Looking at the forum discussions again, Zhao Haiping found that the release of his completion video had instantly changed the entire forum atmosphere! Previously, many were complaining about the unreasonable difficulty, the supposedly high freedom that didn't actually feel free, and the lack of fun. But after watching the video, they all fell silent!
Before, many players felt that the game's much-advertised freedom was just a facade. Take the Soldier Trial, for example. What freedom was there in that? Players were just a lowly grunt with little to say, only allowed to choose one of three mediocre talents to fight the enemy. No matter what choice they made, the end was the same—death. The only difference was the manner of dying.
But after seeing the video, they realized it wasn't the game's problem. It was theirs! The game actually had so many hidden mechanisms!
Watching as this pro player progressed step by step from a mere bowman to a deputy and finally became the key to saving the city, players were stunned. They could only shout "awesome!"—they were at a loss for words.
"Whoa, you can play the game like this?"
"My mind is blown. No wonder I couldn't pass the second stage. I didn't even set up a good foundation in the first stage."
"The pro is amazing! Is he some kind of martial arts expert in real life?"
"So, that day-long break in the second stage was actually there for persuading the general? Does that mean the game really is high in freedom, and as long as you do things fitting your role, anything is possible?"
"It seems what limits us isn't the game itself, but our own imagination. Who would've thought advising the general would actually work?"
"This doesn't feel like a game; it's like actually being transported to that world!"
"I've learned from this. Tonight, I'm going to tackle the Soldier Trial until I clear it!"
"Who was that legendary first-clear player? Who is he? Can he share his thoughts?"
The forum's previously dismal atmosphere was completely transformed as players rekindled their hope for the game!
Is the game hard?
Yes! Incredibly hard!
Even the most skilled players needed three or four days to clear a single trial.
But is the game truly as restrictive and unfun as some players claimed?
If asked this question before the video, many might have said no. But now, the answer was undoubtedly yes!
Or rather, it was precisely the high difficulty that made the game so free, so enjoyable!
Every character in the game felt as if they were played by a real person, each with their own thoughts. Some would hesitate, some would shrink back, and each would react differently based on circumstances.
Naturally, this made the game significantly harder.
But it also gave players the magical feeling of genuinely being transported to another world, and the satisfaction after racking their brains to figure out how to pass a level was unmatched!
Of course, up to this point, only Zhao Haiping had cleared the level; the other players hadn't.
But watching Zhao Haiping's video, they could still share in the triumph.
It was like watching a pro player's flawless run in a difficult action game; even if they couldn't pull off the same feats, watching was exhilarating, and they hoped that, with enough practice, they could achieve the same one day.
Finally, amidst a chorus of calls, Zhao Haiping appeared.
He posted on the forum.
As a hardcore player of action games, he had been active on the forums, frequently posting flawless runs in other games, so he was already somewhat known.
This time, his username bore a shiny new badge: "*Dark Sands* Pro Player"—bright and eye-catching.
The content of his post was wildly shared and quickly went viral!
"Hello everyone, I'm Zhao Haiping, the one who just cleared the Soldier Trial.
"I'm still feeling pretty excited because I know this beta test is only open to truly elite players, each skilled in their own way. To achieve this first clear is a meaningful moment in my gaming journey.
"I'll skip the pleasantries and share my understanding of *Dark Sands*.
"I've seen a lot of complaints online about the game being too difficult and not fun, but I disagree.
"I believe the challenge of a high-difficulty game is the biggest enjoyment in itself!
"I must have died hundreds of times across the three stages of this trial, especially in the first stage, where I died so many times that I was numb to it, only then achieving a perfect setup for the second stage as a deputy.
"Throughout the challenge, I received a lot of help from Chu Ge and tried many different approaches. It wasn't until I realized the second and third stages were influenced by my performance in the first stage that I really started on the right path.
"I'm confident that the other trials probably have similar special mechanics; once you figure them out, clearing them becomes possible!
"Reflecting on my experience in the Soldier Trial, I came to understand the true meaning of this role.
"At the end of my clear, the screen displayed a sentence: 'After this simple trial, you should better understand the true meaning of being a soldier.'
"What is the true meaning of being a soldier?
"My perception of this identity evolved with each stage of the challenge.
"At first, I thought a soldier was just an ordinary grunt. When the Northern barbarians attacked, I resolved not to be a deserter and, if I could avoid slacking off, to fight alongside my brothers. When it became too overwhelming, I'd retreat and let others take the lead.
"In the second stage, I felt that being a soldier meant being a minuscule figure. No matter how hard I tried, facing overwhelming enemy numbers left only one option—fighting to the death.
"But soon, I realized that rank could change. The better I performed in the first stage, the higher my position in the second, giving me influence over the trial's direction.
"This embodies the saying, 'A hero rises from the ranks.' Though humble, a soldier in the battlefield can grow into a hero capable of turning the tide!
"Later, I advised the general to dig a well and slaughter the horses and, in the third stage, went alone to seek reinforcements. All as a soldier, altering the course of a historical event.
"The Soldier Trial is titled 'A General's Success.'
"At first, I thought it referred to the phrase 'A general's success is built on the bones of a thousand men,' emphasizing the brutality of war.
"And indeed, the trial presented it that way. In the Soldier Trial, I witnessed and experienced countless deaths. General Geng's name is recorded in history, but those seventy-some elderly soldiers who held on are nameless, and the many others who sacrificed in the siege are completely unmentioned.
"General Geng's success was built upon the bones of countless nameless soldiers!
"But over time, I began to think this might not be the complete meaning of 'A General's Success.'
"I actually came to respect the deputy more than General Geng.
"This deputy, starting as a nameless grunt, climbed the ranks through accumulated achievements. His excellent performance caught the general's attention, and he likely made many strategic suggestions, like digging a well and slaughtering horses. Without him, General Geng might not have achieved his fame.
"But the deputy's name was lost to history.
"And we can reasonably assume there were many like him, working tirelessly to support the general.
"When I took on the role of this deputy, exhausting all means and dying countless times to reach his level, I truly felt the greatness of these historical figures.
"Because he achieved something in a single life, with no guide to follow, that I could barely comprehend even with countless retries!
"Thus, 'A General's Success' reminds us that it wasn't just General Geng's achievement. Countless soldiers bled and sacrificed, working together to create it!
"That's what makes this game so remarkable. Yes, it's hard, and perhaps it lacks entertainment for some. But in my view, *Dark Sands* is unique and thought-provoking, and all who were lucky enough to enter the beta should savor it!"