Chapter 57: The Series, Episode 3 (Part 2)
The perspective in the video jumped to the registration point for the Alchemy Department. After a brief conversation between a man and a woman, the audience learned that they were both members of the Sun Guardians, and their stated purpose was to assist Zhou Ning in cracking the Life Alchemy Association's conspiracy.
A moment later, the perspective locked onto a man with a sneaky demeanor, and the comment barrage instantly flooded the screen.
"Hey, isn't that XB?"
"X-Baby! Awww... you're on TV, Mommy is so proud of you!"
"Get out of here, weirdo stans!"
"XB fans, stand proud!"
…
XB was also watching the video, and he was left speechless by the flood of comments. He had suspected the intelligent computer might include him, but he never expected to be given his own point-of-view segment. All he could do now was pray they didn't include his self-introduction. That would be a public execution, leading to immediate social death.
But things rarely go according to plan. As the perspective cut to him, the video immediately flashed back.
It showed him right after he'd first entered the game. He was digging at something with his hands, squeezing the small, dirt-covered animal he'd found, and then lifting it to his nose to sniff it.
A line of subtitles appeared above his head: `Engineer Apprentice / Player: XB`
"What a dirty trick!" XB's vision went dark.
He scrambled to explain to his livestream viewers. "Did you hear my excuse? No, I mean, my explanation! I just wanted to test if that thing was still there! This game is just too realistic!"
He didn't dare look at the comments on the official video feed; the ones in his own livestream chat were humiliating enough. It was cringey enough to make a dog hide under the table.
The execution continued. When the camera locked back onto him in the present as he approached the protagonist, the spoiler-filled comments all spammed the same thing:
"Hello, my name is XB. I am your idol. No, that's not right. You are my idol."
After the on-screen XB actually said that now-infamous line, the comment barrage reached its first major climax. Every viewer saw the look of pure disgust that flashed across Zhou Ning's face.
"LMAO, XB is getting completely shut down."
"XB fans in shambles."
"He's so dorky it's cute. I'm into it."
"So this is the 'lucky person' the devs said gets to participate in the plot? I've been watching for a while, and he just seems like a total moron."
XB was speechless.
He cringed so hard his toes curled and quickly decided to hide the comment barrage for one minute.
Fortunately, the public humiliation ended quickly as the viewers were drawn in by the wave of new plot developments. On the screen, XB received his task from the protagonist and began patrolling the area like the Sheriff of Black Cat. The camera then returned to Zhou Ning.
The video fast-forwarded. Soon, the clock struck nine, and Elvis appeared on stage. As he took his place, two lines of subtitles appeared—one over his head, and one over the mirror in his hand:
`Lecturer, Department of Magic, Wake Forest University / Priest of the Curse Cult: Elvis Bart`
`Unknown Artifact [Damian's Ordinary Mirror]: This item allows you to freely enter and explore a mirrored world, but you risk being replaced by a ghost from within, becoming forever lost inside. This item originated from the archmage Damian of the Four Heroes era, who crafted this mirror after studying ancient texts and subsequently vanished into it.`
Zhou Ning frowned. Strange, why didn't I notice that at the time?
The introduction of an "Unknown Artifact" undoubtedly sparked the audience's excitement. What do players want most in a game? Loot!
"Mom, I want one!"
"I wonder what happens if a player gets lost in the mirror? Do they just die?"
"You'd just respawn after killing yourself, what else?"
…
Zhou Ning couldn't help but curl his lip slightly. What a joke. There are plenty of Unknown Artifacts in the game, but they're basically loot boxes. Most of them are useless traps, and the few that aren't are already in the hands of major NPC factions.
But speaking of Unknown Artifacts... I feel like there's a decent one in Darkland City. I'll have to go look for it when I have time.
He refocused on the video.
After a slick performance of pulling items from the mirror, Elvis suddenly produced an alchemical bomb and tossed it into the crowd. The AI immediately locked the perspective onto Zhou Ning. The audience could see that he had already sensed something was wrong. In a flash, a revolver was in his hand, and he fired at the falling bomb.
BOOM! The alchemical bomb exploded into a harmless fireball in mid-air.
With his cover blown, Elvis revealed his true colors. From Zhou Ning's main perspective, the audience clearly saw a massive black fireball hurtling toward them. Zhou Ning dodged it with an effortless leap. Just as it was about to hit the ground, Zhou Ning, as if with foreknowledge, drew his shotgun and fired a single blast into the ground. Using the recoil, he launched himself through the air, narrowly avoiding a well-hidden lightning spell that erupted where he would have landed. His fluid movements and aesthetically stunning combat style left the audience breathless.
After a brief fight, Elvis was defeated with Sherlock's help and fled. But before the audience could breathe a sigh of relief, the scene descended into even greater chaos. More alchemical bombs appeared simultaneously, and the air filled with their insistent buzzing.
The series' perspective abruptly split into four screens. The first focused on the protagonist, Zhou Ning. The second on Sherlock and his team of Sun Guardians. The third on Leonardo, dressed in his freshman uniform. The fourth was on "war correspondent" XB, his eyes as wide as saucers and his ears pricked up like antennae.
First, Sherlock's screen showed him discovering a clown juggling alchemical bombs. The clown was powerful and caused a significant commotion, but with the help of Sherlock's weather-manipulating ability, the Sun Guardians concentrated their fire and quickly subdued him.
Next was Leonardo's perspective. Zhou Ning noted that the child of destiny was having his own moment to shine. Proficient in alchemy himself, he had keenly sensed the danger and had drawn his sword to charge the source. The bomber here was a man disguised as a student, but before he could activate his device, Leonardo was on him, stunning him with the initial rush. He then unleashed a furious volley of sword strikes, and the poor opponent never even had a chance to move.
Then there was XB's perspective. The campus wall cracked and gave way as the coachman drove a public carriage straight through it, charging directly toward the crowd. XB was the first to be hit. He was sent flying and landed with his head tilted at an unnatural angle, dead on impact.
After a brief, stunned silence, the comment barrage exploded like a snowstorm.
"NO!!! X-B-!"
"LMAO, his death was tragic, but why was it so funny?"
"You guys don't get it. XB's job is a traffic cop in Darkland City, responsible for directing traffic in the game. These NPCs just have no respect. XB died a hero."
"Newbie here. Who is this XB guy? Is he the official comic relief?"
XB admitted defeat to the stupid comments once again and hid the barrage for another minute.
Next, the audience watched as the first frame, Zhou Ning's, began moving quickly toward the fourth. The camera then zoomed in, locking back onto Zhou Ning as the sole focus. Several Day Guards were firing on the coachman, but after being shot, the man grotesquely transformed into a massive monster that ignored their bullets.
The perspective flashed back to the previous day when Zhou Ning had been riding in a public carriage. Players learned that the driver was just a poor man who toiled sixteen hours a day to provide for his family, only to be controlled by the cult and twisted into his current form. Then, the perspective snapped back to the present. Zhou Ning had closed the distance and was raising his gun to the monster's head.
The intelligent computer slowed the footage down and even superimposed a health bar above the coachman's head.
Next, every viewer watched in perfect clarity as three flaming bullets, spinning with astonishing force, shot from the muzzle and pierced the coachman's head in a perfectly straight line. In an instant, the entire, massive health bar was depleted.
"Holy shit..."
"A one-shot? Did I see that right?"
"Yes, you saw it right. My husband is just that amazing!"
…
After the coachman was killed, the beeping of the alchemical bomb inside the carriage grew more rapid. The audience, on the edge of their seats, held their breath. In the video, Zhou Ning did not disappoint. He shot and killed the out-of-control wildebeest, then used the tilted wheels to climb onto the roof of the carriage. When Zhou Ning finally dismantled the bomb and the frantic beeping stopped, everyone let out a collective sigh of relief. They felt like they were watching a blockbuster action film with a gripping, unpredictable plot. The sense of immersion was incredibly strong.
However, before the audience could even take a sip of water, the Zhou Ning in the video seemed to find a new clue. Through his conversation with Sherlock, the viewers realized that the bomb attack might have just been a diversion. The cult's real target was the state reception being held at Witsel Church Square.
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