The Way a Man should Be

"Dad, are there any part-time jobs on campus?" Qin Ze asked suddenly.

The old man frowned. "Your job as a student is to learn and study. What are you doing, thinking about this when you haven't graduated yet? Besides, are your grades that good? Focus on what's important."

"My sis wants to change her phone, but her wages aren't exactly high. They're not low, but she's supporting the two of us so it's hard to save up. I'm just thinking of getting a well-paying side gig to get a new phone." Of course, Qin Ze could not tell his father that they were in a financial crisis because his sister had switched jobs.

His father's expression instantly relaxed. "Professor Lee, who shares my office, has recently gotten another business proposal. He's helping a private equity firm model their fund investment, and he happens to be looking for help. I'll ask him for you," he said after a moment.

"Will he want me?"

The old man laughed. "That's rare of you to know your limitations. Don't worry, I'm here so you can come to me if you have problems."

"Okay." Qin Ze then continued with his lunch.

"System, is there any way to make money fast. Preferably rags to riches overnight."

"Host, I'm not your mother."

"…"

Qin Ze was stuck. He had thought of many ways to make money today. The Points Mall was a treasure, but he could not exactly use it. He could write songs for artists, but the process of it was tedious. Moreover, he did not have the connection and understanding to go about doing that. He could consider that after Qin Baobao had made her name for herself.

Becoming a director was not practical. He was a poor student, and he lacked the manpower, funds, and equipment, etc. He could exchange for a skill on marketing from the Points Mall and start a company, but that too was not feasible. He lacked the capital, and most importantly, he did not know how to go about getting funds.

"System, what do you think of me buying stocks? If I catch it at the peak every day, I'll make buckets in a month."

"Even if you trade your points for knowledge on stockbroking, there's no way you can catch the peak every day. Besides, you don't have enough points."

"I have to trade for that? Why can't you just tell me? You're a smart system; can't you tell which one is going to peak?"

"You're kidding. First of all, the system is unable to predict the future. Secondly, you sure you can rise to riches just based on knowledge of the stock market in your country? There's a lot of things going on behind the scene…"

"Stop, stop, stop. There are things that we both know but don't talk about. It changes things if you say it. We're in a peaceful society now; you can't just go saying things like that."

"Thank you for the reminder, host. As a smart system, I instantly understood what you mean. I won't reveal things that will affect the stability and peace of society from now on."

"You're a good student."

Since he could not rely on the system, Qin Ze could come up with ideas by himself. Being an assistant to a professor was not a bad idea. If he did a good job, he might have more to do in the future. As for going to his dad for help, that was not necessary. He had the system at hand and had nothing to fear.

After lunch, Qin Ze left the cafeteria with his father and saw his three friends laughing and joking around while they waited for him at the door.

"Dad, I'm leaving with my friends."

As his father looked over, his three friends stood at attention. Professor Qin then nodded. "En."

The University Town was filled with shops: bubble tea shop, cafe, fast food restaurant, KTV, web cafe, supermarket…

Qin Ze and his friends headed towards the web cafe near the school. From the door, they saw a white Porsche leaving school. The window was not wound up, and the driver was wearing a pair of fashionable black aviators. He looked dashing. It was Zhang Mingyu, who Qin Ze had embarrassed in class earlier. In the passenger seat was a scantily clad beauty. She had an LV purse on her lap and was focused on her phone.

Envious gazes were directed towards the sports car.

"He's here to show off with his car again," Li Liang said with gritted teeth, his envy from one rich second-generation heir to a super-rich one.

"That seems like the belle of the foreign language department. She is quite pretty." Liu Ziqiang sighed.

"He can bring a belle out on a sports car while peasants like us can only game at the web cafe." Zhao Baliang sighed as well. "We didn't lose at the starting line. He was born at the finish line."

Qin Ze thought of what he had learned in history class before. Liu Bang and Xiang Yu saw Emperor Qin touring the south. He had a large, extravagant procession. Liu Bang had marveled at it. "That was the way a man should be."

The web cafe that they frequented was not large-scale. Neither could its environment be compared to the others around it. However, this was the only one that allowed smoking, and how could one game without a cigarette at hand?

The group turned on the machines and logged onto their games with a cigarette in their mouths. Their expressions were identical. Their eyes were narrow and their mouths were tilted as if they were kings of the world. Porsche, wealth, looks, and beauties could not compare to their squad mates. Squad mates stuck together until death did them part, and they would give up their lives to save another brother. They were the one true love.

The boys from dorm room 303 were never afraid of their enemy on the other side of the screen. To quote a wise man: be wary of your enemy in battle, but belittle them in strategy.

The four of them each had their strengths. Zhao Baliang was a hot-head so he was a good defense. Li Liang was more scheming so he would ambush them. Liu Ziqiang was a strong player so he was in charge of attacking. Qin Ze was mediocre in terms of speed and operation, but he was perceptive. He was the core of the team, and he would be the support.

The last person was chirpy. "Wow, this is the first time I've seen the intermediate go unwanted. Thanks, everyone!"

Li Liang decided to reply. "You're welcome, son."

"…"

The four of them expertly navigated into the wilderness in preparation for an ambush. The intermediate remained underneath the tower, dancing and standing around. Qin Ze marked a several waypoints for them, but they were still fooling around.

Li Liang planted an eye in the wild, a group of five people appeared in their view.

Qin Ze frowned and issued a warning as they retreated. They would have been successful if the other party was alone. However, they were clearly experienced and wanted to make it a team battle. There were only four people on Qin Ze's side so they would be at a disadvantage if they fought head-on. It would be over for them before it started.

"What on earth is that fellow on?" Li Liang was a little frustrated.

Qin Ze placed an eye in the river to prevent the other party from feeling things out on their side. He then helped Li Liang get started.

"Focus on capturing first," Qin Ze said as he headed to help Liu Ziqiang out.

After a moment… "Double kill."

The other party had two kills.

"What happened?" Qin Ze was stunned.

"Sh*t, this burden." Li Liang cried out. "Didn't he see all my markers? He was just watching as I ambushed the other guy. He only realized when the other party escaped and tried to take our tower."

"How did you die?"

"I, I… I saw that the other party was dying so I appeared… but they had healing powers."

Qin Ze thought about it. "Find another chance to take them down. If the intermediate is useless, go help Baliang and try again later.

After a while, Li Liang went straight to help out Baliang. The two worked well together and successfully got one kill.

They had just gained a point, but the other side immediately retaliated. Their intermediate was caught and effortlessly killed.

Li Liang, "Intermediate, take cover."

Two minutes later, the intermediate was killed.

Li Liang, "D*mn it, can you take a look at the map?"

A minute later, the intermediate's tower was gone.

Li Liang, "Elementary school kid?"

"You're the kid. Your whole family's kids." The intermediate was angry.

Li Liang, "If you're not an elementary school kid, I'll live stream me eating feces."

"Go ahead, I'm a middle school student."

"I'm not buying it."

"I'm a girl."

"If you're a girl, I'll castrate myself on live stream."

After 15 minutes, the intermediate had been killed twelve times with zero kills and zero aides.

Qin Ze glanced at the map. Most of the enemies were gone. He raised his brows and marked the objective, the dragon. As expected, three enemies were already stealing the objective, and they were going after Zhao Baliang in an effort to confuse Qin Ze. The confused intermediate on their side continued on their way as the trio fought off their enemies. Zhao Baliang struggled for his life and finally died after a while.

The victory was clear on Qin Ze's side. While the enemy was preoccupied, Qin Ze went in and froze the three enemies. Liu Ziqiang then went in and used his ability. Sacrificing Qin Ze and Liu Ziqiang, he vanquished the enemy and got the dragon.

Qin Ze heaved a sigh of relief after the situation turned for the better. He lit up a cigarette. At this point, they got a message from the slow, dense intermediate. "Nice!"

"My foot," Li Liang replied, "How did we get matched with someone of that caliber? Sh*t, they're a novice?"

The four of them were around the same rank. If they played together, they usually matched well.

Qin Ze felt bad as he thought about it. He played with Qin Baobao yesterday, and his rank fell drastically from his five continuous losses. That was how the novice rank ended up here.

The situation was still a landslide. Territories were gradually being consumed, and crystal towers were overturned. However, at the 35-minute mark, the situation turned around. The other party seemed a little desensitized. They did not follow up on their victory earlier. Instead, they went after the larger objective. The four of them took the chance to wipe out the team.

This was a problem that all novice-intermediate players had. They refused to leave until they died. They did not know when to stop.

Qin Ze looked at the timer for revival and put out his cigarette. "We're going to head there directly. Baliang, you go back and heal yourself before you meet us there."

Zhao Baliang was the defense. He was the only character that could not have low health. They had a chance at victory as long as Zhao Baliang could take the heat.

Forty-two seconds later—at the last second before revival, the crystal exploded.

Victory!

The four leaned back on the couch, exhausted. They had been wound up for the past half-hour, and it was finally over.

At this time, Qin Ze found that the ditzy intermediate from earlier had sent him a friend request.

Accept!

"Legend, legend, please help me! They refused to add me; you're the only one. Legend, please accept my respects… wuwuwu…

"Help me level up and look cool. I'm a girl."