Zhao Haiping clicked the [Agree] option without hesitation. Of course, he had to agree—how could he miss such a prime chance to show off? Ahem, I mean, it's not about showing off; it's simply about sharing his experience and discussing the strategy with fellow players. It's just normal player-to-player communication, not about basking in admiration.
But honestly, this game is quite thoughtful. It even considers players who might prefer to keep a low profile and not share their replays with others after passing a level. The game gives players the choice to share or not. Zhao Haiping, however, felt the game developers were overthinking it. Maybe for an ordinary game, sure—but for a game this challenging, overcoming a level is such a huge accomplishment that keeping it to oneself would take a level of restraint bordering on sainthood.
The moment Zhao Haiping clicked "Agree," the video was uploaded to the official website of Dark Sands. Then, he opened his messaging app to share the exciting news with Chu Ge immediately.
...
Meanwhile
In the graduate dormitory of the History Department at Tiandu University, Chu Ge woke up right on time and took off his VR headset. After a quick wash, he headed toward the cafeteria for breakfast, casually pulling out his phone to check the Dark Sands forums as usual.
Scanning the posts, he noticed that complaints about Dark Sands had noticeably increased.
"This game is ridiculously hard! Just hard for the sake of being hard!"
"Yeah, I've been stuck on the Assassin level for days and still can't pass it!"
"The Soldier level is brutal too. I barely scraped by the first stage, and the second stage just killed me outright!"
"This isn't a game; it's a military selection process!"
"Honestly, this difficulty level is impossible—even trained soldiers would be defeated. It's just not meant for humans to beat!"
"Could it be that this game's neural link tech actually collects negative emotions? Maybe the developers get happier the more players suffer? Otherwise, why design something so punishing?"
"I swear, if the devs don't lower the difficulty, this game won't last two weeks!"
"I agree. At this difficulty, 99% of players will be turned off. And the worst part? Not a single player has cleared even a beginner level yet!"
"Look, sure, the game is incredibly realistic, but it has zero fun factor. This kind of game just won't last!"
Clearly, after enduring three or four days of relentless setbacks, most players were at their breaking point, their accumulated frustration reaching a critical mass. They were close to giving up.
Of course, some who hadn't gotten into the beta were watching from the sidelines, seething with jealousy and throwing in their criticisms. That was understandable.
But Chu Ge didn't agree with those complaints. To him, this was the most captivating game he'd ever played, hands down. The realism, the freedom—delving deep into it revealed endless layers of enjoyment. The only pity was that he couldn't quite make others feel the thrill of the game just by talking about it.
It was like any tough action game: once you got into it, it was intensely fun and could keep you glued to the screen for hours. But if someone asked why it was fun, it was nearly impossible to explain.
Just then, his phone vibrated with a message from Zhao Haiping.
It was simple, just three words: "I did it!!!"
Chu Ge could almost feel Zhao Haiping's excitement through the screen.
Eyes wide, Chu Ge quickly replied, "Congratulations! How did you do it?"
Zhao Haiping: "It went pretty much as you suggested. I headed northeast along the Northern Mountain path and soon encountered Da Chu's reinforcements. The whole process is up on the website."
Chu Ge immediately replied, "OK, I'll check it out!"
He was genuinely thrilled for Zhao Haiping's success. After all, they were partners in this endeavor, not competitors, and Zhao Haiping couldn't have done it without Chu Ge's help. Players tend to be like that—a shared strategy isn't something to keep secret; it's something to share freely to help one another out.
Moreover, Chu Ge knew Zhao Haiping's breakthrough was critical. So many players had been complaining about the game's difficulty, saying there was no fun to be found in the levels. But was it really that the game lacked rich mechanics or enjoyable aspects? Not at all.
The problem was that these players simply hadn't found the correct way to approach the levels. If they kept cowering at the back in the Soldier level, all they would do was get cut down by the Northmen raiders over and over. Where's the fun in that?
What was needed now was a video from a pro player who had cleared the level, showing everyone how the game was actually meant to be played.
Chu Ge opened the Dark Sands official site and indeed found a new section labeled "Outstanding Player Clear Videos." The description was minimal, featuring keywords like "first clear" and "Soldier Trial," but that alone was enough to grab anyone's attention.
Chu Ge clicked to view it.
...
The video quality was astounding, almost indistinguishable from real life, like a film with meticulously crafted props and details. The three stages were seamlessly edited together, with the camera zooming out when necessary, zooming in on close-ups, capturing expressions, fight choreography, and every detail as if it were an actual movie scene, flawlessly executed.
The pacing was on point. When something could be skipped, it was cut; when something needed emphasis, it was highlighted perfectly.
From the very start, Zhao Haiping stunned everyone with his extraordinary archery skills. When the raiders reached the wall, he fought fiercely, his heroic display even impressing General Geng.
In the second stage, Zhao Haiping decisively persuaded the general to dig a well and slaughter their horses, ultimately turning the tide in their favor at the last moment.
In the third stage, he rode alone through blinding snow to bring reinforcements, finally driving off the Northmen raiders, allowing General Geng and the remaining Da Chu soldiers to withdraw safely.
Though Chu Ge already knew the rough storyline, having advised Zhao Haiping throughout his journey, watching the replay left him in awe.
This was next-level gaming. Watching a pro speedrunner tackle a notoriously hard game often left you amazed, wondering if you were even playing the same game as them. Seeing certain tactics, you might gasp, "Wait, that's possible? That fearsome enemy is a pushover for them? Just mind-boggling!"
The further the video went, the more Zhao Haiping's tactics became extreme. Near the end of the second stage, he was fending off three or four raiders at once like it was nothing.
What set this gameplay apart from a movie was that the fights weren't overly simplified or flashy; nor were they over-the-top choreographed spectacles that sacrificed realism for style. Instead, the cold-weapon combat here was somewhere in between—authentic and grounded, but still engrossing.
In most films, cold-weapon fights fall into two traps: either they're too simplistic and half-hearted, or they're overly stylized, losing their realistic edge.
But real hand-to-hand combat with blades was different. There's no fancy choreography, no game balance; soldiers used the simplest, most direct moves to kill. It might not seem sophisticated, but on a real battlefield, you'd see just how fragile life could be.
Many filmmakers try to make historical combat feel authentic, but it's nearly impossible. The reason is simple: actors can't replicate that level of raw intensity. These seasoned warriors have seen so much death that each swing, each look, carries untold weight. People in modern times can't convey that. Maybe a rare actor could pull it off, but most extras in a battle scene simply can't.
But in Dark Sands, each NPC felt alive, as if they were truly fighting for their lives, creating a breathtakingly authentic experience.
This wasn't just a game recording; it was a masterful performance that would captivate any player or viewer.