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[This is a journey across dimensions, where we explore the unknown only to encounter more of it; we defy fear only to meet with even more fear.]
[When humanity loses its way in the darkness, I shall be their pioneer, burning my very soul to light their path forward!]
Click the [Enter Game] button.
[Your current status: Newbie Player.]
[Personal Points: 0]
[Game Mall]
The [Game Mall] button is grayed out, likely because the game is still in development and some content has yet to be completed.
A prompt pops up before my eyes.
[Hello, Newbie Player, you need to complete the novice level to become an Official Player and unlock more features.]
[The current novice level available for selection is "World Unresolved Mysteries" Chapter 1922, "Strange Auction," with a difficulty rating of 1 star.]
[Time remaining in this game: 12 hours 21 minutes 45 seconds.]
[After the remaining time ends, this chapter will not be available.]
Watching the countdown timer tick, Wang Hao is unfazed.
After being bombarded with mobile game companies' tactics like "limited time purchases," "hunger marketing," "discount promotions," "free trials," and "bundling promotions," there's not much he hasn't seen.
After all, as long as the game is entertaining enough, spending money is never an issue—someone with Jin Li's physique is never short of cash!
Click [Enter Game] to move to the character selection screen.
There are two characters to choose from, one is a cool guy wearing a black vest, whom Wang Hao habitually calls "Little Black."
The other is a flashy, blonde bombshell—let's just call her "Little White."
He's never had the hobby of creating characters, nor the habit of playing as the opposite gender, so he directly picks the cool guy "Little Black" and enters the game.
A mission prompt appears on the game interface.
[Hello, Newbie Player. The world you are currently in: 003241-23-1, Ideal Level, Level 1]
[Main Mission: The night auction at the Empire Building starts at 20:00. Please use the C-9 liquid weapon in your possession to destroy item number 1372.]
[As you are a Newbie Player, your current attempts are unlimited.]
[You may save your game progress at any time.]
[Time remaining in this game: 12 hours 21 minutes 06 seconds. Good luck!]
The scene becomes clear, and Wang Hao finds himself in a narrow alley.
A lazy bum lies on the ground, cradling a Labrador in his arms. The golden dog senses "Little Black's" arrival and picks up a dirty signboard with its mouth.
"WILL WORK 4 BONES"
Wang Hao stretches out his hands, studying the lines on his palms, and exclaims joyfully, "This game is so realistic!"
Finding a good game and playing all night—that's a great feeling!
He opens the character panel, and the information is straightforward.
[Gender: Male][Physique: Human Peak][Fighting: Human Peak][Shooting: Human Peak]
[Items: C-9 Liquid Weapon, US Dollar 500]
Wang Hao looks at his mission and thinks, "I need to use this C-9 liquid weapon to destroy the item number 1372 at the auction."
"But what exactly is this C-9?"
He examines the silver metal bottle in his hands, which looks like a perfume bottle.
The silver cap can be opened.
"Could it be—sulfuric acid?"
The moment he unscrews the cap, a massive flame spurts from the bottle's mouth, instantly setting "Little Black's" head aflame!
"F*ck!"
Though he feels no pain, the visual effect of being engulfed in flames shocks Wang Hao to his core.
So this is what it looks like when a person is set on fire...
Later on, perhaps to avoid censorship, gory scenes are pixelated...
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"Oww! Ow! Ow!" The dog, frightened, bit his own tongue, wriggled free from the homeless man, and fled in a panic.
"Help! Help!" The homeless man, too, was startled awake by the fireball. As he screamed and scrambled around, he watched, wide-eyed, as "Little Black" stood still like an iron man, unmoving, and was burned to a crisp.
A line of text popped up on the screen: [You died.]
[Reason for Death: Stupidity. Born for a great task, only to die by foolish suicide.]
[Rating: 0]
[Do you wish to upload this result as the final evaluation for this scenario? (Note: The final evaluation can be settled only once, and you can only receive a reward once.)]
Wang Hao stared dumbfounded at the word "stupid," like a petrified piece of oversized trash.
What the hell!
They didn't clarify how to use the weapon, and experimenting isn't allowed?
Who knew what the so-called C-9 was, sulfuric acid or a flamethrower...
He remembered the way he was burning all over. Okay, it did seem pretty stupid.
...
Let's go again!
The same familiar scene: the homeless man collapsed on the ground, the golden-haired dog holding up a dirty billboard—"WILL WORK 4 BONES."
Ignoring the dog's incessant tail wagging and begging, he stepped out and crossed the busy street.
The mission location, "Empire Building," was situated at 350 Fifth Avenue, between West 33rd and West 34th Streets in Manhattan. This world-famous building was erected in the 1930s and thus had no underground parking lot, leaving numerous luxury cars parked at the roadside.
A group of uniformed security personnel guarded the front and rear doors of the building.
Distinguished looking high society members would present an invitation before entering the building, only after confirmation by the security personnel could they proceed.
"The first challenge is, how to get into the building?"
Wang Hao walked straight toward the direction of the parking area, where a pot-bellied security guard was dozing off inside the guardhouse.
Three glowing tags floated above the guard's head.
① (Chat up) Hey, buddy! Why's the Empire Building locked down today? What happened?
② (Bribe with 100 dollars) Hey, buddy! Is there a way to get into the Empire Building?
③ [(Enter custom text) …]
After pondering for a while, he chose option ①.
"The 101st floor is hosting an auction, only millionaires with an invitation are allowed entry to the building."
The fat guard listlessly pointed his mouth toward the direction of the building, his eyes bleary with sleep.
Then he picked option ②, (Bribe with 100 dollars) "Hey, buddy! Is there a way to get into the Empire Building?"
The fat guard cheerfully accepted the 100 dollars, giving him a weird look: "What are you going in for? No chance, only millionaires get invitations. Even if you get in, you couldn't afford anything..."
"You're not thinking of stealing, man. You won't succeed; the people there are armed."
No reliable information.
However, Wang Hao noticed that the option ② (Bribe with 100 dollars) "Hey, buddy, is there a way to get into the Empire Building?" was still highlighted, meaning it could be selected again.
A thought struck him. Was the bribe not enough?
So he chose option ② (Bribe) again.
"Hey, buddy, is there a way to get into the Empire Building?"
The fat guard looked at him in surprise, his cheeks quivering as he took the hundred-dollar bill: "No chance, man. Like I said, only millionaires can get invitations. Are you a millionaire? You're not, right? Even if you go in, you couldn't afford anything."
He chose to bribe again with option ②!
The guard became even more suspicious, but he still incessantly took the money: "I don't have an invitation... I'm just a security guy, I'm not the FBI, I can't help you."
"The people at the auction are big shots, with plenty of old money. You think you can deal with them?"
"I don't believe this!" Wang Hao thought furiously, bribing like mad.
After all his money was spent on bribes, the fat guard was still repeating: "No chance, only millionaires can get invitations. Buddy, don't get any funny ideas, they're armed!"
But the expression on the fat man's face became richer and richer, his facial muscles almost bursting.
What a ridiculous day, some idiot must have drank too much, just kept giving money, actually handed over 500 dollars!