Chapter 95 Unique game (14)
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No one would reject a merciful divinity.
Especially one who could fulfill your wishes. Although this divinity existed like a legend, Lin Zhaohe clearly felt that the NPCs in the game were extremely devoted to him, treating him as a savior.
In this setting, along with the players, curiosity started to arise about this divinity.
Lin Zhaohe completed his beginner quests and gained a basic understanding of this divinity. He didn’t know why he thought of Zhuang Lao’s face when he saw the divinity, but a strange intuition reminded him of the inseparable connection between Zhuang Lao and this divinity.
Lin Zhaohe’s novel, bearing his pen name, served as an introduction to the appearance of the divinity. This made Lin Zhaohe feel a strong sense of unease, as if something unknown had happened in some corner of the world, even beyond his own knowledge. He had written a novel that he himself had no prior knowledge of, describing an all-powerful divinity…
Lin Zhaohe felt a bit annoyed. The sensation of doing something without any recollection made him very uncomfortable and restless.
“What were the follow-up tasks? Are there any other descriptions of the divinity?” Lin Zhaohe asked Xiao Xu.
Xiao Xu nodded, confirming that there were indeed more. Someone had collected all the main storyline tasks, but the content had stricter permissions and couldn’t be seen by regular members.
Lin Zhaohe thought to himself, “No wonder I didn’t come across these things on the forum.”
“Everyone was being cautious,” Xiao Xu said. “After all, there was a group of opposition who, if they found out about such a powerful NPC in the game, might disrupt the entire game.” The reason this game gained popularity was because it focused on a sense of realism that wouldn’t pose a threat, even if it fused with reality.
People did see such a divinity in the main storyline, but he didn’t physically appear in the game. Thus, people regarded him as a belief imagined by the game’s NPCs.
Did he really exist? Or was he merely a source of comfort for people in their harsh lives?
People’s discussions about him weren’t fervent. In fact, everyone consciously or unconsciously avoided this character.
“He definitely existed,” Xiao Xu, as one of the pioneers in leveling up, had witnessed more of the main storyline than the average player. The closer he got to the maximum level, the more signs of the divinity he could observe. Whether in the main storyline or in side quests, the divinity appeared with increasing frequency. Xiao Xu even discovered that the world’s background setting seemed less straightforward.
“It was quite strange,” Xiao Xu said. “The background story seemed to have no connection to the fusion that happened before…”
Lin Zhaohe: “What do you mean?”
Xiao Xu: “Your character level is too low, making it difficult to notice anything suspicious.”
Of course, Lin Zhaohe hadn’t noticed anything. He was currently just a level ten insignificant character who couldn’t even leave the newbie village. Based on the information and scenes he had seen so far, the background story in the game was clearly the beautiful scenery from before the fusion. He could find many buildings that had been destroyed in the fusion disaster and humans who had unfortunately perished as a result.
“No,” Xiao Xu said. “If it was from before the fusion, that bookstore shouldn’t exist.” He was referring to the old man’s bookstore. If it were from before the fusion, the bookstore wouldn’t be in that location, and the NPC resembling the old man wouldn’t cautiously engage in trade with him. This was clearly a scene that emerged after the fusion. Xiao Xu initially thought it was an anomaly, but later on, such anomalies became more and more frequent, to the point where they became the norm.
“There’s no bookstore, no cinema. If we assume that the game removed these parts, it could be explained. However, I later discovered that their content wasn’t simply removed,” Xiao Xu explained. “Instead, they exist in a different way.”
Lin Zhaohe: “For example?”
Xiao Xu: “For example, I suspect that once you reach a certain level, you can enter the library.”
Lin Zhaohe: “What evidence do you have to support this speculation?”
Xiao Xu: “If you go to the library now, the NPCs will kick you out. I saw that the NPCs there were level one hundred. In this game, there’s a mechanic where if your level surpasses that of an NPC, you can engage in certain unequal trades with them.”
Lin Zhaohe frowned.
“So perhaps it’s not that we can’t enter, but rather there are currently restrictions,” Xiao Xu explained. “Of course, it could also be me overthinking… and also…”
Lin Zhaohe: “Hmm?”
“I’ve been to the game’s graveyard once,” Xiao Xu said. “Inside, I saw many NPC graves.”
Normal people wouldn’t venture to places like graveyards, but Xiao Xu was an avid player who would go to great lengths to level up. He went to the graveyard and noticed that the resurrected NPCs had their own graves. The strange details made him feel extremely uncomfortable, as if two conflicting programs within the software were clashing, creating contradictions everywhere.
“Is it a bug? But it doesn’t seem like a bug,” Xiao Xu pondered. “I find it hard to believe that the creators of this game would make such crude mistakes.”
Lin Zhaohe asked, “How long have you had these thoughts?”
Xiao Xu shrugged and replied, “Not for long, it’s something that has surfaced recently. You know, leveling up in this game is quite cumbersome. However, the higher the level, the more comprehensive the scenery you get to see.”
He mentioned that there was an exclusive forum for advanced players, where many discussions revolved around these topics. Clues about the divinity’s questline could also be found on the forum. Xiao Xu asked Lin Zhaohe if he wanted to take a look.
Lin Zhaohe naturally agreed. He watched as Xiao Xu logged into the forum and accessed a page that he couldn’t enter. After the webpage refreshed, he saw a prominent title on the homepage: “A Few Matters Regarding the Divinity.”
The post was filled with descriptions and clues about the divinity in the game, leaving Lin Zhaohe overwhelmed.
“So many?” Lin Zhaohe was somewhat surprised.
“Yes,” Xiao Xu replied. “And these are just the ones for lower levels. There are even more for higher levels. In short, the longer you play, the more you’ll realize that he is like a god within the game, but without a physical form. Therefore, he shouldn’t appear in reality either.” Unfortunately, Xiao Xu himself didn’t quite believe his own words, as his tone was filled with hesitation.
Lin Zhaohe looked at Xiao Xu and said, “It’s strange.”
Xiao Xu nodded and said, “Indeed, it’s very strange.”
“Why did they create such a character?” Lin Zhaohe felt increasingly creeped out as he continued reading. “Aren’t they afraid that one day the game will merge with the real world?” After all, it was just a game, but their current situation was so unique. Once the divinity from the game appeared in reality…
Lin Zhaohe couldn’t help but get goosebumps as he read the descriptions of the all-powerful divinity in the game.
He remembered what Lin Yan had said to him, warning him not to trust Zhuang Lao. According to Lin Yan, Zhuang Lao was the main culprit, driven by personal motives and capable of making things worse.
Until today, Lin Zhaohe had never seriously considered Lin Yan’s words. But at this moment, as a sense of horror filled his heart, he couldn’t help but feel a slight wavering.
Someone wanted to create a god, an almighty being. This plan, which had been rejected before, reappeared in a concealed form within the game. Now, the whole world was playing this game, naturally coming into contact with the divinity described in it.
The people in reality were suffering much more than the NPCs in the game.
The severe fusion completely compressed people’s living space. Many, like Lin Zhaohe, lost their parents and friends due to the fusion. The increasingly narrow and difficult living environment, along with the bizarre creatures, made people feel trapped in an endless nightmare. They struggled with all their might but seemed to sink deeper into quicksand, their souls and bodies descending together.
In such an environment, the appearance of a perfect spiritual refuge was like a lucky koi fish amidst misfortune. Despite all their efforts, people couldn’t escape the pain, so they began to believe in illusions.
The divinity in the game was such an existence.
As expected, the forum also had voices echoing Lin Zhaohe’s imagination. Some users posted about how their lives improved significantly after believing in the divinity. They shared stories of moving into a new house that didn’t fuse anymore, being able to survive for some time, and seeing improvements in their critically ill parents. Many users followed suit, expressing agreement with the original poster. However, a small minority cautioned against believing in such mystical things.
“Mystical? Can this world still be explained scientifically?” This argument received backlash from others. “You say it’s mystical, but then let me ask you, can the female ghost appearing on my ceiling be explained as mystical? Since all these things are happening, why should we consider it false to believe that this divinity will bring good fortune?”
This was an unresolved contradiction. Lin Zhaohe realized that most people had given up hope.
Compared to the terrible reality, everything inside the game seemed so beautiful.
After finishing reading the forum, Lin Zhaohe sat in front of the screen in a daze, remaining silent for a while.
The communicator chimed. Lin Zhaohe picked it up to see a message from Zhuang Lao. The words were cold, but they seemed to carry warmth. The gentle expression of Zhuang Lao appeared faintly on the side of Lin Zhaohe’s face. He asked if he had woken up or if he was still sleeping, wondering why he hadn’t received a good morning message.
Lin Zhaohe thought for a moment and replied with a “good morning.”
Zhuang Lao responded with a series of ellipses and a small emoji of a sad cat.
Initially, Lin Zhaohe intended to be suspicious of Zhuang Lao and remain cautious, but seeing the pitiful expression of the cat emoji, he suddenly empathized with Zhuang Lao’s face. The tension in his chest dissipated instantly, and he sighed. “No, I was restless last night, so I slept a bit late today.”
“Okay, after you’re done, remember to return to the company,” Zhuang Lao said.
Lin Zhaohe replied with a simple “okay.”
The game character in front of him continued to dutifully carry out its tasks. Lin Zhaohe pondered for a moment and sent a message to Lin Yan, suggesting meeting up if he had the time.
Lin Yan responded quickly, seemingly surprised that Lin Zhaohe reached out to him. “Have you come to your senses?”
Lin Zhaohe replied, “I’m at level ten.”
The implication behind his words was that he had encountered the main storyline about the divinity in the game.
Lin Yan took a while before sending a response. “How does it feel?”
Lin Zhaohe: “It’s average.”
In truth, his emotions were complex at the moment, but he didn’t want to show any weakness, so he gritted his teeth and persevered.
Fortunately, Lin Yan wasn’t overly concerned about Lin Zhaohe’s mental state. The fact that Lin Zhaohe reached out to him indicated that Lin Zhaohe also had suspicions about Zhuang Lao, which was the best-case scenario.
Lin Yan squinted his eyes, exhaled a puff of smoke, and said, “Can we meet up sometime?”
Lin Zhaohe asked about the time and location. After setting a plan, they decided to meet privately. Lin Zhaohe had something on his mind, and looking at the characters in the game no longer held any interest for him. Seeing his melancholic expression, Xiao Xu asked, “What’s wrong, Brother Lin?”
Lin Zhaohe: “It’s nothing serious.”
Xiao Xu: “Huh?”
Lin Zhaohe: “It’s nothing serious to be affected by the characters I’ve created…”
Xiao Xu: “What? Brother Lin, you’re speaking too softly. I couldn’t hear you clearly.”
“It’s nothing,” Lin Zhaohe didn’t elaborate, but he reached out and patted Xiao Xu’s shoulder. The comforting tone of his words wasn’t clear whether it was meant for Xiao Xu or for himself. He sighed and said, “Human desires are diverse and individualistic!”
Xiao Xu: “Huh?” What’s with that world-weary look on your face? Did you realize that you’re attracted to something strange, like a different species?
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