by <unknown>
"Super band…" Li Yao felt that he was truly an antique from the Ancient Sages Sector that could not catch up with the era now. "This is rather unbelievable."
"Not unbelievable at all. As 'Civilization' rose, other pastimes in the federation gradually became outdated. Most of the culture-type Cultivators are involved in creations concerning 'Civilization'—such as composing the scripts, writing new plots, or rendering the atmosphere—building brilliant and yet vivid worlds one after another and releasing the most thrilling and thought-provoking quests. As a result, the superstars in show business before are all obsolete now. The most popular pastime for the new generation is to play 'Civilization'. They either play it themselves or enter the game world of the experts. The interactive excitement and sense of achievement are a hundred times more abundant than any other method of entertainment before!
"The confrontation of experts often attracts billions of people to watch the live stream and leave comments while they enjoy the show. That is the liveliest place you can imagine!
"For a super band as popular as the 'Storm Assault Team', their business performances within the next five years have already been scheduled. We only invited them here to challenge the local experts because we wanted you to better experience the essence of the civilization in the federation.
"Don't be confused when everybody is raising middle fingers and booing them. This is a very special way of welcome or a brand-new subculture originated from 'Civilization', if you will."
Li Yao did not know what to say. After thinking for a moment, he said, "Alright. If they are experts of the game, they are free to play the game. But why are they wearing the crystal suits of the Imperium as their costume, and why have they modified their enormous shuttles into a warship of the Imperium? Also, if I am not mistaken, the background of their flag where 'Storm Assault Team' is written should be the emblem of the Black Wind Fleet. Do the authorities not care about such outrageous actions?"
"This is because they're the Storm Assault Team!" Ling Xiaole said. "They're the professionals of the Imperium's army. They always play the role of the Imperium in the DLC 'The Imperium's Frustration' and crush the federation every single time. That's how they earned their fame. This time, their role is the 'attacker' during the competition with the local experts. Of course, they have to dress up like this in order to build the vibe."
Li Yao and Heiye Lan looked at each other. "You can play the Imperium's side in 'Civilization'?"
"Of course you can." Ling Xiaole smiled. "'Civilization' is a large virtual platform designed to guide reality. Since it is designed to guide reality, naturally, real human beings must be involved in every aspect in order to collect authentic data. If everything on the Imperium's side is generated by the crystal processors, the final result will be no different from child's play.
"That is especially so for competitive DLC like 'The Imperium's Frustration'. We can't simply ask everybody to stand on the federation's side and fight the Imperium that is controlled by crystal processors, right? In that case, will it be any different from playing a large single-player game?
"Therefore, the federal government encourages game experts to play the role of the Imperium's army, consider things from the Imperium of True Human Beings' perspective, and attack the federation by any means possible. Only if we have foreseen all the strategies that the Imperium can possibly adopt will we be able to work on countermeasures!
"How should I put it? Just like during military drills when there are two different parties, it is often the case that the most elite troop will play the 'enemy', right?"
Li Yao pondered for a moment and realized that it did make sense.
Ling Xiaole went on. "To better fit the role of 'enemy' and simulate the possible strategies that the Imperium will take, the 'evil experts' of the game often train themselves through all kinds of 'immersive approaches' by really regarding themselves as the Imperium's army and Immortal Cultivators. They often put on the clothes of the Imperium, speak the slang of the Imperium, and think in the ways the Immortal Cultivators do even in their daily life.
"For such 'evil experts' and 'professionals of the Imperium', a special DLC of 'Civilization' has been prepared, in which the Immortal Cultivators are the protagonists. The players are free to establish a civilization of Immortal Cultivators however they want and govern the people under the true path of immortality. They are also allowed to invite their fellows to live in their world of Immortal Cultivators.
"The DLC, named 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals', is relatively unpopular, but the players in it are quite active. It is also a very classic DLC!"
"Wait, wait, wait!" Li Yao took a deep breath and felt that his head was confused. "You—you specifically built a 'world of Immortal Cultivators' in 'Civilization' for the players to experience the Immortal Cultivators' life?"
"Exactly!" Ling Xiaole blinked and did not see anything wrong. "Is there a problem? If you are interested, you are free to try it later yourself."
"But…" Li Yao thought for a moment and asked, "Can you really do whatever you want to do like a real Immortal Cultivator in 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals'?"
Ling Xiaole nodded. "Of course. 'Civilization' is best known for its high degree of freedom. All the choices that can be made in real life can be made in every DLC of 'Civilization'."
"So," Li Yao said, "the players can really play… an authentic Immortal Cultivator in the virtual world?"
"If it is not authentic enough, it will be against the purpose for which Li Yao created 'Civilization' years ago."
"… Fine. Then, does everybody have access to 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals?"
"Not exactly. Like a said just now, it is a relatively special DLC that contains a lot of content unsuitable for teenagers. Therefore, a lot of conditions have to be met before you play the DLC. For example, you must be over eighteen, you must finish another few designated DLCs first, and you must pass a series of psychological tests to prove that you are an adult with basic morals and a relatively stable outlook. Only after that will you be allowed to play the game.
"Also, there is also the most unique rule in 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals'.
"It is true that the players can play 'Immortal Cultivators'. They can kill, loot, and burn in the world of Immortal Cultivators. They can be a dictator who establishes a tyrannical rule. They can do whatever they want.
"However, after every hour as an 'Immortal Cultivator', the player has to play two hours as a 'mortal' to be enslaved, savaged, and exploited by the other players who are playing as Immortal Cultivators and to experience double the pain that they have imposed on other people just now."
Chapter 1655: An Episode from the Imperium |
Li Yao was silent for a moment. He quickly calculated what kind of consequences such a game setting would bring.
Mortal, immortal… One hour as an Immortal Cultivator meant two hours as a mortal?
Observing his expression, Ling Xiaole smiled, with intense confidence beaming out of her eyes. "I know what you're thinking. You're wondering why we created the DLC 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals', and you're concerned that some people will be too addicted to the slaughter, destruction, and slavery in the game and eventually become lost in the evil path of the Immortal Cultivators, really turning into Immortal Cultivators in the end, right?"
"Should I not be concerned?"
"I don't know if you should." Ling Xiaole shook her head. Her voice was crisp and powerful as she said, "But I know that Vulture Li Yao created the game 'Civilization' for the purpose of collecting the big data that existed for real in the entire world so that we could deduce the thousands of different possibilities of our future with the wisdom of all mankind.
"Of course, we can say with a light heart that the true path of immortality is bad, but we cannot bury our heads in the sand like ostriches and pretend that we cannot see the true path of immortality and the worlds of the Immortal Cultivators.
"In fact, however we criticize the pa
th of the Immortal Cultivators, the Imperium of True Human Beings governed by the Immortal Cultivators has already stood for a thousand years at the center of the cosmos and is not likely to perish in the next few centuries from what we can see.
"It is undeniable that the true path of immortality is an option for the future of mankind, although it is an evil and inefficient one in our eyes. But since it exists at the center of the cosmos in reality, we will have to learn about it, study it, and figure out its birth, development, peak, and decline. We must understand why it is evil and inefficient so that we can find out a way to defeat it, reform it, and renovate it in the end!
"This was the purpose of 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals' when we created it.
"I believe that Vulture Li Yao released the Immortal Cultivator Su Changfa with his personal influence and allowed the guy to freely disseminate the theory of the Immortal Cultivators for the exact same reason a hundred years ago, didn't he? We were only taking a step forward on Li Yao's shoulders."
"Don't be humble. You have essentially kicked on Li Yao's forehead hard and make a giant leap forward!" Taking a deep breath, Li Yao mumbled, "Do excuse me. I find it a bit difficult to contain myself. After all, we've wandered in the sea of stars for a thousand years, and I only just woke up from a prolonged hibernation. I'm truly dazzled and lost for words after seeing your amazing new world!"
With a sweet smile, Ling Xiaole replied, "It's totally understandable, but I assure you that you, as well as everybody on Firefly, will soon grow fond of the new world that is full of wonders!"
Li Yao thought for a moment and said, "However, is there really nobody who grows fond of the feeling of being an Immortal Cultivator and really becomes an Immortal Cultivator in the end because of a game like…'Legend of the Mortal Immortals'?"
Batting her big eyes, Ling Xiaole asked back, "Special Representative Lin, let me ask you a question. What kinds of entertainment do you have on Firefly? Novels, movies, and video games in the Grand Illusionary Land, I believe that you must have all of them, right?"
Li Yao was slightly dazed. He nodded. "Of course. In the narrow starships with insufficient resources, virtual games are the cheapest and most convenient kind of entertainment."
Ling Xiaole went on. "I assume that, if you also have novels, movies, and video games, the most popular ones are probably not about casual, carefree daily life but full of killing, blood, violence, and other mature content. Even the works orientated for the females are brimming with conflict and struggle, instead of them helping one another friendlily, right?"
"Well…"
He seemed to get what Ling Xiaole was trying to say.
"Do you feel that a normal person will turn amok after they read a detective novel because they admire the murder's methods in the book?" Ling Xiaole said with a smile. "Do you feel that an avid play will go on a killing spree in reality after they play a shooting game because they think that the game is not exciting enough?
"On the other hand, since there is a population of more than a hundred million on Firefly, naturally, a lot of crimes must've happened. But exactly how many of the brutal and ruthless crimes are purely caused by certain particularly bloody and violent novels, movies, or games?
"Furthermore, do you agree with censoring all content that involves blood and violence in every kind of entertainment just for the purpose of crime prevention? Do you believe that there will be no more crimes after such things are censored?"
Li Yao thought for a long time and had to admit that Ling Xiaole was right.
"Essentially speaking, a virtual world of Immortal Cultivators is no different from a regular shooting game, a novel that depicts gangsters and criminals, and a movie where blood flows into rivers and broken limbs fly everywhere.
"For someone who has a happy life in reality and who has a lot of things to protect and fight for, it is impossible to become an Immortal Cultivator just after playing 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals' for a while.
"On the other hand, if someone becomes a murderer after reading a horror novel or an Immortal Cultivator after playing 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals', the problem lies not with the novel or the game but in every aspect of their real life.
"If the deep-rooted problems in real life are not resolved, such persons will degenerate all the same even if they do not read any novels or play any games.
"Therefore, what matters is to resolve the problems in real life, not trouble the virtual worlds. After all, the virtual worlds are just a mirror of reality, and you cannot expect to fix the ugliness of reality by smashing the mirror.
"Of course, if somebody really shows signs of being transformed, it will be easier to observe and control them when they are transformed in 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals', which is certainly much better than them being transformed into Immortal Cultivators in a certain dark corner of our society without anybody else knowing, right?"
What else could Li Yao do except nod his head?
"There's no need to worry." Ling Xiaole smiled. "Of course, we are well aware of the severity of the issue. After 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals' was released, the authorities traced and observed the players for decades. Their conclusion was that there is no major difference between the crime rate of the players of the DLC and the crime rate of non-players. In large search engines, the players' searches on the relevant theories of 'true path of immortality' rose in the first three years after the DLC was released and reached a peak in the fifth year. Then, they began dropping until they were even 5.7% lower than before the release.
"In other words, for the players of 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals', the attraction of the 'true path of immortality' has been declining every year. The more one plays as an Immortal Cultivator in the virtual world, the less likely they will become an Immortal Cultivator in reality!"
Li Yao and Heiye Lan were deep in thought. "Why is that?"
"The psychologists and sociologists have run profound analyses on the issue. The papers on the topic are as high as a mountain, but there has never been a conclusive theory.
"Perhaps, other than the real perverts, most normal people still prefer sunnier, more beautiful, and kinder things, don't they? Maybe, the 'double pain' during the time as mortals calmed their feverish brains down and made them realize that, although they could play as almighty Immortal Cultivators and the heroes of 'Legend of the Mortal Immortals' in the virtual world, they would probably become human-shaped props that could barely be called a 'supporting role' when the expedition army of the Imperium conquers the federation. Their only outcome would be to be stomped on, savaged, and destroyed.
"Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Every player remembers the motto clearly after playing the DLC."
While the three of them were talking, the 'Storm Assault Team' who dressed up like soldiers of the Imperium had already gone deep into the excited crowd, interacting with the audience and warming up the atmosphere.
The super band from the core worlds was indeed extraordinary. Enhanced by the sound and visual effects, they fully demonstrated the arrogance and invincibility of the army of the Imperium.
But if one observed them more carefully, one would realize that they were not as confident as they appeared to be. While Li Yao could perceive the magnificence of the Imperium from them, he could also perceive their fear and agitation. In the end, a normal spectator would both hate the Imperium and think that the federation could win!
Leaving their expertise in the game aside, their acting skills and their professionalism were enough to amaze Li Yao. No wonder the other entertainment businesses had all declined while gaming live stream industry was still thriving!
Right at the climax of the interaction of the two parties, when the local game experts of the federation should show up to accept the challenge according to the itinerary, an unexpected incident took place. A few uncles and old men, who were gray haired and wearing artificial limbs, implying that they could be disabled veterans, somehow squeezed through the
crowd and lunged at the 'Storm Assault Team'. They fought the performers as if the latter were a real army of the Imperium.
The scene immediately fell into chaos.
Although the security guards came as soon as possible to control the few disabled veterans, two game experts were still punched multiple times. Because of the heavy fists of the veterans, their faces were blue and swollen. They were stunned on the spot, both amused and embarrassed.
Li Yao held back his smile and said, "It seems that the disabled veterans of the old generation in the federation cannot appreciate the fashion of the younger generation yet!"
Covering Li Yao and Heiye Lan, Ling Xiaole quickly left the chaotic spot under the protection of a few Secret Sword Agents.
She pressed her ears to receive the instructions from her superior. A moment later, she grinned and said, "Special Representative Lin, I'm afraid that you're mistaken. They are indeed disabled veterans who were too excited and rash to tell performance from reality because the scene was so convincing. However, they are not from the federation; they are authentic soldiers from the Imperium."
Li Yao's smile froze. "What do you mean? Four authentic soldiers of the Imperium berated a bunch of young men of the federation in indignation who dressed up like soldiers of the Imperium's army and told the young men that they should know better than pretending to be the wretched soldiers of the Imperium?"
Ling Xiaole nodded. "Yes."
Chapter 1656: From Ghosts to Humans |
"…" Li Yao.
"To be more exact," Ling Xiaole said, "they are 'former soldiers' of the Imperium. They were all captives from the Battle of Firefly ten years ago. During that battle, not only did our God of War Ding Lingdang rescue Firefly from the claw fleet of the Imperium, she also captured a lot of Imperium warships. Of course, many soldiers on the starships were taken captive.
"In the ten years that followed, the soldiers of the Imperium have been educated in captive camps. Those few uncles were the soldiers at the bottom level in the Black Wind Fleet in the first place who had been oppressed and exploited. They did not have a chance to owe any blood debt to the federation, either, when their starships were blown up by us in the very first battle. Also, they were all active members during the education, and they have repented and decided to live their lives different. Therefore, they have been set free in advance and begun their new life in the federation.