"…"
Looking at the young man's casual appearance, coupled with the face that often appeared on the posters on the streets, all the university students were dumbfounded!
Was — was — was this the legendary Master Li Yao?
He was wearing a loose T-shirt that was half a size too large. In the middle of the T-shirt, there was a huge number '250'. There was also a badge of a clenched fist on his chest, surrounded by a circle of words: 'Warm celebration of the 250th anniversary of the Grand Desolate War Institution'!
It was obviously a promotional T-shirt that was released for free during the anniversary celebration!
From the slightly dimmed numbers and badges, as well as the wrinkles that could not be washed away, it was obvious that this shirt had been worn for many years. Even though it was a rather ordinary fabric, it was as thin as a cicada's wing and had a silky texture!
The wrinkled T-shirt, the baggy plaid beach pants, a pair of slippers, and a leather bag of tools that had been dyed in various colors by oil and crystal powder that was dangling from his waist made up the basic appearance of Master Li Yao!
Master Li Yao had just finished the preliminary maintenance work on the Colossus' Illusionary Phantom '. Not only were his hands stained with oil and all kinds of suspicious liquids, which were emitting pungent smells, even his face was black and white, making him look like a panda that had just woken up. [{(net)
His appearance immediately collapsed the tower of idols in the hearts of many female college students.
As it turned out … the handsome, majestic, and dominating pictures on the posters were all lies. They had been rendered by too much soft lighting, refinement, and special effects!
He — he — he looked so unattractive in person!
"Miss Long!"
Li Yao had no idea what the teary-eyed female college students were thinking about.
He was quite happy to meet an old friend of the Flying Star Sector, too. Baring his white teeth, he greeted Long Yunxin.
With mixed feelings, Long Yunxin was somewhat dazed for a moment.
She was not as blind as other college students who only paid attention to the superficial things. Through the immense vitality leaking out of Li Yao's every pore and the starry spots hidden in the deepest part of his eyes, she sensed an existence that was as vast as an ocean!
Long Yunxin secretly sighed.
At this moment, she finally had no choice but to admit that the feelings she had for Li Yao back then would not have blossomed even if she had not been rejected on the spot.
They were people from different worlds, and the gap between their realms was too great.
Her world was Flying Star University, the Flying Star Sector, and the new Federation that included the three Sectors at best. That was the limit of her understanding and her struggle.
However, under Li Yao's seemingly careless posture and slightly sloppy appearance, there was an almost endless world hidden, a world that could encompass the entire universe!
His world was truly too vast, too mysterious, and too exciting. It was so exciting that he, who was deeply immersed in it, didn't care about his image in the mortal world at all.
It was just like how a Kun Peng would not take care of every single one of its feathers for others to admire.
Because it still had a higher sky to break through, and a further sea of clouds to conquer!
Taking care of colorful feathers and chirping pleasantly was something that only sparrows and orioles could do.
Long Yunxin felt that she was a tiny sparrow, and Li Yao was a Kun Peng that was soaring in the sea of stars. Although they had flown side by side for a while due to fate, they would eventually part ways.
The only person who was qualified to fly with a Kun Peng to the end of the universe could only be another Kun Peng!
After thinking it through, Long Yunxin suddenly felt that her heart was shaking. An invisible restraint was immediately loosened, and the knot that had bothered her for years was gone. She was now able to face Li Yao frankly!
Long Yunxin took a deep breath and smiled. She returned the greeting to Li Yao as an old friend and explained the purpose of her visit.
"Do you want to have a deep discussion with me on the arts of refining? Of course, of course, you are most welcome! "
Li Yao was overjoyed. Blinking, he said, "After all, I was a visiting scholar in Flying Star University for more than half a year, and I even developed an Ares Extension together with Master Xue Yuanxin of your university! I still have a lot of feelings for Flying Star University. Of course, it's not a problem for me to discuss the arts of refining with you!
"However, I've just returned to the Tian Yuan Realm from Kunlun, and I have a lot of old friends to meet. My schedule during the day is already full. Is it alright if we do it at night?
"Tonight, I'll have a candlelight talk with all of you. Let's have an in-depth exchange of pointers until dawn. What do you think?"
The college students did not expect that the legendary Master Li Yao would be so warm and easy-going. For a moment, they were all cheering in delight!
"However …"
Li Yao smiled. "I hope that you can do me a favor, too. It will probably take you a whole day. Rest assured. Your time will not be wasted. In fact, I'm asking you to help me test a piece of brand-new magical equipment and collect some experiment data!"
For the students of the Refining Department, working as a refiner's assistant and conducting magical equipment tests was one of their daily tasks.
Besides, it was an invitation from the legendary Master Li Yao. It was unlikely that the magical equipment would be ordinary. There was no reason to turn it down!
Immediately, all the students urged Long Yunxin to accept the invitation.
Long Yunxin was on a trip with her classmates in the first place. Now that she had the opportunity to be enlightened by such an expert as Li Yao, she agreed without hesitation. However, she said that the students she had brought were of different levels. Some of them were only freshmen and sophomores. If the magical equipment was too precise, they might not be able to perform the test well.
"Rest assured, students. The test will not be difficult at all. Not just the college students, even the middle school students can do it easily."
Li Yao smiled. "In fact, it's not really a test. I'm just inviting you to play a game."
"A game?"
Long Yunxin was confused.
"Yes. A game. A very special game."
Li Yao smiled and said mysteriously.
Twenty minutes later, they appeared in the enclosed park at the southeast corner of the Magical Equipment Exposition.
The most cutting-edge magical equipment that was still in the research and testing phase was displayed in the area. It was not open to the public. Only the VIPs and specialists with special invitation cards were allowed to enter.
Li Yao led the hundred students to an arc-shaped, translucent room made of glass.
The place was like a virtual game center that could be seen anywhere. Game cabins that looked like metal cocoons were placed everywhere. Through the neural connection technology, the players would enter the deepest level of the Grand Illusionary Land and play the vivid, exciting games.
Humming noises that were unique when the crystal processors were running at a high speed were echoing in the room. The air was filled with the smell of incense.
A lot of participants had been tested in the game cabins.
Long Yunxin glanced around. There were men and women, old and young. Most of them were even old.
"The game requires the testers to have a basic knowledge in sociology, politics, game theory, and military science. Therefore, most of the testers are older."
Li Yao explained, "Right now, the game is still in the closed beta phase. We have selected citizens from all walks of life and social classes in the Tian Yuan Realm for testing and accumulated a lot of data. Next, we will test the game on the players from the Blood Demon Sector and the Flying Star Sector who have different cultural backgrounds!
"The Flying Star Sector is a civilization of starships. When you play the game, your strategies will certainly be different from those of the Heaven's Origin Sector, which is a planetary civilization.
"As it happens, I'm told that you have brought a hundred students here for a study trip. Since they have been admitted to Flying Star University, they must be the most distinguished elites. It shouldn't be difficult for them to play the game."
Li Yao led the students to the first basement floor. Many workers immediately came forward and led them to their respective game cabins.
Long Yunxin noticed that the workers were all wearing the emblem of the Grand Desolate War Institution on their chests. They should be a volunteer team made of the students of the Grand Desolate War Institution.
It appeared that the game had a lot to do with Li Yao, who was from the Grand Desolate War Institution, too.
Li Yao adjusted one of the game cabins to the 'Half-step Grand Illusionary Land' mode and instructed Long Yunxin to play the game in person.
Because the game had not been completed yet, the picture displayed on the 3D light beam was rather shabby. Against the background of the magnificent music, two words that had not been rendered yet and appeared to be crude and unsophisticated came from the depths of the sea of stars.
'Civilization'!
That was the name of the game.
With a closer look, one would discover that the word 'Civilization' was made of countless brilliant stars. When the players focused their eyes on the word, the brilliant stars suddenly exploded into waterfalls of stars before they were enlarged into swirling galaxies.
Next to every galaxy was a line of small words.
The Curly Dragon civilization!
The Medicine Fork civilization!
The Martial Meritocrats civilization!
The Sand Primitive civilization!
There were dozens of names of different civilizations. When the players focused their eyes on the word, the detailed information of the civilization would be displayed, such as population, distribution of resources, social form, number of experts, and so on.
"'Civilization' is a game of universe simulation and management. The player will choose a civilization of Cultivators and play the role of the highest decision-maker to control the progress of the civilization!"
Li Yao introduced. "Every civilization of Cultivators boasted unique skills and resources. Some boasted abundant crystal mines, and some boasted abundant relics of the Star Ocean Imperium. But they were also faced with all kinds of problems, such as the shortage of resources, the population explosion, the collisions of asteroids, the invasion of demons, the arrival of extraterrestrial devils, and so on. As the highest decision-maker, you will have to choose the most appropriate strategy and resolve the problems one by one!
"We have provided almost a million choices of strategies. You can almost think of it as infinite freedom. You will not be bound by any rules such as morality, law, or ethics. As long as you can bear the consequences of a certain strategy, you can do whatever you want!
"The game has hundreds of different victory criteria. The most difficult one is to make a civilization of Cultivators last for thirty thousand years and radiate to at least a hundred Sectors nearby.
"It's a pity that no player has reached the goal in the beta test yet. Therefore, you might as well play the game with the goal of 'making my civilization survive as long as possible'.
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