Chapter 2
Having said that, Zhan Mu was still curious about it and couldn't even sleep. He turned off the computer, took out his cell phone, and started searching for news about Yuzhou University and Lu Chao.
There actually was one. As half of Zhan Mu's face was reflected in the blue light of the screen, his expression changed from questioning to serious and deep.
Because Lu Chao is not just a game boss - he is a real person who exists and lives in this world!
Lu Chao, a student in Class 1, Grade 2020, of Yuzhou University, studied international politics. He even received full scholarships in his freshman and sophomore years, and won the championship in the Campus Cup Badminton Tournament.
But after my junior year, all my personal resumes came to an abrupt end.
He tried to follow the clues again, but found that there was no information.
At this point, Zhan Mu already felt a chill down his spine.
A brain-computer game, but it actually has a digital life in it, and it's a real college student in real life?
Considering the popularity of the game "Extremis", if this matter gets out, their entire company will probably be in trouble.
Zhan Mu did not continue to dig deeper into him, but instead browsed the company background of the game Juejing. In addition to the few active investors, there was also a beautiful woman who served as a technical consultant.
Zhan Mu noticed her because the ID photo looked very similar to Lu Chao, and it was probably consistent with what Lu Chao said... His mother is dead?
Zhan Mu clicked in to take a look, but found that there was little information on the resume, as if it had been deleted.
——A shocking conspiracy involving the upper class.
Zhan Mu finally came to this conclusion.
His heart was beating violently, and he felt quite indignant, even wanting to expose the darkness, but when he touched the mouse, he subconsciously froze again, and his mind was full of thoughts.
As a brain-computer game, the game "Desperate Situation" has been developed for six or seven years since 2018. It became popular on the entire Internet as soon as it was released. It is invested by the technology giant BH company and has technical support from Xiaguo University of Science and Technology. It is still in operation.
Lu Chao is a new dungeon boss that appeared in recent months.
The real person Lu Chao disappeared in 2023 in real life, and the game "Extremis" was released in 2024, which means he was murdered in reality during this time period.
Then his mother saved his data, turned him into a digital life and stuffed him into the game as a boss.
And his mother is gone too.
What on earth had this family done wrong?
Since it's for protection, why not just be an NPC? Why become a part of the game and a boss?
Zhan Mu began to speculate, thinking that his existence might have been discovered, and that an unknown force deliberately made Lu Chao the boss of the dungeon so that he would be a part of this game forever.
Oh my god, that's miserable.
Not only was he dead in real life, but now even his identity as a human being was wiped out. Did Lu Chao still want to come out? Did he still want to redress his injustice? Did he still want to regain his human dignity?
He has become a digital life, no longer a human being but just AI. I am afraid that he will not be treated fairly as a human being after he comes out.
Zhan Mu grabbed his hair in extreme annoyance, thinking to himself, how could I, a good man with such a strong sense of justice, end up in such a mess?
So should we help him or not?
-
With such a mood, Zhan Mu fell into a deep sleep. The next day he was woken up by a phone call at five in the morning. It was from his sister Zhan Miao.
Yes, Zhan Mu has a younger sister.
The girl is also a college student, attending a 985 university, and is already in her senior year and is preparing for the postgraduate entrance exam. She is very hardworking in college and is much better than her decadent brother.
He was drowsy and was still licking Lu Chao's face in his dream. When he woke up, he picked up his phone and took a vague look at it, then immediately turned it off, turned over, wrapped himself in the quilt and continued to sleep.
Within a few minutes, there was a knock on the door of the rental house, and Zhan Miao's voice could be heard: "Old Mu, open the door! Didn't I send you a message asking you to take me in for the night? My school doesn't open until tomorrow to let students go back to class."
This is Anzhou High-tech Zone in Xia State, near Anzhou University.
What's funny is that the younger sister Zhan Miao goes to Anzhou University, but the older brother Zhan Mu goes to the neighboring Anzhou Jinjiang College, a second-tier university. There's no comparison between "college" and "university".
"Then why don't you come tomorrow? Why come so early?" Zhan Mu said lazily.
He was too lazy to open his eyes, so he wrapped his head with the quilt and continued to pretend to sleep, but he found that the knocking on the door by Zhan Miao was getting louder and louder.
"Brother, I'm not saying anything bad about you, but there's no future in being a game streamer. Just go home. You've been staying in this shabby house for almost half a year, and what have you managed to come up with?" Zhan Miao chattered on and on.
Someone next door even yelled, "What are you making so much noise so early in the morning?!"
I'm impressed by this wooden rental house with no sound insulation at all.
Zhan Mu threw off the quilt, got out of bed, put on his pants, opened the door, and asked, "Why are you back to school so early?"
"I came here specially to persuade you to go home." Zhan Miao pushed the suitcase in naturally, checked the cleanliness of his house like a landlord, and then pouted with disgust.
"Admit it, you're not Lu Benwei, Xiao Ming Jian Mo, or even Da Sima. You can't play with abstraction, and you don't have the comedic talent to be a self-media personality," Zhan Miao said. "Why don't you just go home and take over your dad's store? What's so embarrassing about that? It really hurts me to see you end up like this, you're stuck in this room."
"Shut up." Zhan Mu rubbed his face, and sat back in front of the computer in a depressed mood. He wanted to continue playing the game, but he didn't want to open it because he was worried about Lu Chao.
He said sullenly, "I get up early and go to bed early, eat three meals a day on time, and occasionally go out for a night run to exercise. My lifestyle is more regular than yours, isn't it?"
The room was very small, with just a bed, a small sofa, a computer desk and a chair. Fortunately, there was also a separate bathroom. Zhan Mu had been staying in this rental house for a long time playing games to make money. Since no one brought him meals, he had to buy instant noodles in boxes, which was extremely shabby.
"Go home! You can't even afford to eat." Zhan Miao was so frustrated that he kicked a carton of pickled cabbage and beef noodles and said disdainfully, "You've been tinkering with this for so long. If you don't have the talent, forget it. Why are you so persistent?"
"It's none of your business." Zhan Mu slammed the table heavily, his eyes burning with worry. He wanted to say something but stopped, feeling embarrassed and irritated.
Since childhood, Zhan Miao has been more likable than him. Whether in terms of academic performance or interpersonal relationships, his parents always favor his younger sister more and belittle his older brother. People say that a married daughter is like spilled water, but in their family, their son is not as good as their little cotton-padded jacket.
Zhan Mu was forced to work in self-media. Firstly, he wanted to be an internet celebrity. He found playing games and live-streaming fun and relaxing. If he became famous, it would be hundreds of times better than working a part-time job.
Secondly, he was a complete failure. He majored in physical education, but he didn't pass the teacher's exam, nor did he have any certifications for coaching or nutrition. His job prospects were already limited, and his personal abilities weren't exceptional. Going to university was the same as not attending at all. After four years of muddling through, his true colors were revealed when he entered society: a complete waste.
Third, I don’t want to go home. It’s depressing to be with my parents, and I’m really tired of the monotonous life in the small town.
Although the prosperity of the big city does not belong to Zhan Mu, he still does not want to leave this kind of extravagant and dazzling lights.
It's so bad. Zhan Mu also knows that he is an ordinary person. His mediocre parents can't provide for him. Even if he has a little beauty, he doesn't want to get close to it. He wants to work and make money like a man.
It’s so difficult, really so difficult.
Zhan Mu wasn’t starving to death, but he couldn’t get up either.
"Have fun by yourself, bye." Zhan Mu suddenly stood up, picked up his phone and left, glaring at Zhan Miao angrily, but as the host, he was driven out of the rental house by his guest.
"No, no! Oh, brother~" Zhan Miao stopped him, smiled apologetically, and became respectful and humble. She took out her phone and flipped through a photo, saying, "Have you seen this person? Is he from your school? Brother, tell me~"
Zhan Mu narrowed his eyes, took a closer look, and replied, "Huang Jiye, the rich second-generation kid who's one grade below me, always wears his fluorescent orange sneakers when he plays basketball. What's going on? What's your relationship with him?"
There is a joke that all the local high school teachers in Anzhou say: if you study hard, you can go to the next door (Anzhou University), and if you don’t study hard, you can only go to the next door to the next door (Anzhou Jinjiang College).
Yes, this is academic discrimination.
"Really?" Zhan Miao smiled shyly when she heard that, and that smile was filled with shyness and a little surprise and joy.
She put her phone away and looked at the smile in the photo. Zhan Mu felt that the smile was very familiar. It was that of an ignorant teenage girl, and she also had a yearning for rich second-generation men.
"He's a scumbag. I'm telling you the truth." Zhan Mu laughed dryly and said, "I'm also a sports student. I know the nature of sports students, especially boys. What's more, I'm a year older than him. How do you think I know him?"
"It's not just because of his pair of fluorescent, sexy basketball shoes, but also because of his romantic history. He's lavish, just for sex, and then breaks up with you once he's had sex. Even I, as a senior, have heard about this. Do you like this?"
Zhan Mu's eyes turned serious and scrutinizing.
"No, I'm just asking." Zhan Miao immediately turned off the screen, looking flustered. However, she righteously stated that she was not in love and said, "He's pursuing me, I'm just curious. Don't take it seriously, brother. I'm the kind of person who worships money."
"Well, I'm leaving now. I'm going to stay at my classmate's house. Come visit me when you have time." Zhan Miao said, picked up her suitcase and left, making a playful gesture to her brother.
"Anyway, I've delivered my message. It was you who didn't go home. I'll say the same thing when my parents ask. Bye~ I'm going to stay at my classmate's house. Who cares about your little rental house? Haha."
She struggled downstairs, her suitcases banging against each other. Zhan Mu was about to help her move them, but he found he was still in his underpants, so he could only yell, "Don't date that Huang Jiye! He's such a jerk! He's a liar! He's a famous liar in our hospital!"
The person has gone far away.
Zhan Mu shook his head and just as he turned around, he saw a familiar handsome face. He was sighing and squatting on his computer screen, peeking at his browser history...
He also had a meaningful smile on his face.
No, how come you, a game boss, crawled out?
Lu Chao, this is ridiculous. He is like a virus, popping out of a bug interface. He is clearly doing nothing but supporting his face with one hand, but the whole computer seems to be alive and running at high speed, and the data naturally enters his brain.
"Sorry, I'm a digital life, so I didn't mean to spy on your privacy." Lu Chaoyou replied, "In other words, as long as I think about it, any form of electronic device will be deciphered by me."
"Then don't even think about it!" Zhan Mu sneered and was about to unplug the network cable.
"Don't! I want to make a deal with you!" Lu Chao's voice came from the speakers, but it was of no use. Zhan Mu was quick to kill him again.
"Your sister has already talked to Huang Jiye!"
Zhan Mu froze, his head popping out from under the computer desk. Facing Lu Chao's anxious, yet somewhat helpless, apology, he said, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop."
Zhan Mu stood up and sat back down in front of the computer, his attitude both noble and condescending. He sneered and asked, "To be honest, I checked your resume just last night. If I'm guessing correctly, your family has political connections, but you offended a powerful figure, which led to the destruction of your family, right?"
"Yes, that's right." Lu Chao revealed the reserved and shy side of his gaming persona. It was strange that his decisive and calm actions always made people feel broken and compassionate.
"Through big data comparison, I noticed you're very good at gaming. Of course, that's not the main reason I'm looking for your help," Lu Chao replied. "Rather, you're short of money, you come from a simple family background, and based on your personal records, I think you're a helpful person."
Zhan Mu's eyes widened, feeling a bit amused and speechless. He covered his face with his hands and said, "Don't say that. I feel more like a big complainer who was blackmailed. I'm just a small person who just wants to eat and wait for death..."
This is a normal person.
When Lu Chao felt regretful, he comforted himself in this way.
After all, the last time he took the initiative to show up, hoping to clear his name and restore his human rights, he went to find a rich woman, the daughter of a powerful official who had spent hundreds of thousands on Lu Chao's personal IP, but she was vague and didn't take it seriously. After repeated spending, she had become a game boss and a digital life.
His family is indeed involved in politics.
A few years ago, during the global crisis, artificial "fluorescent plants" took over Earth like a biological virus. Miasma permeated the air, and invisible poisons like fruit smoke and poetry powder were not subject to national control, indirectly contributing to the rampant spread of "fluorescent disease."
The government is constantly in internal strife, the great powers are divided, and the existence of the "Undersea Base - Blue Continent" has emerged.
In the apocalyptic era, danger and opportunity coexist, and science and technology develop unprecedentedly: cyber data people, light-hardened walls, underwater base Blue Continent, and a new electronic device "bracelet" that integrates touch screen watches.
In short, this is an emerging era of high technology and high civilization.
But the underlying tone of history has never changed. The gap between the rich and the poor, the open and covert struggles between people, the competition for interests between families, and the competition for strength between countries have never stopped.
It is obvious that the Lu Chao family is the loser in the Lingshan battle.
"You, you don't like me?" Lu Chao whispered.
Zhan Mu was so frightened that he raised his head suddenly, feeling thunder rolling in his head. He looked at the computer screen and saw the handsome guy inside blinking his thick eyelashes, as if he was aggrieved and looked like a green tea dog, showing his face that was trying to please the female group to the fullest.
"I..." Let's not talk about whether this is seduction.
Zhan Mu has always been soft-hearted and can't stand seeing girls cry, let alone men. This is too strange. He replied with a hard voice: "Okay, brother, just say what you want to say. I want to listen to your tragic past and I will do my best, okay?"
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