Chapter 254 - 19: The Future Belongs to the Players

Although Duan Fei and the others had left the dungeon, the systems they’d established remained.

The ranking and gacha systems made them even more competitive, evolving into daily quizzes, weekly exams, and monthly evaluations.

And this was something the students had requested themselves.

The gacha system also grew more detailed. A few students with a special Talent were selected to help the dean of instruction refine the rules and fill the prize pool with all sorts of rewards.

This group was given a title to distinguish them from the other students: Planners.

Glasses’s previous performance had been dazzling, and the dean of instruction had planned to groom him to become the lead Planner, but he refused.

In his view, the so-called exam system concealed some massive conspiracy, and he considered it his mission to uncover the truth.

Leading his friends, he began to search for the truth of the matter, and in doing so, began to stir up a different kind of anxiety.

After this crushing defeat, the Great Demon King Duan Fei had left a profound impression on him, filling him with great unease and anxiety about the future.

To prepare for the Demon King’s return, he resolved to actively increase his own strength and become better able to protect himself.

So that he could stand before Wang Yun with his head held high and tell her he liked her, Glasses decided he would burn himself out—give his all—to protect their future together.

"You know, it’s okay if you say it now," Wang Yun said, standing beside Glasses. "After all, I like you quite a bit, too. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have shielded you."

"I’m going to have to pretend I didn’t hear that," Glasses said sternly. "Being protected by a girl is a disgrace. Until I’ve washed away this shame, I won’t allow our relationship to progress any further."

"Oh, is that so? And what if I said that accepting me now comes with... extra benefits?"

Glasses looked up, watching the wisps of Wang Yun’s short hair flutter in the wind. Her eyes were as deep and mysterious as well water.

For a moment, Glasses hesitated, but his resolve firmed. "I must respectfully continue to decline."

A gentle smile graced Wang Yun’s lips, as if she’d received the assurance she was looking for. She said, "In that case, I’ll be waiting."

Pot Lid Haircut, who had been playing a game, glanced up at the two of them before lowering his head to continue playing.

’Who needs a girlfriend anyway? I don’t care.’

’I really don’t...’

’So why do I feel like crying?’

And with that, the dungeon instance finally came to a close.

After the dungeon ended, Duan Fei added the others as friends, then hurried back to Love City with Jinghong and ducked into their club room.

The rewards from this dungeon weren’t much; the main prize was the Energy they’d managed to bring out.

Duan Fei gave one of the Fixed Stones he’d obtained earlier to Jinghong, then used a Solidifying Stone to permanently affix the [Splash] attribute to his Crowbar. Taking a deep breath, he summoned Hancock.

After using Hancock to boost his luck, Duan Fei injected the Energy into the machine and began rolling for new attributes on his Crowbar.

But even with Hancock boosting his luck, Duan Fei quickly discovered that the pool of possible attributes in Abyss was simply massive.

He kept getting relatively high-grade attributes, but the pool was also full of bizarre and useless ones, preventing him from rolling what he actually wanted.

Just as Duan Fei was about to lose it, he finally got a hit.

Attribute: [Blood Drain].

Each successful hit on an opponent drains one percent of their current health and converts it into an equal amount of stamina for the wielder.

Seeing this attribute, Duan Fei let out a long sigh of relief. He’d finally rolled the one he wanted.

With this attribute, his melee combat endurance would be greatly improved. It would also synergize with his [Rough Healing Technique] for an even more powerful effect.

Jinghong had also finished enchanting her weapon, adding an even better effect to her Yo-Yo: [Fictional Nerve].

This attribute essentially made the Yo-Yo an extension of her own body, allowing her to control it with greater precision and execute more intricate maneuvers.

Judging by Duan Fei’s expression, Jinghong could tell he’d finally gotten what he wanted, and she smiled too.

Stretching her pliant waist like a cat, she lay back on the sofa, extended a foot, and prodded Duan Fei’s side. "Got any other plans?"

"Nope. You?"

"Want to go see a movie? There are theaters in the city district, and they show a lot of blockbusters. You can even buy tickets with Abyss Coins."

"Let’s do it."

Watching a movie in the Virtual World sounded incredibly cool, but afterward, the expression on Duan Fei’s face was hard to put into words.

Jinghong’s expression was also conflicted.

It wasn’t just them; the other players leaving the theater looked equally troubled.

Was it a bad movie?

No, it wasn’t. In fact, the experience was even better than in the real world.

The movies in Abyss could simulate sensations like smells and vibrations, making the viewing experience feel incredibly immersive. Certain parts really drew you in.

But every player watching had the same thought: if they had time to watch a movie, why weren’t they playing the game instead?

The game was more engaging, offered more freedom, and let you decide the direction of the story yourself. The experience was simply more thrilling.

Taking out a notebook, Jinghong jotted down her thoughts on the experience. "Looks like movies are a dead end," she said, vexed.

"Why are you analyzing this? Is the Ye Family thinking of expanding into the film industry?"

"Mhm. The gaming industry has taken a huge hit because of Abyss. Even though the Ye Family has investments in Abyss, we still need to look for other viable industries."

"Weren’t you exiled?"

"Just because I’m exiled doesn’t mean I can’t care about the family business, does it?" Jinghong covered for herself with the rhetorical question.

"Fair enough."

"The scale of Abyss is just too massive. It’s a government-led project that’s already starting to permeate every aspect of life. Didn’t I tell you before that you can even take your driver’s license test in the game? I recently got news that some tech companies are starting to shift their businesses into Abyss. After all, many of the resources here are practically free, available at the flick of a wrist. A lot of the old stubborn mules in the Ye Family haven’t sensed which way the wind is blowing. They’re still stuck in their old ways, wanting to make traditional games."

"The times are changing," Duan Fei sighed.

"Exactly. Some are predicting that the future belongs to the players. The technology behind Abyss is terrifyingly advanced. People have discovered that many of the technologies in the dungeons can even be applied in the real world. Some players have even become Bounty Hunters, finding resources in specific dungeons for corporate clients. As the value of Abyss becomes more apparent, I’m sure more people will go down this road. So, congratulations to you, Mr. Duan."

"Congratulate me for what?"

"The era you’ve been waiting for is about to arrive."

Scratching his head, Duan Fei had to admit Jinghong had a point.

The wheels of a new era were rolling forward, crushing everything that couldn’t adapt and ushering in a complete transformation of the world.

Duan Fei didn’t know what the future would hold, but he was certain of one thing.

The future belonged to the players.