Promotional Video

At an internet cafe somewhere in Tianhe, a promotional video for World Tree was playing.

Online, a virtual reality game called World Tree had burst onto the scene and instantly claimed the top spot in the news headlines.

In a dorm room at an ordinary university in Tianhe City, Zhao Xin slapped awake Ge Xiaolun, who had just gone to sleep.

Ge Xiaolun looked helplessly at his roommate and said, "Lord Xin, if you don't have a reasonable explanation, I'm going to hit someone."

Ge Xiaolun had quite the temper when he was woken up. Then he glanced at the clock by his bed—11:59 p.m. His anger flared even higher.

Zhao Xin had no mood to fuss with Ge Xiaolun over such trivial matters. He dragged Ge Xiaolun out of bed and said, "Xiaolun, look! The government and Elf Group have jointly developed a virtual reality game."

"What does that have to do with us?" Ge Xiaolun was initially completely unconcerned and was about to climb back into bed to continue sleeping.

Just as his hand touched the edge of the bed, Ge Xiaolun finally reacted. He spun around.

"Lord Xin, what did you just say?!"

Before Zhao Xin could react, Ge Xiaolun shoved him aside.

Ge Xiaolun looked at the news announcement. "It really is a virtual reality game."

"Xiaolun, Xiaolun, there's a promotional video too. Let's watch it together." Zhao Xin pointed at a related promotional video and sat down beside Ge Xiaolun.

They opened the promotional video.

Accompanied by an ethereal, beautiful song, the screen slowly brightened.

What met their eyes was a lush green forest, and at its center stood an incomparably massive World Tree.

The camera gradually pulled back with the World Tree at its center, revealing one exquisite and magnificent city after another before the viewers' eyes.

The cities had a European style, with enormous statues standing at their centers. Beautiful, elegant Elves laughed and chatted throughout those lovely cities. Elves clad in knightly armor could be seen patrolling the streets, while beside alchemy tables stood beautiful Elf mages whose experiments had just failed—a living tapestry of a true Elven Civilization...

No matter how absentminded the viewers were, they were quickly drawn in by the lifelike, beautiful scenery and the other six distinct Elven Civilizations.

The pleasant landscapes, the distinct Seven Nations, the elegant and beautiful Elves, and the cheerful, melodious background music all made people feel as if they were truly there.

As a melodious voice-over began, it told the story of a World Tree that had drifted into the Primordial World, where the tale began...

At Tencent, a certain Ma slammed his hand on the table. "Buy it."

The secretary beside him reminded him, "Boss, their scenery is extremely realistic, their character models are highly detailed, and the movements are smooth. Even the background music clearly comes from a professional team. That tells us they aren't short on money."

At that, the secretary added, "They're also cooperating with the higher-ups, and the support they're receiving is substantial." As she spoke, she pointed at the ceiling.

Seeing this, a certain Ma coughed twice and said solemnly, "We're just an ordinary company."

The story continued...

The World Tree gave birth to the first life in the newly opened Primordial World—the first Elf.

Thus, the fledgling Elven Civilization slowly began to develop in the unfamiliar Primordial World.

The sincere smiles on every Elf's face could be seen as well.

Unfortunately, good times never lasted. A monster that looked as though it had crawled out of the Abyss appeared beyond the Elven world. These were the Fierce Beasts.

And so, the Primordial World's first great calamity, the Beast Calamity, began.

Afterward, beautiful cities collapsed, the earth split and mountains crumbled, and the different races of the Elven world joined forces to resist the Demonic Beasts corrupted by Chaos Qi.

The once-beautiful scenery turned into a battlefield of scorched earth...

Cruel clashes of blades, swords, and claws; dazzling magic and forbidden arts; profound Daoist techniques and immortal spells...

One grand, epic scene after another emerged. Combined with the tragic scenes and the ethereal, distant yet harrowing background music, they made viewers' blood surge. Countless people watching the short film could not help crying out.

At last, even the Seven Archons joined the battlefield, pushing the promotional video to its climax.

When the Anemo Archon wielded the winds of freedom to scatter the Demonic Beasts' assault.

When the Geo Archon used stone to protect the comrades fighting alongside him.

When the Electro Archon unleashed Musou no Hitotachi, even gods had to pale in its shadow...

Who knew how many animals shouted, "She's my wife!" when Raiden Ei pulled Engulfing Lightning from her chest in the video.

With the Seven Archons joining the battle, the fighting soon subsided. Yet cries filled the battlefield. The surviving Elves were taken by the Seven Archons to different places to recuperate and rebuild, while different gods guided the course of civilization. Thus, the Seven Nations were born...

The screen fell into darkness, while the background music shifted into something like a rallying call, setting listeners' blood ablaze.

A moment later, the screen brightened again, returning to the forest from the beginning of the video. Beneath the colossal World Tree, a beautiful Elf girl appeared on-screen.

As the Elf girl appeared, subtitles introduced her identity: Skadi, the first Elf born from the World Tree, the Great Elf.

She wore magnificent battle armor and sat cross-legged beneath the World Tree, humming a prayer. The Mountain-Mist Sword was planted in the ground beside her.

As the girl hummed, the background song reached its climax. Finally, the humming ended. Skadi drew the Mountain-Mist Sword and looked into the distance, where seven stars shimmered.

The screen fell into darkness, and the background music came to a halt.

Just when everyone thought the promotional video had ended like that, several lines of artistic text appeared on the screen.

"Magical thought-acceleration technology will lead you into a second wondrous life."

"Intelligent AI will bring you an unprecedented gaming experience."

"Creating the most realistic, weightiest, and immersive fantasy immortal-hero game experience, with the richest combat system."

"On May 1st, Labor Day, the no-wipe closed beta for the virtual reality game World Tree begins. We'll be waiting for you."

"Explore the Seven Nations, broaden your horizons in a new world, and set foot upon the vast, boundless Primordial World—all within the virtual reality game World Tree."

"Click the link below and sign up now."

The promotional video ended there.

In the dorm room, Zhao Xin and Ge Xiaolun were still somewhat dazed, not yet recovered from the magnificent battle they had just witnessed.

A moment later, Zhao Xin slapped Ge Xiaolun's thigh. "Damn! How much would effects like that cost? Lord Xin can practically smell money being burned like spirit money!"

Ge Xiaolun bared his teeth at that and prepared to smack Zhao Xin's thigh hard in return.

Unfortunately, Zhao Xin dodged with quick eyes and nimble hands.

Unable to do anything, Ge Xiaolun said bitterly, "Such an exquisite promotional video is even better than a Hollywood blockbuster. Come to think of it, Ska..."

Ge Xiaolun drew in a sharp breath, making a negligible contribution to global warming.

Reminded by Ge Xiaolun, Zhao Xin came to his senses as well. Though neither Zhao Xin nor Ge Xiaolun had much knowledge and neither was an industry professional, they had played plenty of games and watched plenty of movies.

Whether it was the visuals, characters, sound effects, special effects, or anything else, this promotional video could be called absolutely top-tier. It was also decades ahead of its time and could completely be treated as a movie.

Ge Xiaolun scrolled down to the comments.

The comment with the most likes at the very top was:

Big D: Am I the only one who thinks that Great Elf is really handsome?

Work Hard to Make Money: Hmph, Mr. Zhongli is the most handsome.