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Chapter 5: Multiplayer Training Mode (I)

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Feng Bujue laid down and entered the game cabin, as before he logged in-game using Non-Sleep mode. Non-Sleep Mode and Sleep Mode log onto different servers, and it’s impossible to have cross server interaction.)

After getting on the login space and selecting the game, this time there were no more prompts popped out, the screen only showed the game menu options such as the chat options, friend’s contact list and blacklist, and even more that the game presents. If that the players did not read them over on the website, they can still browse in this space. And taking into account the time difference in-game, this way you’d spend/save only a fraction of the time that would’ve been spent reading outside the game.

Feng Bujue searched for Wang Tanzhi’s username, sent a friend request, and then sent a team invite.

After Wang Tanzhi^[1] joined the party, a list of party members popped out beside Feng Bujue. The display showed two party members and their ranks.

【Feng Bujue, Level 2】

【Wang Tanzhi, Level 1】

【Please select the game mode for your party.】

Three options showed up on the screen, separately they are: Single Player Training Mode, Multiplayer Training Mode, and Single Player Survival Mode (normal). Because they’re two man team, they can’t enter the two Single Modes so those were greyed out.

“Jue Bro, we can only enter the multiplayer training mode, right?” Wang Tanzhi already began chatting to Feng Bujue over the display screen. Within his login space he can also see the same information on his screen, but only the party leader has control.

“Eh… we’ll talk about it after we start.” Feng Bujue replied, clicking on the option.

【You selected Multiplayer Training Mode, please confirm.】

【Confirmed, syncing mind link connection, generating scenario……】

【Loading, please wait a moment.】

Feng Bujue’s elevator began to move; it seemed it was descending at the same time.

Meanwhile, a caption appeared before his eyes, and a ping accompanied the system prompt:

【You are about to enter the same scenario with another player. Before you enter Multiplayer Mode, please familiarize yourself with the following details.】

【A. Under Non-PVP mode, any aggressive conduct to “Other Players” will be restricted by the system; your intention will not be translated into an actual player conduct; during PvP allowed mode or when allowed within the scenario, any aggressive conduct to “Party Members” will be restricted by the system; your intention will not be translated into an actual player conduct.】

【B. Any vocalization prohibited by the system will be silenced, such as political names, profanity, and context specific names of animals, plants, and materials.】

【C. Deliberate use of obscene mouthing, gestures, writing, drawing, and any other method to verbally attack other players will be restricted by the system; the player’s intention will not be translated into an actual player conduct.】

【D. For any gender, whatsoever the system judges to have sexual harassment intent including attempts toward such intent. Any intent to carry out the behaviors listed within Articles B and C will all be restricted by the system; the player’s intention will not be translated into an actual player conduct. Repeated attempts will cause the player to be forced to disconnect. Moreover the player’s Citizen ID will be entered into the system’s permanent blacklist, and shall be monitored as a high priority target. 】

【E. Any conduct the system judges to be discriminatory shall be handled in the same manner as described in Article D. Repeated violations of Articles D and E will result the player’s account to be permanently deleted. Furthermore, the Citizen ID will prohibited from using any of this company’s products. For severe circûmstances, conduct in game will be recorded by the system and passed onto the Ministry of Public Security department to handle. For further details, please consult the Public Network Safety Law and infer the proper code of conduct. 】

Let’s clarify this for a moment, Feng Bujue’s life is in a parallel universe, year 2055. In the world he lives in, sexual harassment, together with various kinds of discrimination (handicaps, ethnicity, congenital diseases) crimes, arrests are fairly rigorous. It is unlikely the discrimination crimes will result in a prison sentence, but under severe circûmstances a citizen’s ID would be entered into the blacklist for every business and organization. While, certain sexual harassment cases can result in a prison sentence.

Previously, Feng Bujue had come into contact with many games, including mind link helmet model type games. Basically they all had similar clauses. Following the constant promotions of the Quantum Computer, players had harder times finding loopholes for bending rules. It can be said these two activities were nipped at the conceptual stage.

【Loading is complete, you are now starting Multiplayer Training mode. 】

【In this mode there is no description of the scenario or world map.】

【Finishing this mode only gives experience points, not skill points or game currency.】

【This mode does not give rewards for clearance nor and bonuses for fear rating.】

【The game has started.】

After listening to the prompts, the elevator door opened.

At almost the same time the strange and horrifying voice sounded beside his ear again. This time the voice was a harsh male sound, “Welcome to Thriller Paradise.”

After it finished speaking, it let out a peal of malicious laughter.

The scene outside the elevator was a corridor again, but this one seemed to be wider. The floor was porcelain and both walls were painted white. There were three doors on one side, all closed for now. The ceiling lights were working normally and the lighting was adequate. The smell of disinfectant filled the air; add in the building layout and you could tell it was a hospital with a single glance.

Feng Bujue quickly left the elevator, and immediately the elevator doors flew shut. The elevator began to warp and gradually began to fade away, finally changing into a wall. Turning his head, he saw another set of elevator doors on the wall parallel to the elevator he just exited.

Feng Bujue walked up to those set of doors, reached out his hand to investigate, and heard a scream, “Ahhhhhh!”

Wang Tanzhi gasped, “Just as I resolved to go out, your head suddenly came out, it startled me.”

“Can I ask, when I scared you just now, how high was the Terror Value?” Feng Bujue curiously asked.

Having heard, Wang Tanzhi pulled up and looked at his menu. In Feng Bujue’s eyes, Wang Tanzhi just looked like both his eyes couldn’t focus on where to look, looked everywhere instead, and cleared up again after a few seconds.

“I’ve already calmed down so the Terror Value is wavering around 3%.” answered Wang Tanzhi. “But as far as how high it went for that one second, I’m not sure.”

“Hn…… so accordingly the level of fear rises in that moment and then falls; is that so……” deliberated Feng Bujue, “Right, what color is the Terror Value in the energy slot?”

“Uh…… light red.”

“Oh, is that so.”

“Jue Bro, your illness…… don’t tell me, it’s kept your Terror Value at 0% all this time?”

Of course Wang Tanzhi knew of Feng Bujue’s condition, however, he’s only a recently graduated medical intern. Against this kind of illness, naturally, he’s powerless. Yet, precisely because he studies medicine, he understands that Feng Bujue’s illness, perhaps, can only depend on luck. If he’s lucky, then he could be fine for even thirty years with nothing wrong; if he’s unlucky, then it wouldn’t strange for him to die within three minutes either.

“Yes.” Feng Bujue calmly replied.

“In that case, I’ll wholly depend on you…… to cover me from whatever happens.” Wang Tanzhi said.

Feng Bujue didn’t answer him and only said, “The preparation time before the scenario starts is only three minutes, if you don’t come out the system will force you out of the elevator.”

Hearing these words, Wang Tanzhi hurriedly stepped out.

Before the elevator even disappeared, Feng Bujue took out a rock from his messenger bag and handed it over to Wang Tanzhi, “Hold it. You’re the head; lead the way.”^[2]

Wang Tanzhi took the rock and looked at the Properties. The corner of his mouth twitched, “Jue Bro…… Even if you’ve picked this up from the tutorial and used it, it doesn’t mean you’d have to go as far as being unwilling to throw it away and bring it back to the login space, ok……”

“You’re just jealous.” Feng Bujue shamelessly replied.

Wang Tanzhi did not say anything more. He just threw away the rock nonchalantly, and smoothly pulled out fruit knife, about five inches long, from his messenger bag. “Mine has comparatively better Properties.”

“Why do you have equipment!” Feng Bujue yelled. Earlier over the phone, Wang Tanzhi said his Terror Rating during the tutorial was at Panic-Stricken. According to the official website, this rank shouldn’t receive bonus rewards.

“I picked it up during the scenario.” spoke Wang Tanzhi.

Feng Bujue said, “Let me first look at it.”

Wang Tanzhi shrugged his shoulder and handed over the fruit knife.

【Name: Fruit Knife】

【Type: Weapon】

【Quality: Damaged】

【Attack Power: Weak】

【Properties: None】

【Special Effect: None】

【Can it be taken out of the scenario: Yes】

【Remark: At least this has an edge. 】

Feng Bujue returned the knife to Wang Tanzhi and lamented, “Lucky, everything I could pick up in my scenario couldn’t be brought out.”

“Then that rock of yours……”

“Drew it from a bonus reward after clearing the level.” said Feng Bujue. “Scared now?”

“Uh……”

“Lead the way!”

Resigned, Wang Tanzhi grasped his knife and walked in front.

Once they started to progress in-game, he starting getting a little terrified. He was but a “normal person”. Normal people on a peaceful day will put on a bold front when walking in front of others; while playing a horror game, not a single one wouldn’t be scared. Fear, of course, is the normal reaction, not to mention the fact that Thriller Paradise is a mind link game. That immersive feeling of fear becomes even more realistic.

About 20 meters ahead of them was a corner, and along this distance were three doors all on their right. The left was just a wall with nothing on it; just absolutely empty. Normally hospitals would post some medical information posters, a floor map, or even health encyclopedia pamphlets. Here, there wasn’t even a single sheet of paper.

The two walked just five meters, they hadn’t even reached the door before hearing a peal of disturbing laughter; it sounded like a little girl.

Soon after the white wall on their left side appeared countless bloody handprints in a flash. They practically filled the whole wall, spreading straight down to the end of the corridor.

At the same time, they both saw, in the distance, a shadow duck and hide around the corner.

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Footnotes:

[1]Wang Tanzhi is like Feng Bujue, his original 王 means “King” and he turned it to 枉 meaning “Wrong” or “Vain” ie. “The Wrong Tanzhi” which is basically, “I’m not the Tanzhi you’re looking for or “to sigh in vain.”

[2]A rock is 石头, and Feng Bujue just said 头前带路 which uses the same character “头”, which is head, for: The head/leader leads the way. 

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