In the autumn of 1998, Su Can arrived at Southwest University of Political Science and Law, nestled at the foot of Gele Mountain beside the Martyrs’ Cemetery, after a long journey with his luggage on his back. The campus still looked like one big construction site, but among the red-brick buildings, the opening chapter of his youth with the mountain city was waiting to unfold. There he met Qin Gang, bold and impulsive; San’er, sharp and slippery; Wang Rui, a skilled fighter; and Liu Yue, gentle and loyal. The five boys got into comical scrapes over dialects and sleeping arrangements, but quickly formed a bond of life and death: “Share the blessings, face the hardships together.”
Over four years, they witnessed OICQ evolve into QQ to the crackle of dial-up internet. Amid the smoky bustle of internet cafes, they formed the “Five Tigers of Southwest University of Political Science and Law” over Red Alert and StarCraft, and experienced the rifts and reconciliations between brothers as Legend of Mir took the country by storm. Young love quietly blossomed. Su Can’s growing bond with Chen Qiqi, a brilliant law student, and his missed chance with Min Chun, a bold and loyal girl, held the purest thrills and regrets of youth.
In the alleys of Gele Mountain, they faced harassment from the underworld, handling everything from street scammers to the feuds of the Loyalty Hall, fighting back against the dangers of the criminal world with the fiery courage of youth. In the university library, they balanced their studies with their passions, planning their futures through uncertainty. In the summer of 2002, graduation bells rang. They took a group photo at the Martyrs’ Cemetery and promised to stay in touch over hotpot and mountain-city beer. Then they scattered across the world, setting off on different paths as lawyers, police officers, and entrepreneurs.
The fierce fights they stood side by side in, the all-night gaming sessions at internet cafes, the tearful embraces at parting, along with the mountain city’s vibrant street life and the spirit of their university, all remain in those bygone days. Time passed, but their brotherhood endured, along with the passion of youth and
