Absolute Death Game

Situ Yu sat among a group of male and female otakus, feeling slightly helpless as she tugged at the baggy tracksuit that hung off her frame. In order to convincingly portray a female gamer deeply enthralled by online games, she had to sacrifice her image.

She not only changed to a hairstyle she would normally never consider, but she also traded her usual attire for an old set of casual clothes, completely shedding the image of the smart and resplendent policewoman she used to be.

Entering the company proved to be much easier than expected. With her exceptional reflexes and some residual gaming experience from her university days, she barely passed the company's assessment and became a new employee. For some time to come, she would be conducting her secret investigation here, seeking the truth behind those mysterious cases. She was all in this time.

"Number thirteen, you've passed the assessment. Please come with me," called a man who looked like a college professor.

Upon hearing her number called, Situ Yu immediately perked up, (Finally, it's my turn?) a thought flashed through her mind. She tried to look very nervous as she stood up from her seat, though in truth she didn't need to pretend that much because she was indeed quite nervous.

Glancing back at those still waiting for their results, she followed the man with a touch of relief.

"Hello, my name is Ouyang, welcome to our company." The man extended his hand warmly as they walked, perhaps a bit too enthusiastically, but Situ Yu still shook hands with him before being led into a room. Inside were already eight or nine other people who, like her, seemed to be the selected newcomers.

"Please wait here for a moment. Someone from our company will come to train you shortly. However, before that, we need to conduct a medical examination. Don't be nervous; it's just a simple blood test and such routine matters," he said before leaving.

Situ Yu took a seat in an empty spot, surrounded by a bunch of excited otaku boys, all of whom looked to be under twenty, younger than her, and it appeared she was the only female newcomer, which annoyed her. The biggest taboo of going undercover is to stand out, and without intending to, she had already made this mistake.

Xiao Buli and Li Jian stood side by side at the door, observing the newcomers in the room who resembled their past selves, awkward and visibly uneasy, feigning calm yet looking around.

"What a bunch of noobs," Li Jian suddenly said. Xiao Buli nodded. These newcomers seemed a bit too young compared to the generally over twenty-five, even in their thirties, veterans in their studio. This batch was mostly just over twenty, some even looking like they might not be twenty yet. He wondered if there was a special reason for this.

The advantage of youth is more energy and quicker reflexes. Although he was reluctant to admit it, Xiao Buli knew all too well that once someone passes twenty-five, their gaming abilities decline, and even he was not exempt from this.

The downside of being young is a lack of steadiness and experience. In other games, this might not matter much, but in a game where you only have one life, such shortcomings can sometimes be fatal, which is perhaps why the company specifically arranged for him and Li Jian to look after these newcomers.

As he pondered this, several individuals dressed as nurses and doctors came in, drew a little blood from each new person, asked a few simple questions about their health, and concluded the medical check-ups hastily. Watching the medics leave through a different door, Xiao Buli executed his unique secret technique, Secret Sound Transmission.

"Wu, it's your turn," he said. A barely discernible voice responded in his ear, "Don't worry." The faint scent that had been lingering around him quietly dissipated.

Xiao Buli felt a sense of anticipation. He had always been curious about how characters in the game were created, and his thoughts always returned to the medical examination he underwent when he first joined the company. Therefore, this time he specifically requested to observe the newcomers, in reality, providing cover for Wu Min'er.

"Okay, you two, come on in," Qin Shimoon's voice sounded from behind them, and they entered the room.

As the two walked in, the newcomers eyed them with the curiosity of children. Xiao Buli looked rather normal; his physique was lean and strong, inconspicuous under his clothing. In contrast, Li Jian's Hacker Empire attire was a bit more outlandish, not to mention his burly build and the intimidating aura that he unintentionally exuded.

The people below started whispering among themselves.

"Are these two really gamers? They don't look like it."

"Probably security from the company."

"Yeah, I agree, definitely security."

Hearing the discussions below, Xiao Buli felt somewhat speechless. He looked at Li Jian for guidance, but Li Jian said, "You do the introductions. I'm somewhat tired of this kind of thing."

After that, he walked to one side, sat down on a chair, and crossed his arms.

If it weren't for the fact that he knew Li Jian had been demonized, Xiao Buli might have actually found his change surprising. But now, he just nodded and cleared his throat to say, "Welcome to Qilin Studio. I'm going to be your team leader and mentor for the next month.

I'll guide you through the introductory phase of the game you'll be playing, which is called 'Absolute Death Domain.' It's extremely difficult and has some similarities to the expert mode of 'Diablo II.' Your character absolutely cannot die because if they do, there is no way to revive them. Plus, game accounts are very rare, and you can only create one character per account.

So, if your game character dies, your contract with the company ends as well. Please remember, in the game do not lightly attempt to challenge difficult monsters. Try to keep a low profile, or else if you die, you'll have to leave. Any questions?"

A teenager who looked about sixteen or seventeen suddenly raised a hand, and Xiao Buli pointed at him, signaling that he could speak.

The teenager asked curiously, "What's Diablo?"

Xiao Buli: "....."

Not even knowing what Diablo is, what are these newbies here for! But after thinking about it, it seemed reasonable that they wouldn't know, considering Diablo was a game from a decade ago. Am I already that old?

Feeling somewhat depressed, he explained the significance of the Diablo game and gave a brief overview of what expert mode was. The teenager nodded as if he understood but didn't, finally saying, "I still don't get it, but it sounds impressive." Your journey continues on My Virtual Library Empire

Xiao Buli was completely out of patience.

"Alright, let me continue. As your mentor, I'll try my best to keep you alive for this month, though that's basically impossible. Every time there is a training for newbies, some drop out midway, either due to overconfidence or a failed challenge.

And of course, there's always simple bad luck, because this game is not like those newbie online games where even walking is automated, or those grind-fests where you can keep reviving and restarting. This game is a true world of cruelty—a single mistake, and you can say goodbye to this world. Now, follow me, and I'll show you the real face of this game."

Situ Yu followed the crowd of newbies toward the training room for new players. She hadn't really paid much attention to the introduction by those two people. Though the game sounded quite peculiar, playing it wasn't her reason for being here. All she needed to remember was to be careful; after all, she hadn't planned to keep playing this game indefinitely.

Just long enough to find the truth would suffice.

With these thoughts in mind, the training room for the newbies was already in sight.

Walking into the room, there were two rows of computers that looked highly advanced.

Xiao Buli said, "Everyone find a seat and sit down."

The newbies hastily found their seats and eagerly turned on the computers in front of them.

Guiding them wasn't very difficult, as most had some gaming experience. Xiao Buli just needed to give them tips when they encountered any issues, which often helped them to quickly grasp the essentials. He warned them about three basic principles: not to attack NPCs in the village, not even to speak rudely to them, and not to leave the village at will. Then he found a computer and sat down.

Watching the new players find jobs in the village, learn skills, and occasionally let out a gasp at some design feature was like seeing a younger version of himself.

However, this moment was destined to be fleeting. These newbies probably didn't have much time left to experience this game. He glanced at Li Jian next to him; Jian hadn't turned on his computer but was watching the other newbies with a faint sneer on his lips, his thoughts inscrutable.

Xiao Buli then glanced again at the newbies, his gaze sweeping over them before settling on the only female in the group, who seemed quite pretty.

Situ Yu was feeling rather annoyed as she controlled her character to clean an NPC's house. Due to her distraction, the mini-game received terrible reviews several times in a row.

"You're useless, girl! Can't even do a simple task properly, off with you, you're fired!" The auntie who had hired her was very angry as she chased her out, and Situ Yu couldn't help but laugh. She checked her inventory, and it seemed she had nothing to show for her efforts, like she had worked in vain.

But being able to learn a 'cleaning' skill for free wasn't too bad. Thinking this, she clicked open her Skill Bar and then paused. Beneath the cleaning skill, there was another skill.

Grasping Enemy Fist LV3: State Skill. While this state is active, you gain a higher accuracy rate and blocking efficiency during unarmed combat.

Skill Description: This is a practical boxing technique created after long-term refinement by many senior fighters. Although the moves are simple, they are very suitable for beginner fighters. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets, monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation.)