Chapter Nineteen: Hall of Fame Preliminary List
[No.2 Iris
Yu Country's top star, 21 years old. Her skill is to influence others mentally, with strong potential, already capable of interfering with some zombies. She is surrounded by many followers.
Because she has many people around her, she is doing very well, with a large fan base in her live stream. Those who provoke her must be prepared to be at odds with the world. Highly intelligent, proficient in multiple languages, she hasn't caused much slaughter and has now gathered quite a few clues—she might be a task-oriented player.
Ratings: Potential 8, Strength 5, Wisdom 9, Popularity 10]
The replies below actually tripled the first comment. Fanatical fans posted more than a dozen messages in a row, creating a barrage of cheer.
...
[Iris, my angel, she is my god, all that is beautiful in my world!]
[I offer all my blessings to you!]
[She is the most beautiful surprise. Thank God, I can still see her here.]
[For Miss Iris, I've decided to step into the next world. I'm willing to give my life for her!]
...
The post continued to list:
[No.3 Adolf
A mercenary from G Country, 29 years old, seems to have been involved in some grey-market transactions in the past. His skills are not yet clear, but his melee combat skills and use of props are already at the peak.
He hasn't joined a plundering group, opting instead for backstabbing to likely gain a lot of points. His estimated combat power is 200.
Ratings: Potential 8, Strength 9, Wisdom 7, Popularity 3]
...
[No.7 Lv Shu
From Dragon Country, never responds during live streams; estimated to be about 20 years old. Can control insects and might have been a member of Dragon Country's hidden noble families before it all started. The specifics of his skill are unclear, and it's uncertain whether the ability to control insects has been enhanced.
Has a mysterious glowing red butterfly and a very powerful green mantis—note that the strength of this mantis has exceeded current standards; just watch the live stream to know. It's so cool, truly the perfect assassin!
Always alone in search of clues, he seemed to have previously demolished a plunderer's nest with another unknown player. The mantis's estimated combat power is 280; his own is unknown.
Ratings: Potential unknown, Strength 10 (just the mantis; individual strength unknown), Wisdom unknown, Popularity 1]
...
[No.9 Noel
...]
[No.16 Mizushima Kawa Sora
...]
This Hall of Fame kept listing, currently sixteen individuals, still being updated. The comments below were a mess with everyone vigorously promoting their favorite players. There were debates raging about who was stronger or weaker, and the heat of the post was incredibly high. Everyone was wildly guessing which of these sixteen could be the Number One Player, as it was almost a matter of pride—for them, they couldn't believe the Number One Player could be anyone else.
At the same time, apart from these figures explicitly marked as "bosses," there was also a pre-selection list, listing about a hundred players who seemed to have potential. They had special strengths in wisdom, popularity, and specialties. Perhaps they weren't so powerful to be "overwhelming," but in many aspects, they were indeed impressive.
For example, a player named Yang Changxu, though with mercenary-level skills, hadn't reached the level to be on the list. But by continuously rescuing players in distress and forming his small army, even attempting to develop it into a sanctuary form, he made it onto the pre-selection list.
There are now ninety-nine players on the pre-selection list, which operates under an elimination system. Once it reaches a hundred players, the number will always be maintained at one hundred. Players who gradually become less impressive will be removed while powerful newcomers will be placed onto the main list.
As everyone waited, the hundredth player on the pre-selection list slowly appeared.
[(Pre-select) No.100 Su Ming'an
...]
...
"Hall of Fame pre-selection list?" Su Ming'an, biting on a Blood Bottle, watched the barrage of crazily scrolling comments, confused.
Adventurer players couldn't see the forums; they could only obtain information through the comments. Su Ming'an learned that this group of eliminated players had actually come up with such a thing and was a bit curious about it.
Originally, he was just on a regional recommendation and had reached a heat level of one hundred thousand. But when another wave of viewers came in because of the Hall of Fame, he realized that the heat level in his live stream had reached several million.
Clearly, everyone had come to check out the newcomer, even if it was just for a glance before leaving.
The barrage of comments became a flurry:
"Damn, he looks just like a student, really the one described in the prelims list?"
"He seems about my age, not very likely though..."
"Seems like a nice guy."
"But his left arm really does seem to be gone..."
Out of curiosity, Su Ming'an asked a few questions and then learned about the descriptions of himself.
...
"(Prelims) No.100 Su Ming'an
He's a tough cookie—perhaps that alone wouldn't get him on the list, but I'd say, he's a rather baffling Dragon Country boy.
His real-life identity is a student, seemingly moonlighting as an uploader for a Dragon Country website. His spiritual power remains unknown, while his other three attributes seem to be at an average human level, but his skills are ridiculously powerful—his 'Black Hole' skill that can kill anyone it targets makes people afraid to get near him. Of course, there are clear drawbacks; damage skills with too short of a range provide almost no help in a fight, but should distance come into play, this will surpass even Fire Control as a Divine Skill.
His mental state is frighteningly calm, a boy who can unflinchingly amputate his own limb to survive without any anesthesia. Not many witnessed his previous livestream for unknown reasons, but just a short clip that was recommended made me feel he deserves to be on the list. Estimated combat power around 120.
Ratings: Potential 8, Strength 5, Wisdom unknown, Popularity 5 (apparently has a girl with decent swordsmanship by his side)"
...
"This is seriously the description..." Su Ming'an glanced at his own combat power panel showing 230.
The comments kept coming:
"The host is really young... Is he just a student in real life?"
"Does your arm still hurt? It broke my heart to watch."
"I don't know why, but the host feels so approachable."
"Host, what do you think about the Hall of Fame? Who do you think the 'Number One Player' is?"
—"Number One Player."
A player who from day one had been the subject of vehement ridicule from a whole wave of people, and almost unanimous adulation from the majority.
The only officially spotlighted figure who gave a fervent speech under the gaze of a billion sentient beings.
Ta is cherished like a Bright Lamp by many players who have found it, with no lack of supporters and debaters on the forums discussing ta's words.
And since the Hall of Fame was introduced, countless viewers have been arguing fiercely, using all sorts of far-fetched reasons to prove that their favorite player is the Number One Player.
An eternally heated topic of debate.
"Number One Player?" Su Ming'an learned that Eni currently had the highest support rate.
He thought for a moment, put a Blood Bottle in his mouth with the tip, the faint taste of sweetness filling his mouth.
"It's me." He flipped over and lay down on the bed.
"Don't joke, host, it's not believable at all."
"You look so harmless and nice, host. Still need a mama fan?"
"Harmless my ass, there are still two corpses in the next room."
"I think Lv Shu is more likely to be the Number One Player, in the initial stages of the game, we actually didn't have any skills yet, but he already could use the Beast Control technique that he had in Zhai Xing, which is too strong..."
"I think it's Adolf..."
...
Who's the strongest, who's the weakest, always the hottest topic on everyone's lips.
Su Ming'an was too tired, with more to do tomorrow, so he interacted randomly with a few more comments before turning off the livestream.
A night without dreams.
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[World Game · Remaining Players: 394,657,356]