Chapter 2: Too Slow and It's Gone! The "Game of the Year" That Shocked the World
Earth, China.
In a university dormitory, Chen Feng (Online Nickname: I Am Not Husky) was boredly watching the TGA livestream, clutching a can of Coke in his hand.
As a junior who had dominated the entire school... er, the entire dormitory in FPS games since his freshman year, Chen Feng was full of resentment toward this year's TGA list.
"No way? That 'interactive movie' that's nothing but cinematic clips and QTEs can win Best Narrative?"
Chen Feng typed indignantly on his keyboard, sending a bullet chat message:
[Are the judges nowadays only looking at PC? It's like you can't even win an award without stacking a few buffs on the protagonist, right?]
A roommate in the dorm rolled over and grumbled, "Feng, keep it down... we still have class this afternoon..."
"I know, I know. I'm going to bed for a nap soon too," Chen Feng said dismissively.
Just as he was about to close the livestream and end this ceremony full of disappointment, the screen suddenly went black.
"Huh? Did the campus network crash again?"
Before he could check the network cable, a line of crimson countdown and eerie whispers popped up on the screen.
But Chen Feng's keen eyes caught a flash of a link entrance.
[3... 2...]
"A hidden easter egg? No GOTY nominee this year had such an eerie style, did they?"
Chen Feng's gaze instantly became sharp (actually, it was just innocent). Years of being single... ah no, years of FPS experience made his body react faster than his brain. It was a snagging instinct for activation codes engraved in his DNA.
The mouse slid, and the cursor accurately positioned itself.
[1... 0]
A second before the countdown hit zero, Chen Feng pressed the left button.
"Snagged!"
The next second, the livestream returned to normal. The host was still awkwardly managing the stage as if that ten-second silence hadn't existed. The bullet chat was filled with question marks.
But Chen Feng's screen didn't return to the livestream; instead, it jumped to a minimalist black webpage. The screen seemed to turn into a bottomless black hole, and the faint sound of howling wind could be heard.
"Damn, I still haven't seen who won TGA GOTY. How do I close this?"
Chen Feng couldn't find a close button. In the center of the webpage, a line of elegant white Songti characters slowly emerged.
[Congratulations, you have caught the tail of fate.]
[land of the forsaken gods: redemption is a 100% holographic immersive MMO using the latest virtual reality technology. We have discarded all fake CG to present you with only the most authentic physical Law.]
[Now, please fill out your application for eligibility.]
"Virtual reality? 100% immersion?" Chen Feng curled his lip and gave a disdainful sneer. "What a boast. How could current VR technology reach that level? But this webpage is quite high-end, it's got a bit of a Cthulhu vibe. It's probably some big company using a pseudonym to push some trashy P2W game. Still, to be able to put an advertisement on the TGA awards ceremony, this game developer must have some clout."
Since he had nothing else to do anyway, Chen Feng began to fill out that strange questionnaire.
Question 1: Are you willing to endure the harsh environment of the Early Stage to explore a new world? Chen Feng typed: "As long as it's fun, I'd even eat shit."
Question 2: If in-game death requires waiting for a respawn time, can you accept it? Chen Feng: "Souls-like players fear nothing. The longer the respawn time, the more exciting it is."
Question 3: Are you willing to sign a contract with the Evil God of the Land of the Forsaken Gods? If so, what will your name be? Chen Feng: "I Am Not Husky"
Submit application.
A progress bar popped up on the screen: [Checking Aptitude... Passed.]
[Please fill in a valid shipping address.]
"I hope it's not a scam. I'll just put the school address. Hehe, the school is so big anyway." Chen Feng wrote down the school's address.
[To ensure your gaming experience, the exclusive login device—
[Estimated delivery time: Within fifteen minutes.]
"Huh? Are you kidding me? It usually takes half an hour just to wait for my takeout."
Chen Feng was amused by this ridiculous prompt and was about to close the webpage to go to the bathroom.
*Ding-dong.* The phone next to the keyboard suddenly lit up.
Chen Feng picked it up and saw a notification from [Meituan Errand]:
[Order Notification] You have a new errand order being delivered. It is 3km away from you and is expected to arrive at South Campus Dormitory Gate 3, Locker 1 in 15 minutes.
"Huh? I didn't order takeout?" Chen Feng scratched his head in confusion and glanced at his still fast-asleep roommate. "Could it be Old Third's? No, the phone number is mine... Did someone put in the wrong number?"
Though he grumbled, he didn't take it seriously and continued browsing the web for a while. About ten minutes later, the phone vibrated again.
[Pickup Notification] Your errand order has been delivered to South Campus Dormitory Gate 3, Locker 1. Pickup code: 0517. Please pick it up as soon as possible; storage fees will apply for late pickup.
"It actually arrived?"
"Since I'm already here, I might as well go down and check. Who knows, maybe it's a lunch made with love from some girl who has a crush on me?"
Chen Feng joked to himself, threw on a jacket, clattered downstairs in his slippers, and arrived at the row of yellow delivery lockers at Gate 3. He entered the pickup code: 0517.
*Click.* Locker door number one popped open.
Chen Feng peered inside. There was no fried rice or fried chicken as he had imagined, but a cube wrapped tightly in a black waterproof bag. It was impossible to tell what was inside.
He reached out to lift it. It was extremely heavy, and he almost dropped it.
"Whoa, so heavy? Who sent me a rock? I hope it's not some prank..."
Filled with doubt, Chen Feng cradled the heavy black package and jogged all the way back to the dorm.
Back at his computer desk, Chen Feng found a utility knife and sliced through the thick black waterproof packaging in a few strokes.
As the packaging fell away, a black metal box with a cold metallic luster and a high-end design—so seamless that not even a single joint could be seen—was revealed.
With trembling hands, he opened the box. Inside lay a streamlined black helmet with a line of dark gold characters printed on the side: land of the forsaken gods: redemption.
There was also a card: [Put it on and lie down. Stare into the abyss. Say: Link Start.]
"Holy... shit?"
His eyes widened as he looked at the expensive-looking helmet in front of him, then at the "Errand Delivered" text on his phone... Meanwhile, in a high-end studio in the Imperial Capital.
The well-known tech influencer Wang Kai (ID: What Canned Food I Say) was staring pensively at a blacked-out monitor.
As a rational tech influencer, although he was shocked by the untraceable webpage from earlier, he absolutely did not believe in "magic."
Just then, the phone on the desk vibrated.
[Delivery Info] You have a same-city express package that has been collected and is expected to be delivered by 16:00 this afternoon. Sender: Abyss Technology.
Wang Kai pushed up his gold-rimmed glasses and sneered at the logistics information on his phone.
"Same-city express? It seems this company's server or office is right here in the Imperial Capital. Delivering this afternoon... Hmph, playing tricks."
"Xiao Liu," Wang Kai called out to his assistant outside the door, "there's a delivery coming this afternoon. Keep an eye out for it and bring it straight in when it arrives."
...Lei Gang (ID: Online Nickname) had just finished his last set of squats, his muscles pumping with blood.
He had also clicked that popup during a break earlier, purely because his hand slipped. He had casually filled in the gym's address, thinking that if the other party called with a scam, he could try to sell them a coaching membership. After filling it out, he didn't give it another thought and went back to pumping iron.
After showering and changing, Lei Gang walked out while habitually opening the delivery app on his phone.
He usually liked to buy all sorts of random things and fitness equipment online, so his delivery list always had over a dozen items waiting to be picked up.
"Hmm? The protein powder is here, and the wrist wraps too... What's this one, also a same-city shipment?"
Lei Gang glanced at the unfamiliar package name in the list and didn't think much of it.
"Probably that massager I bought earlier. Why give it such a chuunibyou name?"
"Whatever, I've got quite a few now. I'll pick them all up together after I'm done training."
...A few minutes earlier.
Amidst the frantic clamor of Earth, Li Wei, in another world, slowly opened his eyes.
"Fifteen. That's the limit."
Li Wei looked at the fifteen faint mental threads established within his Godhead and shook his head with a bitter smile.
Although many people around the globe had seen that popup, those who could click it within ten seconds and unhesitatingly sign that "Soul Waiver Agreement"—which was practically a slave contract—were few. Moreover, his power couldn't support creating too many divine projections.
This wasn't just a game account registration; it was a contract at the Soul level. The moment those players clicked "Agree," they had actually volunteered to become the "vassals" of this Evil God.
"Fortunately, I have the Authority of Deception, which can prevent the players from obsessing over things that defy common sense." Li Weiretracted his thoughts.
"Um... Lord Deity?"
A timid voice sounded. Li Wei turned his head and looked at the cat girl shivering in front of him. Mia was staring wide-eyed at the black mud ball that had appeared out of thin air in his hand.
"Is this... something to eat?"
"No, this is bait, and also a medium." Li Wei smiled. In front of Mia, he molded the black mud, which was infused with Divine Power, into the shapes of fifteen helmets.
In the other world, this was just mud from beneath the temple mixed with a trace of Divine Power; but in the eyes of the Earth players marked by the contract, under the disguise of his [Deception] authority, this was top-tier holographic equipment full of a sci-fi feel.
"Mia, I want you to sign a contract with me," Li Wei said suddenly with a serious expression.
"A-A contract? Do I have to sell my Soul to you?" Mia was so scared her tail puffed up, and her ears pressed back into airplane ears.
"No, it's just to make you a guide for a group of 'warriors' who are about to arrive." Li Wei reached out and tapped Mia's forehead with his fingertip. "In exchange, you will gain their favor, and... infinite dried fish."
Mia's eyes instantly turned into the shape of dried fish, and her fear was immediately thrown to the wind: "Deal!"
With a flash of light, a simple mental contract was established between the man and the cat.
"Also, to facilitate communication, I'm going to teach you a language."
Li Wei tapped his finger lightly, and a black light sank into Mia's brow. Mia felt her head suddenly fill with many strange pronunciations and words—it was Chinese. The influx of information made her head dizzy, and her cat ears drooped weakly as she unconsciously mumbled, "Hello... Have you eaten... Big boss, carry me..."
Looking at the cat girl who was now a ready-to-use tool, Li Wei nodded with satisfaction.
With a gentle push of his hand, those fifteen "helmets" molded from mud turned into fifteen streaks of light. Following the newly established Soul links, they instantly vanished into the Void Realm.
"As long as they put on those helmets..." A look of anticipation flashed in Li Wei's eyes. "I'll show them what a true 'immersive experience' is."
"Get ready, Mia. Our 'fourth calamity' is about to descend