To ascend, I had no choice but to create games

Chapter 435: Chapter 260 Good Days Are Here (Second Update)_2

Looking up, Wu Wei asked in disbelief, “Excuse me, is all of this free?”

“It’s free,” the staff member nodded, then remembered something and quickly added, “Well, it’s not exactly free. You still have to do something, right?”

A shock went through Wu Wei’s mind, feeling that the real catch was about to come.

There’s no such thing as a free lunch, and next, they’ll probably ask him to buy some so-called game platform membership, the kind that costs eight thousand eight hundred a year.

Just as Wu Wei was bracing himself to refuse, the staff member had him follow a Feixin public account, then pointed at the survey feedback and said, “After the experience, please remember to fill out a survey questionnaire. Don’t worry if you forget, we will make sure you complete it.”

“…That’s it?”

“What else?”@@novelbin@@

“You’re not charging any money?”

“Why should we charge you? Inviting you to experience the game has already taken up your time, why would we charge you?”

At that moment, Wu Wei felt his worldview crumble.

So there really are companies like this!

And what shocked him even more was yet to come.

Upon learning that Wu Wei would not leave until the day after tomorrow, the staff member said, “If possible, you can come to experience it again tomorrow. If you don’t want to come, it’s okay too, we have VIP tickets to the Panda Base where you can touch pandas. Also, don’t forget to collect your souvenir when you leave, which is a random gaming merchandise from Fang Cheng Studio.”

Leaving the experience hall in a daze, Wu Wei felt like he was still in a dream.

These gaming companies are really going all out, aren’t they!

So how fun must this game be to justify such services?

Feeling anxious, Wu Wei had dinner at a partnered restaurant and then returned to the experience hall, approaching machine number fifteen.

The bulky machine was anchored to the ground, its interior resembling an operating table. Once Wu Wei lay down in his pajamas, he heard the staff member say in a friendly tone, “Good night, and enjoy the game. Oh, and if you don’t fall asleep within fifteen minutes, we’ll wake you up for a later attempt. Don’t be nervous; many people succeed after a few tries.”

“Sleep? Wait, what kind of gaming console has you play asleep!” Wu Wei asked in surprise.

“This very one. Now, good night.”

The lid of the gaming capsule closed before him, pushing Wu Wei’s question back down with it.

The darkness made Wu Wei increasingly anxious, but when a heartbeat-like sound began, he found himself inexplicably calming down.

A faint light appeared, forming a cluttered yet warm image before him, vaguely reminding Wu Wei of a warm, long-unfelt sensation.

The gaming machine began to shake slightly, matching his breathing. The setup slowly reminded him of the feeling of being back in his mother’s embrace.

Sleepiness overcame him, Wu Wei yawned, then closed his eyes and fell into a deep sleep.

When he awoke again, he found himself outside.

He was surrounded by an endless forest, lying deep within the trees.

Confused, he raised his hand and found that his hand had turned into a paw, and his body was covered with grey fur.

Who am I again?

That’s right, I am Wu Wei, and also a lead wolf.

Suddenly, Wu Wei realized he was still dreaming, only he was vividly aware of being in a dream.

In the dream, he had become a lead wolf, wandering through his own territory.

He didn’t need to worry about food; his subordinates would provide it; he didn’t need to fuss over work because he was a wolf.

The hassles of work disappeared, and complex social relationships were no longer a concern. He just needed to stroll through the forest and then enjoy his meal.

He could play in the river, groom himself on stones, and when the moon rose, he could lie in his den admiring the moonlight without worrying about having to get up early the next day.

All the troubles of being human had vanished, and at this moment, Wu Wei had entirely returned to the wilderness, beginning to wholly enjoy the days as a wolf.

His sense of smell became incredibly sensitive, able to detect the scent of green grass, the breath of prey, and even changes in atmospheric pressure. The influx of unprecedented information made Wu Wei realize how rich the world’s odors were.

Leading his own pack of wolves, they raced through the forest together, frolicked and romped, with the vast woods as their playground. They could sprint speedily between trees, reveling in the joy of the rush.

He even fought with a wolf that challenged his status as the alpha, their battle fierce yet restrained. Relying on instinct and his own intelligence, he clenched the other’s neck in his jaws until it whimpered in submission before he let go.

He was even favored by a few female wolves, who fawningly nuzzled his ears and neck, but he wasn’t interested in wolves.

Wu Wei, transformed into a wolf, craved to run, longing to dash through the woods.

The scuffles with other wolves made his blood boil, and he couldn’t wait to race across the mountains, leap across boulders, like a free gust of wind weaving effortlessly through the forest, indulging in the sheer joy of running.

It wasn’t until the two-hour experience was over that he was awakened from the game pod.

Sitting up in the game pod, he felt an itch in his teeth, wanting to tear into raw flesh with his canines and enjoy the pleasure of chewing heartily.

Half-awake, he was escorted by the staff to a private resting room.

Various items had been prepared for him there, and Wu Wei found the chewing stick particularly to his liking.

Upon seeing the chewing stick, he dashed over, took it in his mouth, and started to rip into it with gusto.

The staff had already grown accustomed to such sights.

She closed the door, then said through it, “Mr. Wu, when you feel ready, please press the call button aside, and I will come to explain some precautions to you.”

Wu Wei heard her words, but he didn’t care much.

He just wanted to properly exercise his teeth, then go fight another wolf.

This state lasted for two more hours before it eased, making Wu Wei realize that he was actually a person, not a wolf.

It wasn’t easy to calm his thoughts, but he finally pressed the call button, and the staff arrived promptly.

Looking at Wu Wei’s flushed face, the staff politely asked, “Mr. Wu, how do you feel?”

“Pretty good, but also not so good. Sorry, I’m not very good at speaking now?”

“That’s normal, everyone feels like this after their first experience.”

“…Only after the first time?”

At that moment, Wu Wei felt like he had lost something very important, and he suddenly felt wistful.

The time spent as a wolf had been his freest in recent years.

No credentials to verify, no need to flatter superiors and colleagues, no worries about rent, internet fees, utilities, no pressure from family to get married.

Life as a wild animal was indeed fraught with danger, but the simulation game had removed all that, leaving only the freest and happiest parts.

Seeing Wu Wei’s expression, the staff smiled faintly again, then said, “I might not have made myself clear. At the current level of realism, it is hard to replicate previous sensations. However, if you increase the realism, you can still have new experiences.”

“Realism can be heightened!”

“Yes, according to the data, it’s easiest for beginners to accept a realism setting of 15%, and we can go as high as 30%. However, 30% can be a bit risky, so we start at 15% and then gradually increase as players adapt.”

Realizing his recent experience was only at 15%, Wu Wei gasped, unable to utter a word.

And upon knowing it could go as high as 30%, he was completely astounded.

Every 1% increase brought about an all-encompassing evolution of the gaming experience, and this extraordinary encounter with the game made Wu Wei realize how close virtual reality had come to himself.

No wonder Gong Gong had praised this technology so highly in the livestream. It was indeed an invention that could change the world.

And for gaming enthusiasts, the good days had truly arrived.