Atlantic Ocean, the Heart of the Ocean cruise liner.
In a luxurious suite on the top level of the cruise ship, four passengers were seated around a long table, sizing each other up.
Only VIP-level guests could book rooms on the upper floors, so the identities of these individuals were all either wealthy or noble, and the reason they gathered here wasn't for business discussions, but for a game.
A game that claimed to be unimaginably stimulating even after exhausting all mental efforts.
"Since we're all sitting here, why don't we introduce ourselves?" a middle-aged man took the initiative to speak in English, "Hey, everyone should understand what I'm saying, right? My name is Joe James, American. How about you guys?"
No one responded.
The atmosphere at the scene suddenly turned a bit awkward.
"Alright, alright, how about French? No? How about Chinese? I also know a little Russian." He switched through several languages in succession.
"Enough already, this isn't some talk show." Finally, someone interrupted his babbling, "We're all here for fun, so what does it matter if we don't know each other?"
"Just making friends," James lifted the champagne on the table and shook it toward the other person, "Besides, no one knows what this game will be like. What if it requires teamwork? Wouldn't getting to know each other now save time?"
The person raised an eyebrow, seemingly persuaded by his argument, "...Anthony Chekhov, you're welcome to come hunting in Siberia when you're free." He appeared to be older, nearing fifty, and had the most commanding presence. At least nine of his ten fingers were adorned with rings, some studded with gems and others crafted from bone – all strikingly eye-catching.
What was slightly strange was that, though this man looked Slavic and had a Russian name, he spoke fluent Chinese.
"If it's just hunting, I prefer South Africa." James's gaze moved to the only female among the five, "What about you, miss? How should we address you?"
"Qianyuan Mingzi," the woman spoke, then pointed at the big man behind her, "He's my guardian, no need to introduce him to everyone."
"You brought an attendant to have fun?" Chekhov touchingly his ring with implied meaning, "I wouldn't want to be watched by unrelated individuals while I'm enjoying myself."
"He will leave after the host arrives."
"But Miss——"
"No need for further words." Mingzi interrupted in Japanese.
The big man had no choice but to keep quiet.
"My name is Zhou Zhi..." The last young man, seeing everyone's gaze focused on him, slightly raised his head and said, "I boarded the ship at the Port of Berlin, but my hometown is——"
"That's enough, there's no need to go into such detail." James gestured with his hand, cutting off his words, "We'll meet the host soon. I have a suggestion for him, that is, to better screen the ages of participants. It's better not to let the too young get involved, lest their lives for the next few decades become utterly dull."
That comment immediately elicited low chuckles from the others.
Zhou Zhi's complexion also turned gloomy.
"Does what Mr. James said include me as well?" Qianyuan Mingzi asked calmly, "After all, from appearances, I should be about his age."
The two of them were clearly the youngest among the passengers, both appearing to be in their early twenties.
"Not at all, restrictions never apply to beautiful ladies, that's universal." James quickly backpedaled.
"I can afford the ticket." Zhou Zhi emphasized, word by word.
"Yes, yes, we're all clear on that," the American winked, "As to who really foots the bill."
Zhou Zhi abruptly stood up.
"Never mind, the organizers don't care about that, earning money is still earning money." Chekhov gestured with his hand, changing the subject, "What I'm curious about is how exactly is this game played. I've been on Caribbean Company's cruises before, but I've never heard of them promoting anything like this."
This comment seemed to strike a chord with everyone.
The Heart of the Ocean is a cruise liner known for its luxury worldwide, boasting all kinds of entertainment facilities from casinos to pleasure grounds. However, for them, those luxuries usually inaccessible to ordinary people had been experienced countless times, and were now devoid of any novelty. It was precisely for this reason that, when the organizers issued invitations to a brand new game, they had unhesitatingly clicked the participation button, even though the entry fee alone was as high as one million US Dollars.
According to the invitation email, the event was unparalleled and incredibly exciting, such that even extreme sports couldn't hold a candle to it. It was designed to provide the most primal sensory thrill, promising to be an unforgettable experience after just one participation.
Curiously, aside from that email, there was no other related promotion on the ship, and other passengers seemed completely unaware of it, which was somewhat unexpected. If the organizers had truly concocted such a fantastic event, it shouldn't be this obscure.
"Is it possible... we are the first batch of participants?" Zhou Zhi sat down again, "There are people from all cardinal directions. If the project is as exciting as they say, I fear the news could spread across the globe the next day."
"Or there's another possibility." the American said skeptically, "That is, this event isn't suitable for widespread publicity."
"You mean to say..." Mingzi looked at him.
"Would a regular game really pique everyone's interest?" he countered.
This comment elicited a meaningful smile from Anthony Chekhov.
The so-called regular games naturally refer to legal games. If one views life as a game, then the law is simply the most significant set of limiting rules.