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The reward was called the "Tech Gift Pack."
The moment Alex claimed it, a strange sensation washed over him. The gift pack dissolved into countless streams of information that surged directly into his brain, transforming into vast quantities of data that integrated seamlessly with his thoughts and memories.
As the information flooded in, Alex felt like his head was being electrocuted—currents darting through his mind, a tingling, dizzying sensation accompanied by a dull throbbing pain.
Fortunately, his brain eventually digested all of it. When the process finished, Alex felt... different. Clearer. Sharper. His mind hummed with newfound vitality, thoughts flowing faster and more fluidly than ever before.
It was as if his brain had been upgraded alongside the system—developed, nourished, filled with energy.
A truly wonderful feeling.
But what excited Alex even more was the actual content of this so-called Tech Gift Pack. In an instant, he'd gained mastery over technologies that others might never grasp in a lifetime—technologies that surpassed the current scientific level of this world.
The Tech Gift Pack included innovations that could dramatically improve the performance of current VR devices, covering both software and hardware. Operating systems. Chips. The whole stack.
For example, the VR operating system specifications now embedded in his memory described an entirely new architecture with far more advanced algorithms. Faster, more efficient computing. Drastically reduced memory consumption and requirements.
To put it simply: this system could make a low-end machine perform like a high-end one.
And that was just the software layer.
If he also applied the hardware technologies he now possessed—manufacturing the necessary CPUs, graphics cards, and supporting components—he could further reduce production costs while enhancing device performance.
This meant more ordinary people could afford high-end smart devices. It meant VR technology reaching an entirely new level—capable of supporting higher-definition, more computationally intensive games. More stunning visuals. More realistic sensory experiences.
What delighted Alex most was the democratization this represented. Lower barriers for gamers. More people experiencing premium gaming at lower costs. More players entering the VR space.
And with these technologies, he could finally break Nexus's stranglehold on the industry. Create real competition. Maybe even build something that could surpass the current giants—devices that would reshape the entire market.
This is setting me up to take down Infinite Realms.
The thought hit him with crystalline clarity.
Alex understood exactly what these technologies could mean for the world—and for his ambitions.
If he'd tried to surpass Infinite Realms through games alone, the difficulty would have been immense. They controlled the core technology. The lifeline was in their hands. If they wanted to curb his development, it would be trivially easy.
This was why no open gaming platform comparable to Infinite Realms had ever emerged. Game companies either created content within the Infinite Realms ecosystem or developed small-scale single-player games. Nobody could truly threaten the platform itself.
But if he mastered the core VR technologies and could operate independently? That changed everything.
He could build his own VR devices. Potentially surpass Nexus's products. Gain competitiveness in the terminal market. Establish a foundation for genuinely contending with Infinite Realms.
The Nexus launch event had long since ended.
Alex sat in his chair, mind racing through future possibilities. How to convert the knowledge in his head into real-world technical patents. How to strategically position himself in the VR device sector. The steps required to turn vision into reality.
Before he knew it, the night had grown late.
He gathered his thoughts and remembered: the system had upgraded. Were there other changes beyond the reward?
Alex examined the system interface. Disappointingly, it was still rather crude. But some details had changed. A category list had been added, and it contained far more movies and TV shows than before—including quite a few Alex had never seen.
And then he spotted something new.
Two brand-new categories in the main list: Technology and Games.
The Technology category contained various VR-related innovations. These were even more advanced than the technologies he'd just received—true cutting-edge breakthroughs.
In other words, as long as he met the system's exchange conditions, he could unlock increasingly powerful technologies. Continuously improve VR capabilities. And even...
Human-brain interface technology.
Holy shit.
Alex's gaze locked onto one particular entry, currently grayed out and locked. From its name and description, he immediately understood what it was: technology that could establish a direct link between the human brain—the nervous system itself—and a computer. Control of digital systems through consciousness alone.
Previously, people controlled computers through controllers, keyboards, motion capture, eye-tracking. But brain-computer interface would bypass all of that. Direct neural interaction. The brain controlling and experiencing digital systems without intermediary.
The applications were staggering. In gaming, it could achieve truly immersive virtual reality—experiences indistinguishable from physical reality.
The realization of this technology would revolutionize gaming. And beyond gaming—medical applications, prosthetics for people with disabilities, countless other fields.
Alex forced himself to look away from the brain-computer interface and examine the other new category.
Games.
His eyes widened.
The Games category contained resource packs for AAA titles and classic single-player games from his previous life. Some he'd played extensively—Resident Evil, Final Fantasy, Legend of Sword and Fairy. Others he'd heard about but never experienced—The Witcher, The Elder Scrolls, Assassin's Creed.
And according to the descriptions, all these game resources had been optimized by the system to perfectly adapt to VR platforms. Graphics enhanced. Experiences made even more realistic.
As Alex dug deeper, he discovered another change. After the upgrade, system points were no longer limited to money earned on the Infinite Realms platform. Instead, the system had automatically bound to all of Alex's assets, generating points based on his total wealth—points that could be exchanged for resource packs within the system.
Some items remained locked, particularly the more advanced technologies. The system didn't specify exact unlock conditions. But Alex understood intuitively: he'd need to implement some technologies himself, achieve real-world success in the VR device sector, to gain corresponding permissions.
The more Alex studied the upgraded system, the clearer its purpose became.
This system was designed to help him surpass Infinite Realms.
To build a true gaming empire.
Perhaps, in the near future, he would be the one defining the rules of the gaming market.