Chapter 105
Chu Tingwu didn't expect that the first to co knocking would be the Chewan City Culture and Tourism Bureau, not the managent of the Shexue Snow Mountain scenic spot.0
Her stay in Chewan City during the New Year wasn't a secret, and while the "VR live-streaming equipnt" was still vague and hadn't given the eager fans a clear answer, the Chewan Culture and Tourism Bureau chose to trust her.0
—They decided to be the first to take the plunge.0
Chu Tingwu was a bit surprised that the decision-maker from the bureau ca in person, but she had initially intended to decline.0
It wasn't because she wanted to monopolize the technology to boost her own popularity, but because she didn't want to take such a big step right from the start.0
Chu Tingwu didn't want the VR experience pods to beco a luxury toy accessible only to the wealthy. While its applications covered all aspects of society, it was impossible to reduce the cost and widely deploy it in the short term. It was better to take a long-term approach.0
The decision-maker noticed her surprise:0
“Maybe in a decade or so, VR live-streaming will beco a common industry, and we'll be able to get VR equipnt at a lower cost, but what would be the point then? You're in Chewan City, and we happen to need the foot traffic brought by new equipnt. If we miss this opportunity, I'll regret it for the next ten years.”0
They planned to have the Culture and Tourism Bureau lead the initiative, using VR live-streaming as a hook to promote the Shexue Snow Mountain and the ski resort at its foot.0
VR live-streaming could do more than just broadcast. Based on the information Chu Tingwu had revealed, the new equipnt she used could allow people with mobility issues to feel the sensation of standing again, enable those too weak to leave ho to experience the joy of travel, and serve as a better teaching tool... In the long run, it was a new device that could change the way society entertains itself.0
Chu Tingwu: "You want to put the VR experience pods in Chewan City? But since many people already co to this snow mountain city to ski, would using the equipnt for promotion still make sense?"0
Seeing that Chu Tingwu's attitude was softening, the decision-maker explained more patiently:0
"Because many people are very good at giving up."0
Just because soone cos to a snow mountain city doesn't an they'll go hiking or skiing. The cost of renting equipnt and entering the ski area can deter a lot of people.0
Those tourists might follow the tour group, walk around, take a couple of photos at the check-in points, maybe try skiing once, and then leave, posting on their social dia: "Went skiing, but it wasn't that fun."0
Of course, the Culture and Tourism Bureau didn't expect everyone to find the sport interesting, but they wanted to lower the barrier to trying it:0
"Using VR equipnt, you can experience the thrill of skiing alongside the host without having to spend ti learning or practicing, and the cost will also be lower."0
Getting a sense of achievent first, and then learning, is more effective than struggling through the learning process and barely gaining any sense of achievent... More people will stick around.0
So when the person in charge saw the effects of Chu Tingwu's VR live-streaming equipnt, even though the effects were based on feedback from test users, they couldn't help but contact her.0
...Of course, it might also be because Chu Tingwu's VR had gone viral, and her location was repeatedly pushed to the decision-maker's screen.0
Business matters still required professionals to discuss. Chu Tingwu lent two sets of equipnt from her guesthouse to the handover staff for them to experience, while she herself did not pay attention to the negotiations.0
Because the system would inform her of the progress.0
When she participated in the Chewan skiing competition, the system whispered in her ear:0
"They want to order a hundred sets, with twenty arriving within ten days, but the experience pods can be provided, though the live-streaming equipnt can't arrive that quickly—so they also want to customize recorded broadcasts..."0
After the negotiation, the system seed to require that Chewan couldn't use the live-streaming equipnt to broadcast other content, with all the content written into the contract focused on promoting the snow mountain.0
This condition was a bit harsh, and the price of the equipnt wasn't low, with the cost price plus profit and expedited fees. In return, Chewan City demanded that the system not sell the equipnt to competing industries within three years.0
...Such as other cities with snow mountains that also wanted to use skiing live-streaming as their the.0
The negotiation couldn't be completed in a short ti, with both sides repeatedly haggling over the details, but the chances of reaching an agreent were high.0
Chu Tingwu's live-streaming equipnt hadn't been lent out yet, but fans soon noticed that there were two more viewers during her broadcasts.0
Fans: "?"0
So when is your link going to be up?0
Chu Tingwu: "Hello everyone, I'm currently at the Chewan non-professional skiing competition. I'm not the host; I'm a contestant. This is my second race, the semifinals—but I can also introduce the contestants on behalf of the host."0
No one really cares about your amateur competition, so when is your link going to be up?0
This was indeed an amateur competition. This event, open to citizens and tourists, had lenient requirents and simple registration. There were multiple races a day, making it a large-scale local entertainnt event.0
The only regret was that one could only register once and couldn't sign up repeatedly to take up others' spots.0
Compared to the preliminary rounds, there were more professionals in the semifinals, looking quite impressive. But Chu Tingwu still had a strange amateur vibe around her:0
On her left was a sixty-sothing Aunt i, dressed in thick clothes, looking like she just wanted to finish skiing so she could go ho and buy so vegetables on the way. On her right was a boy who looked like he hadn't even finished elentary school, handing over his water bottle to his waiting parents before the race, muttering, "Keep winning, and I can play for two more days before doing my winter howork."0
Chu Tingwu, on a snowboard, was sandwiched in the middle, bouncing a couple of tis to adjust her stance.0
Amateur races often resulted in collisions. Unlike professional competitions, everyone started almost simultaneously, and instead of focusing on their own performance, they might pray that those around them wouldn't make mistakes that would roll onto their track. But it was precisely because of this "amateur" nature that so bizarre and viral antics often occurred.0
When encountering obstacles created by opponents (even if unintentionally), so chose to leap over, others to turn around, but so chose to pull the fallen opponent up, holding hands, and completing the race in a pose reminiscent of a ballroom dance.0
Although the two dancers arrived at the finish line at the sa ti, it didn't cause trouble for the judges.0
Because they were the last two, and didn't advance to the semifinals.0
They just managed to enter others' social dia feeds with their "dance moves."0
When the starting gun went off, Chu Tingwu set off from the slope.0
During every sport, she would fully imrse herself in the activity, only explaining details to the audience in her live broadcast during breaks. And obviously, there were no breaks in a skiing competition.0
During her "live broadcast," perhaps to reciprocate, or maybe because so preliminary discussions had already been settled, the local Chewan TV station quietly added a small sub-channel in the corner of the screen.0
The sub-channel appeared to be interviewing soone sitting in an instrunt, with the title VR Live-Streaming Equipnt Experience Specialist.0
The interviewer quickly explained the situation, stating that a real-ti VR device would soon be available, offering a more realistic skiing experience. The person currently in the device was the familiar host from the neighboring show, Little Pi, who was also a local of Chewan and had learned to ski for a few years.0
The "VR live-streaming" she experienced was naturally Chu Tingwu's.0
This "live-watching-live" video format isn't uncommon, but it's sowhat novel when aired on television.0
Most of the viewers of this channel are naturally locals. During the New Year, the family's TV is almost always on all day. Relatives co and go, and the younger generation plays with their phones. After a while, they realize sothing is off.0
"What kind of equipnt is this? VR? Is it that popular VR live stream we've heard about recently?"0
The elder: "What's the matter? Didn't you guys say you've seen UPs live-streaming VR gas before? It's not sothing new, why the big fuss?"0
The young person: "No, the VR gas we saw before were all flat 3D images. This VR live stream seems like you're also using VR equipnt, not just watching, but 'feeling' it!"0
The elder imdiately becos wary: "What are you saying? Are you thinking of spending money on so gaming pod again? Didn't you just buy a controller?"0
The young person: "..."0
The young person: "?" If only gaming pods were available for purchase! But there's no link to buy one!0
Despite the complaints, the young person still opens Chu Tingwu's live stream on their phone while keeping an eye on the TV, focusing on the small corner where the host is. They start to imagine:0
Just what kind of experience is it? Damn, when will I be able to experience it myself?0
-0
Little Pi, the host, also can't quite describe what the experience is like.0
While Chu Tingwu was just doing warm-up exercises and chatting, Little Pi could still occasionally send a few bullet comnts and answer questions from her colleague next to her:0
This feeling is really strange, as if she temporarily loses control of her body.0
At first, there's a slight panic, but soon, that light and clean sensation hits her... Just like during Aunt i's live stream, Little Pi, inside the experience pod, also vaguely feels Chu Tingwu's sensations, which is "sharpness."0
Although the content creator doesn't show it, Little Pi notices that she seems to be able to hear and see things that are easily overlooked. More details can only be vaguely sensed through this "possession" feeling:0
For example, Chu Tingwu turns her head before others approach, or hands over what others need before they even speak... When soone almost bumps into her, Chu Tingwu jumps up, lands on a nearby equipnt box, and watches as the person who bumped into her falls into the snow.0
Like a ball.0
Little Pi: "=="0
This sharpness sotis feels a bit annoying.0
Little Pi herself is definitely not like this in everyday life, but from Chu Tingwu's perspective, she is forced to experience this feeling, which is quite interesting.0
Since it's her first ti experiencing a VR live stream, she doesn't tell her colleague holding the microphone about this sowhat mystical experience, until Chu Tingwu starts the competition.0
Little Pi smiles faintly: She participated in this competition a few years ago... Wait! Wait, how are you flying?!0
When the other competitor was about to crash into her, Chu Tingwu didn't choose to detour but instead changed her center of gravity, using the not-so-obvious slope in front and her own speed to successfully complete an aerial spin.0
Of course, she's completely self-taught, not as skilled as professional athletes who can do triple axels on specific venues... She just wanted to avoid the obstacles created by other competitors.0
The viewers in the first-person live stream perspective also follow her perspective for a spin, with many comnting "I'm getting dizzy from the 3D," while the top comnts are filled with—0
A few rows of censored curse words and ssages that seem to have been cut off midway.0
Chu Tingwu lands successfully.0
Little Pi's heart is pounding—0
She has no ti to answer her colleague's questions. She had only managed to say "ah" before, but in the VR experience state, she is forced to share Chu Tingwu's vision and speed, though she can't control her body as perfectly as Chu Tingwu.0
So, she says: "I feel like I'm challenging my own... limits."0
Since she can only feel but not control, everything the UP master brings seems uncertain. Little Pi doesn't know if Chu Tingwu will land perfectly or fall flat on her face. And since this is live, as a viewer, she can't do anything about it... This uncertainty adds even more excitent than the sport itself.0
She says: "I can't believe it."0
Her colleague: "=="0
Her colleague, with his hand behind the screen, frantically waves, signaling the director: Cut it! Cut this part! Go to comrcial!0
Don't broadcast profanity on TV!0
The young person watching the TV sees the small broadcast channel hurriedly switch to a comrcial and has to check the result of the competition. Normally, it would be exciting, but thinking about watching it through VR, they feel it's not as interesting.0
In the end, Chu Tingwu indeed makes it through the semifinals, along with another seemingly elentary school student. The two minors team up to eliminate the other adults and enter the finals two days later.0
The young person looks down at their phone—they're busy—and finds Chu Tingwu saying:0
"Not bad, to celebrate the victory."0
"After lunch, I'll do a live stream of so snowboard speed riding."0
The young person: "?"0
Huh?0
Did you an to say "riding a skateboard ho"? Snowboard speed riding isn't that dangerous high-altitude sport... And you've only been skiing for a short ti, mostly practicing basics, right?0
Don't make extre sports sound as casual as taking a walk after dinner!0
Just as Little Pi crawls out of the experience pod, she pauses for half a second and tries to climb back in.0
Her colleague stops her: "Wait, wait, didn't you just say it was too exciting and you needed to rest first?"0
It's just skiing, right? It doesn't seem that hard. If that's exciting, then let try.0
It's currently the trial period for the equipnt, and Chu Tingwu doesn't care who tries it; she just schedules regular live streams.0
Little Pi: "That's because it's too exciting, so I should experience it. I'm worried your heart can't handle it."0
This tough task should naturally be taken on by young people like her first! Older colleagues should do lighter work!0
Seeing her so confident, the colleague is a bit hesitant.0
Little Pi: "It's okay, I'll speak up if I can't handle it, I won't let my body get hurt!"0
Then she quickly climbs back into the equipnt, deciding to sleep in it today.0
The colleague who was pushed aside: "..."0
You're definitely tricking !0
Reviews
All reviews (0)