearly stated: take good care of your mecha. Repairs are expensive if damaged, and this isn’t just any ordinary game. Also, each IP address can only create one account. If you want to delete this account, your mecha must be restored to its original condition.

“No wonder people complain online.” Yang Bo thought. If you damaged your mecha in the game and didn’t have enough money to repair it, there was no way to reset. The only option was to pay for repairs.

Then came the simulation battle training: mecha vs. mecha, and mecha vs. monsters.

The mecha’s cockpit looked like an oversized C-shaped desk, with a 270-degree panoramic dome display showing the outside view. There was voice-assisted control. The left hand controlled mecha positioning: walking, running, jumping, and sudden acceleration. The right hand controlled weapons and special skills.

Yang Bo marveled at how incredibly realistic this virtual game was. If it weren’t for the sofa behind him in real life, he might have thought he was actually inside a real mecha cockpit. Of course, the virtual display projector system in his dorm was pretty high-end too.

“I’ll continue tomorrow.” Unfortunately, after an hour of combat training, Yang Bo still hadn’t passed.

Even the game’s official message bluntly suggested: newbies should stay away.

That night, Yang Bo even dreamt of piloting a mecha. As a member of a backward civilization, the sensation of playing such a high-tech game was truly addictive.

The next morning, Yang Bo woke up to find that it was Saturday. He planned to take a day off, but then remembered the double pay.

“Damn. Back on Earth, forget about double pay, I was lucky if I wasn’t cheated out of my salary by the boss.” He hurriedly got ready for work.

“Garden assignment.” Arriving at the company, Yang Bo was surprised to see that the Saturday task involved working in the garden. The pay was a whopping 1600 credits, with the company’s attendance bonus of 500, doubling that to 3700 credits total.

The garden space to be cleared was 1200 square meters. As for what needed to be done beyond that, he didn’t know yet. And there were no blueprints either. That’s the nature of the job — you don’t know what you’re facing until you get there.

After collecting his equipment, Yang Bo was picked up by the client and taken to the site, where he removed his wristwatch to begin the inspection.

Looking at the garden near a large lake, Yang Bo quickly spotted several endangered red plants. For regular people, even touching these plants might land them in prison. But for the wealthy, they were just disposable trash they had grown bored of.

The garden covered 1200 square meters and had a long pond with various aquatic plants. Aside from flower beds and other facilities, about 800 square meters remained to be cleared.

This was just part of a massive garden, which spanned over hundreds of acres and surrounded an ancient building. The place had an air of a temple, with red walls, glazed tiles, decorative roof ridges, and hollow wooden windows…

Yang Bo first pulled out the plants. None of the garden’s plants were particularly tall. As he uprooted them, he packed the debris into trash bags and used the proper equipment to till the flowerbeds. As for whether there were seeds or pests in the soil, that was the planter’s problem, not his.

“Let’s see if the fish pond holds any surprises.” Yang Bo saved the fish pond for last, changing into a different protective suit to start clearing its plants.