Huayu 05, our science fiction movie universe

Chapter 602 After the White Bones, Retracing the Journey to the West

The Buddhist murals, vibrant in color yet imbued with a sense of historical depth, are set against the flickering firelight.

The texture of the frame is almost identical to that of real wood.

The stone sculpture of Guanyin Bodhisattva, scanned directly from reality, features lowered eyebrows and a benevolent expression.

Amidst the evening drum and morning bell, withered branches stretch out towards the blood-red setting sun.

In the lush bamboo forest, a strong wind blew, causing the branches and leaves to sway and rustle.

Until the monk, sitting on the stone platform of the small temple, began to tell his story.

All of this is so real, so full of texture and the charm of traditional Chinese culture.

Just the opening few minutes of this trailer were enough to make many people hold their breath, and a strange, indescribable feeling welled up in their hearts.

Is it anticipation? Or excitement?
Is it disbelief? Or...?

No one really knows what their own mindset is.

But without a doubt, at this moment, they were truly seeing such a unique game CG on the big screen, one that was entirely in the Chinese style.

Of course, a small number of people, while shocked, also subconsciously curled their lip, thinking disdainfully.

It's just a CG animation. You can make something like that with money. What's so special about it?

But the next moment, even the most discerning person had to shut up.

On the large screen, amidst the dense jungle and craggy rocks, a mountain pass with a distinctly Chinese style was depicted.

[The following content is a recording of actual gameplay; this is an early version and does not represent the final quality.]

After the game's official message appeared, accompanied by several ominous cries of crows, a translucent golden cicada flapped its wings and flew into the center of the screen.

With a buzzing sound, the camera follows the cicada, moving forward from its perspective, passing through the mountain gate and flying along the mountain path.

Sunlight filters through layers of leaves, casting their outlines onto the mottled bluestone bricks.

Occasionally, a beam of light falls on this cicada, illuminating the clear, transparent patterns on its thin wings.

In the distance, the footsteps of wolf soldiers patrolling the mountains grew louder as they approached, the crunching sound of their boots crushing over gravel becoming clearer.

Even though the cicada flew close to the ground past the wolf soldiers, gliding past their fluttering clothes like a ghost, they remained completely oblivious, preoccupied with their own business.

Wolf Soldier A: "There are actually several wine jars! I wonder if there's any wine left inside."

Wolf Soldier B: "Stop being greedy, or you'll mess things up. Be careful we two get taken by Master Lingxu as snacks."

The sounds of the patrolling demon soldiers gradually faded into the distance. At a fork in the mountain path, Jin Chan randomly chose a direction and continued on his way.

This time, however, he seemed less lucky. He had only flown a little forward when, with a metallic thud, a burly man who had been lying on the ground stood up.

Bandit leader: "Those wolf cubs can't see you, don't think you can get past me."

In an instant, golden light flashed, and the cicada shell burst open like fireworks. With a clear "Tai—", the fluffy monkey tail shook off the remaining shell, and the monkey holding the golden cudgel flipped in mid-air and landed.

The bandit leader immediately rushed forward, wielding his broadsword in a series of powerful slashes and strikes, creating gusts of wind.

The controlled monkey dodged the attacks with agile rolls, backs, and jumps, and even managed to unleash a combo of basic attacks while the bandit leader was attacking.

However, such ordinary attacks are clearly insufficient against the thick-skinned and tough small leaders.

So the monkey took two steps back, looked at the enemy who was still rushing towards it, and a smile appeared on its lips.

At the same time, the skill icon in the lower left corner of the screen lit up and then went out like a firefly, entering a cooldown countdown state.

The monkey, on the other hand, pressed the tip of its tongue against its palate and uttered a string of obscure incantations.

With a flick of his finger and a familiar "Freeze!" voiced by Liu Xiao Ling Tong, golden chains instantly materialized in the air, binding the bandit leader like a dumpling.

The bandit leader's broadsword hung suspended in mid-air, his muscles taut like a stone statue.

The monkey calmly approached the enemy, his staff buzzing as it gathered spiritual light. Once the light stabilized, the monkey nimbly stood on the staff, twisted his waist and swung his arm in the next second. The staff suddenly grew longer as it spun in his palm, smashing down on the bandit leader's head with the force of wind and thunder, causing blood to splatter three feet in an instant!
"it is good!"

After this small battle, not to mention how shocked the audience at the scene was, the viewers watching the live broadcast on their phones and computers couldn't help but applaud and cheer, their excitement overflowing.

And it's not over yet.

"who!"

A mournful roar came from the mountain valley, and several eerie green beast eyes flashed in the forest.

As the monkey defeated the bandit leader, the patrolling wolf demons also caught a whiff of blood.

"Oh no! A monk with a hairy face and a thunder god's mouth has barged in!"

The wolf demon's warning words made the audience at the press conference unable to hold back any longer, and they all burst into suppressed laughter, which they were struggling to suppress.

On the big screen, the monkey runs forward along the mountain path, occasionally leaping over boulders on the ground, and nimbly treading on fallen leaves to meet the enemy.

Ahead was a narrow wooden bridge, and at the bridgehead were two wolf demon archers drawing their bows and nocking arrows.

The monkey sidestepped the incoming arrow and simultaneously threw its long stick.

The swirling staff instantly struck down the wolf demon at the front, then bounced back and was caught by the monkey.

As for the remaining wolf demon's rapid-fire arrows, the monkey remained calm. Amidst the sound of iron arrows piercing the air, he leisurely wielded his long staff, shaking his head and laughing "Aha!" as the round staff shadows bloomed like flowers in front of him.

His appearance was reminiscent of an old friend, causing many older viewers who saw this scene to subconsciously recall a scene that had appeared in "Journey to the West".

However, the stick dance performed by the monkey is not just pretty to look at, nor is it merely a sentiment.

When the arrows, which came raining down, struck the monkey's twirling sticks, they were sent flying back like birds with broken wings, carried by a strong wind.

Can this stick flower deflect ranged attacks?
The gamers watching the video were all excited by the game's novel gameplay.

After dealing with the pack of wolf demons blocking their path, the controlled character, after a period of running around, encountered their first mini-boss, the "Wolf Master."

Compared to elite monsters like the bandit leader, this [Knife Wolf Instructor] is undoubtedly much stronger, wielding a double-headed spear and surrounded by flames.

When it attacked, the double-headed spear swung like a wheel, and scorching flames splashed out with the blades, forming an impenetrable whirlwind of fire that swept forward and engulfed everything in its path.

Whether it was the large tree or boulder blocking the way of the [Blade Wolf Instructor], or some water vats, incense burners, stone tablets, or even the pavilion, they were all shattered by the whirlwind of flames and blade energy.

This alone is enough to show how high the game's freedom and interactivity are.

Facing the formidable [Blade Wolf Instructor], the player-controlled monkey ultimately prevailed over the enemy, sacrificing half its health, thanks to its superior skills.

Finally, the double-headed spear in the hands of the "Knife Wolf Instructor," which was clearly no ordinary weapon and was gleaming with fire, clattered into the ground. The monkey stepped forward, pressed the interaction button, and sure enough, it worked.

[Obtained the new magic weapon "Red Tide"!] The prompt text is enough to prove that what everyone is seeing is not a CG animation, but a real game, a domestic AAA masterpiece.

After receiving the new magic weapon, the word "wolf" suddenly appeared in front of the status bar in the lower right corner of the screen, which was usually overlooked.

What's the use of this thing?

Before the audience could even wonder, the answer was revealed.

When facing a large and obviously difficult-to-deal-with wolf demons, another "ape" character lights up in front of the character's status bar in the lower right corner.

The next second, the monkey switched forms and transformed into a black giant ape.

Seventy-two transformations!

The audience suddenly realized something, and on the big screen, the protagonist, transformed into a giant ape, had already charged into the wolf pack.

"Roar--"

The deep roar of the beast stirred up waves of sound, spreading in all directions.

Each punch thrown by his tall frame generated a strong wind and a sonic boom, blasting the wolf demon backward.

When the giant ape unleashed its final, powerful slam, leaping high into the air before landing, the ground trembled violently. Large chunks of bluestone were smashed, cracking into spiderweb-like patterns, and the wolf demons struck by it were reduced to a bloody mist.

The scene then shifts again, and the protagonist, the monkey, arrives at the famous Guanyin Temple from "Journey to the West." However, the dilapidated scene before him, with the rotten beams creaking in the night wind, tells a story of past vicissitudes.

Beside him, the hunched-over Earth God of Black Wind Mountain, leaning on a wooden cane, staggered out from behind the broken wall. The rustling sound of his robe sweeping the ground mingled with his hoarse sighs, his voice filled with helplessness and lament.

"Back then, Elder Jinchi set fire to the temple to seize the Jinlan cassock. Although it has been rebuilt, everything has changed..."

Before the words were finished, a huge sound came from the Zen temple ahead.

The monkey then went to the small shrine of the Earth God, took out an incense stick from its ear, flicked it to light it, and then stuck it into the incense burner in front of the shrine, thus completing the game level save.

Its unique, oriental-style save-up method has once again shocked the audience.

The ensuing battle against the final boss, the giant white wolf demon [Ling Xuzi], with its numerous new gameplay elements, broadened the horizons of many viewers.

For example, a reversed "immobilization spell" becomes an "indestructible" parry.

He plucked a monkey hair, which flew out of his hand and transformed into a flurry of fluff. Upon landing, it turned into a dozen or so monkeys wielding long sticks, swarming towards the wolf demon.

There's also the option to unfasten the gourd from your waist when a character's health is about to drop, and drink a large gulp to restore their health.

And finally, as the red light emanating from the "Crimson Tide" magic weapon engulfed the player character, and the word "Wolf" appeared in the lower right corner of the screen, a wolf howl rang out, and [Blade Wolf Instructor] appeared on the scene.

"Zheng!"

Sparks from the clash of clubs and claws illuminated the Zen temple, and the booming of talismans exploding in the air intertwined with the howls of wolves to form a tragic war song.

The crackling flames licked at the thick-furred enemy, blood gushing from the wolf's body, accompanied by painful howls, and the air was filled with the acrid smell of burning flesh.

The battle scenes are so intense, the lighting effects are dazzling, and the moves and skills are unpredictable, almost on par with any foreign AAA game.

Just as the protagonist's golden cudgel was about to smash Ling Xuzi's wolf head and deliver a fatal blow, a golden staff suddenly appeared from the side and deftly blocked the player's attack.

At the same time, the ancient characters on the stick lit up one by one.

"like!"

"meaning!"

"gold!"

"hoop!"

"Great!"

The deafening crash of the two batons colliding shook the screen violently and resonated deeply with all the viewers.

Because a monkey clad in golden chainmail, wearing lotus-silk cloud-walking shoes, and wielding the Ruyi Jingu Bang (a magical staff), has made a powerful entrance and appeared before everyone.

"Sun Wukong!"

"The Great Sage Equal to Heaven!"

"Victorious Fighting Buddha!"

If we're talking about the most famous superhero in all of China, then this is definitely the one.

When he appeared, all the emotions that the audience and fans had accumulated at the press conference were ignited at that moment.

boom!
No one cared about order anymore. As seen in the live broadcast, the audience stood up, raised their arms above their heads, clapped with all their might, and cheered loudly.

The sound was like a thunderclap, threatening to rip the roof off the photography studio. The noise carried outside and even attracted exhibitors from several neighboring venues.

But that's not all. After the Monkey King makes his appearance, several rapidly switching battle scenes unfold amidst rousing background music.

It includes the player character's journey through mountains and rivers, various bosses and monsters, the somersault cloud soaring through the sky, and the slender figure of the little white dragon as it takes flight.

Of course, what leaves the deepest impression is the figure clad in golden armor standing on the clouds, with the enormous Dharma images of the Four Heavenly Kings appearing and disappearing in the clouds, and countless heavenly soldiers and generals surrounding him.

The Monkey King fought them fiercely, wielding his golden cudgel with incredible power, sometimes long and sometimes short, knocking the heavenly soldiers to the ground.

Finally, to the familiar melody of "Cloud Palace Melody," the scene freezes on the eight gilded characters: "After the White Bones, Retrace the Journey to the West."

The crowd in front of the stage applauded and cheered, while viewers watching the live stream on their computers and mobile phones shouted "Awesome!" and "Holy crap!" before eagerly sharing the news on various platforms and in chat groups.

"So, what do you all think? Do you think our Galaxy Group is strong enough?"

Wang Hao asked this question only after the frenzied atmosphere at the scene had cooled down a bit.

His response was a resounding "Enough!" from the entire audience.

"Does anyone still think that China can't produce good AAA games?"

Amidst a sea of ​​"I don't think so" responses, there were occasional inquiries about the game's name and release date.

After watching the 13-minute trailer, everyone is eager to actually try out this unique single-player game with a classical Chinese style and based on the traditional Chinese classic "Journey to the West".

Some game enthusiasts, based on the art style of the entire trailer and the line "After the White Bones, we retrace the Journey to the West," have linked it to the once-popular online game "Dou Zhan Shen" and guessed that this work was most likely developed and produced by the team behind "Dou Zhan Shen."

Sure enough, Wang Hao on the stage said:
"Today is the press conference for the third phase of the Galaxy Cinematic Universe. If you are interested in the game trailer we just showed, please watch the official live stream of Galaxy Group and Xingyou Entertainment on Douyin at 8:30 tomorrow."

During the live stream, we will interview members of the game's development team and reveal more information and behind-the-scenes details about the game.

(End of this chapter)