Chapter 1571 - 1567: Fairy Fantasy

"I think so too, but this game is now quite popular for a reason. The reason is that you can 'fly' in it."

"Fly?"

"Because of the fairy wings. The game is equipped with a flight engine, unlike the traditional controllers in previous games, so you can fly freely inside."

Ye Qiu exclaimed without thinking. After Galaxy was released, many VR flight games appeared, but all of them were controlled through in-game devices. The reason for not making players fly according to their own ideas was simple: humans don't have wings in reality.

In the virtual world, players can make the same movements as in the real world. That's precisely why things humans can't do in reality can't be done here either. Growing wings on your back is easy, but understanding how to flap them with muscle movement isn't that straightforward.

In that world, both Ye Qiu and Fang Wushang have immense jumping power, which can simulate flying, but that's merely an extension of jumping and fundamentally different from true free flight.

"Flying is pretty incredible. How exactly do the wings work?"

"Who knows? But surely it's complicated. For beginners, they can still use a single-hand joystick-style controller."

"??? Flying..."

Ye Qiu had a sudden urge to challenge this game, but immediately dismissed the thought and took another sip of hot coffee.

"Well, I think I roughly understand this game. Let's get back to the main topic, what's going on with this image?"

The shop owner took a piece of paper from beneath the counter and placed it in front of me. It was a photo print paper. Printed on it was that image.

"What do you think?"

Upon hearing the shop owner's question, Ye Qiu stared at the image for a moment and said:

"It looks a lot like Fang Wushang."

"So you think so too, huh? Due to it being a screenshot from the game, the resolution is somewhat lacking."

"Hurry up and tell me what's going on here."

"It was taken inside the game Fairy Fantasy."

The shop owner took back the game from Ye Qiu and turned it over. In the central layout tightly packed with game content and visual images, there was an overhead map of the world. A circular world with various races' territories radiating outward, with a giant tree growing in the center.

"World Tree, it's called."

The shop owner pointed at the big tree.

"The players' goal seems to be to reach the city on this tree before the other races."

"Reach it, can't you fly here?"

"No matter how you fly, the air time is limited, and you can't fly indefinitely. Even the lowest branches of this tree can't be reached. But many people have come up with foolish methods, like stacking five strong individuals up in a human tower, using a multi-stage rocket approach to try reaching the tree's branches."

"Hahaha, so that's how it is. It's a foolish method, but they did put some thought into it."

"Yes, it seems they succeeded, but since the branches are so fragile, they barely reached them. To prove they reached the branches, they took many photos as evidence. This image seems to be one of those weird photos. It's a giant birdcage hanging below the tree's branches."

"Birdcage."

Ye Qiu's words carried a certain ominous feeling, and he furrowed his brow. The idea of being trapped instantly came to mind.

"This photo was barely taken by them reaching forward."

"But isn't this game supposed to be legitimate? Why would Fang Wushang be..."

Ye Qiu took the game back and examined it again.

He moved his gaze to the bottom part of the box. Found the information "Rek't - Produced and distributed."

"Hey, what's wrong, Ye Qiu? You look pale."

"It's nothing. Are there any other photos? Like of other 'unreturned' players in Fairy Fantasy or something, like being trapped?"

To Ye Qiu's question, the shop owner furrowed his thick brows and shook his head.

"No, but I heard those words, and this photo doesn't prove anything either. Don't go reporting this to the police."

"Ah, I know."

Ye Qiu lowered his head, recalling the words Lan Yang once said to him.

Lan Yang had mentioned he managed the VR game servers now. He talked about management, saying that this server was like a black box, even internally inaccessible, which Ye Qiu understood at the time.

Yet, Fang Wushang continuing to sleep benefited him. And a girl resembling Fang Wushang was spotted in-game, plus the game operator was a subsidiary of the Fang Family Company—.

Could these all be coincidences?

Ye Qiu briefly thought about contacting the country's rescue team but quickly changed his mind. Mainly because everything seemed too vague.

Ye Qiu lifted his head and looked at the burly shop owner.

"Shopkeeper—can I have this game?"

"Of course. Are you planning to go?"

"Yeah, I want to see for myself."

The shop owner briefly showed a doubtful expression. This kind of consideration was understandable, mainly fearing another incident would occur, a sense of dread instantly arose within him.

But Ye Qiu knew the battles he'd fought before were all real, even though losing in that game meant death, there were many fundamental differences.

Ye Qiu roughly knew what he was intended to do in this world, and he had a hunch Fang Wushang had encountered some danger, waiting for Ye Qiu, waiting for her lover to rescue her.

I, Ye Qiu, shrugged and smiled at him.

"Even for good games like this, I'd try even if it meant dying. Looks like I'll need to buy a new gaming console."

"Galaxy can run it too. Polaris is simply a performance-enhanced version."

"That's great to hear."

Ye Qiu shrugged, causing the shop owner's cheek to move slightly.

"Well, you have the resolve to be trapped by that thing again, I suppose."

"Doesn't matter how many times I'm trapped."

These are the facts. Ye Qiu and Fang Wushang hadn't communicated through anything else except connecting via Galaxy online. Of course, sound or letters were things Ye Qiu never received.

But these days of waiting were finally coming to an end. Ye Qiu downed the coffee in one go and stood up. The shop didn't have electronic cash registers or anything, so Ye Qiu took coins out of his pocket and placed them on the counter.

"Well, I'm heading back now. Thanks for the treat, and for the information, I'll count on you."

Ye Qiu increasingly felt an ominous premonition, wondering what danger awaited him in this world?