Chapter 34

On the day of the live broadcast.

Half an hour before the official broadcast, CAE's official live stream room had already been flooded with tens of thousands of viewers.

I can't wait any longer!

The thought of seeing Yu Miaomiao break down makes me incredibly excited.

I want to see how CAE will resolve this.

Am I the only one who actually came to watch the game...?

...

The intense barrage of comments propelled the black-screen livestream to the top of the popularity charts, attracting more casual viewers who, after learning the details, decided to join in. Five minutes before the broadcast started, the number of viewers in the livestream had already exceeded 200,000.

Backstage at the live stream, the judges were not prepared and were arguing instead.

"Teacher Li, I really cannot agree with your behavior."

A serious female judge said to another middle-aged man, "Zhang Mingxuan and Yu Miaomiao's evidence is insufficient to prove originality. Why don't we issue a clarification and let everyone attack Yu Miaomiao?"

Teacher Li then held up her phone to show the live stream to everyone, saying, "Look, there are already 220,000 viewers. In previous years, this number would only be reached halfway through the broadcast."

"If we had clarified and issued a notice too early, we wouldn't have generated so much buzz."

"Do you know how many sponsors have come to me to discuss cooperation these past few days? CAE's budget for next year has increased fivefold!"

He said smugly, "Xiao Du, you have to learn to be flexible."

The woman frowned disapprovingly. "But we shouldn't—"

Teacher Li interrupted, "I am the vice chairman of the CAE organizing committee and have decision-making power. This matter is settled."

The woman looked at the other vice-chairperson, "Teacher Zhang, is that what you think too?"

Teacher Zhang kept his head down, adjusting his clothes, and avoided looking at the woman, clearly indicating that he had acquiesced.

A staff member ran over to announce, "The broadcast is about to start. Please take your seats, teachers."

The woman sighed heavily and walked towards the judges' table.

-

Meanwhile, outside a coffee shop.

A fair-skinned, thin boy kept glancing at his watch, waiting anxiously, muttering to himself.

"It's almost ten o'clock, are you going to stand me up again?"

A few days ago, Yu Siyuan was matched with a girl named Li Zhi on a dating app, and she met his expectations in every way.

He was handsome and had good qualities, and the two chatted very enthusiastically.

The girl's words revealed that she wanted to settle things as soon as possible, and she arranged to meet today.

As soon as he finished speaking, a black sedan turned out from the street corner and stopped in front of the coffee shop.

The driver's side door opened, and a man who was 1.9 meters tall, dressed in a suit, with broad shoulders and a narrow waist, stepped out. He exuded an air of nobility.

He went around to the other side of the car, opened it, and helped out a tall, slender girl in a flowing white dress, with long, luxuriant hair, and a gentle and charming demeanor.

Normally, a guy would be completely mesmerized by a beauty like this.

But right now, all his attention is on this car—a top-of-the-line Audi A8L, which costs nearly 2.2 million yuan, and is definitely not something that ordinary rich people can afford.

The sound of high heels approached, and a slender, fair hand reached out in front of the boy.

"Hello, I'm Li Zhi, and you must be Yu Siyuan."

Yu Siyuan snapped out of his daze and quickly grasped Li Zhi's hand, "Hello, hello, I'm Yu Siyuan."

His gaze swept over the other person's entire body without leaving a trace.

Her gentle yet reserved demeanor was his type—but that was secondary. What mattered was that she wore a Loro Piana cardigan, a Brunello Cucinelli shirt, a Chanel necklace, and a Hermès handbag—not a single item was cheap.

His smile grew even more solicitous as he complimented, "I thought the photos were pretty enough, but I didn't expect you to be even more beautiful in person."

"Can I call you Zhizhi? You can call me Siyuan."

Goodness, I hope he doesn't meet a real rich and beautiful woman.

The girl smiled shyly, "This is my brother, Cheng Nuo. My parents insisted that he come to keep me company. You don't mind, do you?"

He turned around and called out, "Brother, come here too."

When facing Cheng Nuo, Li Zhi's entire face scrunched up, and she made a gagging expression.

Cheng Nuo kept a straight face, her gaze drifting elsewhere, barely managing to suppress a laugh.

-

"Dear viewers, this is the live broadcast of the 23rd CAE Finals in 2025. This broadcast will still be conducted online... The fifteen contestants are Fatima from Morocco, whose work is... Kenta Tanaka from Japan... Anna from Germany... and Li Hua from China... Zhang Mingxuan... Yu Miaomiao..."

Each time a name is mentioned, the person in question stands up or waves in greeting; judging from the background, some of them are still at night.

The first few contestants received few comments due to their nationality, with only a few die-hard fans cheering them on. However, when it came to Zhang Mingxuan, the number of comments surged.

[Go Zhang Mingxuan! I believe in you!]

[Let's smash Yu Miaomiao to death!]

...

When it was Yu Miaomiao's turn to appear, she stood up and bowed slightly.

After sitting down, she tugged at her collar and frowned slightly—to show respect for the competition, she wore a white shirt, buttoned up to the top, looking very restrained.

"Yu Miaomiao's work is titled 'Cocoon of Human Form,' and it's a puzzle..."

The comments were flooding in at an alarming rate, but no one was discussing the game.

Haha, that's a terrible look on your face. You've finally realized you're scared.

I don't understand why there's any need to introduce a game that's a 1:1 replica.

[CAE, please provide an explanation: Why hasn't Yu Miaomiao's participation been cancelled? Why hasn't Yu Miaomiao's participation been cancelled? Why hasn't Yu Miaomiao's participation been cancelled...?]

Of course, there are also some viewers who are drawn to good looks but go against the grain.

Yu Miaomiao looks so well-behaved, the photos are much better, and it's amazing they weren't photoshopped!

She's looking at the screen again, and she's looking at me! Such beautiful eyes, I'm so excited!

I don't believe someone like that would plagiarize...

However, these comments were quickly met with a barrage of criticism.

[The surveillance video is irrefutable proof, and you're still trying to defend your master? Have you no shame?]

But surveillance videos can also be faked...

[Hilarious! Do you really think Zhang Mingxuan is as stupid as your master, capable of fabricating evidence?]

[Get out, you purveyors!!!]

After introducing the contestants, the host began to explain the scoring rules. Each contestant's score is composed of scores from the judges and the audience, with the judges' scores accounting for 70% and the audience's scores accounting for 30%. 30% may seem like a low percentage, but in previous years, there have been many contestants who have turned the tide with audience scores.

"Please note that only viewers who are online throughout the entire session have the right to rate. Being online throughout the entire session means..."

Behind another screen, Zhang Mingxuan ignored the host's words, staring intently at the script in his hands, silently reciting it.

Several messages popped up on the phone screen next to me, but no one replied.

【Xuanxuan, Evens and I are watching the competition. Good luck, we hope you get a good ranking!】

Mingxuan, I've cancelled the morning banquet so as not to disappoint Dad.

"As a narrative puzzle game, 'Heart Prisoner' uses... pay attention here, there's a little Easter egg..."

Even though he spent tens of thousands of dollars, hiring people to play the game repeatedly and find the details; even though he had memorized the manuscript countless times and could recite it backwards, his heart was still unsettled and couldn't settle down.

After reciting it twice more, Zhang Mingxuan looked up. The second contestant had already taken the stage and was demonstrating the game process. He wanted to observe carefully, but his gaze involuntarily drifted to the small window in the lower right corner.

There, a girl sat upright, her pale face looking delicate and fragile. She frowned slightly, looking somewhat lost. Among the group of middle-aged and elderly people, she seemed like an unexpected intruder, bewildered in the battles of the internet.

Thinking about how this girl would be subjected to public condemnation soon after the dust settled, Zhang Mingxuan felt a pang of pity for her for some reason.

But in an instant, this emotion dissipated.

Zhang Mingxuan gritted his teeth, his expression becoming even more determined.

I'm sorry, everyone has their own fate. If you have to blame someone, blame yourself for blocking my way.

-

"I think we should have a boy."

“It’s up to men to carry on the family line!” Li Zhi covered her mouth and smiled. “Besides, having more children means that when our parents get old, they can take care of each other.”

"Then... what's the child's surname?"

“I can use my husband’s surname, since my brother lives here.”

"Zhizhi, I didn't expect you to think the same way I do!"

Yu Siyuan looked delighted; it seemed that if it weren't for the table, he would have rushed over and hugged Li Zhi.

"Oh right, the dessert seems to be ready. Could you go get it for me?"

Yu Siyuan happily agreed.

Li Zhi breathed a sigh of relief, her expression dazed, as if she had just experienced some immense torment.

"No, no, how can there be such a person in the world!"

"Thanks for your hard work."

Cheng Nuo handed Li Zhi a tissue. He had less screen time than Li Zhi in this part; he was basically just a background character and had just been secretly looking at his phone.

Li Zhi nodded with a bitter face, "If this is done, Miao Miao has to make up for two semesters' worth of homework."

Suddenly, her eyes narrowed, and she turned her head to press down on the small earphones hidden under her long hair.

He said in a low voice, "Okay, I understand."

Then, she said to Cheng Nuo, "We've reached the fifth contestant. Jiang Chengyi told me to suggest going to Yu Siyuan's house in ten minutes."

"How's your memorization of those sales pitches coming along?"

"Don't worry." Cheng Nuo waved her phone. "I've been memorizing it the whole time, no problem."

Yu Siyuan returned with the dessert, and the two quickly resumed their previous state.

Li Zhi took a few sips of cream, then threw down the spoon and wiped her mouth.

"I'm quite satisfied with you, but I don't know how you are."

“I also really like Zhizhi. You are completely different from other women.”

"However, I think marriage is not just a matter between two people, but a matter between two families."

"Yes, yes, my dad is a businessman, and my mom—"

“No need for introductions,” Li Zhi interrupted without any politeness in her gentle voice.

Yu Siyuan was taken aback for a moment, then frowned slightly, thinking to himself, how could a woman interrupt a man so casually? After we get married, I need to educate her properly and correct her shortcomings.

But Li Zhi's next words dissipated much of his anger.

"I think it's better to get to know you in person. I'd like to visit your home. I wonder if you mind?"

"Okay, okay, I'll tell my parents!"

Yu Siyuan was extremely pleased.

-

"The next presenter is Zhang Mingxuan from University A in City A, China. His work is 'Heart Prisoner'."

In front of the computer, Zhang Mingxuan revealed a confident smile. He turned on screen sharing and introduced the game in a calm and fluent voice.

This is a narrative puzzle game where players take on the role of someone imprisoned in a laboratory. They must avoid monster NPCs, collect items, solve puzzles, and advance the story.

There are two main types of monsters: ordinary monsters and humanoid monsters that are similar to the player's texture but have different details. Being hit by an ordinary monster will only reduce your damage value, while being hit by a humanoid monster will reduce both your damage value and SAN value. Humanoid creatures have dialogue boxes above their heads, but the dialogue is all gibberish. After the player finds enough items and upgrades themselves, they will gradually be able to understand the dialogue between humanoid creatures.

Finally, it's revealed that the player is actually a locked-up monster. During the adventure, he becomes increasingly intelligent, able to understand human conversations, and discovers his own abnormality. In the end, he obtains a gene potion that, when consumed, will completely transform him into a human. He can choose to discard the potion and return to the monster race, or choose not to drink the potion but remain in the laboratory disguised as a human.

After giving a general overview of the game, Zhang Mingxuan then demonstrated his skillful gameplay in a hidden level that was not easily noticed, interspersed with introductions to some Easter eggs.

The comments were full of praise.

Holy crap, I've played this game for 50 hours and I never found this Easter egg. It's hidden really well.

I ask you, besides the person who created the game, who else could be so familiar with it?

[This is so much fun! I don't usually play puzzle games, but this has really piqued my interest!]

[This is ingenious! How did Zhang Mingxuan come up with this level design? I also play solo games, and seeing this really shattered my resolve.]

...

During the review session, Mr. Li, the chief judge, spoke first, showering the game with praise from every angle. He concluded by saying, "This game has brought a ray of hope to Chinese indie games, and this young man has also brought a ray of hope to the Chinese indie game industry."

The judges who followed mostly praised Zhang Mingxuan. One judge raised a few questions about the code and pointed out that there was room for improvement. Zhang Mingxuan responded to each question, and his humble attitude earned him another round of praise.

When it was the turn of the female judge surnamed Du, she looked serious and asked, "In your presentation just now, you mentioned that this game represents your state of depression when you were young, is that right?"

"Yes."

After giving his affirmative reply, Zhang Mingxuan added, "This game shows my struggle against depression. Completing the game also healed that confused version of myself."

Teacher Du narrowed her eyes and asked the next question, "But why is the default ending among the three endings provided that you discard the medicine and stay in the lab? Does this mean you are still trapped in depression?"

[Yeah, I also found it strange when I was playing the game. Without special techniques, it's basically impossible to get the other two endings.]

[These judges' questions are way too tricky. Are they targeting Zhang Mingxuan? His creative inspiration comes from depression, but that doesn't mean we have to judge him entirely based on reality.]

On the screen, Zhang Mingxuan's face flashed with panic for a moment, but he quickly regained his composure and said awkwardly, "This matter is a bit difficult to talk about, so I didn't mention it during the demonstration just now."

“I always thought I had overcome depression, but during a recent check-up, the psychologist said that recovery from depression is a long process, and I haven’t fully recovered yet.”

He smiled helplessly: "I think the game might represent a part of my subconscious."

Zhang Mingxuan's expression is so heartbreaking, it looks like he's about to cry.

Zhang Mingxuan is so strong; it really takes a lot of courage to talk about his illness in front of so many people.

[This female judge is really something, why does she have to force people to reopen their old wounds?]

This old woman probably has psychological problems.

Vicious comments flashed across the large screen in the judges' room, but judge Du seemed not to see them.

"That concludes my question. Now, please let the next teacher speak."

After the twelve judges finished their comments, the host came back on stage.

Before she could even announce the next person's name, the live chat was already flooded with comments:

Hurry, hurry, hurry, I can't wait!

[Hurry up, what's the organizing committee thinking by putting Yu Miaomiao last?]

The host glanced at the live chat, his expression unchanged, and smiled as he spoke:

"The last presenter is Yu Miaomiao from University A in City A, China. Her work is 'Cocoon of Human Form.' Let's welcome her."