Asuna and the Shadowy Penguin Corporation / Asuna Is Targeted by the Penguin Bigwig ...

"Behold my ultimate move! Whirlwind Charge Tornado --!!!" The blue-haired, spiky man clenched his fist and shouted loudly. At this moment, the air vents on the four-wheel drive race car opened at various angles, spewing out airflow.

The ultra-lightweight body was lifted into the air by a strong airflow and then flew forward in a spinning motion.

Shirou reluctantly stopped the engine, got out of the car, and lightly tapped a button on the car. Then, with a thud, the red rocket-headed race car shrank into a capsule, which Shirou grasped in his hand and put into his equipment slot.

Asuna, who was riding her motorcycle, stopped and approached Shirou, who was standing by the chasm ahead, saying, "Congratulations on breaking the speed record, but unfortunately you're still a step too slow this time."

"At least we've confirmed that the path here is set to collapse the moment it's triggered by the first person to arrive. We'll just have to try again next time," Shirou said.

As for the whirlwind charge flying through the air, the two of them glanced at it and shook their heads.

"The treasure of the Creator God belongs to me! Aa...

Just as the car flew more than twenty meters and hovered between the cliff and the finish line, a giant, hairy hand suddenly emerged from the bottom of the cliff, swatting the Whirlwind Charge away like a fly, turning it into a shooting star in the sky.

Chapter 647 Asuna and the Black Penguin Company

More and more vehicles gathered at the edge of the cliff, but no one dared to cross the insurmountable barrier before the finish line.

As the race countdown ended, none of the participants reached the finish line within the time limit. It truly lived up to its reputation as a challenge set by the Creator God; it was not something easily solved.

Shirou and Asuna stood on the edge of the cliff, watching Kongou lying in ambush below. Kongou was pounding his chest, swaggering around. Possessing advanced AI, Kongou even mimicked what Joe the Undying had done to him earlier, raising his middle finger at the players above, baring his sharp teeth, and mocking them wantonly.

Shirou and Asuna exchanged a helpless smile.

"I'll be right back," Shirou said, gesturing to Asuna.

"Okay, let's meet outside in ten minutes," Asuna replied.

As the countdown reached its final seconds, white fluorescent light enveloped all the players on the track, and then they were all teleported outside.

Shirou manipulated the machine to disconnect from the network, exiting the virtual network state and escaping from the Oasis World game.

He currently resides in a luxury apartment in downtown Tokyo. In this life, as a professional gamer, he enters the Oasis World to gather information, because the game technology in this world has developed too rapidly, as if it suddenly appeared out of nowhere.

Shirou had always suspected that Kayaba Akihiko had used the power of the world, because the world before Kayaba Akihiko appeared and the world after he appeared were completely different, almost like they were in the future, twenty or thirty years apart.

In fact, some experts in the scientific community have suggested that the emergence of the genius Kayaba Akihiko allowed all mankind to experience true virtual reality at least twenty years earlier, and that the Oasis was Second World created by mankind.

Most of the world's jobs have been handed over to robots, freeing up human resources for the service industry or creative jobs. Many more people have turned to games, with the most popular and well-developed game, Oasis World, naturally attracting the most players.

This is the only one of its kind in the world, with over a billion regular players worldwide. It can truly be called Second World social game. It encompasses everything; whatever exists in reality, you can have it here. And whatever doesn't exist in reality, you can create it here as well.

Players can explore the depths of the ocean and visit Atlantis in the oasis, or they can fly away from the solar system in a space rocket and travel through interstellar space to visit alien friends.

Players can also develop new games within the Oasis.

Many people spend all their time in the Oasis World except for eating, drinking, and relieving themselves, because even sleeping can be done in the game. Some people actually spend more time in the Oasis World than in the real world.

However, thanks to the popularity of the Oasis World, Shirou only needs to accept some commissions to forge weapons for players to live a worry-free life.

Through constant honing of skills, and by combining his own memories and experience in this incredibly realistic world, he has earned a place in the game as a professional blacksmith and warrior.

At this moment, Shirou is standing in a game pod that is more than 2 meters wide, with protective gear-like sensing devices on his wrists and knees. He is wearing special immersive VR glasses on his head and a matching all-around treadmill under his feet, so that he can perform movements in the game that are almost identical to those in reality, making the best use of human reflexes.

While the older, lag-free machines could indeed run games smoothly without any delay, in high-skill matches, those fractions of a second can make all the difference. So even a slight improvement in smoothness and agility is a huge advantage.

However, the cost is naturally not cheap; the complete set will cost at least over 30,000 US dollars. This is the latest Oasis World immersive gaming pod, which, with the assistance of sensing equipment, allows for smoother synchronization between the in-game character and real-world body movements, and also integrates sensory nerves into the immersion process.

This is the preferred product for professional gamers in the Oasis World. More discerning players will even have custom-made molds synchronized with the game, such as guns and racing steering wheels. Of course, for skilled players, this amount of money is nothing to them. Shirou bought it with the in-game currency he earned by forging equipment for others.

Moreover, because it's a full-body workout, it's an incredibly useful tool for people who want to stay fit but don't want to endure smog. Whether it's middle-aged women dancing in the square or people who want to lose weight and get fit, they can get a full workout while playing the game.

Nothing is more effective than games, whether it's for studying, exercising, or... well, you know... However, this thing takes up more space, so Shirou specifically cleared out a bed-sized space to house this dedicated game pod.

Shirou removed the sensor and stepped out of the game pod.

Just then, the cell phone on the table rang, emitting a flashing blue light. Shirou picked it up and saw that it displayed the image of the chestnut-haired girl in real life.

"Hey, Asuna? You're offline too?" Shirou pressed the answer button. Since they met in an online game in this life, he preferred to call her by her more familiar name, which was both her screen name and nickname.

"Well, I have a few things to say. We were so close to winning today. If that Kong hadn't jumped up, we probably would have cleared the level," Asuna said.

"Well, we can actually think about it from a different angle. It's precisely because of today's intense experience that we've eliminated another flawed strategy, bringing us one step closer to success," Shirou said with a light laugh as he stretched his back.

"It's not that I failed many times, but that I tried many times in order to succeed," Asuna said, reflecting on Shirou's words.

"Yes, as expected of Asuna, that makes perfect sense," Shirou said approvingly to the intelligent girl.

"Thank you for the compliment. It's best if you're still as optimistic and confident as ever. So... you still think the treasure in the oasis is related to that special power you're thinking of?" the chestnut-haired girl opposite her said with a smile.

"Hmm... No matter what, Asuna, you'll always be with me, right?" Shirou smiled confidently, then changed the subject and said in his magnetic and charming voice.

"Shirou... isn't the way you talk a little cunning?" Asuna frowned and said with dissatisfaction.

"I've already decided to walk this path with Asuna forever!" Shirou answered irrelevantly, then asked, "So... what's your answer?"

The girl opposite blushed slightly, but before she could speak, she regained her usual calm and composed tone and said, "Well... I quite enjoy challenging games, so I'll play with you."

"Really? That's great, thank you. I really can't imagine what it would be like without you by my side," Shirou replied with a laugh, as if he had breathed a sigh of relief.

"Seriously... Shirou, you bastard..." Asuna blushed and complained softly.

"What?" Shirou asked, feigning confusion, but a smile appeared on his lips.

"I'm not talking to you anymore, Kiriko and the others are still waiting outside the stadium entrance," Asuna said, pouting.

"Okay, I understand. I'll log on now," Shirou replied with a smile.

Meanwhile, in a high-rise conference room atop that landmark building in Dapeng City, the match was being broadcast on a large screen.

Everyone was now wearing special glasses to watch the video, allowing them to switch between different perspectives, from looking down from the sky to third-person and first-person views. It was like watching an upgraded 3D movie with 360-degree rotation, and many people were so frightened that they suddenly trembled.

As King Kong appeared, the ground collapsed, the red rocket-headed race car and the black 996 motorcycle came to a stop, the blue four-wheel drive car flew out, and then a giant hand suddenly reached out and slapped the four-wheel drive car away. The scene froze on the red rocket-headed race car and the finish line gate less than 100 meters away, looking at each other across the river.

Beep!

The live stream was shut down, and the high-ranking officials at all levels in the meeting also logged out of the game. All eyes turned to the square-faced, refined-looking middle-aged man at the head of the conference table.

Chapter 648 Asuna is being targeted by the penguin boss

Seated at the head of the conference room was a refined middle-aged man wearing glasses. In the game, he was portrayed as Cao Mengde from the Three Kingdoms period, a dignified and imposing short, thin, and strong man. However, back in reality, he put on gold-rimmed glasses and transformed back into the kind and approachable Boss Ma, who was happy to use other people's money to create his own happiness.

He manipulated the remote control and said to his subordinates, "You see, the average number of participants in the racing game betting within Oasis alone has already surpassed that of real-world Formula 1 races, and even the number of participants in the quadrennial World Cup betting is less. Do you understand what this means?"

Although his father was an official, he was hardly a powerful figure. As Boss Ma himself has said, he comes from an ordinary family. Apart from his first pot of gold and the connections his family had built, everything else can be said to have been earned through his own hard work and struggle.

He believed in Cao Cao's system: meritocracy and everything based on user feedback. As long as the product satisfied users and made money, even his own son, whom he had personally raised, had to step down. If it didn't make money, it would be removed without hesitation.

"If Penguin Company can gain control of Oasis Divine Domain, we can not only become the world's largest gaming company, but also the world's largest gambling company," said Ren Ni Xing of Tencent's key lieutenants.

"Yes, the currency of Oasis World realized the vision that Bitcoin wanted to replace banknotes as the new world currency. Now Bitcoin has become a second-rate speculative product. But Oasis World's gold coins have achieved a more competitive position than the US dollars in the game."

"But Kayaba Akihiko is wasting such a powerful weapon! It's such a waste!" Boss Ma said with great distress.

Zhang Tianlong, a capable lieutenant, said with a smile, "Although Oasis was invented by the Japanese, they simply don't know how to use it! It's like when they invented QR code; in their hands, they could only use them to put up labels. But in our hands, we've developed QR code payments. Anyone with a smartphone and the WeChat we developed can travel the world without a wallet."

Once Oasis Divine Domain is in our hands, we can definitely transform this game company into a more reasonable one, and doubling its market value is not impossible! Then we can launch a bundled event, with people logging into the WeChat official account every day to receive game rewards, and strive to get everyone in the world using WeChat."

"Hmm. By the way, what's the current progress of our company's game strategy? How long will it take to get the first bronze key?" Boss Ma nodded, then remembered something and asked.

Ren Ni Xing quickly stood up and agreed, "Our game companion department has always been full of talented people. Whether it's inflating auction house prices, pretending to be a woman to hook a rich guy, or hurling insults and spamming the megaphone, we're all experts! As for game strategies, it's just a matter of time."

"Go harder! Go harder! We're not some brat who thinks he can make a hundred million first. What do you mean by being down-to-earth and having fun with the people? I want results! Results!" Boss Ma slammed his fist on the table and said.

"Yes! I've already arranged for people to recruit more skilled gamers so they can form a team to conquer the game," Ren Ni Xing replied.

"Oh? Are there any suitable candidates?" Zhang Tianlong asked curiously.

"I thought the beautiful woman driving the red race car and riding the motorcycle in the video was pretty good," someone else said.

"Yes, Emiya, who was first in the video just now, and Asuna, who was third, are the two most popular players to be the first to clear the game. They are both veteran players who started playing when Oasis first launched."

Ren Ni Xing took out his phone and opened a PowerPoint presentation on the big screen.

The image above shows Shirou and Asuna's in-game appearances, while their real-life photos appear alongside them, along with detailed identification documents, gender, date of birth, education, and occupation—everything is displayed.

However, this is not surprising, as both Google and Facebook have been exposed for selling user data. Chinese internet companies, on the other hand, have blatantly posted Hegemon-King agreements, forcing users to agree to make all in-game data their property before even entering the game, otherwise they cannot use the software.

Once the user clicks "agree," all the data they generate while operating the software will be recorded in the software company's database, becoming part of the software company's big data operations.

"Oh, I didn't expect them to be such handsome men and beautiful women in real life. I thought they were all fat otaku and transvestites," someone said with a laugh as they looked at the photo.

"As casual players, they are very low-key. Apart from participating in some competitions, they do not join large guilds and rarely participate in online social activities. They only operate within a small circle."

"They also have a very weak concept of money. We've already sent them invitations, but they've all refused. We'll continue to send people over to follow up on public relations, offering them the treatment of top Tencent streamers, and try to sign them," Ren Ni Xing said.

"He's just a kid, yet he turned down our company's offer. He's really young," someone said with a laugh.

"As for the driver of the four-wheel drive car that flew out, Hoshino Kaho, he is from Pengcheng, China. His real name is Ma Xinghao. He is a streamer on Penguin Live. Although he is a bit of a goofball, he has been in the top ten of the donation list for many years because of his humorous style."

"The one we've been keeping in touch with, Joe the Undying, is Australian. We've reached a preliminary agreement with him, but we haven't been able to agree on a price. Now his car is totaled, and I believe it will require a lot of manpower and financial resources to repair. We're about 80% confident we can bring him to the company."

"Should we try to sign Emiya, who's in first place?"

"Yes, I will offer him the highest salary in the industry," Ren Ni Xing agreed.

"Too little!" Boss Ma said in a deep voice.

Ren Ni Xing explained, "This is already a very generous offer. If they get the key, there will be a bonus, and they will be given a lifetime senior management position. Finally, if they win the championship, they will also receive a share of the profits."

Boss Ma's eyes widened, revealing the shrewdness of a business tycoon, and he said decisively, "Double the terms to keep him in check! Otherwise, buy his account! What we want is for him to not win the championship."

Our Big Penguin with talent. Surely we can solve our problems with our thousands of employees, instead of relying on two random players? If they can be of use to us, then we'll recruit them. If they can't, then we'll pay them to stay put!

In short, it means that I'm willing to work for you, but I won't get any shares. Boss Ma's Big Penguin is aiming for a winner-takes-all strategy!

"Yes, I guarantee I'll complete the mission!" Ren Ni Xing replied.

"Okay, go ahead and do it! The cat-loving Yun Mama and the medicine-selling Li Lingyi have been wanting to get involved for a while now. Don't let them succeed. Let them understand that this game is still Penguin's home turf! Let the whole world know the name of Penguin! Use Penguin's communication, play Penguin's games, and watch Penguin's live streams!" Boss Ma said with a wave of his hand.

"Yes!" the crowd replied, their morale soaring.

At this moment, Shirou took out a high-tech product that resembled a VR eye device from the shelf, completely covering his eyes and fitting snugly against the bridge of his nose, and then lay down on the bed.

This version is a home-use improvement on the fully immersive machine that Kayaba Akihiko originally developed. It avoids the problem of being unable to exit the game and is convenient, allowing players to enter the game world simply by sitting down. However, this advantage is also, to some extent, a disadvantage.

Shirou first twisted his waist from side to side to loosen up his body, which had become tense from the intense mental game. Then he lay down, feeling a tingling pain in his back and a slight numbness in the muscles of his back.

It's obviously because I was a bit tired from using the professional-grade equipment before!

Hmm! It definitely wasn't because I trained with Asuna at night that things turned out this way.

Chapter 649 Asuna Meets with Kiriko's Friends

To avoid keeping Asuna waiting, Shirou quickly lay down and put on another version of the head-mounted full-dive suit.

The older version he's using now, also known as the home version of the fully immersive console, is a machine that operates by reading a person's brainwaves and thoughts. It's a particularly suitable type for homebodies who don't like exercise.

To avoid maintaining one posture for too long and causing physical strain, he would lie down in his room for a while after standing for a long time. If he lay down for too long, he would go back to standing. He would choose to alternate between the two types of machines every day.

Shirou had just logged in and stood at the door when a female swordsman with chestnut hair and a white combat dress appeared.

"Oh, you're already here?" Asuna said when she saw Shirou.

"Of course, we can't leave the women waiting around in this situation," Shirou said gentlemanly.

"Thank you so much for your gentlemanly manners," Asuna smiled, then continued, "Here's another chance for you to show your skills: come to my house for dinner this Sunday."

"Oh, um... Uncle and Aunt...?" Shirou asked tentatively.

"Of course they're home!" Asuna understood Shirou's meaning perfectly well and said irritably. The game, responding to neural signals, automatically produced a special effect, displaying two oval blushes on the girl's face—blushes that only cartoon characters would show.

However, on the girl's pretty face, Shirou only found her exceptionally adorable. Shirou smiled ingratiatingly and said, "What I meant was, what kind of gift would be best to bring when we visit?"

"My mom treats you better than I do. What do you need to bring? Just bring the person over," Asuna said irritably.

"Understood," Shirou replied, proud to be a friend of women.

At this point, Shirou and Asuna were unaware that they had been targeted by a terrifying force behind the scenes.

At that moment, at the entrance of the racing game lobby, a team of people dressed in identical black and white uniforms appeared, forming a group to tackle the racing game.

From 9 a. m. to 12 p. m., with a two-hour break at noon, then from 2 p. m. to 6 p. m., with a one-hour break in the evening, then from 7 p. m. to 9 p. m., six days a week, the members of the Penguin Gang Team work together day and night to develop strategies for various games.

There were people inside, actively recruiting players to join the group. As long as you were willing to work 996 hours, you could earn a decent salary.

Even newcomers who pass the interview will receive specialized training to learn professional skills, such as herbalism or mining. In addition, pharmacists and craftsmen will create various tools and continuously supply them to the Penguin Gang's strategy team.

However, aside from a few genuinely struggling financially, most players looked at the Penguin Gang with resistance and disdain.

Because everyone knows that the infamous Penguin Company, which preys on people's psychological weaknesses to extract money, is now trying to seize the treasures of the Oasis World.

In fact, there are quite a few merchants who treat the Oasis World as a business, but they mostly only engage in small-scale operations in certain areas, which has played a certain role in the commercial circulation of the Oasis World.

However, if the target were Tencent, the world's second-largest gaming company after Oasis World, the situation would be entirely different. If they succeeded, Tencent would integrate Oasis World's resources, transforming itself into an unprecedented behemoth.

It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that Penguin will eventually become the world's dominant force in gaming and the rule-maker.