At 10 p.m., Du Gang submitted his daily report and re-entered the world of Dark Sands.
It was now the sixth day since the official testing phase began for this groundbreaking virtual reality game. Within these six days, the game had garnered unprecedented popularity, especially with the release of the walkthrough videos, which had become a daily topic among players. The game's popularity was soaring, dominating gaming forums and news media worldwide.
By now, fewer players insisted that Dark Sands was a scam. Most were filled with eager anticipation and a touch of frustration at not being able to access the game. Although most of the beta slots had been allocated to domestic players, a handful of slots had gone to players abroad. These international players, though few, were top-tier gamers with considerable fan followings and credibility on gaming websites.
As these elite foreign players praised Dark Sands, more gamers, who hadn't yet had the chance to play, were inclined to believe that it was indeed a revolutionary virtual reality game powered by mysterious black technology. They were left wondering when the developers would fulfill their promise to open up more beta slots.
So far, international players hadn't shown exceptional progress in clearing the game. The reason was simple: they lacked one key element—a deep understanding of Chinese history. They had to wait for walkthrough videos and guides from domestic players, translated into other languages, before attempting to clear the game.
In response, many foreign players began calling for Dark Sands to introduce Western roles and historical scenarios. The official response was brief: "There will be, but not in the short term."
The response provided little explanation, but the phrase "there will be" was enough to momentarily appease these players.
The true reason, however, was not for public disclosure.
Dark Sands was not just a game; it was actual history.
History is like a river connecting ancient times to the present, and only Chinese history has a continuous heritage from antiquity to modern times. Much of Western history either lacks ancient segments or breaks off at various points, lacking the completeness and continuity of Chinese history.
Thus, even if Dark Sands were to eventually feature Western historical content, it would be a lower priority and only exist as side stories. Meng Yuan hadn't even fully developed the Chinese history storyline yet, so there was no capacity to focus on Western history slices.
In short, the game's popularity continued to soar, but Du Gang's investigation into the game was progressing slowly—even though he had cleared the Assassin Trial.
As he entered Dark Sands again, he considered whether to explore other trials or refine his own Assassin walkthrough.
Just as he pondered this, a ripple appeared in the space before him, like water disturbed.
A young man with delicate features, a handsome yet slightly melancholic face, appeared before him.
Du Gang was momentarily taken aback. He recognized this man.
Wasn't this the same "Discourager" he'd met when first entering Dark Sands?
He found himself once more in the floating celestial palace high above, surrounded by mist and thick, white pillars reaching into the clouds, as if in a godly realm.
When he'd first arrived, he'd met this "Discourager," who, with the title "Mediocre Orderly Who Failed the Trial," had shared some negative energy before handing him a special jade token to enter the trials, symbolizing his identity as an Orderly.
It had all been scripted game content, part of the tutorial that every player experienced. After that, the Discourager never appeared again.
"Hello, Mr. Du Gang.
"Allow me to reintroduce myself. I'm the operations manager of Dark Sands, and you may call me 'Beichen.'
"I know your position is somewhat unique, so today, I'd like to have a candid conversation with you.
"Feel free to ask any questions, and I'll answer them to the best of my ability."
Meng Yuan introduced himself simply, though both his face and name were fake; only the role of operations manager was genuine.
Meng Yuan didn't dare claim to be the game's lead designer, although he and Canshang were the only ones behind Dark Sands, and Canshang acted more like a programmer or support. Still, Meng Yuan understood that he wasn't truly the game's designer—at best, he was an operations staff member.
Du Gang was startled.
On one hand, he felt somewhat flattered; Dark Sands's officials had always maintained an air of mystery, rarely interacting with anyone directly. For them to send such a high-ranking figure to meet him was surprising.
The operations manager held an almost equal status to the lead designer within a game's structure.
On the other hand, he was filled with suspicion. How did the official know his "unique position"?
As a special operations team leader in a confidential department, his work was highly classified, with virtually no chance of leaks. But this man's certainty left him wary.
Then he thought about the mysteries surrounding this company, including inexplicable black technologies like brainwave recognition. Perhaps his suspicions could wait.
Meng Yuan gestured, and two broad stone chairs, well-matched to the setting, appeared, inviting Du Gang to sit.
The chairs weren't exactly comfortable, but they helped maintain an aura of grandeur.
Meng Yuan raised his hand to Du Gang, who suddenly noticed a lit cigarette between his fingers—it was his favorite brand.
"Please, make yourself comfortable," Meng Yuan said.
Du Gang took a moment, then replied, "Thank you."
It was clear that Beichen, the operations manager, knew more about him than he'd thought—even down to his smoking habit and preferred brand.
This went beyond a mere information leak.
Du Gang took a drag. It tasted identical to the real thing, though he didn't exhale any smoke; it seemed that this virtual world simply ignored secondhand smoke.
After the pleasantries, it was time to get to the point.
Du Gang had many questions, but he could only ask them one at a time.
"Mr. Beichen, what kind of company are you? Where are you located? And where did you get these virtual reality technologies?"
Meng Yuan didn't answer immediately; instead, he left a moment of suspense.
"I can give you a very clear answer to these questions. However, once you know the truth, you'll no longer have access to some critical game content.
"Are you sure you want to know?"
Du Gang hesitated briefly before nodding. "I'm sure."
Though he enjoyed Dark Sands, both for work and personal responsibility, he felt compelled to know the truth. Missing out on some game content was a small price to pay.
Meng Yuan nodded, as though he had expected this choice.
"Alright, then I'll be straightforward. We do need cooperation to keep Dark Sands's secrets.
"Actually, Dark Sands isn't a game.
"What you saw in the opening CGI, about the Orderlies—that's real.
"There are indeed demons in this world, hiding in the past, seeking to alter the course of history and even enter reality, threatening humanity.
"In reality, Dark Sands is a specialized selection process for Orderlies. Its purpose is to identify suitable candidates to enter specific historical slices, eliminate demons, and safeguard humanity.
"And all the so-called advanced technologies that defy scientific explanation are actually abilities exclusive to Orderlies.