Fang Zhao had asked them to "sweep the streets" for two reasons. Firstly, it was to let them practice, and secondly, it was to get a closer look at each of their styles and abilities. Although he had previously checked on these people one by one, watching them through video and observing them up close was different. On-the-spot performance and emergency responses would allow Fang Zhao to better understand them. Only by understanding them could he assign them tasks and adjust their formation.
Although Yanbei University of Finance's Schwarzer and Yanzhou Ocean University's Jake had some conflicts due to their schools, in the game, any personal grudges could be put aside. This was also the result of Fang Zhao's conversations with them. If anyone was found to be cheating on their teammates during an operation, they would be kicked out without a second word. This was also one of the conditions clearly stated in the signed contract.
The movements of 15 people could not be small. It was fine outside the city, but the closer they got to the city, the more people would notice them.
Fang Zhao did not let them use silencers. Furthermore, because AliveAfter500Years and Jinro and the other seven had signed a contract with Silver Wing, they had been camping all over District 79. If they still could not be discovered, they could forget about being reporters.
Recently, searches for "SilverWing50PolarLight" had skyrocketed. Previously, when Jinro and the other seven had signed a contract, the topic had exploded in popularity. Now that the entire team was no longer secretive, it was just the right time to catch the news!
The players in District 79 wanted to cry. In the past, there had only been AliveAfter500Years, the super "janitor," so be it. Now there was an additional team to sweep the streets. How were they supposed to fight for experience? Especially in areas where SilverWing50PolarLight was active. The surrounding monsters were all attracted by the commotion. Some players wanted to imitate them and attract monsters, but they ended up suffering a backlash. Their own people were not strong enough, and the whole team was wiped out.
Luring monsters wasn't something that just anyone could do. Therefore, the players in District 79 were wondering if they should relocate and fight in one of the surrounding districts. Either District 78 or District 80 was fine. Almost all the districts where the big e-sports clubs were located were in such a situation. Of course, those who wanted to follow the SilverWing50PolarLight team and take advantage of the situation could also do so.
Therefore, recently, the forums of District 79 often saw similar posts:
"The number of monsters in the city is limited. Is anyone fighting in District 78? Group migration! "
"District 79 has changed. It's going to become SilverWing50PolarLight's District 79. Sad." SilverWing50PolarLight was the abbreviation that players gave to SilverWing50PolarLight.
"The number of monsters in this city is too low. It doesn't seem like they've increased much recently. Could it be that they've been wiped out by SilverLight and the number of monsters can't keep up? The system hasn't issued any big quests yet. Do I have to find them myself?"
I heard that there are more monsters outside of the city, so we don't have to go too far. We'll head out in the morning, and we'll be able to go back to the city at night to find a safe place to log off. Those who want to leave the city together, please report your numbers! "
However, unlike the complicated feelings of the players, the reporters of District 79 had gone completely crazy. In order to fight for news, they wouldn't be able to show their dedication if they didn't die hundreds of times a day. It was just that with their crappy skills, they would be killed the moment they stepped out. Due to the life limit, if they lost their lives, they could only wait until the next day to log in. They could only take turns with each person, taking turns every day. Signing up for one, changing accounts, signing up for another, changing accounts again. In any case, their goal was to catch news and not to sweep up the leaderboards.
In the past, they had envied their peers in the regions with big e-sports clubs. Many of them were from gaming studios, so they were assigned to different regions and had their own missions. Those who were experienced or had good results would be assigned to better regions, while others would be assigned randomly. Back then, when they had logged in, they had discovered that they had been assigned to a region that did not even have a small or medium-sized e-sports club. They had been prepared to change regions or wait to die, but unexpectedly, AliveAfter500Years had appeared out of nowhere and brought them back to life!
Now, with the high-profile appearance of SilverWing50PolarLight, the popularity of District 79 had once again exploded. Even if it could not catch up to the five big e-sports clubs, based on the search results online, it had already surpassed some medium-sized e-sports clubs.
There were even some retired e-sports players who were hired by the news media with high salaries to become reporters or bodyguards for the reporters in the game.
This was a virtual industry. Even though people often criticized it, it was still very active.
In the past, an account in District 79 cost 200 or 500. Now, they dared to directly raise the price by five times or even ten times! Needless to say, the price of equipment was soaring!
Especially a few big peddler gaming studios. They directly joined forces to monopolize the market for District 79 accounts, raising the price. Every day, many gaming studios would put up notices to sell their accounts: "District 79 XXXX Gaming Studio is running low on inventory. Purchase now."
There were too many reporters who wanted to fish for news from SilverLight, and it also created quite a bit of interference for the SilverLight team. Once, in the middle of a killing spree in the city, a reporter had rushed over to interview them, only to be surrounded and attacked by monsters. After that, that reporter had criticized the SilverLight people online for not saving them. He had originally wanted to use this incident to discredit the SilverLight people, but he had not expected that the gamers online were not stupid.
"You want to be a reporter with that IQ? Go back and drink your milk! "
"If you want to die, don't drag others down! Everyone who plays games knows that at that time, any external interference can result in death or injury. It's already good enough that you are not dragging them down, but you actually have the face to criticize the SilverLight people? "
"If this was during the Period of Destruction, wouldn't they have been beaten to death long ago?"
"No, no one was that stupid during the Period of Destruction. They were all busy running for their lives."
Seeing that the online comments were still okay, Milo and the others let out a sigh of relief.
"But these reporters are really troublesome. We are not like those big e-sports clubs, who have people to help block reporters. We only have 15 people here. Don't tell me we have to kill all those reporters as well? I really don't dare. Those reporters' mouths can even turn white into black. Then we'll have to spend more time. " Every time Milo saw those reporters courting death in the middle of a killing spree, he had the urge to attack them indiscriminately. However, he had also passed his most impulsive age. He knew that now that he had signed with a company and was a team, he could not do as he pleased like when he was a casual gamer.
"Sigh, these reporters are really annoying!" At first, Schwarzer had enjoyed the feeling of being chased by reporters and experiencing the treatment of a celebrity, but he had gotten sick of it after two days. He would rather not have this kind of treatment. He just wanted to play a game. Why was it so difficult?
"Being a celebrity is like this. Don't think that they will let you off just because you are in the virtual world. In the virtual world, they can stick even tighter. Of course, don't be so naive as to reason with them. They won't stop, especially entertainment reporters. If you are blocked, speak less. Even if something happens later, leave it to the public relations team to handle. Don't start a fight on the spot. That way, there will be even more problems later. They love to stir up trouble. If you believe them, you can ask Deputy Captain Qin. Even if he has been away for eight years, he will not forget his past experiences, "former HWR main force member Dorrian imparted his experience.
Jinro nodded silently, agreeing with Dorrian's words, but he could not think of a good way to deal with it.
Everyone looked at Fang Zhao, waiting for him to speak. Should they ignore these annoying reporters and continue with the city cleanup plan, or should they do something else?
Fang Zhao rapped his fingers on the table. "Since you find them annoying, then make them unable to keep up."
That day, the members of Silver Light did some self-reflection. Indeed, if they had been like Fang Zhao, they would not have had to worry about this problem. Look at Fang Zhao. When he had first broken through to the top of the leaderboards, there had also been so many reporters camping in District 79. How many of them had been able to catch any news? It had all been a matter of luck.
External interference was one thing, but it was also an undeniable fact that one's own ability was not strong enough.
After the meeting, Schwarzer complained to Zu Wen and the others. "How stressful!" In the past, he had felt that he was number one. Only after joining the team did he realize that there was always someone better.
Schwarzer felt that Fang Zhao was completely training them like soldiers. Complaining was just complaining, but Schwarzer still enjoyed the feeling of excitement amidst the pressure. Under pressure, his technique improved a lot. He had a certain understanding of the various monsters of the Period of Destruction, the use of firearms, the arrangement of team formations, and other knowledge. He had shed away the sloppiness of his previous solo career. Perhaps this was what professional competition was like!
What gave Schwarzer the most pressure was not the interference from the group of reporters, nor was it the disparity between him and his other teammates. The one who gave him the most pressure was Fang Zhao. This captain was responsible for covering the back when the team was "sweeping the streets," but he gave Schwarzer the feeling that someone was holding a whip and lashing them from behind every day. Whoever made a mistake would be whipped.
On this day, Fang Zhao was invited to the Qi'an Academy of Music to give a lecture together with Xue Jing. In-Game, vice-captain Jinro led the team. This sort of situation had happened a few times, and the team members were more or less used to each other. Furthermore, Jinro had led teams in the past and had experience, so Fang Zhao did not have to worry too much.
Without Fang Zhao around, the Silver Light team was clearly much livelier.
And on this day, they met a reporter.
Ever since the team had decided to speed up and shake off the reporters, even if they could not do what Fang Zhao had done, they could at least shake off some. But this reporter was different from those mediocre entertainment reporters. This was a war reporter named Huo Li. According to him, he had entered the game to better understand the Old Era and to take photos that could shake people.
After meeting the SilverLight team, he had requested to tag along and take photos. He had also promised not to interfere with the team's plans and not to release any photos of the SilverLight team without permission. He had even shown some of the photos he had taken to Jinro and the others. Indeed, he was different from those entertainment reporters. The angles he took could shake people's nerves, and his photography skills were very professional. Most of the photos he took were of cities under disaster. Furthermore, his skills were not bad. Just as he had said, he had not caused any trouble for the team. He had just followed the team and taken photos along the way. He had even generously shown the photos to Jinro and the others.
After clearing a wave of monsters, the team had shaken off the other reporters. When they found a place to rest, Huo Li told them about his experiences on the battlefield.
And among the team, other than Fang Zhao, Schwarzer was the only one who had not yet completed his military service, so he was even more curious about these matters.
When Huo Li spoke, it was a little like a rather experienced teacher lecturing a student. It made people feel a little reverence, but it also felt like a casual discussion between classmates. It didn't make people feel estranged.
"You know, there are some things that I can't say because of confidentiality rules. I can only be a little vague," Huo Li said.
Schwarzer nodded his head vigorously. "I understand, I understand!"
Huo Li raised his head and gazed at the hazy sky of the Period of Destruction. His tone was a little melancholy. "In places that you guys can't see, there are still many battles. There are battles outside the stars, and there are battles inside the stars."
"Eh? There are battles inside the stars? "Schwarzer asked curiously. He often went online, but he had never seen such news. The others pricked up their ears.
Huo Li smiled faintly. "As a reporter, you must have the courage to expose the truth. As for us war correspondents, we are half reporters and half soldiers. In every war, we stake our lives on the line. Work comes first, and life comes second. If you want to write a report with a strong sense of the scene, you must go deep into the battlefield and not be a burden. You must have the necessary physical fitness and professionalism.
When people talk about war correspondents, they use words like 'courageous sacrifice,' 'fearless of hardships,' and the like to describe it. But these words are too monotonous. Outer space is not a game. If it's gone, it's gone. "
Huo Li reminisced. "Let's not talk about the battles inside the stars. I've been to many battlefields outside the stars. Once, I went with a team to a battlefield. Because of the weather, we encountered difficulties in our operations. Under the influence of bad weather, our communications malfunctioned, and we couldn't find our bearings. The situation spiraled out of control, and when we encountered danger, we could only engage in close combat. That kind of unity under despair is perhaps similar to the people of the Period of Destruction. That kind of memory is soul-stirring, but also full of pain and sorrow.
It's impossible to understand without truly experiencing it. "Huo Li didn't just talk about the battles inside the stars. He also showed them the photos he had taken after entering the game. The photos were very moving. If Huo Li hadn't said that they were all taken in-game, they would have thought that these were photos left behind from the Old Era. They had passed the same building many times, but the visual feeling they got from the photos was completely different. This was what a master photographer was like.
Huo Li talked about the battles and how he had followed the troops into the battlefield. Many things were blurred because of confidentiality regulations, but that didn't stop him from explaining things clearly. Whether it was the life of the troops, the battlefield's geographical environment, the weather, or some battle strategies that had been deliberately blurred because of confidentiality regulations, none of it seemed like he was making it up. Some seemingly trivial details were able to show the veracity of what he was saying.
Jinro and Milo looked at each other. The suspicions in their hearts had been greatly reduced. It wasn't that they weren't vigilant, but that this person really didn't seem like he was lying. Furthermore, in the previous battles, Huo Li had also displayed the reaction speed that a war correspondent should have. Those photos also showed that he was different from the images taken by other reporters. When Huo Li was narrating those things, his eyes revealed sincerity, and he didn't seem like he was lying.
Huo Li also told them some unknown history of the Period of Destruction. His tone seemed calm, but every word seemed to contain intense emotions. Even the usually rational deputy captain Jinro was a little fascinated.
This was a reporter who had broken away from vulgar interests. In their hearts, Huo Li's image rose in an instant.
"Reality is crueler than games. These things in games are just small skirmishes and can't be compared to reality. However, games are entertainment, so there is no need to compare. I am just expressing the cruelty of reality. You guys just need to listen and don't mind. Do you know the origin of my name? "
At this moment, Fang Zhao went online and came over from his log-in point.
Because the team members wore helmets when they fought, Fang Zhao also wore one when he arrived, so Huo Li couldn't see Fang Zhao's face.
The team that had been lazily listening to Huo Li's story changed in an instant when Fang Zhao arrived. Even though they were sitting down, their nerves seemed taut. Schwarzer also stopped laughing.
The sound of military boots on the ground wasn't loud, but it gave off a very serious feeling, causing Huo Li's nerves to unconsciously tighten.
When Fang Zhao looked at Huo Li, Huo Li felt like all the hairs on his back were standing on end. He obviously couldn't see the line of sight behind the helmet, but he could feel that extremely oppressive gaze piercing through his protective goggles and piercing his body.
Jinro had already left a message for Fang Zhao regarding Huo Li, so he knew the cause and effect.
Fang Zhao found a place to sit down. "Don't stop. What were you talking about just now? Continue."
Schwarzer coughed lightly and said, "Feeling Huo Li was just talking about the origin of his name."
"That's right, Huo Li. What exactly is the special meaning of your name?" Milo asked from the side. He didn't like to listen to half-truths. He had to know the end result before he could feel at ease.
The serious atmosphere just now eased up a little.
Huo Li smiled and continued. "Alright, continue. Fire chestnut means that everything we do is like taking a chestnut from the fire. The chestnut is placed in the fire, and if we want to eat the chestnut, we have to risk being burned. It's just like how we occupy the land. Every time we take a chestnut, we will leave a scar. However, this is our choice. "
Schwarzer and the others looked at Huo Li with admiration in their eyes. Only Fang Zhao did not have any reaction.
"Isn't that so? Being a war reporter is really tough! A true hero! Isn't that right, Boss? "Schwarzer looked at Fang Zhao, waiting for him to say a few words.
However, Fang Zhao did not directly answer Schwarzer's question. Instead, he said, "In the Old Era, there was a phrase called 'retrieving chestnuts from a fire.' There was also a story about a monkey tricking a cat into retrieving a cooked chestnut from a fire. The cat did it and retrieved the chestnut from the fire, but the fur on its feet was burned off. In the end, the chestnut was eaten by the monkey. The cat was tricked and paid the price, but it did not get any benefits. Actually, I feel that the name Huo Li is more like a reminder not to be used by others and to be the one benefiting. Isn't that right, the future king of war reporters and the current king of Yanzhou's paparazzi, Mr. Wang Tie? "
Dead silence.
Wang Tie/Huo Li: "..." Damn right! But how am I supposed to continue this?
The gazes of Schwarzer and the others became as sharp as knives. Not only were they on guard, they were also aggressive.
Wang Tie was a name they had heard a lot about in private recently. During department meetings, Wayne had told them about the history of this paparazzi king. He had heard that this guy had stalked some big star and ended up bringing down a high-ranking official. Of course, he had not escaped unscathed and had been sentenced to prison. Because of this guy's glorious history, he had been locked up in an extraterrestrial prison. He was not even on his home planet, and he was not even allowed access to internet information. Originally, they had thought that they would not see this guy for at least three to five years. Who would have thought that he would actually be released so soon? It was said that he had performed meritorious deeds outside and had his sentence reduced.
Practically the moment they received the news, Silver Wing stars with A-grade contracts and above were all on high alert, afraid of being targeted by this mad dog. Especially their newly established gaming team, they all had to be on guard against this guy. Who would have thought that he would actually chase him into the game? So all that had been said before was all made up? Acting so well, this... this was all an act! Why would he still be a reporter? He might as well just become a Best Actor!
The unperturbed smile on Wang Tie's face finally became forced.
The atmosphere seemed to freeze in an instant. The good atmosphere that they had painstakingly created took a 180-degree turn. The 15 people standing in front of Wang Tie, 15 pairs of eyes, were like 15 guns already pointed at his head, ready to take his life at any time! They simply had no intention of listening to his explanation!
The current Yanzhou paparazzi king had not even had the time to let loose after being released from prison. He had just gotten close to his first mission when he had been caught on the spot.
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