Chapter 1: That Day, A Nationwide Frenzy_2

Lu Bu'er lay on the bed, staring blankly out the window.

In just half an hour, the bustling streets had emptied, the small shops on the street-side had all closed down, and the usually noisy night market was deserted, with not even a single shadow in sight.

The residential buildings in the alleyway turned their lights on, one after another, shining bright in the dark.

It was as if the world of darkness lit up in an instant.

The public test release conference for "Pure Land" had begun.

·

·

In the gloom of darkness, Lu Bu'er's calm face was illuminated by the screen of a mobile phone.

"This is the punishment for trespassing, they have disturbed the tomb of the gods, the divine blood spreads across the land, and disaster descends upon us. Natural catastrophes, terrestrial troubles, Specter Fiends… they buried the bones of the gods in the soil, erecting the Divine Tree that reaches towards the heavens, thus opening the gates of Heaven, embarking on the path of evolution."

The head of Orola Technology appeared on the screen, his voice like a torch igniting a mine, spreading a mysterious air: "This is the origin of all, and the opening chapter of the New Era. Every civilization must go through transformation to experience rebirth."

Screens around the world broadcasted the live event, with the head of Orola Technology's face appearing on televisions and phones in every home.

Lu Bu'er silently watched the broadcast, and even in the empty dorm building, one could hear the roar of cheers from the outside community, while the official broadcast was overwhelmed by a deluge of comments.

It was enough to make hormones surge.

Because this was an expansion for the public beta of "Pure Land," watched by two billion people online, with keen attention from one hundred ninety-five countries – it was a celebration for all.

"All because of that mysterious ancient tree."

"Legend has it that on July 17, 2046 by the solar calendar, an Arctic research vessel from Orola Technology broke through the ice, entering a forbidden area untouched by humanity for eons. At the edge of the world, they discovered a mysterious, ancient, and gigantic tree, inadvertently uncovering the truth of the universe!"

"About gods, about devils, about the origins of life and the existence of consciousness."

"The ancient myths were not made up; rather, humanity had always misinterpreted their content. They are not just mythical stories, but the recorded history of gods. Gods have always been present, simply concealed in the torrent of vast history. Now, we have found the legacy of the gods, excavated their remains, resurrected their power, and carved out the long steps towards the path of the gods!"

"The New Era thus begins, and humanity faces an unprecedented technological explosion. We use the legacy of the gods to establish a new order, and with the grace of the gods, we transform the entire world!"

"No one knows whether this path leads to heaven or hell. When humanity received the gift of the Divine Tree, they inadvertently transgressed a terrible taboo. The natural environment underwent drastic changes, extinct ancient creatures revived, and an extremely terrifying type of monster invaded our world…"

This is the trans-era online game "Pure Land," the ultimate masterpiece released by Orola Technology after ten years of development, achieving perfect neural sensory simulation, creating a virtual world capable of replacing reality based on the concept of metaverse, and fully utilizing sleep time to give players a dream-like experience in another world.

Even to the point of abandoning the real world, to rebuild one's life in the virtual space, to change one's fate.

It's no longer a distant dream to redistribute wealth or to re-establish one's sense of self-worth.

Moreover, this technology could effectively treat human mental illness and was very beneficial in the development of the brain, serving in some sense as a key to evolution.

That's why it triggered a national frenzy.

"Why does the background of this game sound like a resurgence of spiritual energy? And... if life is unsatisfactory in the real world, can one change their destiny in the virtual world?"

Lu Bu'er didn't see it that way. The only reason he paid attention to this release was simply because Orola Technology was the company where his parents had worked before they died.

Before their car accident, his parents were the lead researchers for this trans-era technology, focusing on the conduction of neural sensations and the synchronization of cognitive fields, and even delved into the origins of consciousness to some extent.

At that time, Orola Technology was still a small company.

Who would have thought it could one day achieve such greatness.

If there was something Lu Bu'er felt compelled to do in his last moments, it was to witness the advent of this trans-era technology with his own eyes.

He had actually played a test version of the game in his early years. Although the technology was not quite mature at that time, the gaming experience was still passable, essentially creating a feeling of travel, but they hadn't managed to sync the bodily sensations well.

The game was a secondary creation based on real-world backgrounds, telling the story of a day when humanity unearthed ancient prehistoric civilizations, massive changes swept across the globe, people suddenly possessed transcendent powers, but also had to fight against the monsters that emerged from the shadows.

It was somewhat akin to the early concept of games like "Earth Online."

He spent seven days completing it.

But it was only the beginner's village.

The subsequent content was nowhere close to being done, and then it kept getting delayed.

Until this year.

If his parents were still alive, seeing this game launched would probably bring them great comfort.

Unfortunately, Lu Bu'er had no money to buy a virtual headset and couldn't participate in the public test today. He could only wait until tomorrow to go to the internet café and experience it briefly through a temporary rental.

He wasn't addicted to the internet; he just wanted to go in and take a look, to see the life's work of his parents.

It's just a pity that even the internet café might not have the virtual headset device. It's said that Orola Technology's sales process for the headsets is quite complicated this time, involving a series of survey questionnaires and brain tests before one can make a purchase, with many people unable to buy one even if they have the money.