Game Launch

This day was undoubtedly agonizing for Li Tianxia. Even though it was already eleven at night, he remained in the studio, smoking as he waited for Platform173's new game promotion event to go live.

Unlike Li Tianxia, many Platform173 Players were also closely watching the changes on the website at this moment.

Two major games would officially open to the public today. This was a joyous occasion for the Players, who were ready to enter the games at the first opportunity and experience them for themselves.

However, what they were clearly looking forward to were the two promising new games, "Natural Evolutionary Calamity" and "The Rise of Protoss." They had no interest whatsoever in the unknown game "Battle Online."

When the midnight bells echoed through the city, Li Tianxia and the eager Players all clicked refresh on the webpage.

On the first day of the New Game Showdown, today's recommended games were as follows:

Battle Online (10 points)

Natural Evolutionary Calamity (9.2 points)

The Rise of Protoss (9.1 points)

Large red lettering appeared on the website's homepage, but everyone was astonished when they saw the ratings.

In their eyes, first place in this New Game Showdown should have been a contest between Natural Evolutionary Calamity and The Rise of Protoss. What the hell was this Battle Online that had received a perfect score of ten?

Driven by curiosity, many people clicked on the game, wanting to see its introduction and reviews.

100% realism? Was that for real?

Everyone who read the introduction was dumbfounded. They hurriedly scrolled down, wanting to see what the reviewers had to say about the game.

Game Reviewer (Wang): I have to say, if you only look at the introduction, you might miss out on a game that will define an era. Even I could not resist its charm.

Game Reviewer (Li): I tried it with the mindset of testing poison, only to get completely addicted and unable to pull myself away. A decisive ten out of ten.

Game Reviewer (Feng): Before giving my score, I had experienced roughly twenty-two hours of this game. Aside from its incredibly realistic experience, there was a hidden feature that shocked me. When you leveled up in the game, you could clearly feel your own body growing stronger. What did that feel like? I chose Assassin, and in the game, I felt the speed of racing wind and flashing lightning. That superhuman sensation obsessed me. I truly wanted to give this game a hundred points, but unfortunately, ten was the maximum.

Game Reviewer (Qian): I am a very curious person. In order to explore this game, I did not follow the quest instructions to Ghost Mountains, instead wandering around everywhere. Aside from the unbelievably realistic terrain, which shocked me, I encountered an armored ghostman. While speaking with that NPC, I completely felt that it was a living, intelligent creature standing before me, not an NPC at all. This game is terrifying. To express my respect, here is a ten out of ten. Oh, one final reminder: do not try to provoke the NPCs in the game out of curiosity. I got fucking killed, QAQ.

These reviewers, all highly famous in gaming circles, had given such high praise. This undoubtedly stirred the curiosity of many Players.

Thus, driven by curiosity, many Players clicked download.

Li Tianxia also looked through the reviewers' comments at this time, his expression constantly shifting. How could he believe that a game of only 800 MB could achieve a terrifying 100% realism? To him, it was simply a joke.

He then chose to download the game. After putting on the helmet, he began his gaming experience.

Immediately, the CG scene implanted at the opening of the game appeared. Beneath a gloomy sky, countless monsters revealed their savage heads amid the churning dark clouds.

This realistic scene undoubtedly shocked every Player who entered the game.

As the plot advanced and a hundred thousand ghost soldiers appeared in orderly ranks, the Players' blood was completely set ablaze.

An epic battle began at this moment...

When the CG ended and the entire world seemed to turn into a sea of fire, the game officially began, and the class selection panel appeared.

At this moment, Li Tianxia, like the other Players, was still in a state of shock.

In Li Tianxia's view, that CG alone would take up more than 800 MB. What kind of monstrous company was this? How had they compressed it to only 800 MB? It completely defied common sense.

To get to the bottom of it, Li Tianxia chose Berserker and officially began the game.

The moment he entered, he discovered that the area around him was packed with newcomers who had just entered the game. They were currently gathered around the underworld palace, now burned into ruins, pointing and discussing it.

"Great King of Beiqi, let me inherit your will and restore your former glory!" At that moment, a young man standing beside Li Tianxia stared sorrowfully at the ruined underworld palace and shouted.

"A Qi, stop messing around. Hurry and come find the BOSS with me. This game is fucking incredible. I'm afraid that once more people show up, we won't be able to steal any monsters!" The edgy young man had wanted to make another speech, but his teammate dragged him away as they hurriedly ran outside.

Looking around, Li Tianxia fell silent. At this moment, he understood why Wu Guoyi had said those things. Even as a professional, he found this game equally unbelievable.

Achieving 100% realism with current technology was something he had never even dared to imagine.

Yet now, such a game had truly appeared before his eyes, leaving him no choice but to believe it!

At this moment, Li Tianxia's mentality shifted from his initial resentment to exploring and learning within the game.

Following the quest instructions, he joined a large group of Players and began running across the map toward Ghost Mountains.

However, the game's popularity had clearly exceeded his imagination. The initial quest to kill ten Wandering Souls was simply impossible to complete. Outside, everyone was wandering around in search of Wandering Souls.

Whenever a Wandering Soul was found, more than a dozen people would swarm it together. Li Tianxia was dumbfounded. There was no way to steal a monster.

Unlike Wang Damang and the others, many novice Players had only one outcome when facing a Wandering Soul alone: death. Monsters like Wandering Souls were actually somewhat stronger than Players initially condensed from yin energy. Without agile footwork, if they simply fought head-on, even the initially powerful Berserker was no match for a Wandering Soul.

A flash of white light would appear every so often as a Player was killed by a Wandering Soul and forced to exit.

Yet huge numbers of Players continued flooding into the game.

To complete the novice quest, Li Tianxia had no choice but to take another route. He left the crowd of Players and headed to the side.

His idea was undoubtedly correct. Before long, he found a lone Wandering Soul. Li Tianxia's heart surged with excitement as he raised his greatsword and charged at it.

Though Li Tianxia was nowhere near as formidable as professional Players like Wang Damang in combat techniques, avoiding the attacks of the sluggish Wandering Soul was more than easy enough.

As he watched the Wandering Soul grow increasingly transparent and about to dissipate, a sense of satisfaction rose in Li Tianxia's heart. He had completely forgotten his true purpose for entering this game.

Just as the greatsword in his hand came crashing down, ready to claim the Wandering Soul's life, a figure suddenly darted out from the side and slammed into him, knocking him to the ground. A red "-5" also appeared above his head.

Just as Li Tianxia was still dumbfounded over what had happened, two more figures appeared behind him. Two daggers flashed at once and viciously stabbed into his neck.

-8

-9

You have been killed by Player Ye Xue'er!

Then the screen gradually darkened. The Wandering Soul, which had been on the verge of death, was finished off with one sword strike by the Berserker who had sent him flying.

The two female Assassins then turned around and made faces at his corpse.

I got my monster stolen! And I got killed too!

Li Tianxia was utterly dumbfounded.