Recruiting New Players (Part 2)

As soon as Shadow Night God spoke, the forum instantly fell silent.

Even the administrator, who had been very laid-back and barely managed the forum recently, came to spectate.

He wanted to see what new discoveries Shadow Night God had made.

Honestly, he didn't really believe Thin Dog's claims of a 100% virtual reality game either, thinking it was an exaggeration. Perhaps it was just another VR online game, like Duoyu Group's DYchat, where you put on a helmet and sensors to play with friends.

But the graphics, the feel, the gameplay... it was all terrible.

"Maybe Thin Dog is just promoting a new game from his company?"

It was possible. After all, Thin Dog's wealth meant he wouldn't bother scamming them, a bunch of struggling forum members. They'd just wait and see.

After capturing everyone's attention, Shadow Night God released the meticulously prepared post.

"What's the most effective kind of scam? I wonder if everyone has noticed a recent news report:

A woman locked herself at home and wired money to a scammer. The police were knocking outside, but she wouldn't open the door, shouting that the police were stopping her from making money. Eventually, the police broke through the window to stop her from sending the money. After being subdued, the woman was still shouting and even tried to scratch the police.

This shows that the greatest scams are those that victims don't even realize they're victims of, and they even believe those trying to help them are trying to harm them. And this is precisely the predicament Master Thin Dog is in!"

"Lin Tang and Ghost Face Demon Fox, in league with Sentinel, set a trap for Master Thin Dog! Master Thin Dog, caught in the middle of it, can't see the truth at all. As everyone knows, Master Thin Dog is a gaming fanatic and is definitely obsessed with the 100% virtual reality game that players worldwide have been eagerly anticipating. Those three people precisely exploited Master Thin Dog's obsession to create an illusion to deceive him. This might involve hallucinations, drugs, and other unspeakable details—you can imagine it yourselves. Master Thin Dog was merely led by the three of them on a dream, making him deeply convinced, and then unconsciously cooperating with their actions."

"They chose Master Thin Dog precisely because they knew his identity, and even! The administrator's refutation yesterday was also within their plan! You all think someone with Master Thin Dog's wealth wouldn't scam us for a little bit of money, but what if he himself doesn't know he's being scammed?"

"I boldly predict! One of those three people is currently by Master Thin Dog's side! This is a carefully orchestrated performance! All the losses incurred in the end will inevitably be borne entirely by Master Thin Dog, who has also been deceived, while the three of them will have vanished without a trace."

"And I! Shadow Night God! Am the only one in this forum who has seen through the truth of the matter!"

Administrator: "..."

Forum members: "..."

Ink Dye Sword Xiao: "..."

Sentinel: "..."

Below the post, there was nothing but ellipses.

Everyone was stunned.

Shadow Night God's reasoning, while bold, wasn't entirely impossible.

Weren't there many shocking scams in history?

The administrator, "Weakest Player in This Bar," asked himself, "Am I confident I can prove Night God is definitely wrong?"

No.

He pondered for a moment, then cautiously sent a message to Thin Dog.

"Master Thin Dog, is anyone around you? Call me back when you're alone, I have something to discuss with you."

It was midnight. Usually, this was when Thin Dog was active, and messages were typically replied to instantly.

But now... Thin Dog hadn't replied.

Below the post.

Picking Girl's Little Mushroom: "What Night God said makes so much sense! I will absolutely not register for this kind of shoddy game!"

My Style is My Own: "Heh~ I can only say those who understand, understand. Those who don't, can't be enlightened."

Magic Conch: "I don't understand, but it sounds amazing. I'll grab a seat and watch."

Cheng Shaofeng was speechless.

He posted: "Which moderator can please ban Shadow Night God? This guy's imagination is too wild. I'm a game developer, what malicious intentions could I possibly have? I'm not charging a single cent, what would I scam you for? Could I scam you into working for me day and night without pay?"

"Obviously not!"

"I just want everyone to play a virtual reality online game with a wasteland theme that's as close to reality as possible. The game has already entered the closed beta stage, and it's even a non-wiping closed beta. I thought of the forum members who have helped me in the past when this great opportunity arose. What did I do wrong?

I've spent 10 years on this game. My girlfriend left, my house is gone, I can't even find a single trace of myself in this world. I've given everything to this game. I'm paying out of my own pocket to mail beta helmets to everyone. And now you're saying my game is fake? Do I not know if this game is fake or not?"

"Please bear witness, Administrator, Vice-Administrator, and Moderators. I, Sentinel, solemnly promise here that during the beta test of 'Apocalypse OL,' I will absolutely not charge players in any form. Everyone just needs to play with peace of mind!"

"That's all I have to say. In fact, quite a few players have already registered through the backend. I just want to select more diverse and suitable players for the game to participate in the beta test. We have built a wasteland world infinitely close to reality and urgently need players of different types to test various content."

Sentinel's words made the forum members ponder again.

If they really weren't charging money... then it might be worth a try.

As long as they didn't pay, could he forcibly transfer money from their bank cards?

And the free-loading players who hadn't spent a single penny on games over the years straightened their backs.

Forgiveness Hat Wholesaler: "Not letting game companies make money, I'm familiar with this! I'll register first! If you can get money from me, you're awesome, and you deserve to get rich."

Picking Girl's Little Mushroom: "I think Sentinel is right. I just won't pay."

Ink Dye Sword Xiao: "Um... it's so lively here. Was that Sentinel just now the game designer? I've already made a reservation. I do some crafting, could you consider me if there's a spot? Please."

Sentinel: "Okay, I'll consider everyone. Please register quickly, and it's best to write down your strengths."

Seeing the endless stream of registration posts below, Shadow Night God tried to struggle a bit longer.

"No, seriously, are there really people who believe in virtual reality games?"

Cheng Shaofeng looked towards the backstage.

Shadow Night God, Shadow Night God 1, and Shadow Night God 2 had submitted their reservations for "Apocalypse OL" once again.

After a round of selection, Cheng Shaofeng chose two players and had the base send them helmets according to their addresses.

One hour later.

Forgiveness Hat Wholesaler and Ink Dye Sword Xiao both posted on the forum.

"Received, received! They really sent them!"

They also included photos of the helmets.

Ink Dye Sword Xiao was a major content creator, and many people were her fans, which further increased the credibility.

Picking Girl's Little Mushroom: "Night God, you really need to base your deductions on evidence, not guesswork. I told you long ago that the Sentinel was one of us. Brother Bing, can you spare another beta spot? @Sentinel."

Magic Conch: "Hiss~ It's 1 AM, and there's still delivery? Amazing!"

The two who had just received their game helmets didn't care about that. They eagerly put on their helmets and chose to enter the world of "Apocalypse OL."

Forgiveness Hat Wholesaler: "Holy crap? Awesome! It's more shocking than if you hadn't answered the phone and he just stood there frozen!"

Ink Dye Sword Xiao: "Ahhh! Such a realistic world! I have to record this and post a video!"

Two clones, a man and a woman, woke up in the Calamity Base.

Cheng Shaofeng, playing the role of the lord, walked over with a serious expression.

"Soldiers of the Calamity Base, you have awakened. The base is in ruins and needs rebuilding. There's no time to rest. I have a mission for you."