Undercurrents Stirring
What happens when you pour a spoonful of cold water into a pot of hot oil?
It's hard to explain clearly; only by seeing it for yourself can you understand its intensity and fervor.
Within two or three days of the actual occurrence of this unusual change, a rather strange-looking trending topic, seemingly related to some kind of "Internet Urban Legend," quietly appeared on some internet search engines in a corner that few people noticed. Then, due to some covert influence, it quickly disappeared without a trace before being noticed by the public.
But at the same time, a strange, empty website address suddenly went from being a "secret" among a few insiders to something that began to spread rapidly.
Visitors from all over the world are now focused on this.
After all, even if no one knew, the tacit approval of a certain "administrator" meant that the "race" would be further intensified.
Having confirmed that it was impossible to block the URL or restrict access to specific users, some people had already noticed the problem.
"It's unstoppable. This platform's website is clearly taking a proactive approach to entering the internet, which is quite different from the predictions made by our experts!"
"Theoretically, it should have operated under a confidentiality mechanism, but now its attitude has completely reversed!"
"We can certainly use online information dissemination channels to buy some time and slow down the process a bit, but this is only a temporary solution!"
Inside the meeting room, the formally dressed individuals seated patiently listened to the experts' rapid-fire preliminary analysis, which was also a rather unusual kind of incessant chatter.
"Currently, a large amount of related information has been disseminated online. For the sake of overall social stability, relevant authorities have temporarily weakened their management efforts, but have still maintained certain normal restrictions to avoid acting too hastily and causing major problems."
A report was placed on the projection screen by the presenter, whose eyelids were severely swollen and whose face was faintly showing age spots. The long document was quickly enlarged and positioned.
As you can see, the list above contains a large number of technical terms or strange names, followed by almost identical question marks or crosses.
Even after opening access to non-user groups, the website remains in a state that is essentially beyond the scope of normal technical understanding. Aside from the partially usable link-sharing functionality it offers, researchers have tried virtually every conceivable method to contact the site and obtain additional information, but unfortunately, our progress has been negligible.
"Another problem is that even with a deliberate physical disconnection from the internet, or even when placed in a signal-blocked area, our non-user testers, using rudimentary equipment, were still able to successfully connect to the platform's official website based on the website's abbreviation."
He took a deep breath; to be precise, the middle-aged or elderly man speaking seemed to lower his voice slightly.
"As you all should understand, this is no longer just a difference in programming methods for network communication—it at least means that, at the level of specific information exchange and transmission technology, there is an immeasurable generational gap between us and the power represented by this official website, or rather, 'It'."
He pointed to a white chandelier overhead, the implication being clear.
"Even though He hasn't shown any intention to intervene further, we have in fact already lost some of the initiative."
"The remaining initiative is mostly concentrated in the influence of society and the public."
The voice was heavy.
Not showing one's emotions is simply a basic quality for almost everyone in the room who is entitled to be seated.
At this moment, it was impossible to discern much genuine change in the expressions on those faces.
However, almost every participant understood what this meant.
Someone even proactively asked, "Academician, could I understand your meaning to mean that our modern communication and related shielding technologies, even including what we're discussing now—"
"Yes, it's no exaggeration to say that even though we've taken all the necessary signal security measures beforehand, I don't doubt that the content of our meeting right now has already been clearly seen by that website. On this issue, it probably only depends on whether the other party wants to, not whether they can."
Although the seemingly unapproachable old academician even impatiently interrupted the other party's question, no one had time to care about such things.
Regardless of the turmoil in their hearts, at least on the surface, most of the attendees simply picked up their teacups, took a sip, or took a deep breath, maintaining a serious, statue-like expression without much additional reaction.
Technology is something that, once you're just one level above it, can become incredibly advanced!
When even the specific differences become unclear, it means that there is essentially no point in discussing it anymore.
But who could have imagined that, within just a few weeks or a month, after this unusual situation of a small group of people being "bewitched by the Main God" appeared without any warning, the situation, which was still somewhat under control, would now take such a sharp turn for the worse!
Especially given the nature of this matter, it is extremely unusual, and the risks and benefits involved are truly enormous.
When faced with that possibility that, in a sense, might represent "Infinity," no one dares to say they have complete confidence in controlling the greed inherent in human nature.
During the brief break, or rather, the "halftime" period, after the rather impolite old academician was replaced, a middle-aged man came on with the same report, but with a clearly different focus.
"----Since the end of the third mission, the announcement on that website stated that the Newcomer Adaptation Period has ended and there will no longer be a unified draw for visitors."
"Following relevant verification, in the fourth round of tasks yesterday, our user team members reported in detail after finishing their tasks that the platform did not experience the usual large-scale 'Light Fish' phenomenon."
"Furthermore, based on previous investigations, there has been a sporadic appearance of new users on the platform over the past week. It can be roughly concluded that this platform is currently using a 'sporadic extraction' model to continue growing its user base."
"Of course, this is not an isolated phenomenon. The situation abroad is also not optimistic at the moment. CNN and the BBC seem to have started reporting on this, but the specific news has been suppressed. It cannot be ruled out that this is a deliberate attempt to probe and test the waters."
You could tell that the man with dark circles under his eyes was almost speaking in a hoarse voice as he gave his report.
"Although they only mentioned it casually, calling it something like 'Collective Visual Suggestion Hallucination' or 'a new type of internet virus'—"
It sounded like a very Amerika joke, but unfortunately, not a single person in the audience could laugh.
"Currently, in the announcements and forum sections, which are only open to visitors, there are no additional messages in the announcements section, but in the forum section, only users have the right to post; visitors can only view the content."
"In addition, please take a look at this----"
A pre-prepared video link was displayed on the high-definition screen, without even a buffering circle; the picture instantly became clear.
There was no trace of post-production opening credits or subtitles. The film immediately gets straight to the point with a rapid change in scenery. Tree branches and leaves quickly flashed by, while the camera steadily followed a person running with all their might, capturing the whole scene.
In the relatively clear background in the distance, there was a dense, almost impenetrable gray-green, with withered branches and plump leaves covered in water droplets.
The overall lighting was also quite dim, like the twilight before a storm.
In the footage, the figure is clearly running for its life, its frantic movements and heavy, disordered breathing almost drowning out the rustling noises in the surroundings.
Especially the slight choking sensation in the breath, a reaction to extreme fatigue, clearly cannot be conveyed through a mere "dry cough."
Occasionally, the camera deliberately slows down the shot for a moment, and in the slow-motion footage, it can also capture many unsettling details. Mixed with a lot of grassy green juice, the clothes of this fugitive man are covered in mud. His clothes are tattered and almost torn into strips in many places. Even his underwear has not been spared and is barely hanging on his body.
But for some reason, in this person's overall appearance, even though the nose is clearly a nose and the eyes are glasses, it always seems as if each frame has been precisely pixelated, making it impossible to discern the overall composition.
The only thing that stands out is the way the human muscles stretch and crease as they run, the cracking sounds as their bodies scrape against the branches and leaves—especially the hand that accidentally brushes past the camera, the large patches of what appear to be mud on the back of the hand, which upon closer inspection are actually dark, sticky blood, clearly visible to those watching the video.
This is by no means a trivial injury.
Even the bloody, mangled wound on his forearm, with the flesh turned outwards and several dark yellow "black stripes" belonging to the class Hirudinea of the segmented phylum, were still attached to it.
Ironically, this fleeing person didn't even dare to stop and address his own problems; he just kept running away.
"Rainforest environment?"
After the short video ended, noticing many details, someone finally spoke, sounding both questioning and certain.
"Yes, that website forum, while opening up access to non-users, has also seen a lot of new promotional content and 'videos' in addition to the original posting mode."
"The video I just showed, a beginner's guide to completing the game - Rainforest Arboreal Cannibal Tribe Territory/Daily Survival Mission Excerpt," is just one example of a typical video.
The guide nodded, directly affirming the other person's statement.
"Analyzing the specifics, the vast majority of these videos were likely uploaded directly by the official website itself. Because, regardless of other factors, even if some of the participants managed to bring modern devices like cell phones into the mission, they simply wouldn't have the capability to maintain such stable filming."
He found another video, this time even a first-person perspective video, filmed for several minutes straight in one take, with the camera simply following his footsteps as he walked forward steadily, without any wavering.
People dressed in simple ancient clothing moved about the street in an orderly fashion. Their expressions were completely unpretentious, mostly numb, and their faces gaunt. Along the long roadside, beggars chatted in a completely incomprehensible dialect, their eyes seemingly, intentionally or unintentionally, fixed on this direction.
An old man squatted by the roadside, smoking a pipe; even the wrinkles on his old skin seemed to be covered in accumulated grime.
A burly man carrying sacks walked across the ferry crossing, stepping on the boat and causing it to tilt forward.
An old woman squatted by the riverbank, holding a wooden stick, laboriously shaking and beating her clothes.
Several thin, mostly bald-headed children, barefoot and dressed in rags so filthy they were almost entirely black, huddled together in a heavy mass, clutched handfuls of bloodstained pebbles, their cries echoing through the air as they desperately chased after an equally emaciated mongrel dog.
The entire scene is clearly in motion, yet it exudes a "dark" atmosphere, without any sense of staged shooting or "bloopers," making it so realistic it's unsettling.
No one spoke until the video ended.
"Everyone should understand that these videos, besides serving as so-called user experience sharing," also largely—and probably also—serve the purpose of 'traffic generation.'"
The guide even specifically emphasized one sentence --
Yes, this official website seems to have started driving traffic to it!
"Because, given the current situation, the most direct and effective way to spread influence online is through fragmented video information, which has the lowest specific viewing requirements among online audiences."
"Given the inherent technological gap, theoretically we have no ability to block any of its communication activities. However, in reality, while the webpage access itself cannot be blocked, the leaked access link can be blocked and intercepted by normal network management methods."
"Based on relevant research and analysis, this could very well be seen as a deliberate hint, a test, or a buffer period deliberately released by the official website."
As for what to say next, the middle-aged man, whose face looked like he had been working overtime for months, seemed to hesitate slightly before speaking.
"Distinguished leaders and experts believe that we must accelerate our efforts and prepare for a comprehensive information rollout as soon as possible."
"Because with the further opening of this website, there probably won't be much time for a gradual, gradual process as the situation develops."
"As for now, whichever country lifts the lid first will likely reap some unexpected benefits," but they will also inevitably face the risk of being the first to cause an uproar.