11 The Arrival of the Players

The college city.

Wearing flip-flops and a pair of big short pants, Li Mu went towards the apartment he had rented with the fried bread stick and soya bean milk he had just bought.

He rented the room specially for his live-streams. And it was also his dwelling.

Suddenly, a pleasant ring came from the pocket of his pants.

He slightly froze, wiped his oily hand on his white vest, and carelessly took out his cell phone.

There was a short message on the screen:

"Congratulations! You are chosen as one of the first players for the pre-OBT of The Kingdom of Elves! The invitation number is 233-123-124."

"The Kingdom of Elves will welcome your arrival on June 1!"

Li Mu paused for a moment. It seemed that he still had not realized what was happening.

Checking the message again, he patted his thigh and opened his mouth.

"Ha! I know!"

"I've always been lucky!"

…

By this time, various game chat groups had already blown up.

"Ah ah ah ah! I'm chosen! I'm chosen!"

"What's the matter? Why are you so excited?"

"It is The Kingdom of Elves! I'm chosen to be a player for the pre-OBT!"

"Damn! You are terrific! I've heard that more than one million people have signed up for the pre-OBT?"

"Yes! Ha ha ha, I'll give you some screenshots then!"

"I envy you! I've watched the promotional film. It's really excellent! If the official statement is true that the graphic quality of the promotional film is the same as the game, it is a really great work! Some investigators say that the game company seems to have specially created the language and the music! It's too relentless!"

"People are already crazy! Individuals in the pre-OBT chat group have already started to sell qualifications!"

"Damn. They are too ruthless? How much?"

"It seems to be as high as 7,000… After all, everyone wants to try thought acceleration! Besides, the official game company will also introduce entirely new real sensory perception that is 100% adjustable. You know, the sensory perception system of those virtual games in the market now are just so bad."

"They're horrible."

"We don't understand what rich people think."

"It's useless. It's futile. The official game company says that the account is related to the identity card. It will check the identity when logging in. So, nobody can log in except for the original person…"

"Ah… I can only wait for the open beta test."

"I actually feel the official game company is boasting… It's too fake. Who will develop games if they really have the technology of thought acceleration and real sensory perception!"

"I also doubt it… Now, people are arguing fiercely online as well. But let's have a look at it first. At that time, there should be big bosses who do live-streams…"

"Live-streams? Didn't they say thought acceleration? If it is true, can they do live-streams under those circumstances?"

Li Mu slightly curled his lips while peeping at the chat group and gnawing the fried bread stick.

He thought for a while and then typed a line:

"I've gained qualification. I will start to do a live-stream of The Kingdom of Elves at 12 noon on June 1. Welcome to watch."

Suddenly, the game group blew up again.

"Damn! It's Big Mu!"

"Big Mu gained qualification?"

"Big Mu will do a live-stream?!"

"I will watch it first! This game has been hyped up tremendously online. I will see what on earth it will be like!"

"Big Mu! Big Mu! I'm Demasia. I also gained qualification. I will add you as a good friend beforehand! Please guide me in the game!"

"…"

Li Mu was happy to see the endless messages emerging in the group chat.

…

Time flew. In an instant, the pre-OBT time of The Kingdom of Elves finally came."

At 12 noon on June 1.

Li Mu, who had finished his lunch early, went into the game cabin and started to do a live-stream.

He had already downloaded The Kingdom of Elves long ago. He found the start key deftly and started the game…

After loading normally, the persona creating page appeared first.

The only race that could be chosen was the elf race. Meanwhile, there was a function to mold faces.

Frankly speaking, Li Mu seriously doubted whether this function was useful.

Because he already felt that the random faces in the system were so handsome.

The live subtitles in his live-stream also started flying:

"The molds of personas are great!"

"Are these faces in the system? Doesn't the developer directly use handsome young boy's faces?"

"They are so handsome!"

"After all, they are elves!"

"Big Mu! Big Mu! I'm Demasia. Add me as a good friend! Please guide me later!"

"Why doesn't Big Mu choose a woman's account? Isn't it boring to see a man's bottom while playing a game?"

Glancing at the live subtitles, Li Mu explained, "No, I cannot. This game and identity relates to gender."

After explaining, he set the color of his hair and pupils to black, lengthened his hair, and slightly modified his figure to make it slimmer. His appearance had been neutralized.

"Boo… Big Mu you are so feminine. Are you cosplaying Kirigaya Kazuto?"

"Kirigaya Kazuto + 1"

"Kirigaya Kazuto + 2"

"…"

Ignoring the ridicule in the live subtitles, Li Mu set the name to be "Li Mu."

Yes, he was hard like this!

Then, he entered the game.

His mind was spinning abruptly and Li Mu felt unspeakable weightlessness. Meanwhile, his brain went blank in an instant…

It seemed that he traversed endless time and space. It seemed that he teleported into the distant past.

When Li Mu came to, he found himself in a vast, splendid world.

With melodious, classic music, billows of magnificent sights appearing before his eyes.

A grand World Tree, splendid cities of elves, brilliant Silver civilization, and a magnificent, tragic war…

Li Mu watched everything solely from the perspective of a bystander.

"A cutscene! It's a cutscene!"

"The special effects are so vivid!"

"Hey, haven't you watched the promotional film before?"

"The background music is terrific… Ah… I feel my emotions being affected."

In the live-stream, the audience exclaimed.

They were right. It was a cutscene.

This was also made by Eve who had used a scene from the World Tree's inheritance. He aimed to let the players who had entered the game understand the elf history. And He imparted the theme of the "game" to the players--

To help the great ancient god Eve Euktrahill revive the civilization!

The cut scene was of very high quality. Li Mu did not choose to skip it, but watched it with the audience in his live-stream.

Two minutes later, the cutscene finally ended…

Li Mu wanted more.

With a holy song, the world changed again before Li Mu's eyes.

This time, he came into a white, vast space and at the same time, regained control of himself.

Li Mu took heart and then stretched out his hands.

They were no longer the familiar oily big hands. They became thin and white, yet unspeakably powerful.

He touched his body, the real tactile impression making him feel as if he had transmigrated…

At this moment, all the previous doubts were gone.

He was pleasantly surprised as if he met a treasure. He could not help but exclaim, "This is a great work indeed! The persona is so vivid! And the sensory perception is real! I can feel gravity as if I'm in reality!"

He pinched his face hard and felt slight pain.

"Psst--the pain is very real! If I didn't know this is a game, I would doubt whether I really transmigrated! But it seems to be adjustable, with a minimum of zero percent pain."

He then checked his character card.

[Name: Li Mu]

[Race: Elf]

[Profession: None]

[Ranking: 1 (Apprentice)]

[Experience: 0/100]

[Life: 50/50]

[Magic: 50/50]

[Attributes: Constitution (5), Strength (5), Agility (5), Magic (5)]

…

While Li Mu was groping curiously, an ethereal voice attracted his attention--

"Welcome, the chosen one from another world."

The voice was beautiful, distant, amiable, ethereal, yet unspeakably holy, making people want to worship it subconsciously.

With the voice in his ears, Li Mu felt that his entire soul seemed to have been washed. He was extremely calm.

He raised his head subconsciously, and then opened his mouth in surprise…