Chapter 5: Where Is This? Have I Traveled Through Time? (Please Vote for Recommendations!)

His left arm was half-ruined, one leg broken, his body losing blood fast. He didn’t know where he was, how many prairie wolves prowled the night beyond, or whether a rescue team would come to save the day. All of this was the current, unavoidable predicament that Xing Xiaolong faced.

After several minutes of inner struggle, Xing Xiaolong finally made what he believed was the best choice. In the input box before him, he typed out his former “glorious honor”—

[Sniper King of Red Star Street]

Once he entered the nickname and clicked confirm, nothing happened as he had anticipated. There was no sci-fi scene transition, no mysterious system administrator’s voice as in those web novels he used to read, and the lower main screen, obscured by a mosaic, stayed locked. The only change was that the input box was replaced by a new small interface.

There were three images, aligned left, center, and right. Each showed a group of armed figures, with a name above each photo. The left was Swat, the center was Omo, and the right was Seth. Each image was split down the middle: on the left stood figures in mixed camo, labeled “Infiltrator”; on the right, men in full standard black SWAT uniforms, labeled “Defender.” All three groups looked generally similar, only the clothing styles differed.

Beneath these pictures was a line of text and numbers that sent a chill racing from Xing Xiaolong’s appendix straight to his scalp.

[Game Credits: 5000 GP. Choose one out of three. Selection and purchase require 5000 GP.]

[Purchase!]

“Damn, it actually costs money? Don’t you know money’s the one thing I lack most? Why not give a little extra? Not even a newbie gift? You give 5000, but buying costs all 5000, not a single cent left—how stingy can you get!”

Pay-to-win was a game for the rich. Xing Xiaolong had never spent a cent on games, never cared for flashy extras, only relying on his skill. Inner monologue: In truth, he was broke, couldn’t afford a thing, even his internet bill was covered by a wealthy benefactress—he could only keep up appearances.

What Xing Xiaolong didn’t know yet was that this golden orb’s “CF” was just the appetizer on his pay-to-win journey. Ahead lay a deeper, more insidious abyss of spending—one that would both drive him mad and prove irresistible, dragging him in with cries of “top up, top up, top up.”

They say opening loot boxes ruins lives—he’d soon find out for himself.

“Everyone else’s cheat system hands out cash, but mine clearly wants to fleece me. Looks like I’m doomed to be a sucker in the future. Sigh—”

Xing Xiaolong let out a long sigh. Since it was the path he’d chosen, he’d crawl forward on his knees if he had to. Not knowing what distinguished the three characters, he simply selected the first image, the one labeled Swat.

[The character you purchased is now set as your basic character. Congratulations, Player “Sniper King of Red Star Street”—you’ve successfully activated the “CF Store.”]

[Our store boasts a vast array of quality, affordable equipment, always ready to serve you. To thank you for registering, we’ve prepared a “free” starter gear set, stored in the armory we’ve gifted you. Beyond that, there are newbie packs, gear upgrades, and countless surprises waiting to be unlocked.]

[To help you become proficient with all items, before officially entering the store, Sniper King of Red Star Street must proceed to the special training ground for a professional training session. Pass, and you’ll gain access to the store. Fail or refuse, and the CF Store will unbind from you.]

[Continue / Refuse]

[Tip: All items in this store can be taken back and used in your own world.]

“What the hell—these can be brought out to use?”

That last tip instantly wiped away Xing Xiaolong’s earlier annoyance at the paywall. His eyes widened, full of disbelief and delight, and a spark of greed began to flicker.

Everyone who’s played CF knows what’s in that store: practically every cutting-edge, mainstream weapon on earth, all in super-enhanced, overpowered forms. If he could bring those guns into the real world—their power and range would be unimaginable.

This was black-tech at its finest!

Granted, in this “harmonious” world, regular people carrying guns was useless at best and could earn you three years in prison, or even the death penalty. But if he went down another path, it’d be a whole different story.

With those weapons’ outrageous performance, all he’d need was the right buyer. Sell the store’s weapons for cash, use the money to buy more weapons, sell those, and so on. In no time, he could get rich quick, become a CEO, marry a parade of wealthy beauties, and reach the very pinnacle of life.

Just thinking about that dazzling future made his heart race and his mouth go dry as he gulped down saliva.

Too thrilling, too damn exciting!

Riding a wave of adrenaline, face flushed and neck thickening, Xing Xiaolong clicked continue without hesitation. The world spun and everything went black.

…

He had no idea how much time had passed—it could’ve been ages, or a single second.

When Xing Xiaolong opened his eyes again, he was no longer on the rain-drenched African savannah, nor trapped in the dark wreckage of an airliner. Instead, he found himself standing on the curb of a bustling city street, bathed in sunlight and teeming with traffic.

His injured left arm and right leg had inexplicably healed.

Even the store’s floating prompt was gone, without a trace or any follow-up message, as though it had never existed.

“Am I dreaming?”

The abrupt shift was so bizarre that Xing Xiaolong was instantly overwhelmed by a sense of unreality.

He felt his body—there was tangible sensation. He looked into a nearby glass display, and the reflection was definitely his own. He bit his tongue lightly: it hurt.

This could well be a real world, not a dream.

He guessed as much.

One thing he was certain of: the mastermind behind all this was the “CF Store.” As for where he was now, Xing Xiaolong suspected it was the so-called “special training ground.”

That was all the information he had. The uncertainties, however, were too many to count.

For instance: What exactly was this special training ground? A sub-plane? A parallel universe? Virtual reality? Or simply a city in the real world?

Where had the CF Store gone? How could he call it back?

The store had mentioned a training session, and that he’d need to pass a test to truly gain the CF Store. But where was he supposed to train, and what did the training entail? He had not the faintest idea.

Beyond that, countless questions crowded Xing Xiaolong’s mind.