Origin Altar.
Wei Shan's series of actions in Small World, Qi Sheng paid attention to the whole process.
If successful, it will undoubtedly add a new genre to the Player Camp system: Summoning Stream.
Looking at the whole process, it went very smoothly.
But the process of tax collection cannot be eliminated.
Just like Youngster Group's president "Headmaster" cultivates Darkborn Legion, he will also take away 30% of the power of faith gained in the process. The same is true for Wei Shan.
Even now Wei Shan's plan is still in the initial stage of development.
But through the Nightmare Trial Ground scene, and even the subsequent shock value obtained from other channels, he will also take 30% of the income into Sacrificial Power Pool. After looking at Wei Shan's latest income, Qi Sheng's attention jumped to Meteor World again.
After 15 days of hard work.
New Cassini Under the witness of Wei Shan, the city was completely restored to order.
The residents of the city were finally able to take off their guard and move freely through the city.
Territory lines that were once divided by gangs disappear, and there is no need to pay tolls to gangs who suddenly appear.
When passing through the aircraft wreckage zone in the Southern District, you don't have to worry about stepping into a persecution trap set by any gang.
Children dared to chase and play in the cleared open space, and many residents finally boldly walked out of the ruins, basking in the sun in the open space and chatting about whose family had obtained more food in Nightmare Trial Ground.
The sound of gunfire became a not-distant memory.
Some of the incorporated gang members were removed, while the capable ones took the tools they were given and gathered to clean up the building debris in the city. The broken steel bars were cut into regular scraps, and the broken glass and concrete blocks were sorted and transported to the landfill outside the city.
The pipes and lines that are still usable in the city are repaired by engineering personnel maintained by various gangs.
The abandoned aircraft that once clogged the streets were gradually dismantled, and the metal skeletons were sent to the furnaces to be turned into new water purification pipe parts in a few days. The city gradually became full of fireworks.
Some residents began to set up simple stoves in the cleared space and cook porridge with the grain exchanged by Nightmare Trial Ground.
There are also people who go together to challenge the Nightmare Trial and obtain two days of rations by proving their courage.
At this time, Wei Shan was riding a flying skateboard, watching the crowd flowing below No. 3 Nightmare Trial Ground.
The faces of the people waiting in line still showed fear of the trial field, but they also looked a little more calm.
This kind of stability comes from an order with rules to follow.
You will not become the target of persecution by gangsters for inexplicable reasons.
When there is no longer a price to walk freely, and the hope of survival is no longer monopolized by the guns of gangs, this city that once sank in chaos finally showed a glimmer of rebirth.
During this period, Wei Shan also rectified the eight major gangs.
He sent all seven leaders who could only use violence to solve problems to the lowest level to work as coolies, and replaced those who could help with the city's recovery project. The price for disobedience was death.
Obviously they would rather live than die.
The operation of the city is now on track.
But Wei Shan knows that he is about to face a new challenge.
This world is not only filled with completely destroyed cities, there are also many cities that can maintain order and civilization.
The whole world is in a period of repair.
Troops from other cities will connect with New Cassini in the near future.
This may be the trigger for his confrontation with the world.
But these were all problems that would arise in the future. He didn't need to worry about it for the time being, and decided to start the next round of testing: agent mode. Without notifying the leaders of the eight major gangs, he left alone that night.
Use the flying skateboard and follow the markings on the world map to go east.
The blue tail flame of the flying skateboard pierced the night sky, leaving a fleeting light trail between the clouds.
When the sky turned white, Wei Shan arrived at the destination of this trip: Neon Harbor.
This is a coastal city adjacent to the sea. During the End-Law Clan invasion incident, the warships were attacked by the Virtual Rune Legion before they could advance to the city, and the city was preserved.
Looking down from a high altitude, the scene of ruins is different from that of New Cassini.
The buildings in Neon Harbor are all very complete. The glass curtain walls of skyscrapers reflect the rising sun, and maglev trains fly on the aerial track. Pedestrians on the streets wear neat clothes, and even the patrol robots maintain a bright metallic luster.
The order here has never collapsed, and it still retains the integrity before the end.
But when conducting an in-depth investigation of this city, Wei Shan discovered that this city is full of decadence under its glory.
For example, he saw a group of young people smoking smoke together on the lawn of the city's Central Park. Colorful smoke floated out of the metal pipes in their hands, and the speakers around them played harsh music.
Several scantily clad young girls were twisting their bodies to the melody, and their movements seemed extremely exciting.
At the vending machine on a nearby street corner, someone smashed the glass of the machine, not to snatch the materials inside, but to vent their emotions with action, until they were stunned and dragged away by the patrol robot.
Similar situations occur in various areas of the city.
The city's infrastructure is still functioning, with basic supplies of energy, food, and medical care maintained, but it seems to have lost its life.
Out of curiosity, Wei Shan asked Guidance what was going on in this city.
When asked, Guidance's explanation was.
Although the invasion brought by the End-Law Clan ended, it did not allow the residents of this city to regain their motivation. Instead, it gave birth to a kind of collective nihilism. They used indulgence and catharsis to prove that they were still alive.
They do not lack survival resources, but what they lack is the meaning to continue living.
All kinds of rumors about the end of the world are flying all over the sky, and no one knows when the next end of the world will come.
So I started to indulge in fun and seek excitement in what I thought was a limited life.
They seem to be trapped by invisible spiritual shackles, slowly sinking in a seemingly free prison.
When talking about the situation in this city, Guidance mentioned a period of history from the ancient times of the earth.
It means that there were similar social phenomena in the 1960s and 1970s before the start of the new earth era.
The youth group launched a counterculture movement known as hippie culture.
At that time, it was a powerful country on earth. After experiencing a golden age of rapid economic growth, society became rich in material and the middle class expanded. Mainstream society promoted consumerism, encouraged people to pursue material wealth, and bound individual value to social status and material conditions. The younger generation grew up in a privileged environment, but felt suffocated by this "standardized" life, believing that this society suppressed individuality and lacked freedom.
The trigger for the outbreak of rebellious sentiment was a war at that time.
Casualties, conscription, and the suppression of anti-war demonstrations intensified social conflicts. Young people expressed resistance by evading military service and taking to the streets to protest. Coupled with the impact of the human rights movement at that time, society was divided.
And hippie culture is a comprehensive rebellion against traditional values.
They resent the cruelty of war and the hypocrisy of society, and try to rebuild values through rebellion.
But this rebellion has gradually embarked on the path of spiritual enjoyment and material supremacy. Young people are addicted to drugs, spiritual exploration, psychedelic rock, etc. The current state of this city has many similarities with the hippie wave on Earth back then.
They are all collective emptiness that arises from confusion about the future.
Young people in ancient times were trapped by war and consumerism, while the residents here were trapped in the trauma of the End-Law Clan's invasion and the fear of when the next apocalypse would come.
The former uses rebellion to fight against nothingness, while the latter uses indulgence and excitement to fight against nothingness.
Essentially, it is a choice when you can't find a spiritual outlet.
In such an environment, material abundance has become a catalyst.
Thoughts about what to live for keep popping up.
So they began to use drugs to numb their nerves, just like the hippies who used drugs to seek stimulation.
They vented their emotions wantonly on the streets, just like the young people at that time used protest marches to break the shackles of society.
Although the shell of technological civilization is maintained on the surface, it has long been hollowed out by decadence on the inside.
The older generation clings to the old order and is anxious and anxious, while the young people choose to indulge and enjoy themselves in time. The values of the two generations are like two parallel lines.
This social state is actually the spiritual confusion after "certainty disappears".
Although the End-Law Clan invasion has ended, the catastrophe that swept the world is like a Heavy Hammer, shattering all people's assumptions about a "stable future." The survival logic and value system that they once believed in have become shaky under the impact of the doomsday.
All thoughts ultimately lead to this: Since the next apocalypse may come at any time, what is the point of the current order, efforts, and even civilization itself?
When tomorrow changes from controllable to unknown, people in the city will fall into an extreme mental state.
Carpe diem is a way to relieve anxiety. They believe that since the future is unknown, it is better to seize the stimulation in front of them and use the carnival of the senses to fight against the nothingness of existence.
This is fundamentally different from the "New Cassini" city laid out before Wei Shan.
The residents of New Cassini live in a resource-scarce city. How can they dare to hope for the distant future? Living in the present is more important than anything else. However, the harsh living environment has forced them into a corner by reality. The lack of resources is like a sword hanging from the ceiling, making everyone's attention fixed on where the next meal is and whether they can find a safe place to live tonight.
You also have to worry about the dangers caused by gang fires at all times.
A piece of compressed biscuit and a bottle of clean water can satisfy their temporary hunger.
All residents have a clear goal, which is to survive.
So they won't have any nihilistic thoughts.
The city beneath our feet is not lacking in resources, but it is filled with spiritual hunger.
The needs of the body are met, but the soul cannot find soil to take root.
When survival no longer requires struggle, the meaning of life loses its most direct anchor.
Apart from indulgence, they have found no more powerful way to prove that they are alive.
The prevalence of doomsday rumors during this period became an amplifier of this core.
Every rumor about the "reappearance of the doomsday" is constantly strengthening the confusion about the future.
As a result, society seems to be trapped in a vicious cycle.
The more confused you are, the more indulgent you are.
The more indulgent you are, the less meaning you will find.
The less meaning you can find, the more you rely on indulgence to numb yourself.
Comparing the two cities, the residents of New Cassini seem to be trudging through mud. Every step is heavy and solid. The desire to live is the fuel for their progress.
The people here seem to be floating in weightless space, seemingly free but helpless.
"Surviving" the former environment is the answer in itself.
In the latter world, "why to live" is the biggest problem.
During Guidance's explanation, Wei Shan gained a more detailed understanding of the situation in this city and why it looked so decadent. Next, he decided to search for an agent in this city.
Neon Harbor's rain always smells of rust, or in other words, since End-Law Clan's destruction, the rain in the whole world smells of rust. Lex wiped the water mist on the glass with his sleeves and watched the pedestrians passing by holding umbrellas outside. The holographic advertisement reflected on the umbrella surface shattered into a speck of light in the rain screen.
The "Dream" virtual experience venue he runs is located in the new area of the city.
Half a year ago, this place was a popular landmark in the city. At that time, virtual network technology was also very developed. People could experience various immersive happiness in the virtual world by wearing neural connectors.
But the invasion of the End-Law Clan completely disconnected the communication network between cities.
Global servers crashed, and all large-scale virtual projects that needed to be connected to the Internet were paralyzed.
Also included was one of the most popular games at the time <Civilization War>.
Neon Harbor is relatively lucky and has not been affected by the invasion war, but the network mode has also been changed from global Internet to local area network.
The games back then were no longer usable due to problems such as data loss.
Nowadays, the most popular ones in Neon Harbor are some short and fast virtual experiences, and the scene fidelity is generally around 39%.
For example, the copy "Starry Sky Night Talk" he built before simulated an unpolluted night sky, lying on the virtual lawn and counting the stars in the sky. However, with the change of social atmosphere, people now are more willing to experience exciting content.
The most popular ones are those doomsday carnival themes with violence and emotional catharsis.
In order to adapt to the times, he created dungeon scenes that allow players to wreak havoc in virtual scenes, blow up buildings, seize vehicles, and confront law enforcement teams.
These scenes are more exciting than "Starry Sky Night Talk".
But the content of today's games still cannot be compared with the virtual games that were popular at that time.
The current virtual scene experience can only be supported by local servers, and the content is pitiful.
Neon Harbor young people now prefer to pursue simple and crude excitement.
Drugs, alcohol, underground fighting, few people are willing to spend money to experience outdated and outdated virtual scenes.
As a result, his venue has fewer and fewer guests, and his monthly energy bills and equipment maintenance fees are like a mountain.
This morning, he had received a notice to pay the rent, and the red "overdue" stamp made him feel very helpless.
Lex sat slumped in front of the counter, swiping the screen of his smartphone to call up the background data.
There was only one customer all day today, and the income was not even enough to cover the electricity bill.
He looked up at the promotional poster still hanging on the wall, with a line of text printed on it: The virtual world holds all the beauty.
But now, he can hardly even pretend to be himself.
I was so looking forward to the opening then, but now I am so disappointed.
"It really doesn't work... Let's list it for transfer tomorrow." He murmured to himself.
Although he was reluctant to give up, he knew that this might be the most correct choice.
If this continues, sooner or later this venue will be dragged down.
Ding bell!
At this moment, the door of the experience center was suddenly pushed open.
Lex immediately raised his head and stood up like a conditioned reflex. His professional habit made him smile:
"May I ask what projects you want to experience? We have doomsday destruction and..."
Before he finished speaking, Lex discovered that there was no one in front of him.
The smile suddenly froze on his face. The wind chime at the door was still shaking, and the crisp sound of metal collision was particularly abrupt in the silent venue. He frowned and looked out the door. The sensor light outside was on, but there was no one there.
"Is it the wind?"
He muttered and sat back down at the counter.
At this moment, the control box on the counter suddenly emitted a harsh current noise, and the screen above instantly went black.
Lex felt nervous.
Although this equipment is an old model, it has never malfunctioned.
He reached out to press the power button on the box. As soon as his fingertips touched the fuselage, the screen above suddenly lit up.
The faint blue light made his pupils shrink suddenly.
Instead of the familiar operating system interface, there was only a line of flowing purple code on the screen, falling like a waterfall, and finally settling into a line of neat black fonts.
[Adapter detected, start: Nightmare system?]
Lex's heart beat violently.
This line of text is definitely not any program he installed, and the fonts above seem to be imprinted directly on the screen.
He subconsciously looked around. The experience cabin in the venue was quiet. Only the air Circulatory System in the corner was still making a low hum. "Who?"
He tentatively spoke, his voice echoing in the empty venue.
"What asshole is remotely hacking my device?"
Still no response.
The text on the screen is still lit.
The two options [Yes/No] flashed slightly under the cursor, like a pair of eyes examining him.
Lex took a deep breath and reached out to pull out the battery from the box.
His fingers suddenly grabbed the buckle of the battery compartment and pulled hard.
Bah da.
The power cord was disconnected, but the screen in front of me was still on.
The text above even became more vivid, and the [Yes/No] options began to rotate slowly, like two doors leading to the unknown world. Lex's back was instantly soaked with cold sweat, and he realized that he was in trouble.
A similar situation has never happened before.
He could hear his violent heartbeat pounding against his eardrums, and his temples were pounding.
Various conjectures kept popping up in my mind.
Tests of alien civilization? Secret military experiments? Extraordinary adventures in the story?
What made his hair stand on end was that when he looked away, those words still appeared clearly in every corner of his field of vision.
Whether you blink or shake your head, the yes or no option lingers like a gangrene on your bones.
"Fuck!"
At this time Lex has realized that this is by no means an effect that can be achieved by technical means.
Just now he thought it was a prank by a hacker on the local area network.
But after cutting off the power and seeing weird options wherever he looked, he understood that this was a power beyond his cognition.
His knees began to weaken, feeling both fear and anticipation.
What I fear is whether the unknown power behind this option will drag me into an unpredictable abyss.
Maybe it's a bait for an interstellar predator, or a trap used to screen out experimental subjects.
Just like those written in doomsday-themed stories, the chosen ones will become fish on the chopping board and can only struggle in fear.
He could imagine the worst ending, where he was controlled by some invisible force and couldn't help himself.
But expectations are also growing like vines.
He also thought of the many extraordinary stories that were popular before the End-Law Clan invasion.
Some people obtain a mysterious system in desperate situations and use extraordinary abilities to turn their lives around.
Someone accidentally accessed the inter-dimensional network and rebuilt civilization from the wasteland.
What if this is really an olive branch from fate?
The dilemma of venue development, the confusion of survival, and the sense of powerlessness in this decadent world may all be able to find an outlet in these two options. Lex stared at the flashing cursor in the field of vision, curled up his fingers, and dug his nails into his palms.
Fear and anticipation collided in his chest, almost making him breathless.
Two ideas collide and fight in my mind.
He couldn't decide in a short time what he should run for.
Lex's eyes were torn between yes and no, sweat dripping down his forehead and falling to the ground.
Several times I made up my mind to make a choice, but in the end I retracted my finger.
But I think of the red seal calling for rent, the dusty experience cabins in the stadium, and the world that has long been rotten.
Guarding a virtual venue that is on the verge of bankruptcy, what's the point of competing in such a future?
He cursed in a low voice, as if he wanted to spit out all his fear, and finally pointed his trembling fingers at the object in his field of vision. There was no huge movement as expected, nor was there any dazzling light and shadow.
The moment your fingertips fell, the options in your field of vision faded like a tide.
The screen on the counter, which had long been powered off, suddenly lit up, and new content slowly appeared on it.
[The nightmare system has been activated, current authority: Junior Nightmare Apostle]
System introduction: This system takes "fright value" as the core driving force, and acts on the target individual by constructing an immersive horror scene, and generates a fright value based on the target's degree of fright and the level of mental shock.
The fright value can be used to redeem various resources in the system mall, including but not limited to energy supplies, special scene materials, permission unlocking certificates, etc. At the same time, the fright value has the attribute of creating empowerment, and the dungeon editor can be unlocked by consuming the specified value.
It supports custom Definition scene architecture, NPC behavior logic, environmental interaction rules and fear element combinations. From basic light, shadow and sound effect adjustment, etc., everything can be personalized and generated through the editor to meet the frightening needs of different scenes.
Specific instructions:...
Lines of neat text scrolled out.
On the left are ten scene names marked with serial numbers, and each name is followed by a brief description.
Armageddon invasion, Silent Dead Land, rusty ruins, the Revival of Arusi...
Lex's breathing became rapid, and these introduction descriptions crawled along the screen into his mind, making his heart beat wildly.
There is also a "Nightmare Shop" icon on the right side of the screen.
He reached out and clicked, and the screen immediately jumped to the mall interface.
There is a lot of product information listed above:
[Nightmare Scene Expansion Pack]: Can host 50 people for online experience at the same time, consumes fright value: 5000 points.
[From Definition scene editor]: Generate content based on the scene and consume the fright value.
[Life Pill]: There may be a delay in distribution after redemption. It can improve physical fitness and extend life span. It consumes 500,000 fright points. [Magic Weapon: Broken Frost Ax]: It can cut all objects in the world and consumes 1 million fright points.
The items in the mall list are all generated by Wei Shan using Nightmare Mirage and displayed to Lex.
The editing authority for the nightmare scenes inside requires him to receive Lex's ideas and then edit and generate them himself.
As for various spiritual medicinal materials and even magical weapons.
They are the most common items in the hands of players.
In particular, the various magic weapons that can be exchanged are generally items picked up on the battlefield in Emperor's Tomb Village, but in Small World they can be called magic weapons.
What the agent model wants is to give agents a sense of superiority over the system.
Then let him grow along the route set by the system, which is actually working for him.
He sells all products at prices that are more than ten times higher, and there are even many products that can be given away without spending Sacrificial Power at all.
But in Lex's eyes, he was undoubtedly lucky.
"Scare value..." Lex muttered to himself, staring at the screen.
The introduction of various props in the store made him fall into ecstasy.
In his opinion, these products are simply the threshold to touch the extraordinary.
He seemed to be able to see how he would change as the fright value accumulated.
From physical fitness, to extended lifespan, to extraordinary strength... these things that transcend reality are enough for him to rewrite his own destiny. He couldn't help but clenched his fists and waved them excitedly.
The powerlessness and confusion of the past were crushed by the hot expectations.
In addition to earning profits, the nightmare system is also a trial that is enough for him to step into the extraordinary.
He also finally understood the purpose of the system giving him ten initial copies of terrifying scenes at the beginning.
These are obviously novice gift packs used to generate shock value and will help him start the road to growth.
Lex couldn't wait to start the nightmare system on the interface.
A ghostly purple operation interface is unfolded on the console, and the icons of the ten initial horror scenes can be dragged at will.
He then clicked on a scene named [The Revival of Arusi], and the holographic projector in the venue suddenly buzzed.
In an instant, the scene in front of him was spinning.
When his eyes refocused, Lex found himself standing in an infinitely extending corridor.
Dark Red-colored liquid seeped out from the walls, and sticky tendrils hung from the ceiling. The most terrifying thing was the portraits hanging on the walls, which were staring at him with strange eyes.
Lex suddenly felt creepy.
Because the scene in front of me turned out to be 100% real.
It was just generated under the guise of a projector, but the initial experience was more like being transported to a different world suddenly.
Lex's Adam's apple rolled up and down, and cold sweat slid down his spine.
He stretched out his hand to touch the wall, and the touch from his fingertips was not the illusion of a virtual projection at all, but a real, sticky, fleshy touch with body temperature. When he retracted his hand, there was still a bloody thread between his fingers.
A strong sense of fear surged into his heart, and he began to gasp for air.
The shirt on his back was soaked with cold sweat, but the corners of his mouth rose uncontrollably.
This kind of horror that directly strikes the soul will definitely make those young people who pursue excitement unable to stop.
At this time, he looked at the "Administrator Mode" floating in the upper left corner, focused his eyes, and the management interface suddenly appeared.
Without any hesitation, he decisively chose to quit.
Suddenly, the scene receded like a tide.
The flesh and blood texture on the wall quickly dried up and peeled off, turning into fine purple light particles and dissipating in the air.
The tendrils hanging from the ceiling were like spider webs licked by flames, curled up into Ash, and the weird portraits together with the frame turned into drifting smoke. The entire corridor was like a sketch erased by an eraser.
It only took less than three seconds to go from reality to illusion and then to complete dissipation.
Lex is still standing where he is, and the familiar console, experience cabin, and neon signboard come into view again.
Everything just seemed to be just an overly realistic daydream.
But when he turned to look at the monitor, he found that the Nightmare Apostle interface was still there.
Next, he decided to learn more about the specific contents of these terrifying maps.
When daybreak was about to dawn, Lex lay on the floor dragging his exhausted body, but he couldn't help but raise the corners of his mouth.
Early the next morning, Lex opened for business early.
Place the newly made billboard at the door:
[New immersive horror experience, challenge your nerve limits, come if you have the courage!]
Neon tubes spell out a muscular dragon's fist on the sign, showing courage and strength.
However, throughout the whole day, only a few drunkards looked at the door and left laughing, not taking the advertisement seriously at all. It was really difficult for the already deserted store to gain customers.
Lex had no choice but to make harsh words on the local area network to attract customers, saying that his virtual venue had the ultimate exciting experience and he looked forward to brave people taking the challenge.
When attaching the address of the venue at the end, he deliberately added a provocation: If you are scared to tears, I will not be responsible.
But the post I sent was like a pebble thrown into stagnant water. It didn't make waves, and I don't know how many people saw it.
The next day, the venue was still deserted.
Lex moved a chair and sat at the door. From sunrise to sunset, only the sound of the wind accompanied him.
In a city that has lost interest in virtual experience centers, it is really difficult to gain a customer.
Finally on the third day, Lex saw hope.
That afternoon, three young men with dyed hair walked by shoulder to shoulder. One of them, a boy wearing ripped clothes, stepped to the doorstep, cursed and raised his head, just in time to see the signboard of the experience center.
"Yao, is this crappy place still open?"
The girl among the three was holding an e-cigarette in her mouth and blowing out a smoke ring:
"Last time I played that Starry Sky Night Talk, it was so boring that I almost fell asleep."
At this time, Lex, who walked out of the store, felt his heart pounding. He hurried forward to greet her, trying to make his voice sound confident, "The new scene has just been launched. It is definitely different from before. Do you want to try it?"
"Oh? Is it the same old copy of burning cities and blowing up buildings in a doomsday city?" The leading boy raised his eyebrows, his tone full of disdain. "It's a hundred times more exciting than that."
"The latest equipment is used in the venue this time. The current copy is the kind that will make your scalp tingle. I guarantee that you will want to scream when you walk in. You will not forget it for days after you come out. It may even scare you to tears."
He deliberately emphasized the word "scared to tears" and glanced at the disdain on the three people's faces, but he was making crazy calculations in his heart:
These three seem to be thrill-seekers, and they can be used to test how much scare value a single target can bring.
After listening to Lex's story, the girl put the e-cigarette in her pocket and pointed at the venue with her chin:
"Okay, if it's not interesting, we won't pay a penny."
"It's a deal."
Lex stepped aside and watched the three people walk into the venue casually, and then followed them in.
Quickly walking to the console, he took a deep breath and pressed the start button of the third copy "Silent Dead Land" on the monitor. As the game door slowly closed, the projection light above lit up.
Lex stared at the "scene loading" prompt beating on the screen, his heart beating loudly.
His extraordinary journey will begin with the screams of these three guests.