Game of the World Tree

Li Mu, a 22-year-old male, of ordinary appearance and ordinary family background, was an ordinary college student in China.

However, he had another identity--an anchor of virtual reality games.

Since virtual reality games became hot all over the world two years ago, he became one of a legion of anchors with his passion for games and live-streams. He earned some money with his eloquence and story-telling ability.

Nevertheless, different from many anchors who concentrated solely on the game, his main work was to evaluate various kinds of virtual reality games. In his words, although virtual reality games emerged endlessly and became increasingly more exciting, no game could really surprise him and keep him playing…

Therefore, in his profession, he had a nickname, "king of nitpicking." He specifically caviled at various kinds of virtual games.

In fact, this was normal.

Although virtual reality networks developed fully in recent years and many ordinary families had game cabins, most virtual engines that were sold in the market could not function well. When people were playing games, various kinds of bugs always emerged and made them helpless.

And Li Mu made his audience laugh by discovering these bugs.

Li Mu sat before his computer, made a cup of instant coffee, and opened the backstage of his live-stream.

"I'll look for an objective of the new episode of Mu's Evaluation."

He sighed as he looked at the data from his backstage.

Recently, all the new games sold were of such poor quality that he did not want to evaluate them.

Because many people saw the chance to make money through virtual reality games, individuals of all trades came to develop games. But as their technology was limited, the quality of the games designed by many corporations was too low…

Li Mu could be considered to be a popular anchor. He despised those rubbish games. He only appreciated those great works that cost a lot!

After all, he was only satisfied that he could discover bugs in great works!

"I haven't seen the web page for a week. Let me see what the new works are like on the web page!"

While singing a song, Li Mu went to the web page that recommended virtual reality games.

His gaze unceasingly swept across advertisements.

"Eastern fantasy again? This topic has been chosen too many times. Boo, it's the special effect of 50-cent advertisements…"

"Shooting? Wow… that's fine. But there are already many good works… Besides, I have focused on this topic in former episodes. I want a change this time…"

"The growing up of pretty girls? Ha ha ha… It's good… Good… No, I don't want my account to be closed yet."

He skimmed through the advertisements of games while talking to himself.

"Hmmm?"

All of a sudden, he paused as his mouse stopped at an advertisement.

"The Kingdom of Elves?"

That was not a very attractive advertisement. There was a grand World Tree on the front cover. A beautiful, holy blonde elf with her eyes closed, was praying to the World Tree.

Although the elf maiden was very good-looking on the front cover, this front cover could at most only be counted good in vast advertisements of virtual reality games.

After all, the front cover was like a face. Everyone could make a good-looking front cover! But there were so many games that did not match their front covers…

Li Mu never believed in front covers. And what attracted him this time was not the front cover, but the click rate under the advertisement of the game.

"What the hell? A click rate of three million? Did the corporation buy it on Taobao?"

What surprised him was that the advertisement only appeared two days ago and unexpectedly had a click rate as high as three million!

Once his curiosity rose, he could not suppress it.

He took a sip of coffee and clicked the advertisement.

Like many other advertisements, this advertisement had only one promotional film and a link for reservation. What surprised Li Mu was that there were more than 10,000 comments below.

This phenomenon was uncommon on the virtual reality games' web page.

He did not click to play the promotional film directly. Instead, he glanced at the comments.

"Demasia: Damn! Did the developer ask a film company to make the promotional video? Did their expenditure explode?!"

This was the comment that earned the most likes.

Fantasy?

Li Mu raised his eyebrows.

Did this subject matter decline in China now? It was the least popular in demand. But it was hot in Europe and the US…

Most of his interest was gone. But because he was bored indeed, he read on.

"African Lucky Player: Fantasy Internet games have long declined in China. If this game can be hot, I'll eat shit in a live-stream."

This was the second hottest comment. And the number of likes seemed to show the potential to surpass the hottest comment.

"Boo…"

Li Mu could not help but laugh.

Nowadays, people liked to swindle others.

He clicked a like on the spot and then turned downwards.

"The Forward Hair on Legs: Thought-accelerating technology? It sounds marvelous. But does it really exist?"

This was the third hottest comment.

Thought-accelerating technology?

Li Mu froze.

What is this? It seemed that he had never heard it?

He read the comment carefully. Then, he found to his surprise, that it seemed like a new technology mentioned by the developer in the brief introduction of the game. It was said that this technology could enable players to think faster in the virtual world.

Players only spent 15 minutes in the real world to stay in the game world for an hour!

That was to say, players could sense more game time!

So cool? Was it exaggerated? Could it be made by a tycoon? Tencent or Netease?

Li Mu pouted in doubt. Then, he glanced at the developer's name.

"World Tree Leading-edge Technology Corporation…"

His expression was glazed.

"What corporation is it? I've never heard of it…"

"Could it be another small company that boasts?"

Li Mu frowned, forming a negative opinion of it.

Nowadays, Internet companies always wanted to make big news, regardless of their own capability…

Li Mu shook his head and judged that it probably was another hype aiming to gain publicity.

But the mere thought of the click rate that was as high as three million convinced him to have a look at the promotional film.

"I'll watch the promotional film! The comments about it seem good."

He clicked lightly to start the promotional film…

As the promotional film started, the computer screen instantly darkened.

Li Mu took a sip of coffee and began to watch it impassively.

With a disembodied song, the scene slowly brightened.

The first thing he saw was a grand World Tree…

Centering round the World Tree, the zoom lens gradually became more distant. Li Mu saw several splendid cities and elegant, beautiful elves shuttling in green cities. They talked and smiled, a real scene of the elf civilization unfolding before his eyes…

At first, Li Mu was unfazed. But he was soon attracted by the ever-changing scene.

Unexpectedly, he felt that he was in the scene with the miraculous and pleasant landscape, splendid and unique cities, elegant and noble elves, and joyous, pleasing background music.

A pleasant female voice sounded slowly and started telling the story of the World Tree and the elf race on the continent of Sagas…

"It's interesting and it sounds real. The landscape is amazing. The personas are fine and their actions are smooth. What is the background music? It's so pleasing but it seems that I've never heard it…"

Li Mu could not help but praise.

Regardless of the game, this opening cartoon was delicate and vivid indeed!

Gradually, Li Mu became serious.

The story continued…

The great power made a brilliant elf civilization, but at the same time, also caused vanity and arrogance.

Their opulence and wealth was finally coveted.

The power of schemes accumulated and finally caused a crisis.

Suddenly, the scene changed. Golden light brightened the sky with a holy chant and angry roars, before several grand, misty figures emerged.

A war broke out.

Afterwards, burning rocks fell down from the sky, mountains fell, and the earth split. Numerous holy angels of faith and huge oak guards fought. The originally peaceful landscape turned into a battlefield…

Brutal killings, splendid magic, spills of blood, magnificent miracles…

Different scenes enhanced each other. Tragic, dazzling scenes accompanied by the disembodied, distant, stirring, and moving background music made Li Mu subconsciously widen his eyes. He became very excited and could not help but exclaim "Wow."

While exclaiming for the wonderful special effect, he felt worried and sympathetic about the elf race from the bottom of his heart.

Li Mu was enchanted.

At the end of the war, many gods fought against each other. Under the attack of countless magic powers, the exuberant World Tree ultimately came to its end, withered and decayed…

With bitter cries, the elf civilization crumbled, becoming history…

With a disembodied, sad song, the scene fell into darkness.

A sad, moving piece of music started echoing.

With his attention totally concentrated on it, Li Mu subconsciously gave a long sigh. Unexpectedly, he resonated with it.

"Prosper in adversity, and to die in pleasure… Such is the prosperity and decline of a civilization…"

After a while, the scene changed again.

A beautiful elf maiden appeared in the scene.

She was wearing a gorgeous dress specialized for sacrificing, kneeling in the dilapidated Temple of Nature and praying to the statue in tears…

With the maiden's prayer, the disembodied song gradually approached a climax. Finally, in the last chant, a bell rang deafeningly!

The statue flickered slightly…

The scene darkened again and all the sounds were gone.

A few seconds later, several lines of grand and unspeakably artful, big Chinese characters appeared on the screen:

"Miraculous thought-accelerating technology will enable you to enjoy the game world freely!"

"Intellectual AI will bring you a game experience that you've never had before!"

"We have created an epic fantasy world that is the truest and the most profound in history. It features the best sensory substitution and the highest degree of freedom!"

"The pre-OBT of the virtual reality Internet game, The Kingdom of Elves, will formally take place on June 1! Welcome to sign up!"

"The kingdom of elves is waiting for you to save it!"

The promotional film ended there.

Li Mu was still in a daze. It seemed that he still had not come back to reality from the shocking scene of the war of gods just now.

After a while, he pinched his thigh.

"Damn! How much did they spend in composing the story and achieving these special effects?!"