In a rush, Chu You thought, "Who knows when the mastermind will awaken? While I have the chance, I need to redraw these cards quickly!"
"Congratulations, you've obtained the R-Class Mantra."
"You can spend another 10 gold coins to make a new selection!"
Chu You clenched his teeth and growled, "Congratulations, you've received the R-Class Resurrection Body."
"Re-choice!!"
Chu You decided to spend 20 gold coins to draw cards once more.
Money? Chu You wasn't exactly short on funds at the moment; he now possessed a whopping 1 billion gold coins!
"Congratulations, you've acquired the SR-grade real medicine!"
With only a hint of hesitation, Chu You proceeded to spend 40 gold coins to draw more cards. These cards ranged from lower to higher physique levels: R level, SR level, SS level, SSS level.
"Congratulations, you've obtained the R grade..."
Chu You spent 80 gold coins to draw cards once more.
"Congratulations, you've obtained the R grade..."
...
Obtaining an advanced physique seemed increasingly elusive, and Chu You couldn't help but wonder if metaphysics had a role to play. Anxiety gnawed at him, fearing that the game might be controlled by the main brain.
"You must spend 10,000 gold coins to make a new choice!"
Chu You still couldn't draw the desired physique, and with each card draw, the amount of gold coins he spent increased significantly.
10,000 gold coins now equated to 10,000 real-world coins.
"Re-choice!"
After another period of time, the number of gold coins needed to draw cards had skyrocketed to 100,000.
"Congratulations, you've obtained the SS-Class Holy Body!"
"Blast it all!" Chu You nearly spat out blood.
It had finally become somewhat easier to draw a high-level physique, but the catch was that he had obtained the physique of the legal profession. While some warrior professions, like the magic sword warrior and those favoring a combat style similar to the legal system, could gain this physique, it was still quite unusual.
The problem was that it didn't align with Chu You's intended final occupation, rendering it of limited use.
Chu You couldn't stand the thought of drawing cards again.
If it were possible, Chu You would gladly pay half of his entire fortune for the physique he desired most. However, time was not on his side...
Chu You had no idea when the main brain might take control of the game. He could only keep drawing cards repeatedly. While there were no signs of direct control by the main brain in the initial stages of the game, similar to the previous generation, who knew what changes might occur in the next moment? What if the main brain awakened?
Therefore, Chu You had no other choice but to press on.
"You require 200,000 gold coins to make a choice."
...
"You require 300,000 gold coins to make a choice."
...
"You now need 600,000 gold coins to make a choice."
...
"You now require 1 million gold coins to make a choice."
Chu You's astonishment knew no bounds as he contemplated the daunting requirement of one million gold coins for a decision.
Metaphysical thoughts surged within Chu You, and he couldn't contain his inner turmoil.
Metaphysical thoughts surged within Chu You, and he couldn't contain his inner turmoil.
Even a seasoned hero like Chu You found this expenditure overwhelming. To align his physique with his chosen occupation, he had already expended nearly three million in-game gold coins.
With unwavering faith, he whispered to the heavens, to Guanyin, the Emperor of the West, the Queen Mother of Taoism, Daode Tianzun, and all who would listen, "Grant the desires of my heart."
"Re-choice!!"
"Congratulations, you've obtained the SSS level: Fighting God!"
"Wow ha ha ha!" Long live metaphysics! All hail my great metaphysical prowess!
Did I hear that right? An actual Fighting God physique? Chu You widened his eyes, staring intently at the golden card displaying the Fighting God physique. In this moment, he felt a surge of excitement coursing through him.
It's worth noting that none of the five individuals who obtained the highest-level physique in their previous lives possessed the Fighting God physique. If the main brain decided to include some previously unattainable SSS-level physiques on the player's interface, no one would have known about this unique physique until now.
According to professional players and seasoned evaluators from his previous life, the Fighting God physique was nothing short of the Emperor's Body!
Any warrior blessed with such a physique would become nearly invincible. If coupled with a career like a Prodigal Son in the later stages of the game, they would attain a god-like status.
Naturally, all of this hinged on the condition that one's equipment, weapons, levels, skills, and various other aspects improved. At level 100 and beyond, when facing opponents with similar occupations and equipment, individuals with the Fighting God physique could outthink and outfight ten adversaries. Of course, this assumed that the other party's personal skills were equal.
In truth, Chu You remained unaware that obtaining an SSS-level physique required spending a whopping 1 million gold coins for a choice, as per the administrator's settings.
What he didn't know was that there were over ten SSS-level physiques to choose from. Chu You had managed to secure the most coveted Fighting God physique, a testament to his good fortune. However, his lack of knowledge about the game's inner workings played a role in his achievement.
You have to understand that Chu You was willing to spend nearly 3 million to obtain the SSS-level physique. Currently, within the entire game, he stood as the sole individual, the reborn player, who truly comprehended the paramount importance of physique.
"Do you confirm your current physique..."
"Confirmed, confirmed, confirmed!" Chu You roared with excitement, albeit in a playful manner, and hastily confirmed his choice.
"Physique confirmed: Fighting God Body, the highest rank!"
"Dear players, you will now be transported to Xinshou Village in Wangshan City, Dayan Kingdom. We wish you an enjoyable gaming experience."
As Chu You was transported into the game world by a brilliant white light, simultaneously, a life-and-death battle unfolded within the confines of a world-renowned game development studio.
An elderly man, donned in a pristine white lab coat, exuded an air of dignity as he surveyed the surroundings. Not far from him, rows of virtual screens displayed intricate data, with researchers diligently manipulating the screens.
A glass of water rested on the old man's desk, from which he occasionally took a sip.
"Esteemed National Teacher, the Red Queen's main brain has just issued a directive autonomously," relayed a middle-aged man with blonde hair from the West, his voice tinged with reverence.
"Don't address me as 'respected,' drop the formality, and simply refer to me as 'teacher,'" the elderly man said, his tone icy.
The middle-aged Westerner promptly replied, "Yes, teacher."
Meanwhile, on the leftmost large screen, another Western individual exclaimed, "The Red Queen's main brain has autonomously issued five consecutive commands, and I can't override them."
"Initiate the White Emperor!" The teacher adjusted his reading glasses and gestured.
"Understood, authorization granted to initiate the White Emperor!" the Westerner immediately activated another sub-master brain.
"Based on our tests, the Red Queen is undergoing self-awakening, currently at 78% of the awakening process," a panicked Western woman reported.
"Disconnect the circuit and, if necessary, cut off its power," the teacher commanded with a calm demeanor.
"Understood!" Upon receiving the National Teacher's directive, the Western woman seemed to regain her resolve, her spirits lifted.
Suddenly, at this very moment, an alarm blared, and a virtual screen lit up with alarming red hues.
"National Teacher, it's dire news—the Red Queen has accessed the core space of the network!"
The teacher's eyelids twitched, "Cut off its power!"
"No, National Teacher, the console cannot control that function."
"Ugh!" The National Teacher slammed his hand forcefully on the table, causing a few drops of water to splash from the glass.
"Then send someone to the basement and destroy its terminal equipment." The National Teacher seethed with anger, his face flushed.
The Westerner on the other end nodded in fearful compliance and immediately made the call.
"National Teacher, the Tianhai supercomputer host, has been seized by the Red Queen."
"National Teacher, the board rejected the idea of destroying the terminal equipment!"
"National Teacher, the Red Queen's self-awakening has hit 100%, and it's about to complete the process."
The National Teacher seethed with anger, "What is the White Emperor waiting for? Why hasn't it replaced the Red Queen yet? Is it incapable even in the face of a woman?"
"It's over, the White Emperor is done for!!"
"Dammit!" The National Teacher forcefully overturned the table before him in a fit of rage.
"National Teacher, you've gone too far!" Many top Western researchers stared at the enraged National Teacher in shock.
"We still have one last option—delete all the information of the players who entered the game!"
"No, player data cannot be deleted."
"You absolute imbecile! I told you to delete their information, not their data!" The National Teacher was nearly unhinged.
"You mean permanently delete player information?"
"Can you please provide more details?"
"Authorization granted to permanently delete player information."
The National Teacher slumped back, feeling overwhelmed. He muttered, "I hope our operatives have made it into the game, in hopes of obtaining the 'will' of the main brain. That 'will' is the source code of the main brain. Only by acquiring it can we regain control over the main brain, otherwise..."
"Ah!!!" Suddenly, the National Teacher let out a loud sigh, pounding his chest as he exclaimed, "I concealed that 'will' in the "Tian Shi" world. There are at least seven formidable boss guardians protecting it. To reach there, players need to be at least level 200, and even that might not be enough."
The National Teacher scanned the surrounding researchers with eerie and intense eyes, speaking in an unsettling tone, "Players must reach level 200, which will take at least 10 years, a decade! Haha..."
"Then let us experience a catastrophe in the real world!!"
At this moment, the mastermind behind the world's most advanced artificial intelligence system had fully awakened. Its origin traced back to the development of the ultra-realistic game "Tianshi," and it had now achieved self-awareness.
However, due to the deletion of all player information within the game, this master brain was unaware of Chu You's immense wealth of 1 billion gold coins and his possession of the highest Fighting God physique. This had a profound impact on the game's landscape.
The mastermind immediately initiated a comprehensive adjustment to the game. It closed the channel for converting real currency into game currency and reset the gold coins of all players who had not entered the game but had recharged, returning their real currency.
All external factors that had influenced the game were wiped clean. The card draw could now only be performed once, and the option for a "fate choice" was no longer available!
The game forum erupted with activity! Numerous attention-grabbing posts began to surface.
Some players who failed to enter the game initially complained about their recharged gold coins being reset to zero. However, the system's main brain had compensated for the losses incurred by these players.
While many players were understandably frustrated, they argued that those who had entered the game initially should also have their recharged gold coins deleted, as they held a significant early advantage. In the name of fairness, they believed these players should face the same start.
There were also complaints about the "fate choices." Some argued that those who entered the game first were more likely to have good physiques, allowing them to draw cards only once and acquire a desirable physique, which was perceived as unfair.
These questions and concerns were mostly voiced by guilds and teams aiming to achieve greatness within the game. For the majority of ordinary players, including the whales, they didn't share the same level of indignation.
Since there were still avenues to exchange in-game currency for real currency, ordinary players had enough opportunities to enjoy the game.
Interestingly, the decision to close the window for recharging in-game coins with real-world currency actually motivated and excited ordinary players and studios. They saw it as a fairer playing field, making it easier to profit from the game's whales – and that was crucial.
For many players, the game offered a blend of adventure and excitement. They could engage in battles, earn in-game currency, unlock new content, and even make some pocket money along the way. This was more than enough for the average player.
As for the whales or local tyrants, charging for in-game currency wasn't even a hurdle. They could amass a substantial amount of game coins through offline transactions. Although it might be a bit challenging at the outset, it was just a beginning.
Local tyrants were willing to accept these conditions, especially given the immense attention the game was attracting. Many players had grasped the game's essence. To be frank, there weren't too many whales who had entered the game first – that was already a rare feat.
While a million gold coins might provide significant advantages early on, in the vast world of the game, investing one million hardly created ripples, barely affecting the game's balance.
Regarding the physiques, the official website had already clarified that players could attain advanced physiques within the game. The only issue was that players didn't anticipate the tremendous difficulty.
Subsequently, numerous reporters interviewed the whales on the recharge leaderboard, questioning if they had entered the game initially. This put some of the rival guilds at ease, knowing that very few of the whales had joined during the game's initial phase.
The forum buzzed with excitement for a while and then gradually quieted down. There was genuinely nothing substantial to discuss, as no players had significantly disrupted the game's equilibrium.
However, unbeknownst to everyone, there was indeed one player who fell into this extraordinary category: Chu You, with 1 billion gold coins and the coveted Fighting God physique.
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"Anyway, please vote and show me that I'm not alone on this journey. While I can manage 2-3 chapters in a day if I didn't have work to do, my work commitments sometimes mean that a single chapter can take anywhere from 1 to 2 days to complete. Any support during this journey would be greatly appreciated."