Rebirth: Slice-of-life Cultivation-Chapter 685 - 421 Dual Perfection Method

Summer night, a sprinkling of neon lights illuminated the streets and alleys of Yuzhou.

Compared to the hustle and bustle of the food street, this street lined with entertainment venues was much quieter, with the air now devoid of the scent of food.

Xue Yuantong, seated on the backseat of a mountain bike, gazed at the arcade’s dimly lit entrance and felt a tightening in her chest, as if something terribly evil lay hidden within.

She hesitated; after all, she had never been to such a place in her life.

Ever since she was little, everyone around her warned that arcades were bad places that led to moral decay and addiction, destroying one’s studies and offering no return.

They were like floods and beasts, demons and ghosts—not to be touched. The place was known to be frequented by ruffians with the lowest moral standards, making it dangerous for girls.

All these mixed thoughts intertwined in her mind.

Yet one more thought kept tempting her, "Just take a look, just once. With Jiang Ning here, there’s no danger!"

Xue Yuantong clutched the corner of Jiang Ning’s clothes, her heart conflicted.

Jiang Ning swept his Divine Sense behind him and detected her indecision— she wanted to go but was afraid.

He didn’t wait for her to answer; instead, he headed straight for the arcade’s entrance.

Xue Chuchu remained silent; she too had stopped her electric scooter.

Tonight she was just a guest, letting him lead; most of the time, Xue Chuchu was indecisive.

Outside the arcade, a structure similar to an awning had been set up, under which a few pool tables were laid out, with several students playing gleefully.

As their eyes landed on the three newcomers, especially on the beautiful Xue Chuchu, they stared fixedly.

One of the boys, trying to show off, attempted a behind-the-back shot but, unfortunately, lacked the skill.

Jiang Ning led Tongtong past the pool tables and into the hallway inside, where the boss lady at the counter was watching TV.

"How much do Game Coins cost?" Jiang Ning asked.

"One yuan gets you four," the Boss Lady replied, "and three yuan for an hour of internet access."

Not bad... Jiang Ning handed over two yuan and got eight Game Coins in return.

He gave three to Tongtong, while Xue Chuchu gestured a refusal, but Jiang Ning insisted on giving her two anyway.

Xue Yuantong weighed the Game Coins in her hand and looked down at them, noticing the pattern imprinted on them, slightly lighter than a one-yuan coin.

Jiang Ning moved along the adjacent corridor, and a few steps later, the environment turned darker, and the air murkier. Jiang Ning activated his Spiritual Power and a gust of energy rolled through.

The sound of game music and the noises of buttons and joysticks filled the air.

In view were about four or five rows of around 30 arcade machines, with seven or eight boys sitting on stools, playing intensely.

Xue Yuantong’s first impression of the game screen was that it seemed blurry; her vision had been spoiled by smart phones and Jiang Ning’s display screens.

Jiang Ning’s Divine Sense was fully deployed, scanning several arcade machines like a detector; he chose two machines in the corner.

The arcade’s buttons and joysticks had been touched by countless people and were not often cleaned by the owner, leaving them covered in sweat.

Jiang Ning pulled out a bottle of alcohol and sprayed it on the controls a few times before wiping them down with paper.

Xue Chuchu wondered, was he really that fastidious to carry alcohol with him?

After sitting down, the game selection began. Xue Yuantong said she wanted to play "King of Fighters" because she had often heard about it from classmates.

"You’re going to play?" Jiang Ning inquired.

Xue Yuantong paused for a moment before finally admitting, "How do you insert the coins?"

Jiang Ning showed her how, selected "King of Fighters ’97" for her, and she grabbed the joystick to join the battle.

As for Xue Chuchu, after being asked by Jiang Ning, she said she didn’t mind playing anything.

Jiang Ning chose "Three Kingdoms Battle Chronicles," the "fast charging" version, which had plenty of "energy" to allow releasing special moves freely, making the gameplay more satisfying.

Xue Chuchu didn’t know how to play games, and conveniently, this game supported two players. Jiang Ning put in two Game Coins and sat with Xue Chuchu for a joint play session.

At the character selection screen, Jiang Ning picked Ma Chao, and Xue Chuchu asked whom she should pick.

"Zhuge Liang," Jiang Ning suggested, "He’s simple."

Xue Chuchu obediently selected Zhuge Liang.

Jiang Ning taught her to move the joystick up and down and press the buttons—suddenly, accompanied by a thundering "Power of Thunder!", a screen full of lightning struck the enemy soldiers.

Xue Chuchu was actually finding it quite fun to the beat of the game music.

Jiang Ning controlled Ma Chao, unleashing the move "Hidden Rush" which sent a barrage of fiery cheetahs towards the enemies.

Their combined area attack skills cleared the screen quickly; the foot soldiers had barely appeared before they were nearly wiped out.

Meanwhile, Xue Yuantong, who had been diligently practicing "King of Fighters," improved her skills swiftly. With her remarkable gaming talent, she had even reached the final boss, but, unfamiliar with the game mechanics, she fell at that hurdle.

Xue Yuantong, now brimming with confidence and no longer the timid girl from when she first entered the arcade, lifted her chin and challenged Jiang Ning:

"Do you dare to take me on one-on-one?"

"There’s nothing to be afraid of," Jiang Ning responded, abandoning Xue Chuchu and settling in front of an arcade machine with Xue Yuantong.

The game Jiang Ning selected wasn’t strictly "King of Fighters ’97"; it was a version called "King of Fighters ’97: The Resurgence," which had unlimited energy.

After inserting the coins, it was time to select characters. Xue Yuantong chose three girls, Kasumi, Athena, and Lianan.

Jiang Ning, on the other hand, chose Big Snake, Kyo Kusanagi, and Ba Shen An—arguably the most overpowered heroes.

"Hmph, just wait until I thrash you," Xue Yuantong boasted, confident in her impressive gaming skills, which Jiang Ning had yet to see.

Today, she was determined to demonstrate just how incredibly strong she was.

Seeing her arrogance, Jiang Ning suddenly smiled.

"Why are you laughing?" asked an oblivious Xue Yuantong.

"Nothing, just concentrate on the game," Jiang Ning said sternly.

Xue Yuantong declared, "Watch me beat your three with just one of mine!"

By this point, Chuchu had also come to watch. Without Jiang Ning’s help, she quickly met her demise in Three Kingdoms Battle Chronicles, beaten by the enemy soldiers.