31: Chapter 31: The Black Box 31: Chapter 31: The Black Box “As science and technology continuously advanced, humans bestowed more and more abilities and emotions upon machines, taking on the stance of gods.
However, have you noticed that human emotions themselves are being increasingly lost?”
Huang Ying, wearing virtual reality glasses, strolled through the old city’s ancient alleys with Han Fei.
Children were playing around them, their faces bearing the purest smiles.
“Take so of the things I’ve seen and experienced, for instance.
Most people living in this Smart City appear sleek and always wear a smile.
But in reality, they rush about in various business settings all day, under imnse pressure.
And those so-called social gatherings are nothing but acts, everyone seeming warm and welcoming, yet their hearts are cold and calm.”
“Our genes have been continuously decoded, our information collected and categorized, and every unusual behavior of ours is recorded in the citizen system.
Gradually, our lives, emotions, and very existences have beco standardized.
It doesn’t feel like we are living our own lives, but rather repeating the sa day until death.”
After an in-depth conversation, Han Fei found Huang Ying to be quite impressive, at least his words seed very compelling.
“Humans evolved from animals, yet our hearts are gradually becoming like machines, which is a terrifying thing.
That’s exactly why I am so fond of ‘Perfect Life,’ this epoch-making ga.”
Stepping on the stone pavent, looking at the moss beside the road, and slling the faint scent of post-rain freshness, Huang Ying spread his arms wide: “This ga is helping us retrieve our lost emotions, healing the wounds of our souls.
Here we can re-experience the beautiful mories we’ve forgotten and genuinely feel our own existence.”
“Really?” Han Fei thought back to his own experiences playing the ga, barely holding back his tears.
“Yes,” said Huang Ying confidently.
“This beta version feels extraordinary.
I wonder how incredible the official release will be.” Han Fei removed his virtual reality glasses; the ancient alley and the drizzle completely vanished, and he was standing with Huang Ying in a private room.
“The official version will definitely surpass your expectations.
It’s a ga where dreams co true.
Just like its na suggests, it will give you a perfect life,” Huang Ying said touchingly.
“From your tone, why do I feel like you have already played the official version?” Han Fei looked sowhat surprised.
“You caught ; I am actually a special invitee tester for the sixth internal test of ‘Perfect Life.'”
Han Fei recalled the information he had found online.
The beta testers of Perfect Life were generally divided into four categories: The first category consisted of the ga’s internal staff who would first enter and deeply experience the ga during every test.
The second was the governnt oversight personnel.
As ‘Perfect Life’ is a cross-era deep imrsion ga that integrates cutting-edge science and innurable wild ideas, the governnt pays great attention to it.
The third category was special invite testers like Huang Ying, often professionals from various industries and fields.
They would play the ga from their professional perspectives, offering their suggestions for adjustnts to make the ga more realistic and entertaining.
The fourth category was general players who obtained testing qualifications through various channels.
So of these people were veteran players who simply wanted to experience the ga, while others were studios that earned money through gaming.
They wanted to obtain firsthand information to prepare for the public beta.
“Being invited as a beta tester ans you must be a big shot in reality too!” Han Fei was now certain that the Huang Ying in front of him was the sa one he had encountered the previous night; his earlier speculation was correct.
“I wouldn’t dare claim to be a big shot; I’m just sowhat well-known in the industry.” Huang Ying was very modest and didn’t put on airs.
He was extrely patient, leading Han Fei around the ga exhibition area and tirelessly promoting Perfect Life, seeming even more dedicated than the ga company’s salespeople.
“You say Perfect Life can make everyone’s dreams co true, but what if I’m a hardcore fan of horror films?
Can I imrse myself in a horror movie experience within the ga?” After confirming his identity, Han Fei began to probe.
“Of course, the ga features a special night paradise, which is designed for horror enthusiasts.
It includes various thrilling facilities and recreations of movie scenarios.
You can even choose to work at the night paradise and try to trigger a life as the owner of the paradise,” Huang Ying advised seriously.
“But you need to be aware of one thing, the ga has a ntal threshold setting.
If it exceeds ten, you’ll be judged by the system to have received a strong stimulation and will then be forcibly disconnected.”
“Disconnected if it exceeds ten?” Han Fei’s eyelids twitched; his ntal threshold in the ga had been set to 100, as high as his life value!
“If you’re forcibly disconnected too many tis, your ga character might die.
Life is very fragile in Perfect Life, and you only have one life.
After death, all data is reset, and you start over from scratch,” Huang Ying said with emotion.
“Death is very painful; you must cherish life.”
“Personally, I’ve watched many horror films and feel nothing about movie plots anymore, but certain mysterious events related to hauntings in reality feel much more chilling.” Han Fei took one step closer to the question he wanted to ask: “Do you think there could be supernatural kaidan scenarios in Perfect Life?”
“There should have been before the second test.
I heard that back then there were no major restrictions; players could attack NPCs without punishnt.
One tester even slaughtered a neighborhood, and he ended up confined due to ntal derangent.”
“That crazy?”
“What do you think?
When human nature is unrestrained, people can turn into the most terrifying beasts.” Huang Ying seed to recall so rumors from that ti: “Because of that tester, Perfect Life imposed a lot of restrictions and cut nearly a third of its scenarios.
By the sixth internal test, virtually all plots that could provoke ethical concerns had been removed, even the Easter Egg ntioned in the late founder’s will was deleted.”
“An Easter Egg left in the founder’s will?”
“Didn’t you know?
This is quite famous in the gaming circles.” Huang Ying lowered his voice: “The Chairman of Eternal Life Pharmaceutical died from an illness after the first internal test of Perfect Life.
In his will, he told his children to find a black box filled with the world’s regrets, grudge, hatred, misfortune, and malice.
He also provided three clues, saying that the box is in the deepest part of the world, the brain sea, and the human heart.”
“Did anyone find that box later?” Han Fei subtly wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.
“No, everyone had different interpretations, and eventually it was suspected that the box was actually an Easter egg hidden in the ga, likely containing the old gentleman’s obsession.
Testers searched like madn for the Easter egg in the ga, but no one found it.
By the third test, due to certain reasons, all the scenarios originally designed by the old gentleman had been deleted, making it impossible to ever find that Easter egg,” Huang Ying said with a tinge of regret.
“In my lifeti, I really want to know what that Easter Egg was.”
“Yeah, I’d really like to know too,” Han Fei said, patting his own head, his expression very calm.
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