_{Source: Pexels, modified}

I remembered when I first entered Heaven Village, I almost died. Five young men surrounded me and forced me into a half empty apartment. They interrogated me. They accused me as police spy who was looking for information about a drug dealer. I denied and said that I was just looking for someone named Maxim. But, they didn't believe me. I was kept in a warehouse for almost a full day.

A thin and tall man then came. He was probably their leader because they respected him so much. The man was also interrogating me. He asked me who I was, what my goal was, and why looking for Maxim. I honestly said that I was looking for Maxim because my mother suggested me to meet him if I wanted to busk in the area. There is an unwritten rule that the buskers might ask permission from the local "leader" if they wanted to busk there.

The man believed me and introduced himself as Maxim.

My first meeting with Maxim wasn't fun. But, in the following days I learned that the people of Heaven Village were tough. They were always suspicious of outsiders. Especially someone like me, who looked strange to them. However, once they accepted, you would be safe roaming around here. All the people were very friendly. They would still welcome you even if, for example, you just got out of jail for robbing a bank. This was a strange form of solidarity. But, that's the unwritten rules here.

Later I also learned that Max was not a kind of gang leader but a charismatic man who had such a big influence that many buskers respected him. He was very helpful, especially to people who were in trouble. I would find out later that Maxim was the one who helped Annelice.

A curly hari boy approached me and accompanied me on the way to Maxim's flat. He he heard that I ever showed on Open Mic Night at George The Bold's The Sun Also Rise Pub and Thomas The Big Mustache's For Whom The String Clink Pub. He also knew that I had music class in Santana Studio under Kurt Vonnegut.

In Rising Star game, you had to complete a number of missions. This was a kind of career path for you to level up, increasing fans, and of course earning income in the form of Starbit. In Home Town Buskeria, the missions--from lowest to highest--are Illegal Busking, Open Mic Night, Mid Week Support Slot, Busking With A License, Midweek Headline Slot, Saturday Support, and Saturday Headline.

The higher the mission, the greater requirements you needed when carrying out the mission. For example, Mid Week Support Slot required you to have 50 fans, level 5, 25 minutes time, and 35 percent energy. I had Open Mic Nights several times in the pub until my energy ran out.

Jeez, so soon the news spread. I was laughing. He said that he wanted to become a musician and start a career as a busker. He asked about my experience as a beginner busker. We chatted on our way to Maxim The Saxophonist's flat.

On the way, a girl with nose piercing came up. She delivered Maxim's message: "Meet me at Santana Studio". The studio was in the middle of this village and Wittgenstein Street.

I thank her and turned back towards the Russell Station.

To Be Continued

_{A Girl With Nose Piercing. Source: Tomaz Barcellos from Pexels}

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Dream to be A Star (Part 18): Meet Me in The Middle

Aku ingat ketika pertama kali masuk ke Kampung Surga, aku nyaris mati. Lima pemuda mengepungku dan memaksaku masuk ke sebuah apartemen yang separuh kosong. Mereka menginterogasiku. Mereka menuduhkan sebagai mata-mata polisi yang sedang mencari informasi tentang pengedar narkotika. Aku membantahnya dan mengatakan bahwa aku cuma mencari seseorang bernama Maxim. Tapi, mereka tak percaya. Aku disekap di sebuah gudang hampir sehari penuh.

Seorang lelaki kurus dan tinggi kemudian datang. Dia mungkin pemimpin mereka karena para pemuda itu sangat menghormatinya. Lelaki itu juga mengiterogasiku. Dia bertanya siapa aku, apa tujuanku, dan mengapa mencari Maxim. Aku berterus terang bahwa aku mencari Maxim karena ibuku menyarankan aku menemuinya bila ingin mengamen di daerah itu. Ada aturan tak tertulis bahwa para pengamen harus minta izin kepada "pemimpin" daerah itu bila ingin mengamen di sana.

Lelaki itu percaya dan memperkenalkan diri sebagai Maxim.

Pertemuan pertamaku dengan Maxim memang tak menyenangkan. Tapi, hari-hari berikutnya aku belajar bahwa kehidupan penduduk Kampung Surga memang keras. Mereka selalu curiga kepada orang luar. Apalagi orang seperti aku, yang pastilah tampak asing di mata mereka. Namun, sekali kau diterima di daerah itu, kau akan aman berkeliaran di sana. Semua penduduk di sana sangatlah ramah. Mereka akan tetap menyambutmu meskipun, misalnya, kau baru keluar dari penjara karena merampok bank. Ini bentuk solidaritas yang aneh. Tapi, begitulah aturan tak tertulis di sana.

Belakangan aku juga tahu bahwa Max bukanlah pemimpin genk atau semacamnya di daerah itu tapi orang yang punya wibawa besar sehingga banyak pengamen menghormatinya. Dia orang yang ringan tangan, terutama kepada orang yang sedang dalam kesulitan. Nanti aku baru tahu bahwa Maxim-lah yang dulu menolong Annelice.

Seorang bocah berambut keriting mendekatiku dan mendampingiku berjalan menuju rumah Maxim. Dia rupanya sudah mendengar bahwa aku pernah tampil di acara Open Mic di The Sun Also Rise Pub milik George The Bold dan For Whom The String Clink Pub milik Thomas The Big Mustache. Dia juga tahu aku murid dari Kurt Vonnegut di Santana Studio.

Dalam Rising Star game, kamu harus menjalan sejumlah misi. Ini semacam jalan karirmu untuk menaikkan level, menambah penggemar, dan tentu saja memperoleh pendapatan berupa Strbit. Di Home Town Buskeria, misi itu--dari yang paling rendah sampai yang paling tinggi--adalah Illegal Busking, Open Mic Night, Mid Week Support Slot, Busking With A License, Midweek Headline Slot, Saturday Support, dan Saturday Headline.

Semakin tinggi misimu, semakin besar syarat yang harus kau miliki bila hendak menjalankan misi tersebut. Misalnya, Mid Week Support Slot mensyaratkan kau punya 50 penggemar, level 5, waktu 25 menit, dan 35 persen energi. Aku beberapa kali mengisi Open Mic Night di pub sampai tak terasa ketika energi habis.

Astaga, begitu cepat kabar itu beredar. Aku tertawa. Dia rupanya ingin menjadi musisi dan ingin pula memulai karir sebagai pengamen. Dia banyak bertanya tentang pengalamanku ketika menjadi pengamen pemula. Kami berbincang-bincang sambil menuju apartemen Maxim The Saxophonist.

Di tengah jalan, seorang gadis kecil dengan anting-anting di hidung menghampiriku. Dia menyampaikan pesan Maxim: "Temui aku di Santana Studio". Studio itu ada di tengah antara kampung ini dan Wittgenstein Street.

Aku berterima kasih kepadanya dan berbalik kembali ke arah Stasiun Russel.

Bersambung...

_{A Man Plays Guitar. Source: David Bartus from Pexels}

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