1 Is It a Scam?

Inside an apartment complex in Wolden City,

Shane Silva lay on his bed, engrossed in developing his latest video game.

His lifelong ambition had always been to create games and establish himself at the pinnacle of the gaming industry.

Despite his parent's lack of support, Shane was undeterred.

He made the bold decision to move out of his home, determined to prove to his parents that he could indeed achieve his dreams.

Leaving behind the familiar walls, Shane rented an apartment and embarked on a new chapter of his life.

While in college, he had dabbled in creating small-scale games, but they had not garnered much attention. To sustain himself and save funds for his ambitious project, Shane took on various part-time jobs.

Now, his focus was on crafting his first major game.

He had meticulously designed the storyline, centring it around a spy navigating a foreign nation, endeavouring to fulfil a critical mission. However, there was a significant obstacle in his path - the need for a substantial financial investment to bring his vision to life.

Immersed in his work on the laptop, Shane's concentration was momentarily interrupted by a notification chiming on his phone. Curiosity piqued, he reached for his phone to investigate the alert.

A popup came out of nowhere on his phone screen.

{Congratulations you have been chosen to try our new app "Raise your online girlfriend"}

"What?"

{Now installing the application.....}

"What the fuck!! Is my phone hacked"

After the loading screen finished. There was a new app icon on his phone's home screen.

Shane was flabbergasted he didn't know what to do.

As he saw the new app icon suddenly curiosity took over him. He wanted to know what kind of sorcery these hackers do to install an app on his device without him doing anything.

"Fuck it, looks like my phone is already hacked, so I don't have anything to lose"

Saying this he clicked on the app icon.

[Congratulations, for being the first user of our app "Raising your online girlfriend"]

"What kind of name is this"

As the app screen loaded, he saw an online form on the phone.

[Please answer the questions according to the prompts, and the system will match you with the first online girlfriend.]

At the same time, few choices appeared in front of Shane,

[Please choose your girlfriend's role in relationships. ]

[1. She leads the relationship

2. She lets you lead the relationship

3. She believes in mutual cooperation in relationships]

"What the fuck!!"

"What kind of a scam is this."

Although Shane was in shock right now but he wanted to know the aim of this scam app.

So Shane chose option no .3, as he believes that a relationship works well when both parties mutually contribute in a relationship.

[Please choose your girlfriend's view on cheating in a relationship. ]

[1. Ok with it

2. Not ok with it but don't mind giving it a try in certain circumstances

3. Not interested in any form of cheating while in a relationship.]

Shane chose option 3.

[Please choose the looks of your favourite girlfriend. ]

There were no options in this one. He has to write the general features he likes in a girl.

As he was thinking, he came to realise that he never had any type except for curvy women.

So he casually wrote the features and things he liked.

Afterwards, Shane filled out a bunch of questions again.

After filling out a bunch of questions he clicked on enter.

Finally, the loading screen disappeared, revealing a message on the app screen

[All selections have been made, and the system will match you with a girlfriend who is most suitable for you and closest to you based on the various options selected by the player.]

[Congratulations, your perfect online girlfriend has been matched!]

Shane couldn't believe it. He was curious to meet this online girlfriend that the app had found for him.

The screen displayed a picture of a girl named Lily.

She is not tall and looks only about 1.6 meters tall, but she is well-proportioned, with an exaggerated upper body curve, but without losing her beauty, so you can't remove your eyes from her when you see it.

When she smiled, her eyes were bent into two crescents. She was confident and happy.

It looked very sweet and made people feel healed.

Lily's complexion is a palette of soft peaches, untouched by the harsh strokes of stress. Freckles, like dainty constellations, sprinkle lightly across her cheeks, adding a whimsical touch to her overall appearance.

When he caught sight of her on his screen, Shane was taken aback.

The word "beautiful" escaped his lips, unable to fully capture the awe he felt. Even if this app turned out to be a hoax, the girl they had chosen was stunning and perfectly aligned with his preferences.

As he continued to gaze at her, a notification popped up unexpectedly.

"Congratulations, Shane! Since this is your first time using the app, you have received an 'Opportunity card."

Suspicion crept in, making him wonder if this was just another ploy to deceive him. He dismissed the notification and shifted his attention back to the app.

But then, out of nowhere, another popup materialized. "Online Girlfriend successfully matched, and the game has officially begun. All interactions within the game will adhere to real-life rules and your girlfriend's personality will evolve accordingly.

"She might experience anger, tears, joy, and different emotions. She may also study, graduate, apply for a job, be unemployed, start a business, or go bankrupt."

"Unbeknownst to her, you, an anonymous online supporter, will be her sole pillar of support. Treat her with respect and love."

"Lily's initial favorability rating stands at a mere 0 points."

"The player begins with a blank slate in terms of wealth points, starting at 0."

"Please note that wealth points hold significant value in the game, allowing you to make purchases and withdraw funds."

"By indulging in extravagant purchases for your virtual girlfriend, you can accumulate wealth points."

"Initially, the wealth withdrawal ratio is set at 1:10. For every dollar spent on your online girlfriend, you will gain 1 wealth point and have the ability to withdraw 10 dollars."

"Each online girlfriend possesses unique preferences, dislikes, and personalities, all of which contribute to the player's overall impression."

"The level of affection between the player and their online girlfriend has a direct impact on the game's functionality. With enough affection, your virtual girlfriend may even become your real-life partner!"

"Therefore, it is crucial to maximize your girlfriend's affection by showering her with gifts and attention!"

As Shane examined the string of prompts within the game, his mind whirled with confusion.

What is the purpose of all this?

Why does it still revolve around "cash withdrawal"?

Could this be a deliberate attempt by the game to heighten the sense of achievement?

Money? Can I really withdraw 10 dollars for every 1 dollar spent?

Is this app underestimating my intelligence?

Despite his doubts, Shane decided to proceed and clicked [Continue] to see how the game unfolded.

And just like that, the game officially commenced, with Shane's phone flashing twice and revealing a game interface.

On the interface, a pixelated version of Lily was seen walking towards an unknown destination.

At the same time, a reminder popped up above Lily's avatar, indicating her intention to go somewhere today.

Shane attempted to interact with the game but found that there was nothing he could manipulate. He continued to explore other options, spending a minute researching the game's design.

It became evident to Shane that the game was incredibly simplistic, with only a main interface, an introduction page for the girlfriend which was empty, an inventory and a closed shop.

There wasn't even a way to add money to the game. "This game promises a 10x return on money spent, but it doesn't even offer an option to spend money," Shane remarked, amused by the incompetence of the scammers behind the app.

So he turned off his phone and took a nap.

As he awoke, he glanced at his phone and realized it was already 7 pm.

Feeling a pang of hunger, he rose from his bed and made his way to the refrigerator, hoping to find something to eat.

However, upon opening the fridge, he discovered it was empty.

He then checked his pantry, only to find that there were no quick and easy meal options available.

The thought of cooking was not appealing to him at that moment.

With a rumbling stomach, he decided to venture outside and purchase something to eat, specifically "ramen noodles."

Donning his jacket, he exited his house and headed towards a nearby convenience store.

Upon entering the store, he was greeted by Aunt Lin, a friendly middle-aged woman stationed behind the counter.

Shane greeted her with a warm hello, "Aunt Lin, could you please assist me in getting instant noodles?"

Aunt Lin, clearly acquainted with Shane, smiled upon seeing him. Her face, adorned with wrinkles, lit up, "Shane, are you here for ramen once again?"

Shane nodded and replied, "Yes, please help me grab two big packets of migorang from the storeroom as I can't find it on the shelves."

"Certainly," Aunt Lin responded, eager to help.

Shane stood patiently at the counter, his gaze wandering towards the adjacent shelves in hopes of finding something enticing to purchase alongside his instant noodles.

It was during this idle search that a young woman emerged from the shelves and caught Shane's attention.

With her fair complexion, charming features, a hint of innocence mixed with sorrow in her furrowed brows, and a confident posture that emphasized her figure, she exuded a captivating allure that stirred his blood.

Caught off guard by her sudden presence, Shane couldn't help but fixate on her face for a moment.

His mind raced as he tried to understand why this girl seemed so familiar.

The doubt in his eyes deepened as he scrutinized her further.

Then, like a bolt of lightning, a realization struck him.

This... This girl... How is she a replica of the girlfriend I nurtured virtually?