Chapter 22: Five Thousand for Each Match [Please Add to Your Favorites]

"Well, now, what a stranger! Haven't seen this young man before—must be his first time here in Wuzhen."
"Young fellow, you look decent enough, but who'd have thought you’d be such a nostalgic and playful soul?"
"Heh... here's another poor sucker."
"Heh heh, looks like Brother Ergouzi is going to make a killing today. Maybe I'll get some candy out of it later."

The villagers' lively chatter filled Li Xin’s ears, leaving him somewhat perplexed. All he wanted was to buy a game console—how had this turned into a matter of misfortune?

Suddenly, the crowd parted, making way for him. Li Xin walked straight up to Ergouzi and asked with a smile, "How much for this game console?"

Ergouzi sniffed, then cocked his head proudly. "Not for sale."

"Not for sale?" Li Xin frowned, even more confused. If he set up a street stall, why not sell anything? Wasn't that a contradiction?

At this, the crowd burst out laughing.

Li Xin sensed something else was going on here. He was about to ask the villagers when Ergouzi suddenly pointed at him and spoke.

"I don't sell things here. Only take bets."

"Bets?" Li Xin's interest was piqued; he began to see Ergouzi's game.

"What’s your name, friend?"

"Li Xin."

"Brother Li, the rules are simple. We play a game. If you win, you can pick anything you like from here, even take it all. But if you lose, five thousand." Ergouzi was straightforward, completely unabashed.

Li Xin chuckled inwardly, suddenly understanding why everyone liked to poke fun at Ergouzi and why his business was so lackluster. It was all because of this betting scheme. Wuzhen had plenty of visitors, and nostalgia must have drawn many, so why so few customers? Because a simple game could cost five thousand yuan—no one wants to be played for a fool.

Still, there were always those with money to burn, those just out for a good time.

"Young man, don't gamble. Ergouzi's a master at these games. In the past two or three months, he's only lost seven or eight times total."

"Five thousand is a month's salary for a lot of people. You don't look rich, so don't act on impulse."

"This Ergouzi gets bolder every day—he's obviously just out to fleece people."

The villagers' comments grew louder, as if warning and mocking at once. But Ergouzi was unfazed, humming a tune smugly, having long since perfected his own style of business.

If someone doesn’t want to buy, no amount of salesmanship will change their mind; if someone is interested and has the means, acting too eager will backfire. The more aloof he acts, the more he draws out their competitive spirit. Buying a console is nothing—the real prize is to defeat the cocky stall owner, to show him that you too were once a king of the arcade. Once someone gets that mindset, they’re on the verge of making a bet.

And it worked. While the crowd tried to dissuade him, Li Xin squatted down, looking through the selection with interest. Despite his slightly plump build, he had long, fair hands—an oddly striking combination.

"Hey, hey, if you want to play, play. If not, move along—don’t hold up my business. I’ve got other customers waiting," Ergouzi boasted, the blade of grass between his teeth nearly snapping in two.

The villagers booed—what customers? There was no one behind him.

But what could they do? Li Xin was interested now. He’d come to play, and five thousand was nothing to him—he wasn’t about to lose, anyway.

Ergouzi’s performance was the ultimate provocation, a psychological blow using his gaming skills. As before, those who won’t buy, won’t buy; but a spirited person can’t resist the challenge.

And who was Li Xin? Nine-time national champion with the gun, never one to shy from a challenge. Win or lose, he could take it—he’d long ago forged that lesson into his soul. Failure wasn’t frightening; it was the cornerstone for improvement.

Suddenly, Li Xin straightened up, and his eyes blazed with a fierce, intimidating light. Ergouzi was momentarily stunned—the fighting spirit in this young man’s gaze was overwhelming, sharp and ruthless. In that instant, Li Xin’s whole demeanor changed—no longer easy-going, but radiating confidence and strength.

"You... you..." Ergouzi stammered, his eyes involuntarily growing moist. Just meeting that gaze made him feel uneasy, almost ready to yield, a strange discomfort welling up inside him.

"Boss, let’s bet."

The calmness in his voice was soothing, as if carried by the breeze. Ergouzi remained silent, dazed, while the villagers, puzzled by his reaction, began to clamor.

"Wow, he’s really accepting the challenge—impressive, gutsy!"

"Five thousand—enough to keep Ergouzi living large for a while. And all that money will just go to the girls in the county."

"Ergouzi, why so quiet now? You backing out?"

How could he swallow such taunts? Ergouzi spat fiercely. "Which game do you want to play?"

"What are the options?" Li Xin asked mildly.

"Super Mario, Contra, Double Dragon, King of Fighters, Tank Battle... tons. You pick."

"King of Fighters, then."

"King of Fighters?" Ergouzi was delighted. Was this guy an idiot, picking his own best game right off?

The villagers burst out laughing—they hadn’t seen Li Xin’s earlier intimidating look, only knew that Ergouzi was formidable, undefeated in half a year. Once, three competitive youths had taken him on in turn, and each had come away crestfallen.

Ergouzi was simply unbeatable.

"Young man, fighting spirit is one thing—don’t act rashly," an elderly man advised kindly.

"Big brother, Ergouzi is really good. He only loses occasionally, and that’s just bad luck," a little boy added earnestly.

Ergouzi rolled his eyes at the villagers, cursing inwardly. These people were always ruining his business. It was just about making money—why did they insist on getting in his way?

"Hmph, scared? If you’re scared, just walk away. I’m not forcing you."

"Not scared. King of Fighters it is," Li Xin replied calmly, his composure stunning everyone, including Ergouzi. Only then did he recall the power of that earlier gaze—like being looked down upon from on high.

"Hmph, probably just some trick to scare me—I’m not afraid. In the game, only skill matters," Ergouzi muttered, turning to lift the large cardboard box he’d been sitting on.

Inside was a television, plugged into a power strip that trailed off into the distance.

Li Xin couldn’t help but smile—this guy was the very definition of a crafty peddler. He’d wondered earlier how they were going to play with nothing in sight, but Ergouzi had conjured up a TV—an LCD, no less. For early, low-res games like the Famicom, he insisted on the best visual experience.

A few words of polite exchange, then they got down to business. The game console was connected, and King of Fighters selected. Ergouzi took the main controller; Li Xin held the secondary. After a cheerful chime of music, the TV screen switched to the game.

"Choose your character," Ergouzi said coolly, picking first. In truth, there was only one he ever chose: K.

In the King of Fighters comics, K was described as cold-blooded, resolute, fearless, and supremely powerful—a sixteen-character summary of his might. In the game, K was just as formidable, with a wide array of moves and combos, capable of taking down any opponent. Even the widely acknowledged strongest fighter, Iori Yagami, was no match for him.

With K selected, Ergouzi crossed his legs and lit a cigarette. With his mastery of K, he believed he was unbeatable, no matter whom his opponent chose.

The villagers were used to this routine. If King of Fighters had a world championship, Ergouzi might well place with his K.

On the other side, Li Xin selected his character without hesitation.

Ergouzi’s game cartridge was the KOF 2001: Twilight of the Gods edition. In this version, K was at his absolute peak, overshadowing even Iori, with the most powerful skills and combos in the series. Ergouzi had chosen wisely. But Li Xin picked Leona Heidern—a female fighter who first appeared in KOF 1998, known as the Serpent’s Soul Reaper. In her early versions, Leona wasn’t especially impressive; only in the 2002 Dream Match did she come into her own and claim the title of Queen of Fighters. At first glance, it seemed she didn’t have the powerful combos in this version—but then, there was Li Xin’s special ability.

"Phantom Manifestation—enter," Li Xin murmured. His consciousness soared forth and merged with Leona’s body.