Chapter 165: Wake Up, The Foreman Needs You to Move Bricks! - It’s the Cyber Age—Still Playing a Traditional Villain?

Chapter 165: Wake Up, The Foreman Needs You to Move Bricks! Outside the city, Yu Xingchuan and Zhao Yuan were engaged in an intense battle. Inside the city, Xu Shi stood quietly by the floor-to-ceiling window, gazing thoughtfully in that very direction. "…Alright, alright, do you want to give it a shot now?" Before long, Gu Yi's voice came from behind him. "Thank you for your hard work." Seeing the laptop being pushed in front of him, Xu Shi nodded slightly. "In the end, you handed your own wife over to another man." "Oh, come on, it's different, isn't it?" Gu Yi rolled her eyes at him. "You said there was a problem with the game… though now that you mention it, it's true, but that's not my fault." If anyone knew the most about "Divine Descent" around Xu Shi, it would naturally be Miss Black Rabbit. And after predicting the future with Xia Ke'an's help, he immediately informed her of this development. The rest was easy to handle—under the operation of Gu Yi, a top hacker, Xu Shi smoothly received an identity akin to a nearly superuser account. Not wanting to cheat and being unable to cheat are two different concepts. "But I must say, the developers of this game really have a knack for it. I tried to grab full privileges for you, but I couldn't succeed. I only got some..." Miss Black Rabbit was still a bit aggrieved. "But it should be enough for you to use; who knows who these people are." "There's always a higher mountain." Xu Shi didn't argue further with her, considering the current issue wasn't particularly pressing. The fact remained that one shouldn't forget that on "Invader-T," Gu Yi was only fourth. This meant she genuinely wasn't the best... If Xu Shi were to analyze, within his understanding, such characters superior to male and female protagonists, yet to appear, were usually either sent over to be slapped in the face later or join the team in the future. It’s hard to say, but these are the most common scenarios. But that's for later; the immediate priority was addressing the current situation. No matter how formidable the developers of "Divine Descent" are, they weren't flagged as threats in Xia Ke'an's prophecy. Shen He merely utilized their platform, so it could be set aside for now. One shouldn't aim too ambitiously. And to eliminate this hidden threat, Xu Shi concluded that he was the most suitable person for the job—he already knew that "Entropy of Malice" and "Common Will" were opposing and incompatible forces. The last confrontation was just an appetizer; surely, there would be another battle between the two, on one level or another. As it seems now, it would be on the virtual level. There was no avoiding it. He anticipated that with the attacks outside the city commencing, Shen He's next move would likely be to incite the first wave of chaos within the city through this method. If it were him, that's definitely the sequence he'd follow—the "Forgotten" outsiders are cannon fodder, and the citizens inside can be as well. Only after everything settles should he deploy his main forces to maximize benefits. Conversely, if the preceding plan fails, they could preserve the most significant active power. Even if it isn’t, it doesn’t matter; everything else has been meticulously arranged by him. "After that, I can't help you. It's in your hands now." With a customized VR helmet on his head, Xu Shi exhaled softly and spoke. "Wait, wait a moment." Gu Yi tugged his arm. "Are you sure just sending what's-his-name adjutant there will suffice? Will she manage to hold on?" She had been listening as Xu Shi made his arrangements, and she couldn't help but worry after considering it. "Relax, those people can't cause any major disturbances." Xu Shi gestured to reassure her. "And trust me, leaving this matter to Deputy Yu is more suitable than relying on our Chief Tang." "Really?" "Of course not." Xu Shi responded serenely. "So if the city walls get breached, you'll have to protect us." "Oh." His words somehow reassured Gu Yi. She raised her pistol with a wave, "Leave it to me. Though I'm not great at fighting, protecting you is more than within my capabilities." "Shooting even one bullet counts as a success." Xu Shi teased. "Hey!" Gu Yi was so frustrated she could bite him. How dare he not let this go? In truth, she was quite bad in this area—when they first met, she couldn’t even touch a gun, and at the last banquet, it was a major debacle… hmph, infuriating! "At worst, I'll empty the magazine into you." "Oh, I dare not breathe." Xu Shi surrendered, raising his hands, then ignored her, gripping the "Yujing" in his hands as he activated his helmet and closed his eyes. "Hmph, quick to run away." Gu Yi snorted but knew it wasn't the time for jokes. She sat quietly by his side, monitoring the other screen. She had her tasks to attend to. Yet someone just had to come and disturb her focus. She spotted a small white-haired head popping out from behind her. "Yo, Miss Gu has more up her sleeve?" "Go play by yourself; I have no time to deal with you." Miss Black Rabbit unwrapped a lollipop and pushed Xia Ke'an away without looking back. "What kind of attitude is that? Is this how you protect me?" The white-haired girl put her hands on her hips angrily. "I'll tell on you." Indeed, Xu Shi had thought this through adequately; all non-combat personnel had been settled by him—Little Black Rabbit and the old lady were with him, while Jiang Chengcheng was over with Su Lin to offer assistance. He had said "us," not just "me." Even that "leave it to you" wasn't meant solely for Gu Yi… "Just try it! I'll hang you up now!" Gu Yi raised her eyebrows, glaring threateningly at her. "Bring it on! I’ll reveal your identity later!" Xia Ke'an stood her ground. Her composure seemed utterly ineffective when dealing with Miss Black Rabbit; she could be as childish as she wanted. Seeing the two about to start pulling each other's hair, a slight twitch ran through Xu Shi's lying body. "…Ahem, who's kidding with you." Gu Yi snapped back, shaking her hands briskly, acting magnanimous. "As if I'd joke around with you. Can't even take a jest, hmph hmph." The white-haired girl quickly grew more reserved, instinctively retracting her neck. It was evident that, for those both disciplined by Xu Shi, even if he was currently unconscious, he still maintained substantial deterring influence. "Would you like one?" Gu Yi pondered for a moment, then handed her a candy piece. "What flavor?" "Strawberry." "Oh? Then I'll take one. You do have some taste." "Call me sister." "Give me a break, you newbie." Xia Ke'an made a face, grabbed the lollipop, and slipped over to another corner, keeping an eye on the developments for Xu Shi. With the young boy absent, she had to ensure all areas were monitored and accounted for. The room soon fell into silence. … Elsewhere. After a brief moment of emptiness, when Xu Shi reopened his eyes, a completely different landscape unfolded before him. Shaking his head to sharpen his senses, he clapped his hands and discovered that the sensory feedback was exceedingly real. "Divine Descent" is set in a fantasy world called... something forgotten. Here, those chosen by the gods are granted… something also forgotten. In any case, this is a highly open-ended game, released with both console and VR versions. Previously, Xu Shi didn't understand why the latter's sales far exceeded the former's. Now he knew: such realistic experiences could be very immersive. No wonder many regarded it as the best way to unwind—after a long day of work, slipping on a helmet to enjoy would feel wonderful. Regardless of reality, here you could tangibly be the boss. This thing shared similarities with brain-computer interfaces, but the difference was anyone could wear the helmet, and many design aspects were indeed worth learning. In contrast, the console version was likely just a way for players to gather materials and pass time in between, which is why Gu Yi had mocked him previously, suggesting console players were just muddling through… But he wasn't here for leisure; serious business awaited him. So, after making some adjustments, he followed the map's guide towards the nearest densely populated town. With the help of hacks, it took just a few breaths to get there. And as he arrived outside the town, an overwhelming crowd was surging towards the town center. "What's going on, buddy?" Raising an eyebrow, Xu Shi casually grabbed a passerby to inquire. "New player?" The person didn't pay much attention to Xu Shi's deliberately handsome face, and explained hurriedly, "Want to come along? Today is the day for the Divine Messenger's sermon!" "Really?" Xu Shi feigned surprise, "Is it some event? Like an NPC giving out rewards or something?" "Not exactly... Ah, it's hard to explain, just come along and you'll see!" The person impatiently tugged at him, "If you're coming, hurry up and get a front row spot!" "Alright." Xu Shi already had a plan in mind and followed along with a smile. By the time they arrived, the city center plaza was packed with people, but they could still vaguely see a man standing on a high platform, draped in a black robe with wings sprouting from his back, wearing a mask. "The god said, let there be light." As the masked man recited softly, the book in his hand emitted a soft white light, enveloping him completely. The crowd below erupted in a wave of cheers. Xu Shi was baffled, what was there to cheer about? He rubbed his temples and immediately identified the person he was looking for—it had to be Shen He, or rather, who else could the consciousness projection of Shen He be?    Judging by the situation, his control over these players was formidable indeed. As much as he hated to admit it, Xu Shi had to say that "Common Will" was indeed more brainwashing than his "Entropy of Malice." Utilizing this virtual platform, its effects were even more pronounced. From Xu Shi's point of view, this was the epitome of something-for-nothing—a crowd driven to frenzy without even a single in-game coin being distributed. Even if Shen He had been at this for a while, Xu Shi believed achieving such effects in the real world would be near impossible. Perhaps it could be likened to a Trojan virus? Once infected, it spread rapidly—he might have initially targeted just a couple of individuals, but securing those few would allow the influence to expand exponentially. Sounds a bit like a pyramid scheme? That's about it. That things had developed to this extent was within expectations. "The god said, we shouldn't endure this submissively!" As Xu Shi pondered, the virus-like agent spoke again, "We should rise up, consolidate our strength, and form a united front to fight back!" "Fight against what?" Someone probed cautiously. "Fight against the corporations!" Shen He proclaimed loudly, "No matter how powerful you are in the game, it's all fake! To end our real-world suffering, we must awaken!" "As far as I know, some have already started taking action! If not now, then when will you join them?" "…" "…" "…" After an earth-shaking rallying cry, the plaza plunged into a deathly silence. Then came a surge of agreement, "Well said!" "I've had it with my boss!" "Let's hit them!" "Hooyah!" Xu Shi watched intently, noticing that the crowd's brief pause seemed like they had just awoken from a dream. Perhaps it was because the topic abruptly switched from in-game to real life? However, under Shen He's deep influence, it seemed as though this wasn't an issue. It was akin to those who worship in-game currency to an absurd extent, deeply ingrained in their minds—bordering on madness when seen negatively… In such circumstances, it seemed likely that whatever Shen He said would go unquestioned by them. "So, I ask everyone…" Shen He slightly nodded and was about to rally them again, but was interrupted by sudden applause. "Well done." The one applauding was Xu Shi. Although he was the only one clapping, his voice cut through the crowd. "…How well?" The strange disconnect intrigued Shen He, but he played along. "Well enough." Xu Shi smiled, "As for what's good, I can only say, it's so good that it's like Moroccan flatbread!" "A failure of a person in real life, claiming to be a divine entity and spreading deceit here?" "You…" Shen He was momentarily stunned but quickly recognized him, "It's you!" Despite his altered avatar, the smile was unmistakably etched in Shen He's memory. Not long ago, it was with this very expression that Xu Shi had embraced Xia Wuyou and claimed everything he had! Others looked confused, puzzled by Xu Shi’s abrupt interruption—who was this guy? "Don't be fooled by him! He’s the demon!" Shen He quickly recovered, raising the tome in his hand and declaring, "He’s the true deceiver!" Clearly, he hadn’t anticipated Xu Shi seeing through his plan—even his sister remained unaware! Lin Yue certainly didn’t know! His prior operations had been very covert, only escalating into mass mobilization recently, so what had tipped him off? The answer eluded him, and there was no time for contemplation. What he needed to do now was stop Xu Shi in his tracks here! Though his strength in the game was fictitious, within the game, this power was indeed real! As Shen He launched his attack, the wings of light behind him unfurled, transforming the radiance into a spear aimed at Xu Shi. VR experiences with consciousness uploads do have fatal flaws. Should an impact be too severe here, it would also affect reality! In extreme cases, it could even lead to cognitive dysfunction or vegetative states. Naturally, he intended to test this. However. Just as the spear approached within a fraction of a centimeter from Xu Shi. Xu Shi simply smiled, revealing black demon wings behind him as well. "Enjoy cosplaying?" Xu Shi extended his left hand, manifesting a duplicate of "Yujing," "Then I'll play along with you." With a gentle touch, the light surrounding Shen He shattered like glass. "You…" Shen He stared incredulously at Xu Shi ahead. "You did make one point quite valid, folks, it's time to wake up." Xu Shi casually spread his hands, "But you missed the punchline… Let me tack that on for you?" "Wake up, the foreman needs you to move bricks!" (End of this chapter)