Chapter 4: Virtual World

Haoqi suddenly recalled that not long ago, he had read a lengthy novel titled "The King of Changbai Mountain." This novel narrates the various experiences of a hunter family from Changbai Mountain over several decades, spanning the Republic of China, the War of Resistance, the Liberation, and into the new century. The entire plot is captivating and has greatly piqued Haoqi's interest in the cultural environment depicted in the book

Among the crowd, approximately half have East Asian features. Of the remaining individuals, aside from two who are Black, the rest have fair skin. Standing at the front are two individuals: one is a Chinese man in his early forties, dressed in a crisp suit beneath a semi-transparent dust coat, while the other is an older European man who speaks in less than standard Chinese.

This setting is similar to several of the most popular online games at present. Although Haoqi's profession is unique, his identity and profile are without issue, thus he is unafraid of iris verification

Suddenly, a massive circular object resembling a reincarnation wheel appeared before me. At that moment, a petite girl dressed in a student uniform from the Republic of China era spoke in a melodious voice like silver bells:

Haoqi previously reviewed the official website introduction, which indicates that the development of game characters primarily falls into two major categories: civilians and combat personnel. The civilian category is further divided into more than ten professions, including farmers, merchants, physicians, fishermen, hunters, miners, and blacksmiths. The combat personnel are classified into three types: regular troops, guerrillas, and volunteers, with further subdivisions based on military branches and positions, such as infantry, artillery, armored troops, pilots, sailors, special forces, and spies.

After a morning of waiting, Haoqi finally entered the game interface of this new online game with a sense of curiosity. This is a major work by a world-class game developer, and one can discern its quality from the vibrant colors and magnificent atmosphere. The opening sequence, lasting about three minutes, evokes a feeling of reincarnation, with scenes from the history of the War of Resistance stirring deep emotions in every true Chinese person.

The Europeans were somewhat surprised. After a brief silence, he slowly spoke: "Yang, you truly deserve to be one of the most outstanding businessmen in the world!"

Alright! A mold appeared in the hands of the Republic of China MM, which displayed the modified appearance of the character

Haoqi took a look and said, "Sure!"

On the holographic projection of the planet before us, a section representing the Asian region exhibits a brightness slightly higher than that of other areas, while the continents of the Americas and the polar regions are depicted in darker colors

Your starting role is that of an ordinary civilian. After entering the game, you can choose corresponding professions as the storyline progresses. Would you like me to introduce the main professions available for development?

In the European region, "World War I: The Storm of War" has been running for 9 months. Among the outstanding players from various countries, some have been appointed as army generals, commanding corps in battle, while others have taken on the role of aerial combat heroes, dominating the skies. Notably, a player named "King of the Deep Sea" has achieved astonishing results beyond historical records as a German submarine commander, becoming the recognized "number one player in the game"

"Certainly!" replied the gentlewoman from the Republic of China, "It is just that commoners cannot receive the military pay and firearms issued by the government, and when holding firearms, they cannot enjoy the additional benefits and maintenance discounts that soldiers do. Of course, this latter point does not apply to hunters!"

This is the most commonly used game name by Haoqi, meaning "Eternal Dragon," which refers to Zhao Zilong of Changshan.

That's it! Haoqi replied succinctly.

Use limited adjustments! Maintain the same body shape, increase the height of the hairline by 2 centimeters, increase the width and density of the eyebrows by 10 percent each, and enlarge the area of the lips by 10 percent! Haoqi confidently stated his requirements, and based on past experience, such a appearance essentially embodies the simple qualities of a villager.

The main operator of "World War: Asian Storm" is headquartered in the World Technology Building. The fourth, fifth, and sixth underground floors of this building have also been transformed into large data centers for the company. Two "Galaxy 29" supercomputers, costing one billion, are installed here, along with other equally expensive equipment. This has become the most expensive online game server in Asia's history

Please wait... Verification completed! Now, please select the character you wish to establish from the following countries and regions. It should be noted that if you choose a character from China in the game, you will receive a basic attribute bonus and a random skill.

Thank you! The middle-aged person calmly accepted such a compliment

This is considered a primary reason! A middle-aged man said slowly, "But more importantly... they possess an innate patriotism, a fervent patriotism! One can imagine that once the war reaches a stalemate, they will devote themselves wholeheartedly. Just wait and see, not only will the timing be critical, but our newly developed gaming helmets and exclusive platforms will also sell exceptionally well!"

Can civilians freely manipulate weapons and firearms? There has been prior discussion on the forum, but Haoqi hopes to receive an official response, as this pertains to the future development path of the game character

After a brief silence, the elderly European said, "Alright, Yang, let us not discuss this any further! You see, with the opening up of the Asian region, the completeness of this planet has already reached eighty percent, only awaiting the completion of the Americas and the North and South Poles, and then it will be a perfect world"

The middle-aged man smiled slightly, "Oh, Mr. Robert, I believe this illustrates the realism of 'World War' from one perspective! According to the feedback from our internal testers, it indeed causes some players lacking mental control to become immersed in it, but... this has been an unavoidable phenomenon since the birth of the first online game! Moreover, the cost of several million euros is merely a drop in the ocean compared to the true value of this game"

China! Haoqi said without hesitation that the attribute bonuses, random skills, and books are secondary; given his character, he would never choose roles such as the Japanese, Koreans, or Indians.

I have also heard about this!" the middle-aged man responded with an indifferent expression, "Every year, hundreds of thousands of people die in car accidents around the world; the government cannot possibly legislate a ban on cars because of this! In your country, any online game requires players to be at least 16 years old to register. Since they are all adults, they should possess the most basic self-control!

The beautiful and pure young woman from the Republic of China patiently inquired.

The middle-aged man said with respect: "I think it can only be the collaboration of storms and blizzards that can create such a myth"

Hunter

A group of individuals dressed in deep blue dust-proof suits walked along the corridor and arrived at the main control room. In the center of the hall, a planet rendered through holographic simulation technology appeared before them—its azure oceans and green continents exuded vitality. At first glance, it resembled the Earth that people were familiar with almost identically, but upon closer inspection, some differences could still be discerned: there was more green, less yellow, and the white polar regions were noticeably larger compared to current satellite imagery.

Mr. Robert, do not worry; I am quite confident about this! The middle-aged man casually raised his right eyebrow, "Perhaps its success in Asia will far exceed people's expectations! Do you know why?"

More than thirty years ago, the Wachowski brothers filmed the classic Matrix trilogy, and at that time, I was not yet twenty! I never imagined that I would create such a realistic virtual world! Yang, do you know? In Europe, hundreds of people have developed 'World War Syndrome,' unable to distinguish between reality and the virtual world, and they have to undergo compulsory treatment. As a result, we have paid out millions of euros!

Congratulations, this game name is available! The adorable Republic of China girl blinks her eyes. Are you using the true appearance of the book person, or making adjustments within the permitted range? It should be noted that the difference between the character's appearance in this game and the actual appearance is limited to within twenty percent

***

Changlong

The elderly man with white hair in Europe stared at the virtual planet for quite some time, saying, "Yang, although the thinking habits of Easterners are very different from ours in Europe, I sincerely hope it achieves success in Asia"

This kind of character appearance setting has long become a common feature in various online games. However, some online games allow for more flexibility, with differences reaching 30 to 40 percent, while others keep it within 10 percent—this is to prevent frequent occurrences in the game where young girls are deceived by "creepy uncles" and handsome men are manipulated by "aunties".

Asia accounts for more than 60% of the world's population, of course!" Europeans speculate.

The Northeast dialect is not spoken very authentically, yet this NPC (Non-Player Character) still maintains a sweet smile

Alright! Please choose your game name

Is this acceptable

Yes, hunters are civilians who are legally permitted to possess weapons, with skill enhancements and maintenance benefits second only to military personnel. Are there any other questions?

A middle-aged man with an Asian face echoed, "Indeed, from east to west, from south to north, from the sky to the land, from rivers to oceans, from mountains to forests, from humans to animals, every detail has been perfected! I dare say that 'World War' will become another milestone in the history of human gaming! What is even more astonishing is that a team of over 300 people developed it within two years; this in itself is a miracle!"

Alright, you will enter the game in three seconds! Wishing you a pleasant experience

Dear Chinese players, hello! This game adopts an identity binding method, allowing each player to register only one account. Before each login and book recording, you must undergo iris verification. Now, to confirm your iris characteristics, please bring your right eye close to the camera

Regarding the idiom "a drop in the ocean," Europeans seem to not truly understand it. He said: "No, Yang, in Europe, high-tech online games have been regarded by some experts as a form of mental poison. They are calling on the government to re-legislate and limit online gaming time, meaning that during the week, no one can spend more than 4 hours a day on online games, with different gaming times being cumulative, while on weekends, the limit is relaxed to 6 hours"

The World Technology Tower, scheduled for completion in 2030, is not merely a new landmark for Shanghai. With the successive establishment of the headquarters or Asian headquarters of the world's seven most prestigious technology companies, it has truly become an "International Technology Center".

The young woman in the Republic of China smiled gently. It should be noted that this game does not have a beginner training camp or beginner protection. Once you enter the game, you will face various situations that may occur in real environments. The ratio of game time to real time is 1 to 1. If you die in the game, each of your character's basic skills will decrease by one point, and this will continue until they return to their initial values. Normally, resurrection takes one day, but you can use a time point card to shorten the resurrection time, with a minimum of one hour. Now, please choose your place of birth! You may choose any land that belongs to China, or you can opt for a random assignment by the system.

The smile on the face of the elderly European, with white hair, is akin to that of parents watching their children grow strong. However, turning to the middle-aged man, he said: "Yang, often what matters is not the number of people or the amount of money. They can be considered the smartest group of people in the world, having constructed this vast virtual edifice through techniques that sound utterly incredible, all while ensuring that not even the slightest bit of visual quality is compromised"

Just that place in Northeast China! Preferably at the foot of Changbai Mountain! Since he already had an idea in mind, Haoqi did not hesitate at all