Your reasoning was good. Don't reason again next time.

"So... your target had been the forum members all along, right?"

In the Diablo III Bar QQ megagroup, Shadow Night God said this.

Ten minutes earlier, Thin Dog, Demon Fox, and Lin Tang had been wildly hyping things up in the group, praising "Apocalypse OL" as an unparalleled next-generation game, the greatest under heaven and earth. Anyone who did not play it would live an incomplete life.

It was simply the absolute best!

Then a group member asked whether there were any pictures to look at.

The three of them all fell silent, saying they had not yet discovered the game's photography function.

At that moment, Shadow Night God, who had been lurking for a long time, finally spoke.

"Actually, when you said during the day that you had received the helmets but there was no shipping fee, I had already guessed this possibility. But you three are all old hands in the bar, so I didn't keep reasoning in that direction. But now... you were too eager to set your trap, and exposed your flaws instead."

Thin Dog: "??? Night God, did you misunderstand something? Don't mess around. Time is urgent right now. We have to reserve slots quickly, or once the news gets out, the people in our bar might not be in the first wave of reservations!"

Shadow Night God: "Thin Dog, I know you're in a hurry, but please don't hurry just yet."

"I have already seen through all your tricks! There is only one truth—the culprit is among us!"

Ghost Face Demon Fox: "?"

Lin Tang: "???"

Other group members: "Though I don't understand, it sounds impressive. I'll just go with: beer, drinks, mineral water, peanuts, sunflower seeds, eight-treasure porridge! Make way for the guy in front!"

"Eating popcorn."

Shadow Night God: "Clearly, this is an elaborate scheme carried out by acquaintances, a grand performance beginning with a single post!"

"The four of them used their reputation in the bar to spread the concept of a 'fully immersive virtual reality game,' then personally stepped in to testify. From disbelief at the beginning, to confirming it was real later on, and finally making it irrefutable! Step by step, they painted a wonderful picture of a 'fully immersive virtual reality game,' making every group member yearn for it."

"That's right. Our Diablo III Bar has existed for ten years. The player count has been gradually declining, people in the bar have been restless, and all kinds of arguments keep popping up. The real reason is... everyone has grown tired of the game, and there is nothing left to discuss. At a time like this, everyone has been hoping for a new grind-heavy game to replace Diablo III. As junior moderators, staff, and old hands in the bar, they clearly noticed this phenomenon. Then, on some dark and windy night, one of them suddenly came up with a brilliant idea for getting rich!"

"That was to market a game that did not exist at all! Hype it to the heavens! Then sell this nonexistent game to the forum members and make a killing in one wave!"

"Everyone can try ordinary keyboard-and-mouse games, but virtual reality games are different. Everyone has heard of them, but nobody has seen one. And you have to buy the helmet to experience its contents, which gives your scam the perfect breeding ground!"

"Forum members! Think back on what those three actually said!"

"It was nothing more than the same old spiel—100% virtual reality, all five senses, a fully randomized world, lifelike NPCs, Hidden Quests, immersive experiences, blah blah blah. Isn't that all stuff webnovels have written to death?"

"I dare say that anyone who believed their story today and went to the website to apply for a reservation already had one foot in the trap. After that, just wait to be asked for money!"

"The method of taking your money will be just like I said during the day: cash on delivery. You pay once you see the helmet. Then, after putting it on and finding that you can't play, when you ask them about it... they'll definitely say your account hasn't been activated, and that you can only log in after paying to activate it. Then they'll scam you for another round of money."

"There are 2.16 million people in the bar. If they scam ten thousand people, they can easily make several million. All they need to put in is one exquisite performance and ten thousand cheap custom helmets, then disappear without a trace and never be seen again."

"Now, tell me loudly—do you still want to reserve one?"

Shadow Night God's typing speed was truly top-tier!

That entire barrage came out smooth as flowing water, without a single pause, leaving everyone utterly dumbfounded.

Picking Girl's Little Mushroom: "Damn it! The group members treated you as role models, but you treated them like crops to harvest! I actually wanted to reserve one just now. I must have been blind!"

My Style is My Own: "Did someone really believe in virtual reality games? No way, no way?"

Foodie Mage: "The group members are getting more and more criminal."

Even the trio who had entered the game that afternoon fell into brief contemplation.

Thin Dog: "Did I really play the game?"

Demon Fox: "Could it be that I was just being used?"

Lin Tang: "Why does what he said sound so reasonable?"

Of course, that doubt only lingered in their minds for a moment before reason immediately dispelled it.

'Shadow Night God' had been muted for one day by the group administrator, 'African Thin Dog.'

African Thin Dog: "Ahem! I think Night God is having a bit of an episode right now, so I'll let him calm down first. Just treat it as a joke. After all these years, everyone should know what kind of person I, Thin Dog, am."

Picking Girl's Little Mushroom: "What is character worth for money! I firmly support Shadow Night God! Come on, you power-tripping dog, ban me!"

Popcorn-eating group member: "Exactly! Reputation is worthless in front of money!"

Shadow Night God 2: "One Shadow Night God has fallen!"

Shadow Night God 3: "But countless Shadow Night Gods have risen!"

Lin Tang: "Holy shit!? What kind of Shadow Clone is this!"

Thin Dog grimaced. "Big brother... when did you join with so many alts?!"

Ghost Face Demon Fox: "...Shadow Night God often got reported for posting lewd pictures before, so whenever he was banned, he would chat on an alt. He even specifically told me about it."

At that moment, the group members were saying all kinds of things, and doubts rose without end.

The group owner enabled a full-group mute.

Weakest Player in This Group, the bar owner who had been lurking in the group for a long time, spoke up.

"Everyone, calm down. Let me say a few words."

"You may not know Thin Dog very well. What he just said wasn't proof of how trustworthy his character is, but because his family is genuinely very wealthy. I read Night God's reasoning. It was interesting, but given Thin Dog's family background, he probably would not care much about a few million."

"Put it this way. Do you know Duoyu Group? Thin Dog's grandfather founded it. Thin Dog is one of the heirs of the Pu Family. Duoyu Building in Kyoto? Thin Dog is the one collecting rent from it now."

"Night God, your reasoning was good. Don't reason again next time."

The group owner lifted the full-group mute.

'Shadow Night God' was unmuted by the group owner.

The group instantly exploded!

"A top-tier rent collector? Fucking amazing!"

"I only knew that Thin Dog never worked every day. I thought he was useless like me. Turns out I'm the only useless one."

"Thin Dog, you really deserve to die!!! Why are you so rich! It hurts so much!!! It feels like ants are crawling all over me!"

The group owner was the bar owner, and his words carried considerable weight. Everyone largely accepted them.

Meanwhile, the three Shadow Night Gods silently returned to lurking mode.

The official website of "Apocalypse OL" gained more than two hundred additional reservation accounts, and the number continued to rise.

Among them were Shadow Night God 2 and Shadow Night God 3.

If there really was a 100% virtual reality game, which of these veteran players would not want to try it?

After the farce, Thin Dog said in their three-person group:

"Check the bar. Sentinel has spoken!"