Only by Adapting to the Rules Can You Create Them

While Lin Bai was busy decorating his shop.

In a secluded corner, [Lao Mi] and [Jing Mi] quietly logged in.

They looked at each other, then both burst out laughing.

"I've played games for years, but this is the first time an NPC has forced me to log out. Interesting." [Lao Mi] shook his head.

"Lao, what would've happened if we hadn't logged out?" [Jing Mi] asked.

"We'd have been caught, thrown in prison, and tortured. Then either released as innocent or had our accounts deleted under false charges..." As [Lao Mi] spoke, he suddenly froze. "You mean this was a story quest?"

"The NPC appeared out of nowhere. He didn't know who we were, yet he suddenly approached us, made up a story, then immediately turned around and framed us. Isn't all of that strange?" [Jing Mi] said. "He didn't gain anything from it. You don't really think all this was just an NPC's spur-of-the-moment prank, do you?"

[Lao Mi] fell silent. After a moment, he raised his head. "It is strange."

"This game really is fucking realistic!" [Jing Mi] said.

"That's not all." [Lao Mi] said, "When that NPC framed me, all I could think about was how furious I was at being set up, and how I had to run right away and absolutely couldn't get caught. For that moment, I even forgot I was a player..."

"Isn't that normal? The game connects to our brain's nerves. Every reaction comes from our most genuine thoughts deep down," [Jing Mi] said. "Besides, older games were like that too. Police cars in racing games, zombies in shooters—no player wants to get caught by an NPC. The desire to win is in our bones."

"It's different." [Lao Mi] shook his head again. "In older games, would you get angry because an NPC framed you?"

"..." [Jing Mi] paused, then said seriously, "I absolutely hate that bitch Kaili."

"..." [Lao Mi].

A moment passed.

[Lao Mi] glanced at [Jing Mi] and steered the conversation back. "He said something at the time: 'When Heaven is about to entrust a man with a great responsibility, it must first torment his heart and will.' He didn't finish it, but it's hard to imagine an NPC saying something so philosophical."

"Credit the writers!" [Jing Mi] said. "You know how it is. Someone might've had a flash of inspiration and come up with a badass line or two!"

"It wasn't a scripted line," [Lao Mi] said. "There's plenty of discussion about profession NPCs on the forums. Not one NPC has fixed dialogue. People have been saying for ages that every NPC in this world has a mind of their own..."

"You mean that profound line was generated by the AI itself?" [Jing Mi] asked.

[Lao Mi] glanced at [Jing Mi]. "Rather than AI-generated, I'm more inclined... inclined to believe this is a real world..."

Before he had even finished speaking.

[Lao Mi] saw [Jing Mi] looking at him with tender concern for the mentally challenged. "Fine, let's say this is a real world. What do we do next?"

"Find somewhere to eat, then figure out how to make money," [Lao Mi] said. "The hunger feels too real. I suspect that if I don't eat soon, this body will lose the ability to move, then die a miserable death from cold and starvation. What a goddamn mechanic."

"Not going to find that little follower of yours?" [Jing Mi] teased. "Didn't he say you could come to him for anything in Jiamao City?"

"I don't even fucking know his name." The mention of it filled [Lao Mi] with anger. "There are so many people in Jiamao City. Where am I supposed to find him? If I ever run into him again, I'll hack him to death..."

"Catch them!"

"Don't let those notorious bandits escape!"

"Hurry and notify the authorities!"

"Fifty taels of silver for catching them!"

[Lao Mi] and [Jing Mi] had barely stepped out of the alley when someone in the bustling crowd took a second look at them, setting off another bout of chicken-flying, dog-scattering chaos.

The two players were forced to flee. They finally found a deserted spot and used the logout escape to evade another wave of pursuers.

Back at the login screen.

[Lao Mi] was a disheveled mess, with several tears even ripped in his clothes. Seething with frustration, he couldn't help swearing. "Fuck."

"What's going on?" A message from [Jing Mi] arrived immediately afterward.

"How should I know?" [Lao Mi] snapped.

"Are we logging back in?" [Jing Mi] asked.

"We'll time it," [Lao Mi] said. "Wait until the people camping us disperse, then log back in and figure out what happened. Why the hell won't this end?"

As he spoke.

He opened the forums.

"A brand-new experience, creating the most realistic game. Enter the game and gain another lifetime."

The promotional slogan for Immortal World caught his eye.

Two hot threads were pinned at the top.

The first was titled: "The most badass game in history. Sight, hearing, smell, taste, touch—all five senses are here. Enter the game, and it's like crossing into another real world."

This was the most popular thread, a review by a prominent gaming influencer named [Wild Wolf]. Its many screenshots and explanations documented his exploration of the new world. Beautiful scenery lay everywhere, and even the fine hairs on NPCs' faces were clearly visible...

Beneath the post were heaps of envious and flattering replies. Of course, even more people were begging on their knees for the closed beta to end immediately and the open beta to begin;

After all.

Who wouldn't want to embark on another thrilling, exciting life during their downtime?

Below this thread was another that took the opposite stance.

"The most soul-crushing game in history. Working nine to nine, six days a week in real life is bad enough, but I can't even find a job in the game."

The author was also a professional gamer, named [Grig]. His entire post was filled with accusations about the game's unreasonable design.

The login and logout system was unreasonable. In cities, you had to log out in a safe zone or an unoccupied area. If you logged out in an unoccupied area, you had to log back in at the same spot, making it easy for enemies to camp you;

The monsters in the wilderness were too vicious, and you couldn't even see a health bar. They would insta-kill you on sight, leaving none of the exhilaration of playing a game;

Everything in the cities cost money, and the starting funds provided by the system couldn't possibly last until you found a money-making profession;

Moreover, finding work wasn't easy. Profession NPCs had exceptionally harsh requirements for hiring workers or accepting apprentices...

Point by point, he summed up the game's flaws.

In short.

These gameplay rules were an affront to humanity. Without their veneer of realism, the game would have virtually no playability whatsoever.

In the interest of ensuring that such a finely crafted game could continue to develop sustainably.

The professional gamer named [Grig] strongly urged the development team to make changes according to his demands and adjust the game's difficulty, rather than chilling the players' hearts.

"Agreed. I fucking wanted to learn blacksmithing, and they chased me out before I even opened my mouth."

"Blacksmithing? I couldn't even get a job waiting tables."

"I wanted to spit in the Crimson Delight Courtyard to show my contempt for immoral practices, but they beat me out with clubs."

"Was that actual spit you were planning to discharge, buddy?"

"Quit humblebragging. We're not even qualified to play this game yet. If you've got the guts, give me your account and let me try..."

"I'm begging for punishment. On my knees begging for the open beta."

A crowd of people replied beneath the post to complain.

But even more replies still came from players unable to join the open beta, their voices full of envy, jealousy, and resentment.

[Lao Mi] was just about to close the thread and post his own experience, complaining about the game's unreasonable design while he was at it.

Suddenly.

He paused, stunned.

Beneath [Grig]'s post, the game's official account had actually made a rare reply: "Before breaking the rules, you must first understand them and adapt to them. Only then can you create rules. We wish all players happy gaming."

Those words struck [Lao Mi] like a bolt of lightning. He suddenly understood.

That's right.

We've only just entered the game.

We haven't even figured out the basic rules. How can we talk about reasonable suggestions?

Does every game have to be turned into the same old grind of spending money and killing monsters?

Wouldn't that strip this game of its soul?

With that realization, everything became clear to [Lao Mi], and a soaring fighting spirit blazed anew in his heart.