Chapter 84: The Road to Slaying the God (Part 3)

“This is a game with an incredibly high degree of freedom!”

“Compared to the competitive thrill of winning, the first-person visual impact is what really gets the adrenaline pumping…”

“There are indeed some violent elements in this game, but it’s incredibly satisfying. You find yourself immersed in it without even realizing it, especially the moment you swing a brick…”

“Of course, you can choose not to fight and just race straight to the finish line. But if you do that, you’re missing out on half the fun…”

“…”

Under the media spotlights.

Before the eyes of the crowd.

Zhou Yang signed autograph after autograph. As the fan meeting drew to a close, he finally couldn’t help himself and started talking about other things.

He first apologized for being late, and then he began talking about Road Rash!

When he spoke of Road Rash, his entire being lit up with excitement. He became a chatterbox, acting as if he had an endless amount to say.

His manager, Li Ziwen, turned pale. She wanted nothing more than to drag him off the stage immediately.

Did Zhang Yang give you a bribe or something?

What on earth are you doing!

Even after the fan meeting finally ended, Zhou Yang continued to chatter with the staff about setting up a local area network back at the hotel to play together and experience the thrill. Meanwhile, Li Ziwen’s face was dark with frustration. She wished she could use duct tape to seal Zhou Yang’s mouth shut!

This guy was possessed!

“Zhou Yang! Come over here…”

She finally couldn’t take it anymore and unleashed a torrent of scolding at him.

Unfortunately, after she finished her lecture, she realized that Zhou Yang showed absolutely no sign of admitting he was wrong.

Instead, he shook his head.

“Sister Li, the future belongs to the youth. As a singer, we need to be where the young people are…”

“Even if I don’t recommend it, someone else will. Besides, this game, Road Rash, is bound to become the top choice for young gamers sooner or later…”

“After all, there has never been – yes, never – a game like Road Rash that provides such visual and emotional stimulation. It’s a sense of release, a total immersion that lets you vent everything…”

“…”

Li Ziwen stared at Zhou Yang as he continued to drone on in front of her.

She suddenly felt that this guy was beyond saving!

…

In truth…

This world really didn’t have any games similar to the original Road Rash.

Even more so, it didn’t have a game like this version of Road Rash, which had upgraded the gameplay of the original concept.

This was an absolute game-changer!

And!

The concept of LAN play for a single-player game was indeed a very fresh idea in this world.

After all…

While this world had War of Warcraft, it didn’t yet have MOBA competitive games like League of Legends.

Inside the internet cafes.

There was no need for Zhou Yang’s call to action; many young people were already joining the fray…

Even many players who were in the middle of War of Warcraft would download the game to try it out while their characters were traveling…

The visceral satisfaction of hand-to-hand combat and the variety of weapons…

All of it was a feast for the eyes, bringing the players to a peak of excitement!

For a moment, they even forgot they were in the middle of merchant runs¹ in War of Warcraft!

“Damn! Who hit me in the head with a brick!”

“Screw you! You just wait, I’m going to kill you!”

“God… stop chasing me! I just want to get first place!”

“Haha…”

“…”

Accompanied by the players’ various expressions, countless shouts filled the gaming halls of the internet cafes.

It was as if a massive craze had been ignited!

…

September 26th.

8:00 PM.

Thunder roared outside the windows of Universe Technology.

A thunderstorm was about to hit.

Today was supposed to be a holiday.

However, not a single person at Universe Technology had taken the day off.

Everyone stayed at the company, quietly staring at the rapidly increasing data, feeling a tension that was hard to describe.

Su Nuannuan was among them.

She had gone back to her dorm for a nap, and the moment she woke up, she had rushed back to the office.

Actually, she had always been a relatively calm person, but at this moment, her emotions were running high.

It wasn’t just her; everyone else was equally exhilarated!

Looking around.

The office was filled with folding cots, blankets, and various daily necessities that hadn’t been put away yet…

During these past ten days or so, they had lived and eaten at the company. From the moment they woke up, they were focused on this game, Road Rash.

Ge Yumiao’s fingers were actually sore from all the typing!

Constant game testing, bug fixing, programming, more testing, more texture mapping…

No one complained about the hardship!

And no one complained about being tired.

Everyone was holding their breath; they wanted to create a moment of glory!

They wanted to slay the god!

One of the top ten game companies in the world…

The king of single-player games…

One of the world’s ten most popular game companies among youth…

The favorite home for game industry professionals…

…

These titles echoed repeatedly in their minds!

This was their future, and they were currently on the path to making that future a reality.

Dadi Technology was merely the first step…

Many of them had once been nobodies. Some, like Ge Yumiao, had been social parasites despised by their relatives and friends…

They had been chosen by Universe Technology and had accepted Zhang Yang’s invitation.

Universe Technology had given them dignity and glory. It had even made them a part of the company!

Every single person was a shareholder who would receive a cut of the game’s profits!

This created an insane level of cohesion.

“It’s updated! It’s updated!”

“One hundred thousand!”

“One hundred thousand downloads in three hours!”

“…”

Zhao Hang’s face was flushed, his fingers were trembling, and his pupils were constantly constricting.

He was nervous.

However, after seeing the backend data, his face turned beet red, and he felt as if his heart was about to leap out of his chest!

He excitedly announced the staggering figure of one hundred thousand!

Just as he finished, a clap of thunder erupted outside, and a bolt of lightning illuminated the pitch-black night!

Then…

Soon, a torrential downpour began to fall!

As they spoke in the rain, some people’s eyes turned red with emotion!

“With these numbers, we should be able to beat Dadi Technology, right?”

“We should!”

“Phew!”

“We’ll definitely win!”

“…”

At this critical juncture, many people felt an inexplicable sense of fear and a sudden lack of confidence.

For so many days and nights, they had worked with a single conviction; many of them held the mindset of fighting a final, desperate battle.

More than the bonuses, they craved a victory in the truest sense!

On the internet…

One after another, many people were actually questioning the two versions of God of Conquest they had developed. Some said they had taken shortcuts, while others claimed their games relied entirely on marketing…

No one acknowledged the actual quality of their games!

Even now, some people still believed that if Dadi Technology’s game were released, it would be a far more pleasant surprise!

They wanted to win!

They wanted to win a real, undeniable victory!

Dadi’s games had exquisite graphics, so they worked even harder to make theirs just as refined…

Dadi’s games had diverse gameplay, so they pushed themselves to come up with all sorts of ideas – any plan that could retain players…

Although it hadn’t been long, they were fighting with everything they had to prove themselves and their company!

“Everyone, go get some rest first!”

Inside the office.

Zhang Yang walked out after hearing the commotion and discussions.

Looking at the tense faces of the crowd, he didn’t know what to say for a moment.

He was somewhat moved.

Today was supposed to be a day off for everyone.

But…

“We can’t sleep!”

“We want to wait for that moment to arrive…”

“…”

Seeing them shake their heads, Zhang Yang had no choice…

He shrugged.

Seeing how every single one of them had practically wasted away over the past ten days…

He suddenly felt a pang of regret!

If these guys keep pushing themselves like this, will they suddenly drop dead from exhaustion?

But looking at them, it seemed he couldn’t talk them out of it anymore.

Next time!

They couldn’t be this reckless when making a game.

……………………

Midnight arrived!

Twelve o’clock!

Downloads officially broke two hundred thousand!

Seven hours!

It was already charging headlong toward the single-day record set by God of Conquest.

Although the download numbers began to slow down gradually after midnight.

Everyone was still incredibly excited.

A few of the older colleagues finally felt sleepy; they unfolded their cots and lay down with their eyes closed.

However…

They tossed and turned, opening their eyes from time to time to check the data on the computer screens.

Two in the morning.

Nine hours…

The lights in the company lobby were turned off.

Only a few computers continued to glow…

Folding beds were spread out; just like when they were working, many chose to sleep at the office.

Some were asleep, snoring away.

But…

“The record’s broken! It’s broken!”

“We won! We beat Dadi Technology! Mom, I’m a legend!”

“…”

They talked in their sleep from time to time, their sleep-talk filled with excitement…

Zhao Hang and the others, however, were still staring at the screen!

The number on the screen had jumped to two hundred and forty thousand!

Just thirty thousand more!

And they would officially reach the top!

Four in the morning!

Eleven hours since the game was released for download!

The sound of rain outside had stopped…

The streets were silent, save for the occasional sound of a garbage truck.

The download count jumped to two hundred and seventy thousand!

Eleven hours!

The record was broken!

It had already broken the twenty-four-hour record of the romance version of God of Conquest!

They didn’t dare to cheer…

For fear of disturbing their sleeping colleagues.

They were too exhausted; they needed to sleep as much as they could.

Seven in the morning!

Fourteen hours!

The morning sun shone on the earth, and some colleagues began to wake up one after another.

The first thing they did upon waking wasn’t to wash up, but to stare at the data on the computers…

Three hundred thousand!

Their eyes widened!

They clenched their fists!

Finally, they couldn’t help but burst into cheers!

A wild thought surfaced in their minds.

What would the total downloads be for a single day?

Could it break four hundred thousand?

Maybe even more?

…………………………

Shengteng Technology.

Chen Qiang of Dream Dragon Studio woke up and was dumbfounded when he saw Road Rash at the top of the charts!

He thought he was seeing things, or that there was a problem with the data!

Three hundred and twenty thousand!

Were these numbers even humanly possible?

Was it a cheat?

No, even with cheating, such insane numbers shouldn’t be possible!

And this wasn’t even the twenty-four-hour total!

This world is insane!

“Damn it, he’s hacking. Zhang Yang’s Universe Technology is definitely using some kind of cheat!”

“This guy is just unscientific. It’s so damn unscientific!”

“…”

Chen Qiang felt like he was going freaking crazy!

In just over ten days, this Universe Technology had produced such a staggering hit!

The game’s graphics were acceptable…

But the gameplay!

This was just… damn!

It felt like they weren’t even on the same level anymore; it felt like a work from a completely different era!

How are we supposed to compete with a hacker!

“Damn, is this guy a robot? Or like in those sci-fi novels, a person from the future who traveled back here with a bunch of advanced technology?”

Chen Qiang’s eyes widened; in the end, this was the only conclusion he could reach!

But then he shook his head.

Sci-fi was just sci-fi, after all. This was too unrealistic.

……………………

Mumaen Technology.

Even Liu Zhongshan, who didn’t care about single-player games, found his mind going completely blank upon seeing the data!

Is this game really that massive?

After the initial shock wore off, he felt a distinct sense of the new generation surpassing the old.

“This young man is quite a talent!”

He sighed with emotion.

Standing beside him, Liu Yun’s face was deathly pale.

The atmosphere was incredibly stifling!

This young man is a talent…

What did that mean?

I…

“I’m sorry, President Liu… I really was blind back then, I…” Liu Yun finally forced the words out.

Though she tried her best to remain calm, her voice was still thick with frustration and regret.

“What do you mean, blind? Even if I had been the one hiring, I would have rejected Zhang Yang just like you did. It’s not your fault. I was just making a comment, so don’t take it to heart. If I had to choose between Zhang Yang and you, I would still choose you. A company can’t function with just one talented individual. You are a vital part of this company.”

Liu Zhongshan shook his head after hearing her voice.

“President Liu, I…” Liu Yun’s nose stung, and she was suddenly overcome with emotion. She nearly dropped to her knees.

“Alright, get back to work on Legendary World.”

“Yes, sir!”

……………………….

Dadi Technology.

The time was already 5:00 PM on September 27th!

The final data for Road Rash was out!

Four hundred and thirty thousand!

A single day’s worth of downloads!

Upon seeing this figure…

Everyone looked as if they had lost their fighting spirit, their heads hanging low in a cloud of gloom.

They no longer held onto any hope!

“I’m sorry, Director Ding, I… I was indeed too careless!”

“We’re sorry… we…”

“Director Ding, do we still have a chance?”

“Director Ding, maybe I should just resign. It’s because of me, I…”

“…”

They had been so confident before.

Now, they were filled with nothing but regret.

Ding Ziguang looked at their expressions and eventually shook his head.

“Stop with the self-reproach. Those words are meaningless now!”

“Even if we fail once, it’s no big deal. As long as you are all still here, every single one of you, we can still continue the legacy of the Legend of Sword and Fairy series!”

“Let’s start the game’s release early.”

“Our foundation is still strong! Since when do we cower before the battle has even begun?”

“When rivals meet on a narrow path, the brave one wins². Even if the situation is grim, we must draw our swords!”

“Besides, we might not necessarily lose…”

“…”

Ding Ziguang looked at everyone, his expression becoming very calm.

It was so calm that no one could tell what he was actually thinking.

Failure was indeed difficult to accept.

What was even harder to accept was falling from such a great height.

The sheer sense of disparity was enough to make one despair just thinking about it.

However…

He quickly adjusted his emotions.

He still had to give it a try!

He was going to draw his sword!

(End of Chapter)

Translator’s Notes