thefictionvixens Page 97
Page 97
However, after being harvested by the Reapers, this steampunk world has entered a period of decline. Their extraordinary power had once touched the edge of the eighth rank, but now even the fourth rank is the strongest. The path to transcendence is cut off, and the extraordinary power in the environment has been plundered to the point of being almost nonexistent. Those extraordinary mineral veins, that is, the environment that produces extraordinary resources represented by steamstone, are now in a period of decline. It will take at least four to five thousand years to recover to its previous state.
In other words, once they have recovered sufficiently, the harvesters should be ready to begin the next round of harvesting.
Don't think that five thousand years is a long time. For the universe, let alone a planet, it's just a fleeting moment. But for life and civilization, it's far too long, even despairing.
Of course, theoretically, as long as one becomes stronger than the Reapers before they begin the next round of harvesting, one can still protect their civilization, but the possibility of this is extremely low.
Destroyed civilizations may retain some basic elements, but the previous environment is gone. Just like the industrial system of modern society, if the total human population were suddenly reduced to less than ten million, even if those ten million people united, human civilization would still regress significantly in the short term. It would be good if it could maintain the technological structure of the first and second industrial revolutions.
Civilization is resilient; it can always find a way out in unexpected places.
But civilization is also fragile; it can collapse on a large scale as soon as the environment undergoes fundamental changes.
Near a mine that produces steamstone, Qin Shan found a group of survivors, numbering around three hundred. The strongest among them was only a pitiful second-tier superhuman. They were struggling to dig equipment from the ruins and scavenge scraps from the looted mines to keep the steam equipment running.
Qin Shan's arrival delighted the locals, who were eager to know what was happening outside.
"The roads here have all been destroyed, and the terrain has been completely distorted. Damn it, what's with those monsters? Why did our home suddenly become like this?!"
When Hans, the temporary leader of the survivor camp, spoke privately with Qin Shan, a hint of despair appeared on his face.
He missed and worried deeply about his family, but he couldn't go back. The planet's landmarks had been drastically altered after the Reapers had ravaged it. You know how games with terrain editors feel when players manipulate the landscape—it's incredibly satisfying. But what if you were someone living in a constantly changing landscape?
That was a catastrophe of earth-shattering magnitude, a suffocating despair.
"The outside world has also been turned upside down. I can tell you with certainty that within 500 kilometers of here, there are no survivors, or rather, I am the only survivor who made it this far."
Qin Shan didn't say anything against his conscience and directly told Hans about the situation outside.
He didn't launch satellites, but he could use drones to search the surrounding area and quickly locate survivors.
How is this done?
No advanced equipment is needed; just look at the area where the gardeners gather to see for yourself.
The gardeners automatically search for two-legged sheep in the garden and then set up outposts near them. Their role is to monitor changes in the area and provide assistance when necessary to prevent the complete extinction of the intelligent races on this planet.
Because the time it takes for a planet to evolve from having no intelligent life to having intelligent life evolve into civilization is measured in hundreds of thousands of years, which obviously does not conform to the harvesters' aesthetic of sustainable exploitation, they must ensure that a planet's intelligent life does not become extinct, so as to sow the seeds for future harvesting.
The vast majority of civilizations that are harvested are unaware of this, since the harvesters have only one principle: the local supernatural power has reached their harvesting standard.
Reaching the standard for extraordinary power is not necessarily equivalent to the development of a local civilization. In fact, a civilization that possesses extraordinary power too early may find it difficult to develop rapidly in technology, and the extraordinary individuals may become an obstacle to the civilization's development.
For example, in World 4 and World 5, there is already this kind of development debuff. Superhumans rely on their own great power to exploit and oppress in a rather barbaric way, without even considering the consequences, as long as their fists are in place.
This civilization is a prime garden for harvesters, a feast that won't threaten their harvesting efficiency no matter how much they mess with it.
Subsequently, Qin Shan relied on his own strength to successfully gain Hans's friendship. Or rather, at this stage, humanity desperately needed the protection of extraordinary individuals, and to Hans, every magician was extremely precious.
In this world, extraordinary individuals are called magicians, while in the East they are called cultivators, or simply mages and immortals.
The survivor camp was originally a mining area, where more than 40,000 miners and their families had formed a fairly large mining town that was in a period of rapid development. Although exploitation and oppression were inevitable, it was a relatively peaceful place compared to other cities, and the locals were quite satisfied with their current lives.
Then the Reapers arrived, destroyed everything, and left only a few dozen survivors in the original town.
It's true that the Reapers only uprooted the surface, but for a planet, ten kilometers underground is still considered part of the surface, and one hundred kilometers underground is still considered part of the surface. But for humans, falling into a crack during a cataclysmic event means instantaneous disappearance from the world. Perhaps after millions or even tens of millions of years of crustal activity, some people's fossilized bones might be unearthed.
But now, for the survivors, those who disappeared are truly gone forever.
The dead are gone, but the living must strive to live on. Hans's idea was simple: find more survivors and check the status of nearby cities. Even if no one was found alive, there were still many usable supplies in the ruins, which would be very meaningful for the future development of the town.
Qin Shan then offered a symbolic suggestion.
“We might be the only survivors in the whole world. I think this small land has a special symbolic meaning for people who have experienced disasters. Let’s call this place Istanbul.”
As for whether the name is unlucky or will enrage Jingluo, that's not something Qin Shan cares about.
If you keep rambling, I'll just call this place Rome, lol.
Don't think that such naming is meaningless. What is most lacking in the post-apocalyptic world is hope. This seemingly ethereal thing can actually help more people survive. And a city with a name can become a beacon for other enthusiastic people, pointing them in the dark.
Thus, the new dynasty of Yasuke, from this unnumbered world, descended upon this land.
It's not exactly a joke. Both Constantinople and Istanbul are epic cities and fortresses that are the keys to the world. If it were a joke, Qin Shan would definitely name this town Holy Terra, and then put 21 villages around it to protect the royal city. The most important fortress would be called Horus, and there would be statues of four gods to be placed there and worshipped every day. Every now and then, a witch or a sorcerer would be burned to add to the festivities, with the main theme being loyalty.
In other novels, Qin Shan's current predicament could be the beginning of a post-apocalyptic game. But Qin Shan doesn't need to go through all that trouble now. He is indeed investigating this world, but there's no need for him to focus all his energy on it. The remotely controlled construct can be treated as a game character that can be logged in at any time. The remaining detailed work can be left to others.
For example, in the world of Island One, there are loyal warriors who can be put to use. As long as they are given instructions, these people can stay in the eco-pods 24 hours a day and act as players.
In fact, Qin Shan had already begun to consider disguising the ecological capsule as a game capsule, and then gathering a bunch of players in various worlds to play the other world as a game. With proper task guidance, these players would be very willing to experience a second life in the game, just like Ender's Game.
If you don't want players to kill each other, you only need to design a construction game. Let players carry out various construction projects under the guidance of missions. There is no combat system. If they encounter danger, they can only call on combat NPCs or simply die and go back to start over. Anyway, the characters they control are all produced and configured by Qinshan from hardware to software. Even the game pods are provided by Qinshan. Let players treat reality as a game. It's not too simple.
If combat is required, you can imitate Tarkov's hardcore mode. As long as it's hardcore enough and a sci-fi pod game, you won't have to worry about a lack of players clashing in the designated battlefield.
We didn't do this before because the technology wasn't up to par, but now that all those technological barriers have been broken through, it's time to summon the Fourth Calamity!
However, when discussing the possibility of this plan with a group of ship girls, North Carolina gave a completely different answer.
"Admiral, I think we can make it clear to them that this is not a game, but the real world."
Chapter 207: Preparing for the Fourth Calamity, Humanity Chooses to Go All In
Turning game settings into reality, players are immortal, and the protagonist is either the player or the person controlling the player. Basically, it's all about information asymmetry. You think you're playing a game, but you're actually doing free work for me!
Well, a common trope in these kinds of novels is that the protagonist lacks sufficient intimidation power, and the connection to that power needs to be kept secret to prevent it from being usurped by others, since wealth is a powerful motivator.
But if it's a game, a person's personality will take a 180-degree turn. Many things that people wouldn't dare to do, can't do, or wouldn't do in real life will be magnified in the game. How many GAT players have you seen who obediently watch the red light when crossing the road? If they don't drive tanks to clear the road, it proves that the pedestrian crossing is wide, and that's considered that the player's moral level surpasses that of Confucius and Mencius.
Please note that the above settings are all based on the protagonist's actions when he is unable to effectively protect his own secrets. But what if the power the protagonist represents changes from an individual to a civilization?
What would happen if a civilization far more advanced than Earth's, for the purpose of cooperation, or simply to have humans work for them and earn money, developed a real-life game where they control remotely constructed entities?
Seriously, even without any advanced features, if the constructs simply had 100% sensory stimulation in the game and could establish biological connections between people, the game would sell like hotcakes.
Don't think this is vulgar. Believe it or not, many professionals will enter the game to experience it thoroughly, and during their "wise time," they will analyze the game's connotations and the emotional changes between people from all aspects, even creating entirely new social circles. You know, the act of reproduction itself is a minimalist manifestation of the great way of life. If it can be enjoyed without harming one's own body, and if it can be studied in depth, even top researchers would be tempted.
If remotely controlled bodies allow aging people to relive their youthful bodies, then this game could directly penetrate the senior market, and even if the game card costs 648 yuan per hour, there would be plenty of elderly people buying it in droves.
This is the overwhelming influence of a super civilization on a rudimentary civilization.
As for the specific extent of the impact, what kind of impact Qin Shan wants and doesn't want, it only requires appropriate guidance; the whole process shouldn't be too simplistic.
By the way, even if you just openly tell everyone that you can work for me and use the game's system to exchange for various resources, I can provide them to you. You can go online or offline at any time without being affected, and you will receive your full salary. You can work whenever you want, and I guarantee that the more you work, the more you will earn, and there will be no worries about inflation.
Honestly, this one thing alone could destroy any economic system of a rudimentary civilization.
Moreover, when the construct is remotely controlled, every move the player makes is under Qin Shan's absolute surveillance. Whether you have completed the task, what you have done, and what rating you should be given are all 100% open and transparent, leaving no place for darkness to hide, and ensuring that good people are truly rewarded, not let down, and not wronged.
If ordinary people on Earth don't trust their governments, would you believe a super-civilization that completely surpasses Earth, bestowing such miraculous technology and guaranteeing fairness and justice?
Admittedly, there are still many people who don't believe it, but that's okay. There are even more people who believe it. When the gap between the two sides is so large that no matter how much resistance is made, there is no other choice, people will stop thinking about reasoning. Have you ever seen anyone try to reason with God's torrential rain? When faced with natural phenomena, you can only endure it.
For Earth's civilization, a super-civilization is a natural phenomenon. If they are willing to reason and demonstrate a level of advancement that is more proactive than Earth's, then there will be plenty of great scholars debating the classics. If that's not enough, they can just make it up on the spot.
"It seems that telling the truth would not cost us anything, and a shared identity would actually make it easier to strengthen ethnic integration."
Qin Shan immediately thought of something else, which was what he had been doing all along: striving to turn multiple civilizations into a completely new civilizational whole and achieve true universal harmony.
Recognition between people can be difficult, but it can also be very simple, such as a shared identity.
Since we both like Black Myth, we're friends.
Since we both like miHoYo, we're comrades!
We both enjoy political commentary... You scoundrel, quickly clarify your left-right leanings, or I'll expel you from the left/right ranks under the guise of giving a good review to the card game "Three Kingdoms Kill"!
It's a basic practice for political commentators to switch between left and right citizenship (~ - ▽ - ) ~.
Since that's the case, the commonality is that they are both players, which can naturally be part of their sense of identity. Moreover, this sense of identity can easily transcend worlds and is not likely to create a life-or-death conflict. After all, under Qin Shan's isolation, the two groups are truly separated by the internet and cannot even open boxes.
Bei Zhai's suggestion is great. Qin Shan thought about it and felt it was a good idea, so he decided to give it a try.
Next is the specific operation of launching Dimensional Online, which involves using scarcity marketing!
Yes, yes, everyone must hate this word, especially after it has been ruined by capital. But begging is not a business transaction. Look at those jobs that are pushed by the government. They will definitely face resistance at first. But if the government deliberately hides things and makes it clear that you can't do this without paying, then there will definitely be a lot of people begging and pleading to do business with the government. It's all about being shameless.
Those who openly display their abilities are not appreciated, but those who immediately adopt an attitude of "if you don't do it, someone else will" are more likely to attract many people.
Of course, this kind of PUA shouldn't be done too often. Once the other person becomes desensitized, things will go to the other extreme.
Therefore, we cannot immediately seek cooperation with governments of various countries. Although China and the Soviet Union will certainly provide strong support under Qin Shan's arrangement, we must not forget that Qin Shan cannot replace all the people in the civil service system with his own people. He needs these people to have the initiative to complete these tasks. In that case, let's start with highly confidential cooperation and let some early adopters reap the benefits and become the group that gets rich.
On Earth today, not everyone is a superhuman, and cultivation requires resources. But what if the things obtained in Dimension 0L could be exchanged for cultivation resources obtained on Earth?
Countless people would surely flock to it.
After careful consideration, the top leaders of China and the Soviet Union arranged for a very small number of people to conduct Dimensional 0L tests. These were all active-duty military personnel who were not superhumans. After entering the life support cabin, they could remotely control the construct to do anything.
For these soldiers, it felt like they had suddenly entered a new body, a new body that was stronger and better than their original body, and could even selectively block certain sensations. In short, it was much more convenient than their original flesh and blood body.
Honestly, if we could get our hands on the complete technology of the Resistance Moon, then directly uploading our consciousness and mechanical ascension wouldn't be bad. No one says constructs can't cultivate; maybe after humans become constructs, the social environment will actually be more harmonious.
All of this is just wishful thinking right now; the real challenge, requiring fine-tuning, is yet to come.
The classic "insider" story, but secretly revealed "part of the truth" in private, which both governments vehemently denied.
No, I didn't, don't talk nonsense. Anyway, there's no Dimension 0L, no "Player Project," and Ender's Game doesn't exist. The physical laws of the world remain unshakable. Earth Online players, please continue to forge ahead honestly amidst the harsh realities of life. After all, the new era is much fairer than before. There's no need to complain about a bunch of nonsense now. Those who act recklessly will be silenced by the Avengers.
But the more we follow the trend, the more people become interested.
Similar discussions have begun to appear on many forums.
"Have you heard? We can all become the Fourth Calamity in the future, and become world protagonists like the players."
"It's not very polite to dream during the day. Please speak after you've woken up."
"I don't believe it anyway."
"But what if I produce proof of China's participation in this project? How will you respond then?"
"Alright, alright, even the Chinese civilization hasn't acknowledged these things, so these so-called truths online are just tsk tsk tsk."
"So this is some kind of 'journalism-style' typesetting technique, huh? I've reported it."
"If I could really become the fourth calamity, I wouldn't mind working in the game."
"Wake up, those who experience these things first are definitely the upper class, it has nothing to do with us ordinary people."
"Reality is a garbage game, I've had enough!"
"Hmph hmph hmph ahh ...
No matter the era, there are always people who are frustrated and unfulfilled. They fantasize that if they could change the map or even the world, they could stand in the center of the stage and become the center of attention.
Such things are best left unsaid, but if they are possible, everyone should be willing to put in the effort to think about them.
For example, recently, many online novels have seen a surge in novels about the "fourth natural disaster," just like the popularity of apocalyptic novels in 2012. This can be seen as having grasped the secret to attracting traffic.
As for whether it's true or not, for most people, it's a very distant story.
Unbeknownst to them, in a hidden corner, the first batch of "players" had already completed the testing of the constructs, providing a wealth of valuable data, and the collaborative projects of the Divine Continent Civilization were beginning to surface.
Qin Shan's reasoning was that the Chinese civilization was willing to help Earth's civilization make contact with some extraterrestrial civilizations.
Simply put, it means: You Earthlings have developed quite well enough, it's time to go out and explore, staying in the cradle all the time is not a good thing.
The top leaders of China and the Soviet Union quickly approved the cooperation agreement and were even prepared to pay any price for it. After all, it was about contacting extraterrestrial civilizations. Even if it was just about being a player who accepted a mission and carried out a mission in another world, it would be a great transition for Earth's civilization at that time from a single civilization to the vast universe.
As for other plans of the Chinese civilization, and the possibility that it might harm Earth's civilization.
Brother, we've been cooperating for so long, there's still basic trust between us. And given the level of civilization displayed by China, there are plenty of ways to trick Earth's people into being sold out without them even realizing it, and then they'll thank them for selling them for a good price.
Since that's the case, what's there to hesitate about? Let's go all in!
Section 208: The Right to Education and Training and Gender Relations
If life is a game, then the biggest problem with this game is that everyone only has one life.
The only underlying logic of absolute fairness is that everything else depends on the players' own efforts. Unfortunately, some people's starting point is already predetermined at the mitochondrial stage. No matter how fair the world becomes, there will always be some unlucky people who will suffer extraordinary misfortunes. And most people will realize that they are just ordinary people when they are struggling through life.
The joke goes like this: Someone who can't even get a perfect score on a math test thinks they can use magic at will in another world? Don't they know math is a universal language of logic? You can be unreasonable with people, but you can't be illogical with nature.
Knowledge is power; the ancients were right.
"It would be great if constructs could also be upgraded, and ideally, the upgraded constructs could even benefit the players, so we could have two high-level transcendent units at the same time!"
People are always greedy, just look at Qinshan now, tsk tsk tsk.
"Admiral, we can't do it right now."
Bei Zhai, who had just fought alongside her sister in a fierce battle with Qin Shan, lay on either side of him in Qin Shan's arms.
Everyone was happy, except for the bed, which was a bit unhappy and wobbly.