Chapter Five: The Number You Have Dialed Is Powered Off
Evening had fallen over a villa on the outskirts of the Magic City.
Tang Ping, bored out of his mind, was watching videos about the alien metaverse through his holographic projector.
“...After careful consideration, the Space Force has decided to recruit three thousand volunteers from the public as the vanguard, who will be the first to explore the alien metaverse...”
Just then, the butler robot, whose design was as endearing as a panda, waddled over.
“Young Master, there’s a letter for you.”
Tang Ping froze in surprise.
Who even sends letters nowadays?
Are they insane?
Still, he didn’t dwell on it, and casually took the letter from the butler robot.
But as soon as he caught sight of the “Huaxia Space Force” seal on the envelope, his whole body tensed and his pupils contracted. With trembling hands, he slowly opened the letter.
“Mr. Tang Ping, congratulations on being accepted by the Space Force. Please report to the Capital Space Force Recruitment Office within three days.”
Signed: Huaxia Space Force Recruitment Office, July 23rd—today.
After reading the brief message, Tang Ping leapt from his seat, overwhelmed with excitement.
Joining the military had always been his dream. He’d applied countless times, only to be met with silence each and every time.
He hadn’t expected to be accepted this time!
“Yes!”
“I’m finally going to be a Space Force soldier!”
He paced the bedroom in excitement, then instinctively took out his phone to call his father and share the good news.
“Hello, Dad, I just wanted to tell you—”
“All right, I know.”
Beep... Beep...
Hearing the monotonous tone from the receiver, Tang Ping stood frozen.
It wasn’t until the phone chimed with a notification that he snapped back to reality.
“One million yuan has been deposited into your account.”
A sound that would be heavenly to most people, but it left his heart cold.
He exhaled softly and sank back into his seat.
Truthfully, he didn’t feel much resentment.
He knew very well that, in his parents’ eyes, he was just a good-for-nothing. And, to be fair, nine out of ten times he called, it was to ask for spending money.
In the past, he would at least state how much he needed and act a bit spoiled.
Later, he only needed to call; his father would understand without a word.
In the end, he’d brought this upon himself.
Compared to his brother, Tang Zhen—the model of the new generation—he was indeed a complete failure.
It was only natural that his parents cared more about his brother.
Clutching the letter to his chest, Tang Ping was overwhelmed by a mix of excitement and conflicting emotions.
He knew that to him, this letter was a treasure, a distant dream finally within reach, the first step in shedding the label of “useless”—but in his parents’ eyes, it meant nothing.
Because his brother was simply too outstanding.
...
“I’ll just keep working hard in silence,” he muttered to himself, trying to stay positive.
After a moment’s hesitation, he picked up his phone, intending to call a familiar number.
His parents couldn’t share his joy, but surely someone else could.
“The number you have dialed is currently switched off.”
Hearing the automated message, Tang Ping was taken aback.
Just then, the news anchor’s voice echoed from the holographic projector.
“Now, I will announce some of the volunteers who have signed up...
Chen Nian, President of Sky Dome Guild.
Lin Fengqi, renowned young physicist.
Zhou Zhicheng, renowned young scientist from the Gene Academy...
This mission carries immense risks. We thank these volunteers for stepping forward at such a critical moment, risking their lives—they are heroes of Huaxia!”
Hearing a familiar name, Tang Ping felt as if thunder was rolling through his mind.
A memory surfaced unbidden.
...
“Come on, Tang Ping, what’s wrong with you? You’re a filthy rich second-generation heir and you mope around all day. Are you sick or something?”
“Big Bro, you don't understand. Even rich kids have their own troubles... My family’s situation is like this...”
...
“The troubles of the rich are truly beyond our reach. Most people would kill for your kind of suffering.”
“Big Bro, stop mocking me! I think I’m getting depressed. I really want to prove myself, but I don’t know how.
If I try to make money, I can’t beat my parents.
If I try to study, I can’t beat my brother. What am I supposed to do?
All I can do is give up...”
“Tang Ping, why don’t you join the military? Soldiers still have prestige. Maybe at first you won’t match your brother or your parents, but if you climb high enough...?”
“You’re right! Big Bro, you’re absolutely right! Why didn’t I think of that? I’ve decided—my dream is to join the military!”
...
“To serve... Big Bro...”
Tang Ping’s eyes grew red. He quickly dialed another number.
“Lu Yixiu! What’s going on? Why did Big Bro become one of those so-called volunteers?”
...
Meanwhile, in a hospital in a remote southern border town.
A handsome young man with long hair sat at a bedside, gazing tenderly at the unconscious girl lying there.
The little girl was his sister.
When they were very young, their parents had taken his sister out to play... and a terrible accident happened.
Their parents died on the spot, and his sister became a vegetable.
He spent all his family’s savings trying to treat her.
He was just fifteen at the time.
Many doctors urged him to give up, but he always believed that with the rapid progress of technology, as long as his sister held on, there would be hope for recovery in the future.
This had become his obsession.
Watching his sister’s life signs grow weaker by the day, he had no choice but to drop out of school and find ways to earn money.
But what sort of job could a minor do?
He could only work as a laborer in the metaverse games.
He worked twenty hours a day, every day, for three years.
It wasn’t until he met Big Bro that he finally found a stable source of income.
Now that the metaverse features had been suspended, he was deeply anxious.
Most of his savings were virtual assets—normally easy to cash out, but now...
He also used to rely on metaverse features to contact doctors in the capital to treat his sister—cheaper, and with reliable medical expertise.
Now, with the metaverse down, he could only turn to real-world doctors.
The costs would likely double.
“What should I do?”
He instinctively grasped the little girl’s hand, his anxiety mounting.
He had no energy to care about the affairs of the world—he only wanted to protect his own tiny world.
Just then, his phone vibrated in his pocket.
He looked at the screen and saw a huge sum had just been deposited in his account—the number was so big, he couldn’t even process it at a glance.
He checked the sender...
And his nose stung with emotion.
...
“Nie Yun, you’re something else. In such a short time, you managed to farm all the resources Sky Dome needed. I like you—why not join Sky Dome? That way, I can keep leeching off you for free.”
“Sorry, I’m in the metaverse to earn money, not to play.”
“Oh? You that hard up for cash?”
“Yeah.”
“I think you’re a reliable guy. Here’s the deal—I want to start a praetorian guard, and I want you as captain. I’ll pay you a salary, how about it?”
...
“Nie Yun, can’t you have a little ambition? Using alts to farm resources again! Twenty hours a day—you’re online more than I am! Are you trying to work yourself to death?”
“Big Bro... I have to save money. With how fast technology’s advancing, I’m worried that when new medical methods come along, I won’t be able to afford them.
But don’t worry! I only make a little extra when you’re offline!”
“What kind of talk is that?
We’ve known each other for so long—we’re brothers now. Your sister is my sister too. If there’s ever a new treatment and you can’t afford it, I’ll cover the costs.
And if that’s still not enough, we’ll hit up Tang Ping, that filthy rich guy—he’s got money to burn!”
“Big Bro...”
“Don’t worry, I keep my word.”
...
“Big Bro...”
Tears streamed down Nie Yun’s face. He quickly dialed that familiar number.
“Hello...”
“Sorry, the number you have dialed is currently switched off.”