The bell signaling the end of class rang, marking the start of break. Liu Bin and his friends rushed to convene after a quick restroom visit, eager to exchange tips about their latest gaming exploits.
"Man, what's up with your PC? It can't even handle the biohazard mode without lagging? It's not even CF!" Guo Song exclaimed in disbelief.
Liu Bin looked embarrassed. "Please, it's not just the computer's fault. I was disconnected for a full minute and couldn't even reconnect. How was I supposed to play?"
Guo Song sighed and rubbed his face, half amused, half exasperated. "Seriously, even basic browser games lag on your setup? Your computer was a bargain find by your dad, right? Just for web browsing and playing casual games like card games, huh?"
"Yeah, he got it from a second-hand store. It's mainly used for browsing and sometimes card games," Liu Bin admitted with a grin.
"Wow, no wonder you struggle with action games," Guo Song scratched his head, then laughed. "Well, reaching Silver Tier without premium weapons is pretty good under those circumstances!"
As the break ended, the classroom buzzed with the chime of the returning bell. As their teacher entered, a hush fell over the room.
"Collect your workbooks, class is about to begin. Some of you have been slacking on your homework. Remember, consistent effort builds mountains and gathers seas. Neglecting your duties now means you'll pay later," the teacher began her lecture, weaving in a proverb to stress the importance of diligence.
The day dragged on, filled with the typical school routines until finally, the afternoon bell rang, liberating Liu Bin. Carrying his heavy backpack filled with homework, he left the school grounds, ready for the evening ahead.
By ten o'clock, Liu Bin slammed his workbook on top of his completed assignments, relieved. He had an hour left before his self-imposed bedtime, plenty of time for gaming.
He logged into QQ, found Guo Song's contact, and messaged him: "Done with your homework?"
Guo Song, always online, responded immediately. "Wow, you finished already? Did you write enough for your workbook? Mrs. Feng checks those, you know."
"I wrote over four pages, so it should be fine," Liu Bin typed back.
"Alright, time for a quick game then," Guo Song suggested, eager to dive into the virtual world.
Logging into the gaming site, Liu Bin checked for the new server but found nothing unusual. "There's no test server listed here, you sure about this?"
"Just refresh the page 25 times, trust me," Guo Song instructed, a hint of mischief in his text.
"Here goes nothing," Liu Bin muttered to himself as he began the tedious process of refreshing. By the 25th refresh, a mysterious red login box appeared, devoid of any text – exactly as Guo Song mentioned.
"Got it, there's a red box here now," Liu Bin informed Guo Song, his curiosity piqued.
He clicked on the box, which led him through the usual registration process. He entered his usual gaming handle, "I'm poor but proud", and proceeded through a brief loading screen before entering the game.
Inside, the interface and music were familiar, but the character models were still loading. Liu Bin eagerly checked the weapon inventory, only to find it empty.
"What am I supposed to play with?" he muttered, perplexed.
A popup appeared, titled "New Player Test", outlining various missions Liu Bin would need to complete within the game, including escaping a school during a virus outbreak and potentially rescuing classmates.
"Seen the newbie test?" he texted Guo Song.
"Yeah, it's a solo mission, can't team up," Guo Song replied, adding a playful jab, "Don't fail and get kicked out, good luck!"
"Good luck, not 'goodlucky'!" Liu Bin corrected with a laugh, enjoying the banter.
Determined, Liu Bin clicked 'start'. The screen blinked, and he found himself, not at his desk, but standing in a dimly lit virtual school hallway, the game environment rendered with eerie realism.
"Time to see if I can survive this," he muttered, stepping forward into the game's chilling narrative.