Lu Chenghu wasn't the first person to enter the game zone, but he certainly wouldn't be the last either.
Many, upon entering the game, were surprised to discover it was a virtual game. Their excitement was palpable as they immediately began the initial tests.
The results were predictable – at least 70% of the participants failed.
This initial test took place on a battlefield. The only way to pass was to survive for an hour without dying or fainting. If one lost consciousness even once, it would be deemed a failure.
Those who failed would lose their qualifications to enter the game zone for that day and would be redirected to the residential zone, waiting for another chance to test the next day.
Though the test seemed simple at first glance, in reality, only the robust and young ones, predominantly males, managed to complete it.
On the first day, less than 30 million managed to gain access to the game zone.
Having passed the initial test, they eagerly ventured further into the gaming realm. Little did they know, they were about to face a difficulty level that could only be described as hellish.
Starting with the single-player mode, many chose this as their introduction. After all, diving directly into multiplayer mode without even understanding the game's basics would be embarrassing, right?
In this mode, you can customize the map, choose the enemy's camps or factions, their colors, and the difficulty.
The difficulty settings were categorized into three levels: Easy, Hard, and Extreme.
While most people wisely chose the easy setting to get a feel for the game, there were always some daredevils who opted to confront the brutally challenging enemies in the extreme mode.
These brave souls often found themselves defeated in less than five minutes, exiting the gaming zone and retreating to the initial rooms in the residential area.
Despite their return, their expressions remained stunned, as if they had been subjected to a particularly shocking ordeal.
"Holy crap! If anyone can beat the extreme level in single-player mode, I'll eat my words!"
A player who had firsthand experience of this challenge exclaimed on the forum. To his surprise, his post gained unexpected traction and quickly went viral.
With each attempt by players, they began to realize that 'Red AlertWorld' was nothing like the other flamboyant games they knew. This game was hardcore!
How hardcore, you ask?
If you took on the role of a Commander, you had to understand the effects of each building unit, the capabilities of every troop, and the purpose of each weapon. ȓãΝȰ𝐛Ɛš
Moreover, you'd have to master controlling the MCV (Mobile Construction Vehicle) manually!
Many who had never driven a vehicle in real life suddenly found themselves learning to maneuver an MCV in the game, making it an essential skill for newbie Commanders.
If you couldn't even operate an MCV, your only option would be to deploy it on the spot, and then you could commence your base construction.
At this point, if you were up against easy-level enemies, they'd probably leave you alone.
But the ruthless extreme-level enemies? They'd seize the opportunity while you were joyfully building your base, sending over a squad of soldiers and tanks to give you a "warm" welcome.
If you couldn't hold the line, you'd simply concede defeat.
If you managed to fend them off, brace yourself – the next wave of enemies would soon be on their way.
In just a few short days, countless novice Commanders were taught harsh lessons by the extremely ruthless enemies, with many crying out in despair.
After all, the sensations in the virtual game felt almost identical to reality. When one dies in the game, the feeling of death is eerily realistic.
The game's emergence even caused the value of psychologists on Earth to skyrocket.
Nowadays on Earth, merely mentioning that you can enter the game zone will earn you envious glances from many.
If you manage to secure a decent ranking on the leaderboard, you might even have girls slipping you notes with their phone numbers on them.
And if you could consistently hold a top ten ranking by the end of each month, the Empire itself would court you!
As stated officially, those who achieve exceptional rankings in the game have the opportunity to join the Empire's army and serve under the Emperor himself.
Every Earthling knows their present prosperity owes much to the Emperor. Without him, they would still be living under the constant threat of Mutant Beasts, never knowing when they might be annihilated.
One of the game's most alluring features is that, whether you're playing or simply chatting with others in the living area, you won't feel the slightest bit fatigued.
Many office workers can seamlessly integrate their gaming sessions into their sleep, allowing them to work during the day and play at night, maximizing every second.
Su Chen walked the streets of a newly constructed city, having grown weary of his usual haunt, Su City.
At that moment, he overheard a young man boasting to a beautiful woman with long black hair, "Hey there, care to join me in a ranked match? I'm a pro, ranked 9999 on the leaderboard. I'll carry you to glory!"
Caught off guard by the sudden approach, the woman hesitated, "Are you trying to deceive me?"
The man puffed up his chest proudly, "Join me in a match and you'll see! With a top 10,000 player like me leading, all you'll have to do is cheer."
The term 'ranked match' was reminiscent of the 'multiplayer mode' term popular before the Apocalypse, and many now simply referred to it as such.
Su Chen thought the conversation was ordinary until the woman responded, "Is rank 9999 impressive? I thought only the top ten were notable."
Considering the vast number of Earth's inhabitants who played, being within the top 10,000 was indeed an achievement. Yet the woman playfully blinked and continued, "If that's impressive, where does my rank, number six, stand?"
The man froze, "You... are you Phoenix Dance?"
She merely smiled and showed him an app on her phone that displayed player profiles. Sure enough, her username was 'Phoenix Dance', followed by a massive '6' indicating her rank.
Seeing this epic turn of events, Su Chen couldn't help but burst into laughter.
The young man, already embarrassed, directed his anger towards Su Chen, "What's so funny? Do you even have access to the Red AlertWorld game zone?" (To be continued...)
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