Chapter 101 – The Fifth World 第五个世界

A white flash later, Lin Yuan opened his eyes and found himself in a shabby room. Above his head was a rickety chandelier. Outside the window was a row of low old buildings. Several robotic couriers were shuttling through the narrow alleys, emitting mechanical buzzing sounds.

"Is this the new world dimension?" Lin Yuan rubbed the center of his brows and casually scanned the room. His gaze landed on a worn - out game console in the corner. The screen displayed: "Daily Mission: Plant 50 Chinese cabbages. Reward: 500 gold coins."

"Huh?" Lin Yuan rolled his eyes. "In the last dimension, I was fighting every day, and in this dimension, I'm supposed to farm every day?" He stood up and walked to the window. From a distance, on the street downstairs, there were all kinds of pedestrians dressed peculiarly. Some, clad in e-sports gear, ambled about carrying keyboards. Others wore trendy AR glasses. Meanwhile, right at the alley's entrance, individuals were busy maneuvering a virtual spaceship model that hung suspended in mid-air.

"Alright, this world is really strange," Lin Yuan shrugged self - deprecatingly. Just as he was about to study the items in the room, the familiar voice of the Jiuchong Ring rang in his ears: "Congratulations on entering the fourth dimension, the 'Game World'. Your new mission is: Umm... not yet triggered."

"Not yet triggered?" Lin Yuan looked speechless.

Jiuchong Ring's voice drifted faintly: "You're a 19-year-old college student with average gaming talent. You're working part-time while studying, but the job ends this month. In this dimension, gaming skills determine resources and status. Don't underestimate any mission, you might starve otherwise."

Upon hearing this, Lin Yuan's eyebrows twitched. He wanted to retort, but then he looked at the mission interface in front of him, a pop - up window of the vegetable - planting game mission. He gritted his teeth and said, "Fine, I'll plant the cabbages first, and then explore this game world later."

However, when he put on the virtual helmet, entered the virtual game, and started waving the hoe to dig holes in the virtual soil, the information about this world couldn't help but pop up in his mind, making him feel more and more absurd as he thought about it.

"A gaming-centric world..." he whispered. Memories of the background Jiuchong Ring had briefly, almost perfunctorily, shared with him before he stepped into this dimension flooded his thoughts.

In the history of this world, there was a period when technology developed rapidly and wars broke out frequently. Lin Yuan was familiar with the era when countries competed for resources with guns and cannons, which was no different from his original world. But strangely, after a certain crucial point in time, a revolutionary invention changed everything. A "fully immersive virtual gaming technology" that could completely simulate the real environment and operate with extremely low energy consumption was developed. This technology quickly went global. Governments worldwide adopted it and formulated the "Game Duel Act."

Yes, you heard it right. This world has given up the traditional ways of war and instead uses games to solve all disputes.

"Using games to determine the outcome and allocate resources. Are the leaders of these countries a bit... too irresponsible?" As Lin Yuan was digging the ground, he remembered the explanation given by the Jiuchong Ring at that time. "This is indeed more environmentally friendly since there are no more wars, but it's also too unreliable, isn't it?"

Jiuchong Ring directly answered Lin Yuan's misgivings. "In the initial small-scale tests, it's clear that game duels have lessened hostilities between countries. Compared to relying on military might, the quantity of 'gaming masters' is now a key indicator of a country's power. Those with more masters and superior gaming tech are bound to get more resources."

"But what does this have to do with ordinary people?" Lin Yuan remembered that he had retorted disdainfully at that time. "Can someone like me, who is planting vegetables, save the world?"

Jiuchong Ring's answer was casual: "Of course it matters. Because since that period, the social structure of the entire world has changed around games. Even this piece of land you're planting on now may affect the allocation of some virtual resources."

As time went by, gaming culture imperceptibly permeated every corner of this world. Every city had become a "game city" themed around "games". Not only were daily life and entertainment all related to games, but even the education system had been completely reconstructed. Schools no longer only taught traditional subjects but mainly focused on "game courses". Students not only needed to be able to play games but also had to study skills, formulate strategies, and develop tactics. Gaming proficiency directly determined college admission and job opportunities. Schools boasting many gaming masters always stood out.

Lin Yuan sighed and pulled back his thoughts. He was well aware that the fanaticism for games in this world was no longer just a simple "hobby" but the only criterion for determining one's life achievements.

"In this place, it's impossible to survive without some gaming talent..." He looked at the virtual Chinese cabbages he had planted and sighed. "If I had even a little bit of the potential to be a master, I wouldn't have to work part - time while studying and barely make a living by completing the daily tasks of the vegetable - planting game."

"Do you still have the right to complain?" Suddenly, Jiuchong Ring's voice resounded, oozing scorn. "This dimension offers a chance to practice combat skills. It doesn't pose the same level of danger as the previous one."

"Then you could at least give me a better identity!" Lin Yuan rolled his eyes. "A college student? An orphan? With poor talent? This starting point I got is way too tough!"

Jiuchong Ring was silent for a while before slowly replying: "It's more challenging when you have a bit less talent. What's the point if you're already a max - level master right from the start?"

Lin Yuan was too lazy to argue with it anymore and continued to work in the field. He knew that although Jiuchong Ring's explanation made everything seem reasonable, there must be something it hadn't told him. But as a mission executor, he had little choice. He had to sort out his immediate livelihood issues.

A burst of laughter came from outside the window. Lin Yuan switched to the real - world vision and saw several students wearing e - sports team uniforms walking past his small house, carrying game equipment that looked like lightsabers on their backs. They seemed to be masters preparing to participate in a certain game competition, exuding an air of confidence all over. Lin Yuan halted his actions, glared at their retreating figures, and gritted his teeth. "Masters, eh? Someday... I'm definitely shaking off this farming fate."

Suddenly, Jiuchong Ring piped up, "As long as you work hard, it's not impossible, you know."

====================

一阵白光闪过,林远睁开眼睛,发现自己站在一间简陋的小房间里.头顶是摇摇欲坠的吊灯,窗外是一片低矮的旧楼,几只机器人快递员在狭窄的街巷间穿梭,传来机械的嗡嗡声.

"这就是新的世界位面?" 林远揉了揉眉心,随意扫视了一圈,目光落在角落一台破旧的游戏机上.屏幕上显示着:"每日任务:种植50株青菜,奖励500金币."

"哈?" 林远翻了个白眼,"上个位面天天打架,这个位面让我天天种地?" 他站起来走到窗边,远远看见楼下的大街上,全是打扮奇特的行人,有人穿着电竞选手的制服,抱着键盘走路;有人戴着炫酷的AR眼镜,甚至还有人在巷口操作一台漂浮在半空中的虚拟飞船模型.

"好吧,这世界确实挺奇怪." 林远自嘲地耸了耸肩,刚准备研究房间里的物品,耳边就响起九重戒指那熟悉的声音:"恭喜你进入第四个位面,'游戏世界',你的新任务是:呃... 还未触发."

"还未触发?" 林远一脸无语.

九重戒指的声音淡淡传来:"你的身份是一个19岁的大学生,游戏天赋平平,目前半工半读,别担心,工作到这个月为止.恰逢这个位面的规则是以 '游戏水平' 决定资源分配,地位高低.我建议你不要轻视任何游戏任务,否则你可能连饭都吃不起."

林远一听,眉头跳了跳,想反驳,但看了看面前的任务界面,一个种菜的游戏任务弹窗.咬了咬牙:"行吧,先种菜,过后再探索这游戏世界."

然而,当他带上虚拟头盔,进入虚拟游戏并开始挥舞锄头在虚拟土地上刨坑时,那些关于这个世界的信息却忍不住浮现在脑海中,让他越想越觉得荒诞.

"围绕游戏生活的世界..." 他低声念叨着,脑海中闪过进入这个位面之前,九重戒用简短却充满 "打工人既视感" 的语气跟他解释的背景.

在这个世界的历史上,曾经有一段时期,科技发展迅猛,战争频发.国家之间用枪械和火炮争夺资源的时代,林远很熟悉,那和他原本的世界没什么两样.可诡异的是,某个关键时间点之后,一种革命性的发明改变了一切,一种能够完全模拟现实环境,并以极低能源损耗运行的 "全沉浸式虚拟游戏技术" 被研发了出来.这项技术不仅迅速风靡全球,甚至被各国政府采纳,并制定了 "游戏决斗法案".

是的,没听错.这个世界已经放弃了传统的战争方式,转而用游戏来解决一切争端.

"用游戏来分胜负,分资源,这些国家领导脑子是不是有点...太儿戏了?" 林远一边刨地,一边想起了九重戒当时的解释,"这倒是环保了,不再打仗了,但也太不靠谱了吧?"

林远心中的疑问,九重戒倒是直接回应了:"从最初的小范围实验,游戏对决的形式确实减少了国家之间的暴力冲突.而且,比起依赖军事力量的时代,'游戏高手' 的数量逐渐成为衡量一个国家实力的标准.高手多,游戏技术强的国家,自然能获得更多资源."

"但这跟普通人有什么关系?" 林远记得当时他不屑地反问,"像我这样,一个人种菜,能拯救世界吗?"

九重戒的回答轻飘飘的:"当然有关系.因为从那段时期开始,整个世界的社会结构都在围绕游戏发生了改变,甚至连你现在种的这片地,可能也影响着某些虚拟资源的分配."

随着时间的推移,游戏文化不知不觉地渗透到了这个世界的每个角落.每一座城市都变成了以 "游戏" 为主题的 "游戏城" ,不仅生活娱乐全都与游戏挂钩,就连教育体系也完全重构.学校不再只教传统的科目,而是以 "游戏课业" 为主,不仅仅要会玩,还得研究技巧,制定策略,开发战术.甚至升学,就职的标准都与游戏水平直接挂钩,高手云集的学校,永远是最受瞩目的存在.

林远叹了口气,收回思绪.他很清楚,这个世界对游戏的狂热已经不是单纯的 "兴趣爱好",而是决定人生高度的唯一标准.

"在这个地方,没点游戏天赋都活不下去啊..." 他看着自己种出的虚拟青菜,叹了口气, "但凡我有一点点高手潜质,也不至于每天半工半读,靠种地游戏的日常任务苟活了."

"你还有资格抱怨?" 九重戒的声音突然响起,带着明显的嫌弃,"这个位面,既能让你练习对战技巧,又不会像上个位面那么危险."

"那你倒是给我个好点的身份啊!" 林远翻了个白眼,"大学生?孤儿?天赋差?我这开局选的也太硬核了吧!"

九重戒沉默了一会儿,才慢悠悠地回答:"天赋差点才有挑战嘛.要是你一开局就满级高手,还有什么意思?"

林远懒得再跟它争论,继续在田里忙活.他知道,虽然九重戒的解释让一切听起来顺理成章,但它背后肯定还有些没说的东西.不过,作为一个任务者,他似乎也没什么选择,总得先解决当下的生计问题.

窗外传来一阵笑声,林远切换现实视觉,看到几个穿着电竞队服的学生正从他的小屋前走过,背后还背着光剑模样的游戏设备.他们看起来像是准备参加某个游戏比赛的高手,浑身上下透着一股自信的劲儿.林远停下手中的动作,看着他们的背影,忍不住咬了咬牙:"高手是吧?总有一天... 呃,总有一天我也能摆脱种地的命运吧."

九重戒冷不丁地补了一句:"只要你努力,也不是不可能哦."