Chapter 97: Shocked the Authorities! The Involvement of Major Forces!
Wang Yue, thirty-six years old this year, appeared to outsiders as a silent and reclusive, sloppy old homebody who rarely went out.
This was just his disguise.
Wang Yue was a secret operative of a special department, fluent in multiple languages, proficient in the use of various firearms and vehicles, and had undergone the strictest military and combat training, making him a top elite selected layer by layer from the army.
His daily work included but was not limited to: counter-terrorism operations, undercover infiltration, covert protection of important individuals, and the tracking and secret elimination of foreign spies.
At this moment.
He received an urgent notice.
He attended an online meeting.
Team Leader Zhou did not explain and directly sent a video file: "Watch this first!"
Wang Yue had already prepared himself mentally, after all, in his line of work, he was often exposed to the darker sides of the world, so no matter how bloody, perverse, or morally corrupt the content in the video might be, it would not be surprising.
However.
Upon opening the video.
Wang Yue was stunned.
Two ancient-style masters were dueling.
The style of the footage was completely different from what he had imagined!
One of them, tall and sturdy, wore dark gold armor made of unknown material, wielding a mighty double-edged spear, looking both dashing and dignified, like a legendary heavenly general.
The other, unshaven and weathered, though wearing damaged leather armor and covered in dust, carried a large single-bladed saber and exuded an overwhelming presence, like a supreme martial artist wandering the Jianghu in a wuxia novel.
Although the footage was ultra-clear and incredibly realistic, the setting, background, and sky did not resemble any place on this planet.
The battle was about to erupt.
The one-armed saber wielder pounced like a fierce tiger unleashed, his saber slashing with ferocious roars, each strike filled with substantial destructive power, seemingly capable of tearing apart anything before him.
The dignified heavenly general, however, dodged each ferocious attack by mere millimeters, every move appearing to have been calculated and rehearsed thousands of times, combining beauty and efficiency to the extreme.
After more than ten exchanges.
The saber wielder failed to land even a scratch on the heavenly general, and his saber was suddenly pressed to the ground by the general's spear handle.
Boom!
A loud bang.
Ash and dust rippled outward around them.
The power from the heavenly general’s casual move was unimaginable.
The saber wielder, provoked, looked extremely grim and finally unleashed a terrifying ultimate move; the saber light erupted like a blazing fire, transforming into a vivid, roaring tiger, sweeping dust and stones into the air, exuding an unstoppable momentum.
Then a streak of white saber light tore through the burning tiger, tore through the air, ripped open the ground, and finally landed on the saber wielder, causing him to spit blood and be sent flying ten meters away.
The heavenly general’s first offensive move.
Defeated the saber wielder with just one strike.
What an amazing battle — though the video was only ten seconds long, the content was astonishingly vivid and exciting, only regrettably the frame rate was not high enough to capture every detail.
Wait a second!
What did this mean?
This should be a trailer for some movie, right?
Although he had to admit the quality of this trailer was excellent, perfectly blending realism with special effects, what did it have to do with his job?
Team Leader Zhou: "Finished watching? Any thoughts?"
Wang Yue: "Uh, the production and special effects of this movie are impressive."
Team Leader Zhou said, "This is not a movie, but a real-time footage from a game."
Wang Yue was momentarily stunned: "What? Real-time game footage? That’s impossible. Although I’m not a technical investigator, I can still tell the difference between live-action and CGI."
Team Leader Zhou: "Based on the current information, this is indeed the case. This game is extremely bizarre, and there have been occurrences that modern science cannot explain at all. The tech investigation department is already on the verge of a breakdown."
Could it be a conspiracy by some multinational tech company or an empire?
Wang Yue: "So my task is?"
Team Leader Zhou: "At present, this matter is under a top-secret investigation. We must act discreetly to avoid alerting the target. Starting now, you need to pay close attention to this game and try to make contact with the players."
"Oh, by the way, the game is still in closed beta. You can reserve a spot through the official website to obtain access. Everyone in our department has already signed up. If you manage to get in, you might gather more clues. You should also register later."
"……"
The meeting ended.
Wang Yue’s mind was filled with question marks.
He really had no idea what the higher-ups were thinking.
It’s just an online game, was it really necessary to mobilize so many people?
If there were problems with the game, couldn’t the regulatory authority just issue a ban?
Unless… for some reason, they couldn’t?
Just like the team leader said, this game might involve technology that modern science couldn't explain!
Wang Yue logged into the official website as instructed.
He saw that the number of reservations for Twisted Three Kingdoms had reached nearly five million.
Though he never played games before, he knew that for an online game to have such massive popularity before even officially launching, it must be an industry phenomenon.
He filled out his information.
Successfully reserved a spot.
Because the game was too popular.
Wang Yue felt his chances of getting access were slim.
Thus, he entered the Twisted Three Kingdoms forum through the official site, only to see thousands of posts appearing before him, all posted within the last ten days, with new content being added every second — the popularity was simply astonishing.
Wang Yue started reading these posts.
He was quickly drawn in by the game's content.
【Freshly Baked! The First Gameplay Video of Twisted Three Kingdoms!】 — Little Bell.
【The Complete Story of the Rescue Operation at Woniu Mountain, New NPC Zhou Ji Successfully Joins the Territory, and My Prospects for Future Game Content!】 — Black-Eyed Rui Ge.
【A Wave of Latest Intelligence and Plot Clues Incoming! My Summary and Speculations on the Plot!】 — Chimera Wraith.
【Interviews with Refugees at Woniu Mountain and Preliminary Investigation of Local Customs and Culture!】 — Chenxi.
【Heavy Benefits! The Territory Canteen Has Opened! I’ve Personally Tried It, and the Food is Amazingly Delicious!】 — Midnight Pig Slayer.
【……】
These posts were often thousands, even tens of thousands of words long.
Some were even made into videos.
Many included original images from Twisted Three Kingdoms.
The reply counts on these hot posts often exceeded thousands, sometimes several thousand, showing just how much players on the forum loved this game.
The more Wang Yue read.
The stronger the shock in his heart grew.
A super sandbox? 100% realism? Every NPC had independent personalities and intelligence?
This level of graphics, freedom, realism, and seemingly "black-tech" level AI — could it really be achieved with current technology?
No wonder the higher-ups took it seriously.
Because this technology was simply too incredible!
Many of the black technologies in this game alone could create industries worth hundreds of billions, yet the relevant departments could not even trace the real server location of this game, nor figure out which team was behind it.
Too bizarre!
Too mysterious!
The more Wang Yue understood, the more he felt it was unbelievable.
Without realizing it, he also became genuinely interested in this game.
If what the players on the forum said was true, then this was essentially a second world.
Even though he had never played games before, and even though he only approached Twisted Three Kingdoms because of his mission, he now truly wanted to enter the game himself and see if it was really that magical!
…………
Magic City.
Luxurious penthouse.
When Li Yuling opened various media platforms and social networking sites.
She saw that whether it was on Weibo, Zhihu, Douyin, or Bilibili, the ten-second game video she shot had climbed onto the trending charts, instantly drawing massive attention and discussion.
"Hahaha!"
"I knew it!"
"This video would definitely blow up!"
This was the first gameplay video of Twisted Three Kingdoms!
This video pushed the game’s popularity and exposure to an entirely new level!
Li Yuling loved the thrilling adventures in Twisted Three Kingdoms, and also enjoyed the feeling of absolute freedom within the game!
Seeing her favorite game praised by countless netizens, and the lords she admired worshiped by the masses, not only fulfilled her desire to share, but also brought a spontaneous sense of accomplishment, making her mood soar to its peak.
She hoped that more and more people would pay attention to Twisted Three Kingdoms!
She hoped that more and more people would join this world!
This game could absolutely become a second home for people!
Li Yuling opened the game forum to take another look, and at that moment, a message from the official website caught her attention.
Because players successfully completed the rescue mission, over 700 refugees had joined the territory, rebuilding the abandoned Shangyang Township, which led to an increase in the territory’s population cap, and it was estimated that 100 new closed beta players would be recruited over the next three days.
As soon as this news was released.
It immediately caused a sensation on the forum.
"Holy crap!"
"New recruitment again?"
"This time there are 100 slots!"
"Heh, forget it, I’ve figured it out — normal players have no chance, only those who pull some backdoor deals can get selected!"
"Then why don’t you just cancel your reservation?"
"……"
"Hey, aren’t you guys missing the point? The focus this time isn't just the recruitment of 100 new players, but the reason behind the increase!"
"Because of yesterday’s successful rescue operation, refugees flooded into the territory, building a new settlement — but what’s the necessary link with recruiting players?"
"Could it be that the number of players is connected to the territory’s population and the number of towns?"
"Holy crap, does that mean players’ performance now not only directly impacts territory development and destiny, but also determines whether we queuing players can join the game sooner?"
"This game's freedom is off the charts!"
"It really hands everything over to the players!"
"@Ye Li Meng, @Black-Eyed Rui Ge... begging the pros to hurry up and capture a town!"
"Isn’t the latest intel revealing Sanxiang County? That city has nearly ten thousand people — if it’s taken down, wouldn’t the player capacity massively increase?"
"……"
Li Yuling was also quite surprised.
But it was perfectly in line with Twisted Three Kingdoms' style.
The entire game world, every territory and environment, was all developed and created by the players themselves!
"That’s about enough."
"Time for me to log in."
"Today I need to continue exploring Woniu Mountain!"
Chimera Wraith and Chenxi had gathered a lot of the latest intel on Woniu Mountain.
The plotline at Woniu Mountain was about to fully unfold, and there were many exciting activities coming up that she couldn't miss!
Dong dong!
At that moment.
Someone knocked on the door.
Aunt Zhao said, "Ling Ling, a call from Mr. Li, he needs to talk to you!"
Li Yuling’s heart jumped.
Could it be that her non-stop gaming had been discovered?
Li Yuling reluctantly moved in front of the video call; across the screen was a luxurious conference room, where a stern middle-aged man with a commanding aura sat at the center.
"Lingling!" Li Songlin directly asked, "The Twisted Three Kingdoms gameplay video blowing up online today — was it filmed by you?"
Li Yuling, thinking her father was about to scold her, hurriedly explained, "I only shot a short video, didn’t reveal any in-game information. I’m on summer break now, can’t I relax a bit by gaming?"
Li Songlin’s brows relaxed slightly.
He asked, "Are you really a player in Twisted Three Kingdoms? What's your current level, and what’s your position in the team?"
Huh?
Li Yuling froze.
She almost suspected she had misheard.
Her normally serious, humorless father.
Was actually asking about her game level and team status.
Had this guy eaten something wrong today? She even wondered for a moment if this was some trick.
Li Songlin, seeing his daughter's suspicious and odd expression, immediately explained, "Don’t overthink it. I just found out about this game myself. We believe it has huge potential — it might be a project worth paying close attention to."
Ah, so that’s how it was.
Then it made sense!
Wherever there was profit.
That guy’s nose was sharper than a dog's!
"Of course, Twisted Three Kingdoms is absolutely a revolutionary masterpiece!"
Li Yuling said, "I was among the first batches to get access. I’m now a level 8 Warlock. There are fewer than ten players higher level than me, and my skills and equipment are top-tier. I participate in almost all major events and am one of the main forces of the team!"
If it had been before.
She would never dare to say such ‘idle talk’ in front of her father.
Li Songlin, hearing this, asked more detailed questions about the game.
Such as the realism, the fidelity, the AI experience.
After hearing all kinds of verification from Li Yuling, Li Songlin’s expression clearly changed.
Li Yuling, puzzled, asked, "Dad, since when did you care so much about games?"
Li Songlin said, "This game is indeed extraordinary. Starting today, more and more influential figures will pay attention to it. Since you’re playing it anyway, play it well, strive to be the best. I’ll prepare two hundred million for you to support your development in the game."
What?
Two hundred million?
Li Yuling almost thought she misheard.
Though the family was indeed rich, and two hundred million wasn’t much to Li Songlin, Li Yuling was just a middle school graduate, and this money wasn’t for investing in a business — it was for playing a game.
Incomprehensible.
Had he gone crazy?!
Li Songlin asked, "Is that enough?"
Happiness came too suddenly!
Li Yuling’s mind was spinning: "T-this... this is too much! How could I possibly spend it all!"
She felt like she was living in a dream — the always strict and rigid father, actually supporting her gaming with real money one day.
Although she didn’t know the reason.
No matter what, it was a good thing.
For the foreseeable future, she could openly and proudly play games.
Thinking of this, her heart filled with happiness.
As for how to spend the two hundred million?
Li Yuling thought of Ye Li Meng already forming a small internal team in the game, with considerable investment rumored — perhaps she could also form a team.
…………
Luoshui main base.
Hang Yu sat at his office desk browsing the internet.
He was also reading the posts of players in the forums.
Xiao Ba reminded him, "Master, because of the widespread impact of this video, Twisted Three Kingdoms has officially attracted the attention of some governmental forces and financial groups."
Hang Yu remained very calm: "Is that so? For a game filled with black technology and even phenomena science can’t explain, it’s inevitable that authorities and major forces would pay attention — I just didn’t expect it to happen so quickly!"
No need to worry.
This wasn’t a bad thing.
Twisted Three Kingdoms couldn’t be shut down.
Especially now that its fame was booming and its exposure was rapidly expanding.
After all, Twisted Three Kingdoms was just a layer of rationalized packaging created by the Heavenly Dao Cube!
Imagine this.
If the authorities believed the game was uncontrollable and posed unknown risks, and attempted to ban it through various means, only to find that even without the game as a medium, people could still enter the Abyssal Three Kingdoms world — what kind of reaction would that trigger?
It would undoubtedly be classified as a supernatural event!
People’s faith and the edifice of science would collapse.
Rather than causing panic, it was better to suppress the news and let people continue treating it as just a game!
The reason why it wasn’t a bad thing.
Was because official forces and various groups would soon intervene.
With professional institutions and behind-the-scenes teams supporting them, players’ efficiency would only improve.
Twisted Three Kingdoms wasn’t just a game — maybe one day in the future, it could even influence the real world.
However, Hang Yu believed that influence would be positive and beneficial.
It was about time.
Time to get the players moving.
Hang Yu casually issued the newly prepared tasks.
Requesting a wave of votes!