Chapter 39: This Game is Going Wild (Part I)

Chapter 39: This Game Has Gone Absolutely Wild (Part 1)

People living in this world all harbor, to some extent, grievances they dare not voice.

There are many moments when you grit your teeth, wishing you could take off your belt and lash it across someone’s face, forcing them to kneel and beg for mercy, to admit they are nothing but a pathetic wretch.

But in reality, you are forced to be obsequious, acting like a spineless servant, constantly fearing the loss of your livelihood.

The adult world is rarely easy.

Sun Qi was exactly such a man.

He was a wage earner in the building materials industry in Shanghai. Every day, he exhausted himself chasing leads, groveling before clients like a servant. Upon returning to the office, despite his diligence, he still faced the unprovoked abuse of his perpetually grumpy, bald boss. For the slightest mistake, he would be scolded until he felt utterly worthless.

"If you don’t want to do it, then quit! The company can run perfectly fine without you!"

After the spittle-flecked tirade, this was the line that always followed.

Many young employees, unable to stomach this boss’s irrational outbursts, had left in a rage. Every time Sun Qi watched them go, he felt a sting of envy.

Youth is truly a blessing—the ability to act recklessly without considering the consequences. If this were a decade ago, he might have slammed his resignation letter onto the HR manager’s desk, cursed them out, and walked away.

But now? He couldn't.

He was an outsider, living in Shanghai with a wife and child. They lived a frugal existence, relying entirely on his salary to get by. Buying a house was a pipe dream; simply making ends meet was a victory. Every time he opened his eyes, he was crushed by the weight of rent, utilities, his child’s breakfast, living expenses, and extracurricular fees.

Of course, he had considered returning to his hometown. But he was unwilling to leave, and the education in the countryside simply could not compare to Shanghai. Even if it killed him, he had to hold on. Yet, his child didn’t see it that way, often throwing tantrums or comparing themselves to others, complaining about why his father was so incompetent.

In the dead of night, while lighting a cigarette, Sun Qi would often wonder what the point of it all was. The difficulty of clients, the boss’s constant berating, the hardships of life... Thinking of it all, he would let out a long, heavy sigh.

The frustration was suffocating. He, too, had once been a high-spirited youth who dreamed of crossing mountains and seas.

On the night of July 4th, he received a call from a friend. The friend recommended a game, promising it was incredibly therapeutic and satisfying to play. At the time, Sun Qi thought his friend was being childish. Besides, it was a paid game—what was the point? But eventually, unable to resist the recommendation, he went to the official website and heartlessly spent five yuan to purchase a game titled *Madly Bashing the Grass-Mud Horse*.

When he entered the game, he kept grumbling, thinking it was too low-budget. The graphics and character designs were mediocre at best.

However, the impact feel was undeniably powerful.

After clearing a few levels, when he reached the part where the protagonist charges into an office, his eyes widened.

"Look at them, then look at yourself! What kind of garbage is this that you’ve made!"

"Damn it!"

"What are you even supposed to be!"

"If you don't want to work, then get out!"

He watched as a bald, horse-headed humanoid creature continuously berated a timid, suit-wearing horse. A barrage of insults echoed through the speakers. Seeing this, his blood boiled. He controlled the game’s protagonist and charged forward with a vengeance.

"You can even throw books here?" He paused, stunned.

He pressed the 'X' key and watched as the protagonist picked up a stack of files from the floor and smashed them right into the bald boss’s forehead.

The tactile feedback sent a jolt through his nerves. Years of suppressed resentment and anger erupted, and he felt an overwhelming sense of relief. Especially after depleting the boss’s health bar and watching him kneel on the ground, pleading for mercy—it was the ultimate catharsis.

Afterward, he controlled the protagonist to deliver one final kick!

As he did so, he let out a long breath, feeling every pore in his body relax.

"Grass-Mud Horse!"

"Madly Bashing the Grass-Mud Horse!"

This game was absolutely brilliant.

Later, he saw other scenarios in the office—scenes where the boss was dealing with the unreasonable demands of the client.

He had no idea that on the other side of the screen, his own abusive boss was playing through that very same level, grumbling and cursing all the while.

...

"My god, this game is so therapeutic!"

"I know, right? I just went through a breakup today and was feeling so depressed. But then I saw the scene with the mistress, and I just had my character charge in and give those two cheaters a good beating!"

"Same here! What felt best for me was beating up those spoiled, bratty kids. Haha, I took the belt and just let them have it until they were crying for their parents..."

"After I beat them up, I ran into their parents, and they actually had the nerve to say, 'they're just children,' and tried to attack me. How could I let that slide?"

"There are even levels where the brats scratch your car or people block the road for no reason!"

In the *Madly Bashing the Grass-Mud Horse* forum, countless screenshots were being posted. Netizens were ecstatic, showing off their scores and levels.

To be fair, this game was truly magical. Every villain, every minor boss, and every opponent was someone you had either seen or heard of in real life. One of them was bound to strike a nerve.

Bosses, spoiled brats, unreasonable clients, thugs, and bullies—all kinds of people. Even though they all looked like horses, they were crafted with such distinct personalities: snarling, baring their teeth, and lunging with malice.

Beyond the personalities, the game’s items were refreshing: belts, books, baseball bats, files—each tool perfectly simulated what players secretly wanted to do but never dared.

Despite the simple combos, the impact felt incredibly visceral, even accompanied by satisfying sound effects. As the levels progressed, the game’s ability to provoke hatred grew, making it even more addictive. Before he knew it, he had been playing for hours.

...

"That’s my Easter egg! Did you see it? My screen name is written on the notebook, haha!"

"I designed this scene! The fighting at the Star Internet Cafe was my design..."

"That’s me, did you see? That rock has my username on it..."

"And mine..."

The players were having a blast, and the netizens who participated in the design were even more thrilled. Not only had they been paid, but they also saw their own Easter eggs in the game! They promoted the game like crazy, telling everyone they met. As the sales exploded, their sense of achievement grew. They watched the download charts, desperate to see this small indie game become a massive hit.

Three thousand... Five thousand... Ten thousand! Twenty thousand...

The numbers kept refreshing. They felt a deep sense of pride.

...

"People in this era are too repressed," Zhang Yang thought, looking at the download count. It had surpassed thirty thousand in just five hours. A smile tugged at his lips.

He stared at the rankings, his eyes suddenly burning with intensity.

...

Sheng Teng Network.

Their single-player game, *Human Weapon*, was released on the same day. However, the project lead, Chen Qiang, was staring fixatedly at the sales data of *Madly Bashing the Grass-Mud Horse*.

He could never have imagined that this indie game would keep climbing the charts, moving from the top twenty into the top ten, and now... it was closing in on their *Human Weapon*.

"What is going on here?"

"Has this game gone insane?"