Through the in-game voice channels and synchronized screen displays, Wayne provided a general introduction to every player about the nature of Kung Fu Panda, Age of Empires, and Street Fighter.
Combining his explanation with the demonstration clips appearing before their eyes, everyone grasped the basics.
One was a movie like Harry Potter, but the protagonist was a giant panda who looked almost exactly like Chen and eventually learned powerful martial arts.
One was somewhat like Heroes of Might and Magic III, involving building units and structures, but it was a war game with real-time production, construction, and combat, offering no pause, where every unit existed independently.
The last was somewhat like Saint Seiya, a fighting game where two people traded blows using various skills and moves, featuring a strong sense of physical impact.
Wayne told the crowd that unlocking the three Kung Fu Panda movies cost 10 gold, while Age of Empires II and Street Fighter V each cost 10 gold to unlock. However, if they unlocked everything as a bundle, the opening promotional price was half off—only 15 gold.
But he wasn't finished. For an additional 15 gold, the net cafe would host the first "World Fighting Championship" in three days—the final day of the free-play period. The top four finishers would receive prizes of 200, 100, 50, and 30 gold, respectively.
After hearing this, the crowd started calculating in their heads, counting on their fingers, or asking their companions. They reached a conclusion: for 15 gold, they could play all the games without participating in the tournament. For 30 gold, they could play everything and enter the competition for a chance to win back their investment and then some.
Shadobreak, Andromath, Oneiya, and several others pulled out their money immediately without hesitation.
Having personally participated in the battle against Onyxia, no one understood better than they did just how much power the skills from the games could unleash. They remembered that dawn five days ago. Within Wayne's massive magical shield, they had fired arrows, thrown knives, and cast Arcane Missiles and Frostbolts for ages without causing significant damage to the Black Dragon. Yet, once the battlefield shifted to Schrade Castle, everything changed completely.
Using the magic and skills from the games, they had forced the Black Dragon into a retreat, leaving her almost powerless to fight back. Furthermore, after they returned to the real world, Chen's arrival with the "Rozan Sho Ryu Ha" from Saint Seiya and Amy's "Arcane Blast" convinced them that these skills could be learned and used to great effect in reality.
Therefore, among the three works, Street Fighter V—with its roster of 46 characters, each with unique moves—naturally became their first choice. With the leaders taking the initiative, others were unwilling to be left behind. Although people like Oneiya, Anasha, and Corrine weren't wealthy, they had each been rewarded at least 100 gold by Stormwind for their service, so 30 gold was an acceptable price.
There were exceptions, of course. Dughan was the only one who refused to pay a single copper, insisting on using the three-day free period to swing his two-handed greatsword and battle the Velocidrome.
Because Chen and Li Li were Pandaren and monks who had practiced martial arts since childhood, they paid the fee but chose to watch the three Kung Fu Panda movies first before practicing Street Fighter V.
In the movie, the protagonist, a panda named "Po," lived in a place called "Ancient China." His favorite thing to do since childhood was rolling around—rolling here and rolling there. He ran a noodle shop with his father, and though he was clumsy, he had a steady livelihood. Deep down, however, he harbored a kung fu dream, fantasizing about becoming a super hero like the "Furious Five," punishing evil and being loved by the world.
A simple beginning, yet it moved Chen to tears. He didn't know where this place called "China" was, but what found incredible was that the architectural style, cultural habits, dietary customs, and the etiquette of bowing with clasped hands before a duel were identical to his homeland—the Wandering Isle.
The reason he had left the Wandering Isle to travel the world was to find the home of the Pandaren, the location of the Pandaren Empire—Pandaria. Legend said that the last emperor had shrouded the land in a thick mist.
Chen: "Li Li, do you think this 'China' could be the Pandaria we are looking for?"
Li Li: "Uncle, we're thinking the same thing! Tigers, Cranes, Mantises, Snakes, Monkeys—the 'Furious Five' are just like the races rumored to be on Pandaria."
"Also, this Po looks a lot like you..."
Chen coughed, thinking to himself: How am I like him? Po was lazy and fat. While he was... also quite fat, he wasn't lazy at all; he was a genuine martial arts master and a brewmaster. Moreover, he was equally skilled at making noodles.
Thinking of this, Chen sent a service request. Little Tess, who was playing games at the counter, immediately instructed Raymond: "Third luxury double room upstairs, someone is calling. They need two bowls of Lanzhou Beef Noodles. Go, hurry."
Raymond took off his goggles and sprinted to the basement kitchen. Because of the expansion, one waiter wasn't enough, so Wayne had hired Raymond with room and board plus 1 gold per month. Although he was nominally Wayne's eldest disciple, he had joined the company later than Tess, so the 12-year-old girl had become his supervisor.
Raymond opened the refrigerator, took out two portions of noodles, and dumped them into a pot. He tore open the seasoning packets, adding the brown powder and beef slices separately before pouring in boiling water. After cooking them on the stove for three minutes, the noodles were ready—fragrant broth, chewy noodles, and tender beef.
Raymond never imagined that cooking such a gourmet meal could be so convenient. No wonder Wayne called these "Convenience Noodles" (Instant Noodles).
He carried the two bowls to Chen's room. The two Pandaren, who were watching Po's father, "Mr. Ping," make noodles, were enchanted by the aroma and enchanted further after the first bite.
Li Li: "It's so delicious... it's like being back on the Wandering Isle. Whether it's the Horde we met or the Alliance we've seen over the years, this is the first time I've found a shop that can make pulled noodles..."
Chen: "Yeah... this feeling is so nostalgic..." He turned to ask Raymond, "Did you make this?"
Raymond nodded proudly.
Chen asked again, "Where did you learn?"
Raymond looked even more smug. "Teacher Wayne taught me, of course."
Chen: "Good heavens... it seems Wayne is also a master of the culinary arts!"
Li Li: "Uncle, do you think there are gourmets in Pandaria?"
Chen: "Certainly, and they might even be more skilled than the masters on the Wandering Isle."
Li Li: "I'm so looking forward to it. Still, I really think this Po is just like you."
Watching Po sneaking food on the screen, Chen didn't want to continue the topic. "Alright, stop talking and eat seriously."
Li Li: "Uncle, is it possible that your father—my grandfather—was also a big goose?"
Chen choked, nearly spraying a mouthful of noodles out.