Chapter 163 Open beta! (2-in-1)
Blue Federation.
Tower City.
Universal time, morning, 7:45.
Polaris took a deep breath and entered the sleeping cabin.
He held on to the door frame of the machine, turned to look at the unwashed dishes on the living room table outside the room, and sighed.
He got up early today, excited, just for the open beta of "The Age of Secrets" to start. After waiting for more than two months, this day finally came.
Polaris lay down in the sleeping cabin, the door slowly closed, and the nutrient solution began to pour in, spreading over his face. The signal of the device link was connected, and he gradually fell into sleep.
"The doctor said my grandma's disease can be cured, but it requires amputation... I want to replace my grandma with a mechanical prosthesis, so that she won't be so sad.
But this requires a lot of money... If possible, you must not borrow money from the consortium. The interest rate is too high and it will not be repaid at all.
This game is my hope. With so many years of gaming experience, I will definitely be able to excel in it. Earn enough money, cure grandma's disease, take her out of Tower City, go to a better city in the Federation, and live a good life...! ”
Several thoughts flashed through Polaris' mind.
[User "Polaris" requested access...]
【Game connecting...】
[Connection successful! 】
【Loading...】
[Loading successfully! 】
In the dark vision, the sound of wind began to appear in his ears.
A glimmer of light lit up and turned into a kerosene lamp, hanging above his head, illuminating this small area.
"Hey, I remember there was no such thing during the closed beta."
He chuckled curiously.
Under the dim light of a kerosene lamp, a retro full-length mirror stood in front of him.
Polaris walked over and looked in the mirror.
In the mirror, he saw an ordinary man with short black hair and ordinary facial features, but his eyes were a little more determined.
He was wearing trousers and a high-collared white shirt, with a pair of mechanical gloves on his hands and a trumpet musket slung at his waist.
【Would you like to read the internal beta archive "Polaris"? 】
"Yes."
Polaris confirmed.
The next second, he felt that he had a body and a touch.
He lowered his head to investigate and found that his body had inherited the image in the mirror, which was the male character from the closed beta.
Polaris continued to walk forward and found that the full-length mirror beside it was like a collapsed sand sculpture, turning into fine sand and floating away and disappearing into the darkness.
The kerosene lamp above his head went out, and another one was lit in front of him, which seemed to guide him in the direction he was going.
Polaris follows the light and keeps moving forward.
Soon, a burst of intense light covered his vision, and everything he could see was white.
boom!
My mind was shaken.
Soon Polaris found that his vision returned to normal.
But it appeared high in the sky, looking down.
Surrounded by misty white clouds, as well as the sacred and solemn light pillars shining down from the sky and penetrating the clouds.
Below, there is a group of tall and majestic buildings, which seems to be a certain city.
"This is..."
He was so surprised that he could not speak.
"Yes...this is Trisur, the home of the sun, the center of the continent where the sun shines directly..."
The voice of a holy young woman sounded in Polaris' mind.
She explained without emotion, as if talking to herself or as a narration.
"...This is a place favored by the gods, a place given by the gods."
After the female voice finished speaking, Polaris seemed to vaguely see a young woman kneeling on the ground in a golden palace, murmuring.
Without any introduction, he somehow learned the identity and name of the young woman——
The Sun Princess, Anna Trisul.
The misty clouds and mist in front of Polaris began to surge.
Huhu...!
The clouds and fog lifted again, revealing scenes of other cities, towns and villages. Each region is different and full of diversity.
Then in a flash, the screen stopped at a tall and solemn church. At the top of the towering building, there are angels holding fruit baskets on the outer wall, surrounding the goddess in the middle.
The fruit basket is full of ripe and sweet red apples.
"This is the Red Apple Church..."
Polaris secret passage.
On the screen, a series of barrage slowly floated across.
"How handsome! These buildings can only be seen in the game!" "Red Apple Church!" "The Church of the Seven Righteous Gods is the face of the card..." "The church destroyed by that Jack!" "What Jack?!" < br>
Seeing the raging barrage, Polaris realized that the pictures in front of him were the game title CG and the official trailer.
"The mysterious realm, touching the extraordinary...the climbing sequence, the road to becoming a god..."
That holy female voice is still whispering.
The scene turned to a luxurious but feminine room.
A man with green hair, shirtless and wearing only a pair of linen trousers, walked to the bookcase and turned out a tome, with an excited smile on his face.
Behind him, half of a woman's body could be seen on the big bed, seemingly asleep.
Barrages passed by——
"Gan Ziwen! My idol!" "Who is this ugly man?" "Protect our unfamous general!" "One of the two extraordinary beings in the internal test?" "Madam, you don't want your husband to be laughed at. Is it too short?” “Got it! I’ll get promoted later!”
Polaris showed a surprised expression. He didn't expect that there were actually closed beta players in the opening CG.
The scene changed again and we came to a bakery.
A young girl with orange braids, wearing a white apron, is kneading dough. There are a pile of scrolls and a pile of stacked books next to her.
On the other side of the desk sat a slovenly middle-aged man, smoking a pipe, looking at the girl with squinted eyes, and saying something.
There was a look of joy on the girl's face.
The barrage seems to pop up again——
"Let me answer! This is honey juice idiot!" "I love you! Little idiot!" "So she found the adventure in the bakery?" "What kind of luck is this!" "The lost name and the first love" Xi’s two big names!”
Polaris looked at this scene and took a deep breath.
He secretly told himself that he would soon become a transcendent like them, and then reach the forefront of the player echelon.
Because Polaris believed in his bet, he encountered the mysterious and powerful NPC, Mr. Jack, during the closed beta.
He firmly believes that the final reward will definitely be greater than other closed beta players...
As for Su Keying releasing Jack's video, he didn't say much. It was Su Keying's choice... but for fame and money, maybe a small part of showing off, and a little desire to share?
Polaris doesn't blame her.
Because Su Keying gave him money.
when!
A dull bell began to echo.
"A mysterious era, an extraordinary world... Crimes and karma never end, and battles continue..."
In the melodious but sad rhythm of the violin, the holy female voice continued to speak.
The scene turned into fighting and fighting, dripping with blood.
There are ordinary murder scenes, there are also battles between some people and ferocious beasts, and there are even fights between extraordinary beings...
Bloody and gorgeous.
The next second, Polaris' eyes widened.
Because he actually saw himself.
To be precise, it was me, Su Keying and the others who watched the battle scene between Jack and Bishop Newman during the internal beta test.
In the inner courtyard of the church, the young man with black wings on his back and holding a silver sword was fighting with the red-robed bishop who transformed into a huge beast.
The jingling sword claws clashed with each other, sparks flying and it was very intense.
This was exactly what he expected. The battle scene really looked like a trailer!
"Handsome duck!" "Mr. Jack's card! He's in the CG!" "Who is Jack you're talking about?" "Can you say goodbye to the Riddler?" "All kinds of beasts appear in the trailer!" "As we all know, The BOSS won’t show up easily!” “One glance at the thimble and identified him as a monster from Novice Village!”
Polar Star watched these barrage silently.
He didn't know why, but he suddenly felt a little unhappy.
Calling up the operation panel, he entered a line of text expressionlessly and joined the barrage:
"The wail of an ignorant and defeated dog!"
He exhaled and shook his head.
Logically speaking, this is not his character. In the past, he would have laughed off such barrages, but this time he couldn't hold it back.
I can only say that the man is indeed very charming...
He couldn't help but defend it.
"After all, I am also a part of 'Jack Manor'!"
Polaris told herself so.
He remembered the task completion reminder he received before the end of the closed beta, and couldn't help but look forward to it... The official member's token should be temporarily stored in the panel mailbox, right? Wait until he enters the game to receive it.
At this time, the female voice chanted again:
"The spiritual world is in turmoil, but the present world will be destroyed."
The perspective of the picture is hazy and unreal, everything seems to be covered with a transparent curtain, twisting and shaking... The sky in the distance is dark, and it is slowly creeping towards the camera.
A tall figure stood on the horizon, blocking the steps of darkness alone.
Countless long-edged swords sprouted from His back, stacked on top of each other to form a pair of steel wings. He held a two-handed sword that was red and glowing with golden light, and headed towards the darkness ahead without looking back.
There was a bang, and the light was dazzling, covering everything.
"The scarlet fruit revives, and the shadow of doom descends."
In a huge palace with a golden sun logo engraved on it, an indistinguishable figure is sitting on a high seat, and countless people are crowded below, with all forces gathered together.
A handsome red-haired man stood in the crowd, wearing a dark red robe and smiling.
"Era is destined to be the birth of heroes, and it also hints at the emergence of sinners... Where will history ultimately go, and in what way will the fate of the world be written... No one knows, and no one can predict it."
The saintly female voice began to have mood swings, and she said with a slight trembling:
"If you follow the trajectory of the world's great men, saints, angels, or people with endless potential, you can also get boundless luck, gain powerful power, and prevent the end of this world."
On the highest seat of the Golden Palace, the man whose appearance was unclear was looking down.
"The Sun King, André Tresur."
In the hall full of rose petals, a man in black sat alone on a dark dining table.
"The Queen of Roses, Mansfield."
The wind and snow were swaying, and at the highest point of the ice-covered city wall, on a throne carved from ice crystals, a lady wearing a tulle and a silver-white robe was looking into the distance.
"King Shuoli, Priscilla."
In the deepest part of the grassland, at the top of a sky-high tower, there was an ordinary chair, with an old man wearing a crown leaning crookedly on it.
"King Byron, William Lev."
The lost palace deep under the sea, the deserted and dilapidated throne is empty. There was only one figure kneeling in front of the throne, motionless.
"Barrier's Seeker, García Peter."
Polar Star couldn't help but feel excited as he looked at the characters flashing through these CGs. Just like those comments said, these people must be big figures in the game and are very important.
Immediately afterwards, the holy female voice continued to explain a series of seven or eight characters, all of whom seemed to be high-level people in various churches.
The screen flashed.
A man wearing a flat black hat, a black dress, a black and brown glove on each hand, and a silver cane.
He faces the camera sideways, lowering his head in thought.
"The man guided by destiny, Jack Spate."
As the female voice narrated, Polaris' eyes widened and she muttered:
"The bet was right! The bet was right... It's true, the man guided by fate, Jack is so extraordinary!"
"Warriors from other places, go, go to this land where the sun shines——
Experience the style, advance to the extraordinary, explore the secrets, and save the world..."
The female voice said finally.
boom!
All images turned into nothingness, shattered and dissipated.
A gust of wind swept over, and Polaris couldn't help but narrowed his eyes.
He suddenly felt like he was back in the darkness.
[Current time, Azure Federation Standard Time, 07:57...]
[Countdown to the open beta of "Secret Age" 1.0: 00:02:35...]
The time was ticking, and Polaris looked at the countdown prompt for queuing, feeling a little annoyed.
This feels very tortured.
Although it was only a short two minutes, when you stared at it, the seconds seemed like years.
Soon, the time finally reached eight o'clock.
This overlaps perfectly with the time in the game.
boom!
Polar Star noticed that the surrounding darkness suddenly shattered like glass, as if revealing what was underneath...
Tap tap tap tap......
Ding bell...
Phew...
The sound of carriages, bells, and wind, along with the sound of rolled newspapers or falling leaves, reached Polaris's ears.
Light appeared all around, the temperature began to rise, and a vague and strange smell came. It seemed to be candy and some kind of paint, which was a bit complicated.
Polaris was familiar with this smell. He knew it was the unique smell emanating from a candy store near Jack's manor.
He shook his head and found that he was already in an alley.
"Huh... finally, I'm back."
Polaris exhaled and walked out of the alley.
"Although it's a bit strange... I remember that we offlined in the manor villa, why did we go online here."
Looking at the pedestrians and carriages on the street, he shook his head and stopped worrying, with a smile on his face.
Checking his dashboard, he saw that he had not yet received the remaining mission rewards.
After confirming the receipt, he found an extra silver ring in his palm.
【Token-Silver Snake Ring】
Item description: A ring forged from a mixture of silver and other metals. It looks like a silver snake with a curved tail. Its eyes are inlaid with emeralds. The snake's head is engraved with the letter "J", which seems to represent a certain meaning.
This is a formal member token of the extraordinary force "Circus". Holding it can carry out daily activities at the circus station, receive related commissions and tasks, and can also be exchanged for the purchase of limited edition specialty items.
"'Circus'? Why not 'Jack Manor'...?"
Polaris's heart skipped a beat.
"Is it possible that Jack's power has been destroyed by the authorities? It was the hands of the asylum and the church...?!"
He was startled by his guess.
He quickly opened his address book and was about to send a text message to Su Keying and Ma Ren, but he saw that Ma Ren had sent him a message first.
"——Brother Polaris, you received the 'Silver Snake Ring' token, right? How about we go to Jack's Manor to gather first, and we'll talk about it after we meet."
Polaris replied:
"——Okay, let's talk about it then."
After sending the text message, he left the place and headed straight towards where Jack's manor was.
*
*
*
When Polaris arrived at the door of Jack's manor, he saw the centaur and Su Keying waiting here from a distance.
"Why are there only two of you, Kotou Jin and Wang Wangwuji?"
Polaris asked.
"I don't know, I sent a message to both of them, but there is no reply yet..."
The centaur shook his head.
"Okay, in that case, let's go to the manor first and see what's going on... By the way, haven't you noticed that our power has changed from 'Jack Manor' to 'Circus'?"
Polaris leaned over and whispered to the two of them.
The horseman and Su Keying suddenly showed strange expressions.
"What's wrong...?"
Polaris looked confused.
The centaur pointed to the two servants standing at the door and whispered:
"You will know after you try it."
"Try...?"
Polaris glanced at the two servants, who were standing on both sides of the door with expressionless faces.
Then, he walked directly over and prepared to enter the manor.
Uh-huh!
The two servants acting as gatekeepers immediately raised their hands and blocked his way.
"Please leave."
A servant said coldly.
Polar Star was startled, the manor had not done this before.
He quietly threw a probe at the two servants, and his heart skipped a beat.
"——Level 20 orange danger NPC, are these just two gatekeepers? When I looked at their panels, they were all a series of horizontal bars. I could only see a 'Killer LV10 (MAX)' hanging on the sub-profession. ! ”
Polaris texted in the chat room.
He could clearly feel the murderous intent of these two people. It seemed that if he did anything out of the ordinary, the other party might take action and kill him on the spot.
"——Brother, I asked you to show me the token and try it. I am not asking you to commit suicide! (wiping sweat expression)"
The horseman sent a text message.
Polaris was stunned for a moment.
"-Polaris, haven't you noticed their status, are they peripheral members of the 'Circus'? We are 'official members', so our status is higher than theirs. Don't worry...this may be our offline members." In the meantime, Jack’s new development.”
Su Keying sent a text message.
After reading it, Polaris felt confident, so in front of the two janitors, he took out the silver snake ring and put it on his finger.
Dazzled in front of them, attracting their attention.
"Is a formal member."
The two gatekeepers looked at each other, confirmed the identity of Polaris, and spoke.
Then, one of them took out a letter and handed it into Polaris's hand.
"This is a letter left for you by Mr. Jack, the leader of the group."
"Letter?"
Polaris took it with a confused look on his face.
He opened the letter on the spot and read through it.
Soon, Polaris' face showed a look of shock. Thanks to the tape brother for the reward~
And everyone’s monthly tickets~Thank you very much~
(End of chapter)