signingbooks #496 - Tang Ping: How did I end up having to sell my house just for playing a game?
#496 - Tang Ping: How did I end up having to sell my house just for playing a game?
The property certificate detailed the housing information:
Two years ago, using his savings and financial assistance from his parents, he bought a 93-square-meter house in this city for 480,000 yuan in full.
It’s in a city in Xijiang Province.
Tang Ping looked at the property certificate in his hand and comforted himself:
"I'll use this property certificate as collateral; this is an investment! Once I become the city lord, I'll directly exchange it for a big villa. I won't need any of this."
So, Tang Ping took the property certificate to the pawnshop.
The staff at the pawnshop were seeing Tang Ping for the fourth time, and they were dumbfounded when they saw that he wanted to mortgage his house.
Therefore, with a reluctant mood, Tang Ping continued to haggle with the pawnshop staff, and finally sold the house for 400,000 yuan.
Tang Ping pushed open the door of the pawnshop, and the familiar bell rang. Manager Wang behind the counter looked up and a look of surprise appeared on his face.
"Mr. Tang, you're here again? What do you want to pawn this time?" Manager Wang forced himself to smile professionally.
Tang Ping took a deep breath and placed the property certificate on the counter. "I want... I want to mortgage my house."
Manager Wang's smile froze instantly. He looked at Tang Ping in disbelief, as if confirming whether he had heard correctly. "What did you say? Mortgage your house?"
Tang Ping nodded, a trace of unease and hesitation in his eyes, but it was quickly replaced by determination. "Yes, I need a large sum of money."
Manager Wang picked up the property certificate and examined it carefully. "Mr. Tang, this is your house. 93 square meters, purchased in full. Are you sure you want to mortgage it?"
Tang Ping's hands clenched into fists involuntarily, his nails digging deep into his palms. He recalled the scene when he and his parents looked at the house together two years ago, how excited and expectant they were. But now, he was going to mortgage this home.
"I... I'm very sure," Tang Ping's voice trembled slightly, but his eyes were firm. "This is an investment. I have better plans."
Manager Wang frowned and hesitated for a moment before saying, "Mr. Tang, we've seen each other several times. The watch, the gold chain you pawned before, and the car last week... are you sure you don't want to reconsider?"
Tang Ping felt a burst of irritability, but tried to suppress his emotions. "Manager Wang, I know what I'm doing. This investment will definitely succeed. I'll be able to redeem everything soon, and even buy better things."
Manager Wang sighed and began to explain the mortgage process and risks. Tang Ping listened absentmindedly, his mind constantly flashing with scenes from the game—he was about to become the city lord of the imperial city, enjoying the glory of being admired by thousands.
"Based on the market value of your house and our assessment, we can give you a maximum of 400,000 yuan," Manager Wang's voice pulled Tang Ping back to reality.
"Only 400,000 yuan?" Tang Ping frowned. "But I spent 480,000 yuan when I bought it."
Manager Wang patiently explained, "Mr. Tang, this is the quote after considering various factors. And you need to know that once you can't redeem it on time, this house will..."
Manager Wang didn't finish his sentence, but Tang Ping understood what he meant. For a moment, he seemed to see himself wandering the streets. Fear surged like a tide, almost swallowing him.
Tang Ping closed his eyes and took a few deep breaths. He remembered what Zha Zha Hui said in his dream, and the shining position of the imperial city lord in the game. "No, I won't fail. This 400,000 yuan is the key to my success."
"Okay, I accept this price," Tang Ping opened his eyes and said firmly.
Manager Wang hesitated, but finally just sighed and began to prepare the documents. During the signing process, Tang Ping's hands trembled slightly, but he still completed the signature stroke by stroke.
When leaving the pawnshop, Tang Ping had 400,000 yuan more in his pocket, but his heart felt empty. He looked back at his property certificate and thought of the warm appearance of his home. For a moment, he almost turned around and rushed back to cancel the transaction.
But the voice in the game rang in his ears again: "Go create a guild, then become the city lord of the imperial city, and reach the pinnacle of life!"
Tang Ping gritted his teeth and quickened his pace towards home. He kept telling himself in his heart: "This is only temporary. Soon, I will have a bigger and better house. I will definitely succeed."
However, when he stood in front of the door of his soon-to-be-lost home, Tang Ping couldn't help but feel his eyes turn red. He gently stroked the doorknob, as if saying a final farewell to this home that was once full of hope.
……
Tang Ping: "I must earn it back, all or nothing! Max out the gold coins, max out the equipment protection scrolls!"
This maxing out cost him another 120,000 yuan.
Tang Ping: "There's only 280,000 yuan left, damn it, I'm almost out of money."
After that, Tang Ping continued to strengthen his equipment, finally bringing his total combat power to 100 million.
And at this time, the money from selling his house in his account was about to run out.
A casual player sighed: "Hey, if this continues, before I even become the city lord, I'll be wandering the streets. I can't delay it any longer, it's time to start the siege!"
The game prompts: [To obtain the siege item [King's Certificate], you need to defeat all the VIP bosses, personal bosses, and wilderness bosses on the server]
Tang Ping stretched lazily: "Wait for me to recycle the remaining items first."
After a round of recycling, Tang Ping's remaining savings directly reached 800,000!
Tang Ping's fiery gaze gradually became excited:
"Damn, isn't this invincible?"
After that, Tang Ping poured all the remaining cultivation resources into his cultivation level, directly raising his cultivation level to the levels of "World-Destroying God" and "Creation God," and finally reaching the level of "Cosmic Emperor."
Now, Tang Ping's other cultivation projects are full, leaving only the Primordial Spirit.
But to draw all the Primordial Spirits, a large amount of money is still needed, and Tang Ping's money from selling the house is almost exhausted.
At this time, the safe at home was almost emptied, and Tang Ping had no choice but to wander around the streets outside.
Tang Ping wandered aimlessly in the street, his mind constantly replaying the game scenes. His eyes were empty, as if his soul had been extracted, leaving only a walking corpse-like body.
Suddenly, a painful groan interrupted his thoughts. Tang Ping looked up and saw an old man with white hair and a hunched back falling on the sidewalk. The old man's face was covered with wrinkles, and his eyes were full of pain and helplessness. He trembled, trying to support his body, but each attempt ended in failure, accompanied by heartbreaking moans.
"Help... Can someone help me?" The old man's weak voice echoed on the street, but it didn't attract anyone's attention.
Pedestrians hurried past, some looking down at their phones, some wearing headphones and turning a deaf ear, and some simply detouring, fearing getting into trouble. A well-dressed businessman even stepped directly over the old man, without even looking at him.
This indifferent scene stunned Tang Ping in place. He felt a pang of heartache, as if he saw his possible future situation. Without thinking much, he strode towards the old man.
"Old man, don't worry, I'll help you," Tang Ping squatted down and carefully helped the old man up. At the same time, he took out his phone and dialed 120.
The ambulance arrived quickly, and Tang Ping accompanied the old man to the hospital. In the ward, Tang Ping asked with concern, "Old man, are you okay?"
The old man showed a gratified smile on his face: "Thank you, young man. There aren't many young people like you who are so enthusiastic these days."
Tang Ping scratched his head a little embarrassedly: "This is what I should do. If you're okay, I'll leave first."
Just as he turned to leave, the old man suddenly said: "Wait a minute, I see you frowning. Tell me about it, maybe I can help."
Tang Ping was stunned, and a glimmer of hope suddenly rose in his heart. Could it be that he met a wealthy old man with so much retirement money that he didn't know what to do with it? He suppressed the excitement in his heart and pretended to be calm: "I'm just a little tight on money..."
The old man smiled kindly: "It's a small matter."
Tang Ping's heart beat faster, and he couldn't help but ask: "Could it be that you are the president of a listed company?"
The old man laughed even happier: "Thank you, young man, I will let you get promoted and get a raise, marry a rich and beautiful woman, and reach the pinnacle of life. To show my gratitude, I'll give you a gift. Give me your phone."
Tang Ping excitedly handed the phone to the old man, and his mind was already fantasizing about the wonderful life that was about to come. However, when he took back his phone and saw the information displayed on the screen, he was struck by lightning.
There was 150,000 more in the account, but it was a loan from an online loan platform!
"This is your credit limit on the online loan platform," the old man said with a smile.
Tang Ping's expression froze instantly, his eyes widened like copper bells, and his mouth opened into a perfect O shape. His brain seemed to crash for a few seconds, and then he suddenly came back to his senses, and the expression on his face changed faster than Sichuan opera's face-changing: shock, confusion, helplessness, and a wry smile.
"So you're not giving me money, you're helping me get a loan. Thank you so much, old man!" Tang Ping's voice was full of bitter sarcasm, and his eyes were even a little wet. He didn't know whether to cry or laugh, and could only stand there stiffly, like a comical statue.
The old man didn't seem to notice Tang Ping's strangeness, and still said with a smile: "You're welcome, young man. This is my little token of appreciation!"
Tang Ping looked at the old man's sincere smile and suddenly felt a sense of absurdity and powerlessness. He originally thought he had met a benefactor, but he didn't expect it to be another pit. But at this moment, he didn't even have the strength to be angry.
"Thank you for your kindness, old man," Tang Ping勉强挤出一丝微笑, "You have a good rest, I'll take my leave."
Walking out of the hospital, Tang Ping sighed deeply. He took out his phone and stared at the glaring "150,000 loan" for a long time. Finally, he smiled wryly and muttered to himself: "It seems that God is determined to make me the city lord. In that case, let's go all in!"
After speaking, he strode towards the nearest internet cafe, preparing to bet his last bit on his "city lord dream."
……
After returning home, Tang Ping calmed down a bit:
"What can I do with money? Direct pocket edition consumption!"
So, he opened the pocket edition of the game and spent another 100,000.
Livestream comments: "Damn, it hurts to watch."
After some upgrades, Tang Ping's combat power reached 290 million.
The latest novel is first published on 69shu.com!
Tang Ping: "OK, let's start brushing this VIP BOSS."
Just then, a player privately messaged Tang Ping provocatively: "Your guild is the fighter jet of trash."
Tang Ping smiled disdainfully: "Join my guild, and I'll lead you to conquer the imperial city and take the supreme title."
The other party laughed: "You're a weak chicken, I'm not coming."
Tang Ping in front of the computer scolded: "Just you wait, I'll pay special attention to this person during the siege later."
……
Tang Ping took a deep breath, his eyes fixed on the towering black shadow on the screen - the Dark Dragon. This BOSS is not only one of the most powerful existences in the game, but also the last hurdle on the road to the imperial city.
"Come on, let's have a showdown!" Tang Ping whispered, his fingers dancing on the keyboard.
His character, "Supreme Mafa," instantly appeared at the entrance of the Dragon's Nest. The dark red armor shone in the firelight, and the cloak behind him moved without wind. The artifact in his hand, "Blade of Heavenly Punishment," emitted a soul-stirring blue light, as if it could split the heavens and the earth.
Supreme Mafa's attribute panel was staggering:
Level: Cosmic Emperor
Combat Power: 290 million
Weapon: Blade of Heavenly Punishment (God-level)
Armor: Armor of World-Destroying Demon (God-level)
Primordial Spirit: Chaotic Primordial Spirit (Perfect)
Magic Treasures: Universe Mirror, Demon Sealing Tower, Soul Devouring Banner (all max level)
Tang Ping knew that to defeat the Dark Dragon alone, equipment alone was not enough. He also needed perfect operation and tactics.
"Let's test its strength first," Tang Ping muttered to himself.
Supreme Mafa jumped up and instantly rushed into the Dragon's Nest. The Dark Dragon roared, and its huge dragon wings stirred up a hurricane. He flipped backwards in the air and landed steadily.
"Break!" Tang Ping shouted lowly.
Supreme Mafa raised the Blade of Heavenly Punishment, and a dazzling sword light cut through the sky, directly hitting the dragon's head. The Dark Dragon lowered its head sharply, and the sword light brushed past its shoulder, leaving a deep crack on the rock wall.
"Such a fast reaction!" A hint of surprise flashed in Tang Ping's eyes.
The Dark Dragon opened its bloody mouth, and a ball of black-purple dragon breath spewed out. Supreme Mafa hurriedly sacrificed the Universe Mirror, and a huge light curtain stood in front of him. The dragon breath hit the light curtain, making a deafening explosion.
"No, it's too dangerous to face it head-on," Tang Ping frowned, quickly deducing tactics in his mind.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration. "That's right, use the Demon Sealing Tower to restrict its movement!"
Supreme Mafa waved his hand, and an ancient pagoda appeared out of thin air. Runes flowed on the tower, and an invisible force field enveloped the Dark Dragon. The dragon's movements suddenly became sluggish.
"Now's the time!" A gleam of light flashed in Tang Ping's eyes.
Supreme Mafa flashed and instantly came to the dragon's abdomen. The light on the Blade of Heavenly Punishment was greatly enhanced, and a series of lightning-fast sword strikes landed on the dragon scales. The sound of metal collisions, "clang clang clang," was endless, and sparks flew everywhere.
The Dark Dragon was in pain and let out an earth-shattering roar. It flicked its tail violently, and the effect of the Demon Sealing Tower was forcibly broken.
"Not good!" Tang Ping's face changed.
Supreme Mafa barely raised his blade to block, but was still blown away by the huge impact and crashed heavily into the rock wall. His health bar instantly dropped by a third.
"Damn it, I almost capsized in the gutter," Tang Ping gritted his teeth.
He quickly manipulated Supreme Mafa to swallow a health recovery pill, and at the same time sacrificed the Soul Devouring Banner. A strange black mist enveloped the Dark Dragon, constantly absorbing its life force.
The dark giant dragon roared repeatedly, its massive claws slamming towards Archmage Supreme. With a tap of his foot, Archmage Supreme dodged like a phantom. The Blade of Heavenly Punishment danced like the wind, leaving trails of wounds on the dragon's claws.
The battle entered a fever pitch. Archmage Supreme flew and weaved through the dragon's nest, sometimes engaging in close-quarters combat, sometimes bombarding from afar with magical spells. The dark giant dragon continuously spewed dragon breath and swung its claws and tail, causing the entire dragon's nest to teeter on the brink of collapse.
Ten minutes passed, and the dark giant dragon's health had already dropped to half. But Archmage Supreme's condition was also far from optimistic, with only a third of his health remaining and most of his potions consumed.
"I must make a swift decision!" A hint of determination flashed in Tang Ping's eyes.
He activated Archmage Supreme's most powerful skill – "Chaos Annihilation." This was the ultimate mystery brought by the Primordial Chaos Spirit, which would greatly increase all attributes after use, but the duration was only a short thirty seconds.
Archmage Supreme's body erupted with dazzling colorful light, and the whole person seemed to transform into a sharp blade. He charged towards the dark giant dragon like a shooting star, his speed too fast for the naked eye to catch.
"Slash! Slash! Slash!" Tang Ping muttered continuously, his fingers dancing rapidly on the keyboard.
The Blade of Heavenly Punishment transformed into countless sword lights, densely falling on the dark giant dragon's body. Dragon scales shattered, and blood spurted out. The dark giant dragon roared in pain, counterattacking frantically, but it was always a step slower than Archmage Supreme.
Twenty-five seconds passed, and the dark giant dragon's health had dropped to the danger line. However, Archmage Supreme's condition was also precarious, with only a sliver of health remaining.
"Just one last strike!" Cold sweat dripped from Tang Ping's forehead.
At this critical moment, the dark giant dragon suddenly opened its mouth, and a ball of dragon breath, even larger than before, spewed out.
"It's over!" Tang Ping's heart sank.
However, Archmage Supreme did not retreat. He charged directly into the dragon breath, his entire body engulfed by the dark purple energy.
"Is he crazy?" The barrage in the live broadcast room exploded.
The next second, a brilliant sword light pierced through the dragon breath. Archmage Supreme, holding the Blade of Heavenly Punishment, used himself as a sword and directly pierced the heart of the dark giant dragon.
"Boom!" A loud noise.
The dark giant dragon let out a final wail, and its huge body crashed to the ground. At the same time, Archmage Supreme also fell to the ground because his health points were exhausted.
A system notification sounded: "Congratulations to player 'Archmage Supreme' for successfully killing the dark giant dragon, obtaining the 'Dragon Heart' and the 'King's Certificate'."
Tang Ping breathed a long sigh of relief and slumped back in his chair. He looked at the screen, a smile appearing on the corner of his mouth: "Royal City, here I come."