Everything, is it finally coming to an end?
At this moment, Lin Chen's eyes witnessed the entire ruined city. All kinds of buildings were completely crushed and collapsed. Countless people, like ants, were reaped by a giant monster towering over a hundred meters high, harvesting lives in droves.
Now, his mind was like a slide show...
He knew that he would die soon!
Like everyone else, he would fall under the merciless trampling of this monster!
At this moment, Lin Chen deeply regretted...
He knew the name of this monster.
Not only him, but many others knew too.
The Dark Demon Dragon!
It was the level 80 BOSS from the popular century-spanning online game "New World" on the Blue Star.
Half a month ago, the online game "New World" announced its shutdown.
This caused many people to collapse.
The entire internet wailed!
After all, it was a century-spanning holographic realistic online game that had been running for twenty years!
It could be said to be the memory and youth of two generations.
And this game had over billions of players across the Blue Star!
So people went crazy selling equipment and gold coins.
Everyone had only one thought: to recover some losses!
Even more extreme, some even angrily deleted their accounts!
Lin Chen was one of them.
Before the game shutdown, he sold all his equipment, materials, and gold coins at low prices.
After all, he still had to make a living.
But who could have imagined that everything would change when "New World" officially shut down...
First, the topography of the Blue Star changed drastically and expanded.
A crimson blood moon hung high in the sky.
Then, one by one, the BOSS from the "New World" game actually invaded reality.
They treated human lives like insignificant weeds and ravaged everything.
The whole world turned into a purgatory!
Not far from Lin Chen at this moment, a person dressed in game attire was coughing up blood continuously.
He was also a player of "New World."
Unlike Lin Chen, this person didn't delete his account or sell his equipment.
Thus, he inherited the abilities from the game.
However, this person's level didn't seem to be high.
"I only have 80 rating points, so I've inherited 80% of my power, and my level has dropped from 80 to 64. I can't handle it anymore... I'm out of here, good luck to you all!"
That person complained before summoning a mount and leaving.
The game invaded reality, so players could also inherit abilities!
What if Lin Chen hadn't sold his account?
Lin Chen deeply regretted.
In his mind, he couldn't help but think of his account.
And...
Some of the comrades he knew in the game.
Boom!
Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed.
Lin Chen was blown away.
Blood spewed out incessantly.
His lower body was now missing...
His consciousness seemed to be slipping away.
It had come to this.
Regret was useless now.
In this critical moment, Lin Chen used his last bit of clear consciousness to make a phone call.
Soon, an anxious voice came from the phone.
"Lin Chen, where are you? Hang on, hide! I'll come to save you!"
"Goodbye... Dream Yao!"
Lin Chen slowly closed his eyes.
His world began to fall silent...
He didn't know how much time had passed.
Lin Chen opened his eyes.
But he heard a voice in his ear, "What do you mean goodbye? Stop talking nonsense! Isn't it just that 'New World' is closing down? Can't we play other games? Besides, there's still half a month left to play 'New World'!"
Li Mengyao?
Lin Chen was very surprised at this moment.
How could he hear her voice after dying?
This really... was Li Mengyao's voice!
He was more familiar with her than anyone else.
Li Mengyao and he were teammates in "New World."
Of course, the two also had another relationship...
Their in-game CP!
But those things didn't matter; what mattered was...
What was the situation now?
Why did Li Mengyao say that "New World" would be shutting down in half a month?
Lin Chen subconsciously looked at the date on his phone...
Year 2150.
April 13th!
Boom!
Lin Chen was shocked.
What was going on?
Could it be that the scenes of the game invading reality he saw just now were all a dream?
But those scenes were so vivid.
Even in his memories, there was the phone call he had with Li Mengyao!
He remembered that next, he seemed to have wanted to tell Li Mengyao about selling his account.
And Li Mengyao's response was...
Lin Chen decided to try it out. He spoke to his phone, "But, without this game, perhaps there won't be much connection between you and me anymore... I, I'm planning to sell my account, what about you?"
"Eh? I won't do that!"
Li Mengyao's voice came through the phone, "Why sell it? It's not worth much now! Besides, there are so many memories in the game. I plan to play until the very last moment before the shutdown."
As expected, Li Mengyao responded the same way...
These lines had already appeared in Lin Chen's non-rebirth memories.
That meant...
Lin Chen wasn't dreaming!
He seemed to have... been reborn!
He had returned to the time before the game was shut down!
Moreover, he hadn't sold his account.
All his equipment was still there!
Lin Chen was excited.
However, the voice of Li Mengyao came through the phone anxiously, "Hey... why aren't you talking? Are you really planning to sell your account?"
From Li Mengyao's voice, he could sense her disappointment.
She and Lin Chen had met in the game.
But for Li Mengyao, the game wasn't just a game.
It was also a precious memory for her.
And Lin Chen was a part of that memory.
When Lin Chen didn't have the memories of his rebirth, Li Mengyao was indeed disappointed because of it. But after the game invaded reality, Li Mengyao, who inherited the game's abilities, immediately said she would come and find him...
Lin Chen smiled and gave his response, "I was joking. After all, 'New World' isn't just a memory for you. It's also my memory and my youth. You can rest assured, I won't sell my account. I will be with you until the end, playing until the last moment! And, this time, we'll go through all the dungeons we haven't cleared and visit all the unexplored game scenes together!"
"Really? Then it's a deal! I'll go to bed now, and you should rest early too. Tomorrow, you'll take me along!"
Li Mengyao's voice came through.
"Yeah!"
Lin Chen nodded vigorously.
He had been reborn.
It felt so good!
After hanging up the phone, Lin Chen didn't immediately go to sleep. Instead, he logged into the game's forum.
[So many years of youth, and the game just decides to shut down like that? New World is truly heartless!]
[Buying and selling gold and accounts, come with pictures, give a price and it's sold! By the way, let me curse: the higher-ups and planners of New World are all idiots!]
[Mental breakdown! I'm live-streaming melting my equipment. What's left to play in half a month? Might as well quit now!]
[...]
Almost every post on the forum was like the ones above.
Lin Chen could understand the players' feelings at this moment.
As a century-spanning online game, "New World" indeed held countless memories and emotions for players. It was even considered the youth of a generation. Now, to announce its shutdown...
In the past, Lin Chen had also ranted and cursed New World in a post like many others. He had also sold his account. But now, as he had been reborn and knew the reason behind New World's shutdown, his mentality was naturally different.
Now, he was feeling relaxed.
With a good mood, Lin Chen decided to try and persuade others.
If he could convince one or two people to keep their accounts, then in the future, when the game invaded reality, humanity would have a bit more power to resist, right?
So, Lin Chen posted a thread.
[To be honest, with New World being such a big company and running for twenty years, I don't believe they will shut it down. I suggest everyone not to believe it either. Maybe they encountered some technical problems, and who knows, they might overcome them and reopen the game within half a month!]
Lin Chen's intention was good.
However, due to the players' current mentality being on the verge of collapse, his thread not only didn't gain support but was also bombarded with over ten thousand rotten eggs within ten minutes. The comments were filled with various insults.
"Is this dog OP trying to protect his position? Afraid of bankruptcy?"
"Haha, it's not enough to have one account for business? Now here comes another one?"
"Technical problems, my ass! It's been twenty years, has New World ever had technical problems?"
"Let me tell you, although these accounts are our painstaking efforts, we won't leave them to the New World executives and the dog planners!"
...
Lin Chen felt speechless.
Fine!
He tried to be nice but got treated like a jerk.
Lin Chen didn't bother with these people's attitudes. He shifted his focus to the forum's trading threads.
[Selling at a discount! One billion gold coins for one hundred thousand! Be quick!]
[Selling ten million gold coins for ten thousand! Don't miss it if you pass by!]
[Wind Chaser Deer, a rare mount, selling for only three hundred...]
[...]
Wow, the in-game prices dropped so quickly!
As a century-spanning online game, the gold coins in New World were always directly linked to real-life currency.
But now?
One billion gold coins for one hundred thousand!
From a 1:1 ratio to 1:1000!
It's estimated they will continue to drop!
Also, that Wind Chaser Deer mount was a rare mount exclusive to priests. It used to be quite expensive, selling for tens of thousands, but now it was just three hundred!
I want it!
But...
Six hundred thousand?
Too expensive!
"Damn it, what am I thinking?"
Lin Chen gritted his teeth and slammed the table, "I'll just sell the house tomorrow. After all, the game invaded reality, and it's the end of the world!"
(End of this chapter)