Chapter 58

Listening to the bespectacled young man’s description, Wang Gang felt a chill run down his spine, but curiosity ultimately got the better of him. He gritted his teeth and said, "We can't just back down like this. Maybe if we stick together, we can find a way to survive in this forest." Hearing this, the others nodded in agreement. After all, no one wanted to easily give up on such a hyper-realistic game.

Thus, the group of fifty began cautiously exploring the edge of the forest. They discovered that the woods were teeming with bizarre creatures: some resembled glowing rabbits, hopping about quite adorably; others looked like massive, spike-covered lizards with fiercely menacing gazes.

A player named Li Yang, spotting a glowing rabbit and finding it immensely amusing, decided to step forward and catch it. The moment he drew close, however, the rabbit suddenly spat a stream of corrosive liquid from its mouth. Fortunately, Li Yang had quick reflexes and dodged sideways, otherwise, his face would have been ruined. "Damn it, that rabbit looks so cute, why is it so vicious?!" Li Yang said, lingering fear gripping his heart.

On another occasion, a female player spotted a gigantic flower with vibrant, multicolored petals and couldn't resist reaching out to touch it. Instantly, the flower snapped shut, trapping her hand tightly inside despite all her frantic struggles. Nearby players rushed over to help and, with a great deal of effort, managed to free her hand, though it was already marked with bloody gasps from the pinch.

Amidst these successive dangers, the players died time and time again, suffering the most bizarre deaths imaginable. Some were cocooned in spider silk by giant spiders, completely immobilized before being slowly consumed; others accidentally stepped into hidden traps in the grass, plunging straight into deep pits filled with sharp spikes; still others were swarmed by a dense cloud of flying insects that instantly engulfed them.

As the death toll mounted, quite a few players began to get cold feet. "This game is way too hard, it's completely unplayable. I'm quitting." "Exactly, I play games to have fun, not to be tortured." Gradually, players chose to log off and remove their helmets.

Meanwhile, those who persevered struggled to survive in the forest while screen-recording the various terrifying scenarios and bizarre deaths, uploading the footage to the internet. The moment these clips were published, they caused an immediate sensation. Netizens marveled at the game's astonishing realism while being thoroughly amused by the players' misadventures.

"This game is insane! It feels even more thrilling than a movie!" "These players have it so rough, but watching them is hilarious." Comments from netizens varied wildly, and many enthusiastic users even began offering strategies and advice to the players.

One player, who happened to be a scientist in real life, tested various parameters in his video and discovered they were an exact match for reality. Such a thing was simply unbelievable; every single rock, piece of dirt, and grain of sand was identical to the real world. That was the truly terrifying part—this was a second, real world! As the video continued to spread, it drew the attention of more and more people.

With the video's relentless momentum, an escalating number of people began paying attention to a game called "Illusionary Sea Interstellar." The scientists' test results hit the internet like a blockbuster bomb, stirring up monstrous waves. People began to realize that this was not merely a game, but rather a doorway leading to another genuine world.

Major media outlets reported on the matter frantically, pushing "Illusionary Sea Interstellar" into the global spotlight. The game company's servers were instantly overwhelmed by a massive influx of access requests, as countless individuals wanted to download the game and experience this mysterious "second world" firsthand.

Yet, the world's top hackers were unable to track down any information regarding the game whatsoever; it seemed to have materialized out of thin air!

A news headline instantly surged to the number one spot on the trending topics list:

"Mysterious Game 'Illusionary Sea Interstellar' Emerges Out of Nowhere with 100% Fidelity. Real-Time Player Testing Proves Parameters Are Indistinguishable from the Real World. Feels Like a Second Forest World."

Beneath it was a video link. Opening the link revealed a half-hour clip featuring a middle-aged man dressed in what appeared to be military attire. He picked up a stone and meticulously examined it, after which the camera zoomed in on the rock, rendering even the dust particles on its surface crystal clear!

In the video, the middle-aged man in the pseudo-military uniform focused intently on picking up the stone and inspecting it thoroughly. Then, the camera steadied on the rock, making the dust particles upon it clearly visible, every speck seemingly whispering of the world's absolute authenticity.

He knew well that relying solely on visual observation was far from enough to verify the similarity between this world and reality. Although lacking professional tools, he drew upon his rich experience and exceptional intellect to conduct his tests.

Standing in an open space, the middle-aged man held the stone high and let go. The stone plummeted rapidly, striking the ground and kicking up a small puff of dust. Based on the speed and sound of the stone's descent, he silently estimated the gravity in his mind. Recalling the laws of free fall in the real world and comparing them to the scene before him, he made a preliminary judgment that the gravity here was virtually identical to reality.

Next, he began to study the lighting. It was currently afternoon, and sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting bright beams of light. He walked into an area of direct sunlight, felt the warmth of the rays, and observed the shape and length of his shadow. He crouched down and stood up alternately, changing angles. Based on the shifting shadows, he deduced the position and intensity of the light source, finding it indistinguishable from the principles of solar illumination in reality.

The onlookers watched the middle-aged man quietly, their eyes filled with admiration and curiosity. As he tested, the man explained his thought process and judgments to them. The players nodded successively, gaining a deeper appreciation for the marvel of this world.

Although lacking professional tools, the middle-aged man's series of tests convinced everyone even more that the game world of "Illusionary Sea Interstellar" might truly be another genuine existence. This discovery also filled more people with anticipation for the unknowns within the game.

Once this video was published, its view count skyrocketed like a rocket, climbing ceaselessly!

The comment section was also experiencing an explosive growth of messages!

"This game is defying the heavens! Playing it doesn't feel like being in a virtual world at all, but rather adventuring in another real universe!"

"Those deaths are too bizarre, hahaha, but that's exactly why it's more thrilling. It feels like every step is filled with the unknown and surprises."

"How on earth did the game company pull this off? This 100% fidelity technology completely shatters the limits of human imagination, absolutely amazing!"

"I'm a bit worried—will a game this realistic impact players' mental states? After all, the dangerous scenes inside are far too lifelike."

"You're overthinking it, upstairs; it's just a game, bringing joy and excitement is what matters most."

"If this game becomes widespread, future entertainment methods will probably change completely. Movies and TV shows will likely have to take a back seat."

"Suddenly, I'm wondering if our real world is also like a designed game... Thinking about it is terrifying!"

"That uncle who looks like a soldier is so professional! He can run so many tests without any tools. I am already full of anticipation for the scientific exploration aspects of the game."

"I wonder if there are other scenes besides forests in the game, like deserts, oceans, cities... I want to explore all of them."

"If this game could add social elements, allowing interaction and cooperation with players worldwide, that would be too much fun."

"I can already imagine how various game guides, livestreams, and tournaments will spring up like bamboo shoots after a rain. This game is definitely going to spark a new gaming revolution."

"I hope the game company optimizes the servers as soon as possible. So many people are waiting to get in—please don't keep us waiting too long!"

"I've decided that once I get into the game, I must become the first person to fully explore the entire forest, and then publish a super-detailed guide so everyone will admire me."

"I feel like this game could unlock a lot of educational value, such as wilderness survival and scientific knowledge learning. Schools might even use this for teaching in the future."

"I wonder if we can create things ourselves in the game. If we could build houses and manufacture tools just like in real life, that would be too cool."

"No matter what secrets lie behind this game, I'm going to dive in and experience it first. Maybe I can leave behind my own legendary story inside."

"It would be great if this game could have some kind of linkage with the real world, like getting real-world rewards through achievements in the game. Haha, that would be so interesting."

"I can't wait to see how many more surprises this game is hiding. I hope it doesn't let us down. Go, game company!"

"I feel like I'm witnessing the birth of a great game. In the future, this title will surely become a classic in gaming history. I need to go experience it right now, maybe I can even become a veteran player."

"If this game could release merchandise, I would definitely buy it out completely—dolls, models, clothing... I'd want all of it."

"I hope there are some hidden quests and mysterious characters in the game, that way playing it will be even more fun to explore."

"Once I get into the game, I must defeat all those monsters that bully players and vent everyone's frustration, hahaha!"

Meanwhile, the players persevering in their exploration within the game also felt the changes in the outside world. They received encouragement and support from all over the globe, which only strengthened their resolve to keep moving forward in the game.

In the forest, Wang Gang and the remaining players dealt with various dangers while striving to survive according to the suggestions provided by netizens. They discovered that as external attention increased, more and more professional knowledge and techniques were being shared online!

On Wang Gang's communicator, a sentence nearly scared him to death: "We are the Ministry of National Defense of China, and we require your cooperation. Someone will contact you shortly. Have a pleasant game!" The icon displayed official verification, which could not be faked!

Wang Gang hurriedly exited the game. Since his helmet was linked to his phone's functions, he quickly pulled out his device to re-verify the authenticity of the message. In an instant, his scalp tingled fiercely!