Yang Jia was posting in the Nirvana Guild’s LAN forum.
Just as they had predicted, because the interactive system was developed by the players themselves rather than a system setting, the vast majority of players, in order to keep up with the times and be able to communicate with other players, joined the Nirvana Guild with a nonchalant attitude after the Guild assured them that they would not impose too many restrictions.
At first, there were only players from Phoenix City. As Yang Jia absorbed several other cities and set up the system, the local area network immediately became lively.
The most discussed topic is the interactive system.
In reality, the vast majority of players are quite sensitive to the broader trends within the game. After all, when playing games, while you're just an ordinary person in real life, there are fewer concerns within the game, so naturally, many people want to live life to the fullest. Furthermore, in-game trends aren't discussed with the same level of caution as in real life, so everyone is naturally more enthusiastic and proactive.
Especially since they were located in Phoenix City, the Nirvana Guild's sphere of influence. Phoenix City had been at the forefront of the game from the very beginning, and coupled with Li Bai's celebrity status, it naturally attracted a lot of attention. And the news that they were the first to launch an interactive system, attracting cooperation from various major factions, was naturally undeniable.
Yang Jia wasn't sure if Zhang Zitao had someone on staff to guide this matter, but after scanning the room, she noticed that most people were delighted by the mention of it, their words tinged with pride. However, it wasn't surprising that only members of the Nirvana Guild were participating in the discussion.
Cohesion may sound mysterious, but it's actually built up through small things. Right now, these people are simply proud of being in Phoenix City and the Nirvana Guild. One day, they'll consider themselves a part of this place, hoping that Phoenix City and the Nirvana Guild will be proud of them, too.
However, with millions of gamers in the world, not everyone's focus is necessarily on big things. Many players who simply play games for leisure don't pay attention to these things, but instead focus on exploring the game world.
For people in the 29th century, the words "ecological environment" have become so distant that they can only be seen in history books.
Almost everything in their lives is artificial—artificial air, artificial sunlight, artificial weather, artificial sunshine, artificial vegetables, artificial landscapes... Although technology has advanced to the point where it can meet all daily needs without causing any inconvenience, some people still yearn for a pastoral and natural life.
Being directly exposed to outdoor air and sunlight, eating vegetables grown in the fields, and drinking water from the wells was unimaginable to them, yet they longed for it.
That's why the game "Real" advertises "returning to a world eight hundred years ago" and it has attracted so many people's interest. And this world is indeed very different from their real life, and this alone is enough for many players to immerse themselves in it.
The players around Yang Jia are all special. They came with missions when they first entered the game world, and most of them have lived and fought in outer space and on new planets. Therefore, they are not particularly touched by this environment with green plants everywhere and a great ecology. But it is different for ordinary players who have lived on Earth all their lives.
So in addition to posts discussing the Phoenix gathering, the most common posts on the forum are various sharing posts.
They'll find everything from beautiful scenery to delicious food and fun activities in a city to shopping. Like tourists, these players write detailed itineraries and guides for every place they visit, sharing them with other friends who share their interests.
Among them, the largest number of players come from cities other than Phoenix, because they are now completely excited about the "City Network" and have so many things to share with other players, so they post one after another.
There are still a few remaining natural attractions on the earth, but ordinary people may not be able to save enough money to go there in their entire lives. In comparison, traveling in the game is so affordable and there are far more things to enjoy than in reality. How can players not be excited?
There are even some posts where players have already made plans to go together because the author's writing is so good and the accompanying pictures are so convincing.
This content was so diametrically opposed to Yang Jia's current daily life that it felt like they were in the same time and space. It was only after seeing this that Yang Jia realized that, for the vast majority of people, the game was still very peaceful. While the upper echelons were constantly consolidating, unambitious players simply didn't care, and to them, the changes weren't noticeable.
If she had seen this before, Yang Jia might have sighed in admiration, but now that she had gradually transitioned from survival to life, she had actually developed some interest in these things.
It's quite tragic that she and Li Bai have an online relationship with no clear future. Yang Jia also doesn't want to look back one day in the future and think that their entire relationship was filled with all kinds of development, struggle and resistance, without any peace or joy.
So Yang Jia subconsciously began to study the places mentioned in these posts, intending to pick a suitable one to go with Li Bai.
It may not be convenient to visit other cities, but Phoenix, the city where I was born and raised, I should take Li Bai to see it. That's what it feels like to be in love.
But after reading the post, Yang Jia couldn't help but marvel at the players' exploration abilities. Many of the places mentioned were unknown to her, a Phoenix native, let alone her experience.
Of course, even before these stories happened, Yang Jia's homebody nature had already been revealed, and it was understandable that he had not been to many places.
Yang Jia was taking notes when Li Bai came over. She looked up and saw that Li Bai had been standing beside her for who knows how long. She quickly closed her notebook and pretended to be nonchalant, changing the subject. "When did you come?"
"When you start writing," Li Bai asked, "what is this?"
"If I hadn't read the forum, I wouldn't have known there were so many places to eat, drink and have fun in Phoenix. Let's go together when we have time." Yang Jia pretended to be relaxed.
Li Bai thought for a moment and asked, "Going on a date?"
"Although I think so, you don't have to say it out loud." Yang Jia looked up at the sky.
It would probably be difficult to give Li Bai a surprise, but it doesn't have to be a complete surprise, right?
Li Bai couldn't help but raise his hand and ruffle her hair. "Don't worry about it. Being with you is like dating."
Her tone and expression were calm, but Yang Jia's heartbeat was not. She blushed slightly, turned her head and looked at Li Bai seriously for a while before asking, "How can you make such flowery words sound so upright?"
Li Bai couldn't help but smile slightly, lowered his head and rubbed it against Yang Jia's cheek.
In her past life, she had spent most of her time in a cold laboratory, surrounded by researchers. To them, Li Bai was just a research subject. In addition, Li Bai was inherently indifferent, and her aura could intimidate others at a young age. Naturally, no one would show any affection towards her.
After leaving the lab, Li Bai had seen many normal family interactions and understood her own uniqueness. But before, she hadn't thought there was anything wrong with it and was used to keeping her distance from everyone.
But after being with Yang Jia, she suddenly became attached to the feeling of skin touching skin.
The breath, heartbeat, and temperature of another person.
This feeling was so profound that Li Bai couldn't put it into words. But being with Yang Jia made her feel complete. She hadn't learned any techniques for getting along with others; these things seemed like instincts written into her genes, letting her know exactly what she should do.
Just as Yang Jia had said to her, all human emotions ultimately boil down to "I want." So she was simply expressing her inner feelings honestly.
What she said was not sweet talk, but what was in her heart, which was naturally very touching.
The two leaned against each other, silent for a moment. Yang Jia took the initiative to open her notes and pointed out the destination she had planned to visit to Li Bai. She explained quietly as she looked. As she looked, Yang Jia suddenly felt an unprecedented urge in her heart. She turned to look at Li Bai and said, "Let's go now!"
Whether in the past or now, Yang Jia was not an impulsive person, and rarely did something simply because "I wanted to." Even when she was with Li Bai, it was a gradual process. During this process, her feelings for Li Bai gradually deepened, and she also got to know him better, realizing that she was not completely without a chance.
But for someone like her, if she is really impulsive enough to do something, she must do it.
So after saying this, Yang Jia immediately reached out and pulled Li Bai out the door.
As Yang Jia knew, the turmoil in the upper world had no impact on the lives of ordinary people. So naturally, the NPCs in Phoenix City didn't recognize her as the newly appointed city lord.
Because the game "Real" doesn't currently have a photo function, Yang Jia's name is becoming increasingly well-known among players, but few actually know her. As for Li Bai, she's even more well-known among players, but few can recognize her in person. She also has a unique skill for avoiding attention.
As a result, the two's date trip went very smoothly. They ate, drank and had fun along the way, and were not recognized once.
It had been a long time since Yang Jia had relaxed so much to do something seemingly meaningless. He had given it a try by chance and immediately immersed himself in it. Perhaps it was precisely because such opportunities were so rare and precious that he cherished them the more he could experience the joy of them.
After dinner, Yang Jia rubbed his bloated stomach as he emerged from the restaurant. Hand in hand with Li Bai, they walked along the trees in the evening breeze. Around them were pedestrians, some players, some NPCs. Yang Jia keenly noticed that the initial clear distinction between players and NPCs had shifted. Players were gradually integrating into this world, naturally bringing about certain changes to it.
Subtle, but real.
Yang Jia didn't know how effective these subtle changes would be, nor how long they would last, but for the current gaming world, every change was valuable.
Some things may be difficult for her to do alone, but with the power of thousands, tens of thousands, or even hundreds of millions of people, they can undoubtedly be done.
A single spark can start a prairie fire...
The notification on his personal terminal rang out at the perfect moment. It had actually rang several times that afternoon, but Yang Jia had checked the notifications and, having determined they were nothing serious, simply ignored them. Since this was a rare opportunity to relax, he might as well put everything aside and have fun. Otherwise, if he kept dwelling on these things, the date would be meaningless.
Now that the date is over, she should get back to her normal routine and stop running away.
"It would be great if there was a place where it was just you and me." She sighed to Li Bai.
Li Bai smiled, "If there really is such a place, you won't think so." Life with only two people is fine for a day or two, but it will inevitably become boring after a long time. Boredom will lead to boredom, and disgust will lead to estrangement. At that time, the best result is that they will just get tired of each other.
Besides, both she and Yang Jia have things they must do, and they cannot and are unwilling to just escape like this. That is not their style.
Yang Jia laughed. "I was just saying it casually, but you're right. If such a place really exists, it might not be a good thing."
She turned to look at Li Bai and said seriously, "I plan to make the method of connecting the cities public."
This was a rather drastic change of topic, but Li Bai continued without a hitch. "Alright. We know the facts but not the reasons. Instead of hiding it, why not let others help us find the cause? Maybe we can find a breakthrough."
Besides, there is no such thing as a secret that lasts forever. The more people know about it, the easier it is to reveal it. As time goes by, there will always be a time when it can no longer be concealed.
They had already bought enough time to be the first to connect all eleven cities under the Nirvana Guild, putting them ahead of all other forces. Naturally, they had to leave a path for others. After all, by now, those people's patience had probably worn thin. If they continued to delay, they might even unite against the Nirvana Guild.
After getting Li Bai's approval, Yang Jia smiled slightly and conveyed the message to Bai Ting using his personal terminal, asking her to send the message to all major guilds.
Of course, the news will not be given for free.
Naturally, Qin Yan had to be the one to bargain, and Yang Jia had complete confidence in him.
Sure enough, when she and Li Bai returned to the City Lord's Mansion, Qin Yan had almost settled everything, with only the last guild remaining to be decided.
"It's the Shengshi Guild." Qin Yan looked at Yang Jia in embarrassment. Although he didn't say, "I tried my best," Yang Jia believed he had exhausted all possible methods. However, the Shengshi Guild had some special features that Qin Yan's methods couldn't solve.
The six major families represent the top forces in the entire Chinese region, and under them are many large and small families, each of which is dependent on one of them.
Qin Yan's Qin family was dependent on the Sheng family. His mother's surname was Sheng, and he himself had been raised in the Sheng family. People with such blood ties were often groomed to be the right-hand men of the future family head, and Qin Yan was no exception. However, when he grew up, he showed no interest in joining the army and instead became obsessed with business, earning him the disdain of all members of the Qin and Sheng families.
Among those present at the Shengshi Guild this time was Qin Yan's eldest brother, Qin Pei. Their relationship had always been strained due to their differing philosophies, and it was naturally impossible for them to negotiate terms now that they met. Although the Qin family had abandoned Qin Yan and no longer cared about him due to Li Bai's intervention, Qin Pei still took it for granted that Qin Yan should serve the Sheng family, and specifically offered them the most generous terms at this time.
After listening to Qin Yan's retelling, Yang Jia couldn't help but laugh and cry.
Last time, she'd thought Sheng Lingyun of the Shengshi Guild had a good name and seemed overbearing. Now, it seemed like the entire Sheng family shared this style. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been so unclear about the situation until now. Qin Yan's surname was correct, but he was now a member of the Nirvana Guild. If the Qin family had been polite and polite, they might have lowered their demands for his sake. But now... forget it.
Compared to the Shengshi Guild, Bai Shu from the Silver Guild seemed much more lovable. Bai Yu and Bai Ting were both in the Nirvana Guild, but instead of using it to demand benefits, Bai Shu was willing to suffer a little loss and let Yang Jia take better care of the Bai family. Her magnanimity and generosity were completely different.
"Okay, leave it to me." Yang Jia patted Qin Yan's shoulder and comforted him.
The next moment, Li Bai pulled the hand on Qin Yan's shoulder away. Qin Yan, who was immersed in emotion and loss, was slightly startled. He looked up at Yang Jia, then at Li Bai, and then back to Yang Jia. In the end, he said nothing, nodded silently, and left.
As a shrewd businessman, Qin Yan was most confident in his own vision. But he was surprised to find that the relationship between Li Bai and Yang Jia had undergone a very subtle change without him noticing it at all!
Qin Yan was thinking about this matter in his mind and even forgot the unpleasantness brought by Qin Pei.
Yang Jia also has a way to deal with people like Sheng Lingyun, and that is - Go to Li Bai!
Even the proudest person would inevitably feel a little bit weak when facing Li Bai. After all, whether comparing family background, personal ability, talent, or temperament, Li Bai was superior to others. Even if Sheng Lingyun was proud, he knew this.
With Li Bai's presence, the matter was quickly resolved, and the Shengshi Guild obediently paid the price in exchange for the information they wanted. However, when they left, both Sheng Lingyun and Qin Pei looked unhappy.
However, Yang Jia knew full well that the conflict between the two parties was not only due to this incident, but also because the Spark Guild was established with the support of the Nirvana Guild and had received a lot of practical support from them. Originally, this area was considered to be in the hands of the Shengshi Guild.
In their view, it was equivalent to the Nirvana Guild traveling thousands of miles to compete with them for territory, so it would be strange if they were happy.
Yang Jia couldn't deny this. From the moment she agreed to help the Spark Guild, her relationship with the Prosperous World Guild, the Calla Lily Guild, and the Forget-Me-Not Guild was destined to be bad.
However, in comparison, the Calla Lily and Forget-Me-Not Guilds were much more low-key, and hadn't made any surprises regarding their collaboration. After all, what good would it do to not cause any damage, other than to feel good about it? And even that might not be possible, as they were now in need of help.
These were minor details, simply the different styles of each guild leader, and Yang Jia didn't dwell on them too much. This gathering had given her a preliminary understanding of the leaders of several major guilds, giving her a basis for judgment in the future, rather than having to act blindly.
After finally sending the people from other guilds away, Yang Jia did not immediately count his gains, but first put the parchment scrolls he got from other guilds together.
I don’t know if it was a coincidence or if it was really destined, but there were eight guild forces and a total of eight parchment scrolls, each with a line of words written on it.
Yang Jia and Li Bai studied the scrolls for a while, re-arranging them in a logical order several times before finally arriving at the correct sequence. Then, all the scrolls shifted slightly, converging towards the center, finally merging into a single sheet at a speed indistinguishable to the naked eye. On it was a song, either a record or a prophecy.
Fate fell from the sky,
Day and night are reversed, the world has changed dramatically,
The glaciers melted into the sea, the mountains were flattened,
God's will has come here.
A new fire began to burn.
Heroes expand territory and conquer the world.
Opened Pandora's box.
One day, the whole world will fall asleep.
I don’t know if it was Yang Jia’s illusion, but after these parchments were combined into one, they looked even more worn, and the handwriting was dull, yellowed, and slightly faded, as if bearing the heavy marks of time and vicissitudes of life.
"It's a little different from what I thought." Yang Jia's finger gently ran over the last sentence and whispered.
Because she had only this line, she had always assumed the entire ballad was about the disaster they had witnessed in their own space. But now it didn't make sense, because the ballad didn't mention the meteor shower that nearly destroyed the world.
However, if one insists on explaining it, the phrase "fate came from the sky" can be considered to be true. If it wasn't arranged by "fate", who could have caused such an unprecedented disaster?
If this is understood, the rest of the story can be connected. After the disaster, there was a period of great turmoil. Day and night were reversed, the seas and land changed dramatically, glaciers melted, and mountains became flat... Scientifically speaking, these changes in the geographical environment were due to the frequent and intense movement of the earth's crust, which caused so many strange phenomena.
This kind of environment is naturally not suitable for survival, but God's will comes and new life appears.
This would explain the doubt that Yang Jia had previously raised – it would be impossible for humans to survive a disaster that destroyed the entire world, so where did the new civilization come from?
The author has something to say: 6000 words, to make up for the previous interruption_(:зゝ∠)_
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