บท 3: Gambling on Games
The shock was an understatement when the cab drove them into the poor area in Zone A. This was where the mass housing was located.
Towering apartment buildings stood in rows, tightly packed together, leaving little space to spare. The units were tiny, some measuring just around twenty square meters, and frequently filled with a multitude of people.
Now, standing in front of Xin was the very same apartment, a small room permeated with the pungent stench of sweat, decay, cigarettes, and alcohol. The air was heavy with the sounds emanating from the neighboring room.
"Augh . . . you must be shocked, right?" Evelyn started as she mustered a weak smile..
"What happened to our house?" Xin asked.
"Ah well . . . things happened and . . . I had to sell our house. But don't worry! This is only temporary. I'm currently hunting for a house right now, near our previous one."
Xiaxia rolled her eyes and opened the door. "Mom, don't babysit him. Tell him the truth that you had to sell the house to pay his medical expenses and that we're in a huge debt right now because of him."
"Hurrah!" Evelyn reprimanded her daughter, but Xin only stood at the entrance without saying a word, his face filled with unspoken thoughts.
Xin couldn't help but feel the weight of his mother's sacrifices as the truth settled in. She had sold their house and possibly more just to cover his medical expenses.
Guilt gnawed at him, knowing that he had become a burden to his family.
"Don't pay attention to Xiaxia's words, alright?" Evelyn pleaded, her smile strained. "You don't need to worry about anything. I'll take care of everything."
Xin remained silent, his fingers curling tightly into his palm as he stepped inside the house. The unspoken gratitude and remorse swirled within him, and he couldn't find the right words to express his emotions.
The room in the mass housing apartment was small and suffocating, offering little respite from the outside world. The air hung heavy with a stale odor.
The combined scents of various households, intermingled with traces of cooking, cleaning products, and the faint hint of mildew, created an unpleasant atmosphere.
The walls, worn and faded, seemed paper-thin, failing to provide any significant sound insulation. The voices of neighboring occupants spilled through the thin barriers, their conversations blending into a cacophony of noise.
"It isn't much, but this is our new home," Xiaxia said dully and entered her room. Before she shut the door, she slipped from the gap and said, "There's only one room in here, so you sleep here on the floor."
"Hey!"
"It's fine," Xin said and went over to the living room that also served as their dining area. "Where will I put my things?"
Evelyn's face was sorry. "Just put it in the boxes over there. Sorry, I still haven't bought any furniture for your clothes."
"Don't worry about it. These boxes are fine." Xin started to reorganize his clothes while his mother excused herself to make dinner.
There was only a small foyer, and after that was a tiny kitchen that had little room to maneuver. After the kitchen was the living and dining area that served as Xin's sleeping quarter as well.
The remaining two doors were probably the bedroom and the bathroom.
As Xin unpacked, the reality of their living situation finally sank into his head, and this made him decide what to do.
=======
"I'll find a job tomorrow," Xin said when they were having dinner.
They were sitting on the floor with a small table at the center.
As he expected, his mother was quick to protest.
"What are you talking about, Xin?" Evelyn said with a serious face. "What about school?"
"I won't go."
Xiaxia's eyes went to him and their mother while she kept eating from her bowl without a word.
"No," Evelyn replied with a hard tone. "You will take the advancement exam and go to college. End of story."
"But–"
"If you're worried about the expenses and debt, don't. I'm not weak and old that I couldn't pay for it. You only focus on school and let me handle the rest. Let me do my job as your mother," Evelyn said with no room for argument.
". . ." Xin didn't comment anymore. He knew that stubborn jut of his mother's lips – there was no talking to her.
He would let go of this for now and bring up the topic in the following days.
"There's a way to earn decent money even while you're going to school, you know," Xiaxia chimed in. "And I'm not talking about part time jobs."
"Xiaxia, that thing is a scam."
Xiaxia glanced at Evelyn and responded with a straightforward tone, "It covers my tuition fees and even paid for Xin's hospital bills."
Evelyn was at a loss for words, unable to come up with a retort. She simply returned to her meal, muttering, "That's despicable."
Curiosity filled Xin's eyes, although his expression remained unchanged. "What is it?" he inquired.
Xiaxia locked eyes with him, a wide grin spreading across her face. "It's called Guildbane."
Xin's forehead crumpled. "That game?"
"It's more than just a game. It's a massive empire worth trillions of dollars, where anyone has the chance to become incredibly wealthy overnight!" Xiaxia spoke with passion. "This game has its own currency system, where one thousand gil is equivalent to one real dollar! If you spend an hour grinding in the game, you can easily earn at least ten dollars. And if you're lucky enough to find rare items, the earnings can be even greater!"
Xin wanted to interject, but Xiaxia continued without pause.
"But the real money comes from raiding dungeons, participating in contests, and winning guild wars! If you manage to reach the top ten in the leaderboards, you could even become a celebrity! Actually, even the top one hundred would be impressive!"
"When did you become a game addict?" Xin asked when he had the chance to finally interject.
Xiaxia's earlier enthusiasm faded, and she glanced at him with a lackluster gaze. "Since money became a part of it."
Evelyn slammed her plate down, her frustration evident. "That game is nothing but a scam."
Xiaxia scoffed and rolled her eyes. "Anything that is easy money is a scam to you, Mom."
"So you're already playing this game?"
Xiaxia's gaze shifted to Xin, and her head tilted up with pride. "Hm~Hm~. I've already established a guild in this game. Aren't I amazing?"
"So you're already a pro?"
"GuUKk . . ." Xiaxia fell on her high throne. She quickly recovered and cleared her throat. "N-no. But I'm getting there."
". . . Hmm . . ."
"What?! What's with that disgusting look on your face?! Are you starting a fight, huh?!"
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