Caramel Snail was the first professional player to disappear.
His disappearance was like a stone sinking to the bottom of the water—there were no ripples, not even a sound.
Qiqiao Network's public opinion control apparatus swiftly activated, allowing a small amount of information about Caramel Snail, Jiao Ziniu, to leak out while heavily downplaying and deleting Jiao Ziniu's traces online. His relatives and friends in the Real World were either threatened at their doors or relocated to remote regions, never again to concern themselves with worldly affairs.
Before long, even the club Xia Yubing and Jiao Ziniu had frequented most often was forcibly disbanded. Their former friends scattered in all directions; those returning home returned home, those sent to the countryside went to the countryside, and most lost contact.
Xia Yubing truly could not understand. Why would a major company like Qiqiao Network go to such lengths over the disappearance of an ordinary player, nearly erasing all proof that he had ever existed? Had he committed some unforgivable crime, or obstructed someone's means of profiting? Friends, relatives, classmates, and partners—nearly everyone was trying to prove that Caramel Snail had died in an accident or gone missing. Only Xia Yubing did not believe it.
Fortunately, because they had been close, Xia Yubing had noticed something was wrong long before the media and hospital arrived.
She had arrived at Jiao Ziniu's home early that day. The Game Pod was empty, and the Android Butler was nowhere to be seen.
After searching for a while, Xia Yubing found some answers on the Cold Drink Machine she had given him.
Xu Kefu on the screen was passing through layer after layer of authentication clearance. The procedures were complex and tedious. Xia Yubing unconsciously shifted her gaze to the notebook spread open beside her—one page