"You're a comedian, so why do you have such a long face every day? You need to straighten up! "
At the outskirts of Xin Lu, inside a secondhand shop called Afterlife, an old man was consoling his only customer.
"My whole family loves your show, we're all your fans. If we don't watch your show during our daily meal, it'll be tasteless."
The old man grumbled for a long time before the young man at the corner slowly turned around.
He looked to be in his twenties. He was dressed casually and his hair was unkempt. He was not particularly handsome but there was an indescribable air of melancholy about him. "The show I'm in has already stopped broadcasting. I was fired by the company 3 days ago."
"That's fine, you're such a good actor, we can always find ourselves a new job."
The shopkeeper was very kind but the young man only shook his head. "Boss, I've basically played all the secondhand games you have here, are there any new games that have arrived recently?"
"There are, but in your current condition, I suggest you stay away from games that are too bloody and violent." The shopkeeper took out a black box from the bottom of the counter. The box was made from an unknown material but it was very heavy. "Have you tried a Iyashikei game before?"
"Iyashikei game?"
"The kind with warm graphics, soothing music, a story that can make you smile. It records the beautiful moments in life and can bring you positive energy." The shopkeeper opened the black box and took out an old gaming helmet. "Technology is getting more and more advanced but the feeling of happiness is getting less and less. Young people nowadays have to deal with all kinds of stress, a good Iyashikei game can help you relax and warm up your body. I think you should give it a try. "
Accepting the gaming helmet from the shopkeeper, the young man hesitated before nodding. "Boss, what's the name of this game?"
"Perfect Life."
…
After paying the money, Han Fei put on the mask and pulled down the cap before leaving the old shop with the gaming helmet. He did this not because he was afraid of being recognized, he simply did not want to interact with outsiders.
After he returned to his rented apartment, Han Fei slowly relaxed. He switched on the television and dialed a random channel. Then he entered the bathroom to wash his face with cold water.
After graduating from Xin Lu Film and Television Academy, he worked hard every day, his dream was to become a comedian who could bring laughter to the world.
But sometimes, hard work doesn't necessarily pay off. Without any background, he worked very hard, working from behind the scenes to the front. Finally, he had the opportunity to show his face, but he was pushed out of the company for some reason.
Water droplets slid down his cheeks. Looking at himself in the mirror, his hands curled around his lips, trying to force a smile on his face.
Every day, he would think of ways to make others laugh, but one day, he found that he couldn't laugh at all.
With a light sigh, Han Fei tore off the few pieces of paper that were stuck above the mirror. The paper was filled with the same sentence — The best actor is you in real life.
Exiting the bathroom, Han Fei walked to the study table. He started to study the gaming helmet on the table.
He had heard of Perfect Life a long time ago. According to legend, this was a deep immersive virtual reality game jointly released by Deep Space Tech and Immortal Pharma. It was also the world's first game that could simulate real touch, taste and smell. It was said to be the ultimate form of gaming. Theoretically speaking, if a player had no materialistic desires, they could live in this game forever.
It sounded scary, but with the support of Deep Space Technology and Immortal Pharmaceuticals, the two giants, even the scariest thing could become a reality. After all, with the advent of the artificial intelligence revolution and the biological revolution, the two giants had created many miracles.
When the game was first announced, it had already attracted a lot of attention. Deep Space Tech was a giant in the aerospace, AI and communication industries. They had been conducting cutting-edge research with the goal of migrating to outer space. Immortal Pharma was a giant in the field of genetic engineering and human neural engineering. They aimed to unravel the ultimate secret of life.
These two international companies that had nothing to do with the gaming industry were willing to invest so much resources into the development of a game. Many industry insiders had no idea what was going through their minds.
The reviews for Perfect Life were mixed. Some felt that the game's focus was on healing and healing. Players could experience and simulate different kinds of lives in the game. It was like a manmade heaven. Players could obtain everything they wanted in the virtual city and fulfill all their dreams.
Others said this adult game had no moral and ethical limitations. The depth of the gameplay would destroy humanity completely.
In reality, ever since Perfect Life's Beta started, Deep Space Tech's legal and moral department had been stationed there.
The internal testing of other games was done by experienced gamers and professional reviewers, but the testers for this game were mostly staff from the relevant departments of the government.
From this point alone, one could see how extraordinary this game was.
This was Han Fei's first time playing a deep immersive virtual reality game. To be safe, he went online to search for information related to Perfect Life.
With the participation and supervision of the relevant departments, Perfect Life had gone through 5 closed beta tests and 3 major changes. At midnight that night, Perfect Life would enter its 6th closed beta. If everything went well, this would be the last test before the OB.
'The game is not in OB yet, how did the old goods store owner get his hands on the gaming helmet? What kind of connections does he have? Other than that, according to the internet, Perfect Life does not have a gaming helmet for sale. Instead, they developed a space gaming hub and it sells for 20 times the price of a normal gaming helmet. '
Han Fei thought about it and believed he had been scammed. The game inside the helmet was probably a pirated version of Perfect Life.
But since he had already bought it, Han Fei thought he might as well give it a try.
He connected all the wires and after the indicator light lit up, he put the gaming helmet on his head.
His vision was blocked and darkness enveloped everything. Han Fei felt like he had been tossed into a black ocean.
He could not see anything but his ears could hear the news on the television.
"31st December Update, the construction of Xin Lu's smart city has entered its final stage. The emergence of a fully automated smart city will become a milestone in human history."
"31st December Update, the international anti-trust investigation on Deep Space Tech has been reopened."
"31st December Update, to protect the welfare of its citizens, our government has decided to increase investment in education and technology to unlock more high-tech industries and cultivate more talented people."
"31st December Update, a serious fire broke out at Xin Lu's antique street. Many old goods stores were destroyed. Possibility of arson cannot be ruled out."
The voice faded away. Suddenly, the world before Han Fei's eyes turned blood red.
Strange noises came from inside the gaming helmet. Han Fei felt uneasy. He was about to remove the helmet when a sharp pain came from the back of his head. It felt like a needle had pierced through his skull and sent something deep into his brain.
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