Chapter 157: One Piece (Part 1)

"Finally got it." With the network file signed by Halliday himself, Daniel Davis left the game and found a lawyer in the real world. Shortly after, Ogden Morrow, Halliday's friend, also arrived. In the presence of witnesses, Daniel inherited all of Halliday's estate.

Reflecting on Halliday and Ogden Morrow's friendship, Daniel couldn't help but feel conflicted. Their split was not only due to disagreements over the Oasis game but also because Morrow married Kira Underwood. Halliday had always loved Kira but never confessed, losing his chance when Morrow made his move. The egg hunt's true theme was about Halliday's regret over focusing too much on his game and neglecting real-life relationships. His wish to shut down the game was an attempt to encourage people to engage more with reality.

"It's a pity this world doesn't have a Time Stone." They say there's no cure for regret, but the Time Stone proves otherwise.

Driven by resentment over his failure, Nolan and his men attacked Daniel during the inheritance process, only to be caught by the police. Nolan loudly accused Daniel of stealing his two keys, but no one took him seriously. In-game theft was legal, and one of Nolan's keys was also stolen.

Though Nolan was a billionaire due to his company, his actions led to his imprisonment and the subsequent downfall of his company, Online Creations, due to the opportunism of various forces.

Daniel had no time to worry about Nolan or the original inheritors of Halliday's estate. He was engrossed in learning the core code of the Oasis, marveling at Halliday's genius in creating such a vast virtual reality game.

"Building a large-scale virtual reality game from scratch isn't easy. But now I can simply copy the Oasis game over."

Beyond the game's quality, the cutting-edge virtual reality technology alone was enough to outshine all other games.

The Oasis game's vast and diverse experiences, derived from popular novels, were beloved by many. Whether you wanted to experience horror, action, puzzles, or daily life, the Oasis had it all. Daniel had only scratched the surface of the game's many planets.

"Samantha Cook, she'll do." Finding Artemis's real name online, Daniel decided to compensate her by hiring her at his social gaming company. As for Wade, he wasn't Daniel's concern—after all, he wasn't a pretty girl.

"Time to go back." Having collected enough technology from the Ready Player One world, Daniel decided to leave. He didn't need to worry about the Oasis after his departure. The game had operated smoothly for years after Halliday's death and before the egg hunt was solved.

The Oasis game, unlike other games Daniel had played, didn't require frequent updates. Halliday's absence hadn't been an issue, so Daniel's wouldn't be either.

"Sir, here is the current data on this planet's exploration." At the alien base, Daniel was greeted by a virtual girl in a white dress, reporting the findings.

This was White Queen, an AI system Daniel created. While AI programs were essentially code, and thus replicable, White Queen was uniquely crafted to test Daniel's skills. Despite having Red Queen's core code, creating White Queen involved numerous trials and errors, a testament to Daniel's hands-on abilities.

White Queen and Red Queen, though different in appearance, shared common data and similar equipment.

"Quite a few mineral resources, even a small gold mine. Lucky break." White Queen's data included weather patterns, astronomical changes, and mineral resources near the base.

"The surface is barren, but the underground is rich in untapped resources."

"Should I invite Tony to help develop this planet?" A planet was vast, and Daniel's main focus wasn't here. Collaborating with Stark seemed viable, though some base features would need to be hidden. White Queen's AI could be exposed, but not the Iron Man suits—Stark's signature creation.

"We'll deal with that later. For now, let's produce the necessary equipment." The Oasis game, being a world within a server, required extensive equipment, much of which wasn't available in the Marvel universe.

Daniel had procured a batch of sensitive equipment through underground channels, including production methods. All that remained was to start production.

"This is troublesome. Better let Pepper handle it. Alexander Pierce, hurry up with your schemes." Frustrated by the complexities of launching the Oasis game, Daniel invited Stark and Pepper to his company's game division.

Daniel's Feifei Group's game division had made a mark with unique holographic card games, attracting many players. The division had Stark Industries' shares due to the holographic system's origin. Personal use was one thing, but commercial profit required formal agreements.

In the holographic system exhibition hall, Stark and Pepper walked ahead, followed by Happy and other bodyguards.

"Looks interesting." Stark seemed intrigued by the holographic monsters battling each other.

"It's my turn. Draw a card, sacrifice two creatures, summon the six-winged archangel Gabriel." Daniel joyfully placed a card on the screen, summoning a holy six-winged angel.

In the Western world, he couldn't copy Yu-Gi-Oh entirely, so he incorporated Western mythology, gods, beasts, and monsters.

Daniel set the stage, leaving the rest to others.

"You didn't bring us here just to play games, did you? If so, I'm leaving." Stark's impatience was evident as Daniel approached after winning.

"If that's all, I could do this at home."

"Of course not. Follow me, I have something good." Daniel led Stark and Pepper to an off-limits lab within the exhibition hall.

"Try this." Daniel opened a game pod for Stark.

"What is it?" Stark examined the machine curiously.

"A virtual reality game pod." In Ready Player One, the rich used game pods, while the poor used full-body suits requiring physical movement. For comfort, game pods were superior, though the suits provided a physical workout.

"Virtual reality, real VR or just another headset?" Stark inquired.

True VR was rare in the Marvel universe, most VR technology being visual only, lacking the full sensory immersion.

"It's real, simulating all five senses," Daniel replied with a smile. The Marvel universe had a similar VR technology later on, known as The Framework.

Hearing this, Stark grew interested. After questioning Daniel further, he entered the game pod to experience it firsthand.

"It's incredible!" Stark emerged from the pod, excited. Pepper and Happy soon followed suit.

"A wizard dabbling in technology, huh?" Stark's remark made Daniel realize Stark was a bit jealous. As a scientist, he understood the true significance of real VR technology.

Unlike the VR systems in labs, which were glorified headsets, Daniel's technology was groundbreaking.

In "Spider-Man: Homecoming," Nick Fury's beachside relaxation was revealed to be a VR simulation on a spaceship. True VR and augmented reality (AR) were major research themes, with AR essentially being holographic systems.

Stark's bedroom had an AR system, changing its appearance based on his whims, allowing infinite renovations.

Daniel's room had a similar setup. Despite knowing it was fake, the visuals were pleasing.

"What are your plans for this?"

"I'm planning a virtual game where everyone shares a server." Thinking of games, Daniel couldn't help but recall a certain chubby Thor.

"A game, huh? Not a bad idea." Stark agreed. A well-run virtual game could significantly reduce real-world crime. Gang wars could be fought in-game, and even national battles could be simulated.

"The idea of playing while sleeping is nonsense." Virtual reality games still drained physical and mental energy, and couldn't be played indefinitely, though hardcore gamers might push limits.

"I'll leave it to you then." Daniel revealed his true intention.

"I knew you had an ulterior motive."

The VR technology would attract interest from various sectors: governments, corporations, militaries, and law enforcement.

SHIELD could use it to train agents, allowing rigorous training without real-world consequences.

These negotiations would be lengthy and complicated. Testing before the game's launch was a hassle for both Daniel and Stark, but Pepper excelled at such tasks.

Leaving everything to Pepper, Daniel resumed searching for life-filled dimensions. Resource distribution was quickly settled, as neither Daniel nor Stark were overly concerned.

"Stark seems a bit drained lately, while Pepper looks vibrant. Maybe I should give Stark a boost next time."

With that thought, Daniel wandered the quantum space, feeling guided by a specific direction, thanks to a dose of Felix Felicis before setting off.

"Good thing I can fly. The first time I encountered this, it was quite troublesome." On his hoverboard, Daniel looked at the endless sea around him, relieved.

"Where is this place?" Through his telescope, Daniel spotted land ahead and directed his hoverboard towards it.

"Pirates." On the way, Daniel encountered a wooden ship flying a skull flag, the classic pirate emblem. The flag featured a shark, marking them as a pirate crew.

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