We promised to develop a game called Candy Crush, what the hell is the Third Reich?

Chapter 164 [The 'Young' Celebrities] Dividing Up Berlin (6.6k words, two-in-one)

The viewers on Earth were deeply moved.

Even after the CG ended, I still couldn't recover.

The main problem is the kind of situation depicted in CG; just one glance inside is enough to induce extreme despair.

From Europe to Asia.

Two greedy behemoths are manipulating the world, from Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary to Greece, from South Vietnam, South Korea, and North Korea, and finally to the Republic.
The entire world was powerless under the control of those two behemoths.

The images flashed by: unsuspecting civilians, believing themselves to be on the side of justice, brandishing swords and firing guns at their own compatriots.

In reality, their sacrifices were meaningless.

Even until their deaths, they never knew that their country was nothing more than a pawn in the game of those two behemoths.

Even the photonic supercomputer couldn't deduce a way to break the deadlock.

In this situation, unless the two behemoths fight head-on or a massive internal rebellion breaks out, no other country on 'Earth' could possibly match them.

However, it was under such circumstances.

From the perspective of an outsider, the player on Earth feels powerless and unable to think of a solution.

The Republic is caught in the middle of this situation.

There was a person whose gaze seemed to pierce through the entire world.

They seized that fleeting opportunity.

As the two greedy behemoths gazed toward Berlin, the intertwined red and blue hues on the land of the Republic were instantly stained crimson.

The crimson dragon had already taken to the sky.

When the two greedy beasts finally came to their senses, all they could do was scream in shock and anger, but there was nothing they could do.

No one could have imagined the magnitude of the change that moment would bring.

Netizens on Earth could only watch helplessly as internal strife erupted in one country after another on the 'map'.

'Berlin Clash'

This opportunity was completely unnoticed by anyone, or rather, in the eyes of netizens on Earth, it was just an ordinary internal strife.

But
That person discovered it.

As the two behemoths reached out, a cataclysmic change occurred in the Republic because of a single sentence uttered by that man.

Looking at the world map, millions of netizens on Earth watching the live stream couldn't find a way to break the deadlock from an outsider's perspective, but that person found it.

The timing was perfect.

If this opportunity is missed, looking back at the world, there will almost never be another event that can simultaneously capture the attention of those two behemoths.

Can be imagined.

This strategic vision has shocked players on Earth.

On the stage.

The CG animation behind him had finished playing, and Zhao Ming's projection, looking at the speechless, shocked Blue Star players, spoke:
"The scenes in the CG just now are all events that will occur in chronological order after the sequel, 'Cold War Clouds,' is released, and I believe everyone has seen the final scene."

"That's right, it's the [Republic]."

"In the sequel, Cold War Shadows, we will open up the Republic faction."

"However, this faction is random."

"It will not be open separately."

"And what is the property of randomness?"

"It means that when you start a new game, whether you choose the American Free Federation, the Soviet Union, or the French camp, etc."

"There is a certain chance of triggering the [Republic] faction, starting with the Republic, and participating in specific storylines."

"After participating in a specific storyline, the game will return to the faction chosen by the player."

"Due to the special nature of the [Republic] faction, this is a last resort. However, although there is no direct option, everyone can choose other factions."

"There's a chance to participate in the storyline against the [Republic]!"

"Here's a hint: it's a coalition of 17 nations led by the United States Free Federation."

"1v17, is that even possible?"

The words fell.

The Blue Star viewers and streamers in the audience erupted in an uproar.

That randomness is easy to understand.

At the start of the game, you might trigger a special storyline exclusive to the Republic, and then return to the main game.

But what about the 17-nation coalition led by the United States Free Federation?
Damn it?

Is Zhao the old scoundrel serious? Is the "Republic" really that powerful?

The United States, a free and federal nation!

Their supply capabilities were enough to make the players on the European battlefield shudder.

The result? [Republic] 1 vs 17?

Even an empire isn't that powerful, is it?

The players on Blue Star couldn't help but discuss it amongst themselves.

I thought the Empire was already pretty strong, but now it seems there's something even stronger. How strong must it be to fight 1v17?

Moreover, judging from what that old scoundrel Zhao said...

This is what will happen later in the story. It makes sense, though. The Republic breaks free from its predicament and transforms into a red dragon, dominating Asia. How could those two greedy behemoths tolerate it?

There will definitely be more clashes, and they might even be more dangerous.

Think of this.

The players on Earth were getting excited; this was going to be thrilling.

The scene they just witnessed, where a single word could decide the fate of the world, had sent chills down their spines. What would it be like if it were even more thrilling?

hiss--

Why can't this old scoundrel Zhao be made into a movie? So we could watch it all at once and have a good time!
Zhao Ming, projected onto the stage, watched the Blue Star players below discuss for a while before speaking again:
"That concludes the first half of the CG sequences for the sequel, 'Cold War Clouds'."

"Of course, perhaps calling it the Cold War is not quite appropriate. I personally prefer to call this part of the story 'Great Power Rivalry'."

"However, because the Cold War started early and lasted a long time, it can only be classified as the Cold War."

"All right."

"Next, please take a look at the CG of our 'World War I' series game, 'World War I: Twilight of the Empire'."

Players on Blue Star were still somewhat surprised to hear this name.

The Twilight of an Empire?
Why is the period during World War I called "twilight" and the period during World War II called "rise"?

Shouldn't the one during World War II be called the Twilight of an Empire?

After all, the current situation of the Empire, as can be clearly seen in the sequel's CG, is that it has truly been destroyed, controlled by four countries, and even Berlin has been divided into four parts.

With this question in mind, the Blue Star players looked at the CG projected on the stage.

The screen slowly lit up, and several words appeared.

Vienna Academy of Fine Arts

Standing before the art-filled academy gates, the gatekeeper shrugged and spoke to the slightly shy-looking boy before him:

"Unfortunately."

The slightly shy boy looked stiff and taciturn, nodding with difficulty and glancing back repeatedly as if lost in thought.

It eventually disappeared into the street.

At this moment, the players on Blue Star all widened their eyes, having already recognized who this person was.

Imperial head?!
No?

Is this seemingly taciturn young man really the emperor who can inspire people?
No wonder netizens on Earth were confused.

The emperor of the empire at that time really seemed introverted and taciturn.

The naive young man who left the Vienna Academy of Fine Arts wandered aimlessly, eventually spending the night with a group of homeless people under a bridge, his eyes filled with confusion.

Finally, under the crowded bridge arch, I slowly fell asleep.

The scene suddenly switched.

The Somme River

A light drizzle fell from the gloomy sky, soaking the mud walls of the trenches.

The disheveled young man huddled in his bunker, holding a mud-covered rifle, nervously awaiting the order to attack.

The continuous bombardment made the entire position teeter on the brink of collapse, and no one knew how long it could hold out.

The screen changed again.

[Rear Hospital]

The young man appeared to have been attacked, resulting in injuries to his eyes, which were now wrapped in thick bandages.

But he kept asking to go back to the battlefield.

It wasn't until the hospital's loudspeaker broadcasted the news that "the Empire has been defeated and surrendered" that the angry young man struggled to his feet.

"No!"

"The battle is not over yet! Not at all!!!"

His desperate shouting made the surrounding doctors and nurses hesitant to approach. Only after a long while did the young man, having released his pent-up emotions, grit his teeth and say:

"The battle has only just begun."

Netizens on Earth held their breath.

Watch this scene.

No one could have imagined that this roaring young man would start a war in the future.

Thinking of that naive and taciturn young man at the very beginning of the scene, and then of the madness of the empire.

We can't get in touch with each other no matter what we do.

At this time.

Scene transitions in CG.

Soviet Baku

Under the cover of night, countless oil wells emitted thick smoke, obscuring the entire sky.

The video's perspective shifts downwards, landing underground in a dimly lit printing factory, where the familiar faces of the people of Blue Star appear on screen.

He was a Soviet leader in his youth.

At this moment, the young leader was using his large, ink-stained hands to continuously print leaflets.

The word "struggle" above is exceptionally prominent.

Bang!

The gate to the underground factory was suddenly kicked open, and a group of military police walked in. There was a moment of chaos inside the factory, but the guns in the hands of the military police brought the chaos to a stop.

A military policeman who appeared to be a captain stepped forward, sneering:

"Dzhugashvili, you're under arrest."

The scene shifts to the interrogation room, where the military police captain's whip leaves bloody welts on his body, yet he grits his teeth and manages to squeeze out a single sentence:

"You can break my bones, but you can never break my will."

Upon hearing this, the enraged military police increased the pressure on their hands, but still did not hear a single sound they wanted to hear.

The scene changes.

It was the reading of the order of exile.

Subsequently.

The scene changes, and several large characters slowly appear.

Siberia

The wind and snow howled, scraping past like knives. The young man, tormented by the bitter cold, wrapped in a tattered sheepskin coat, trudged through the snow that was above his knees, driven away by the military police.

They headed towards the exile village, where only a few cooking smoke could be seen rising from the chimneys amidst the wind and snow.

The sun and moon alternate.

Until the scene appeared, [three years later].
On a day when a blizzard raged.

They pried open the window and were swept into the raging blizzard. In such weather, even the pursuing military police dared not advance rashly, and stopped at the village entrance.

Because of such a blizzard, there was almost no chance of survival.

However, the scene was not over yet.

Until the ragged young man, having traveled an unknown distance, mingled with a procession of workers and saw the man on the stage, his head slightly balding and his forehead unusually prominent, shouting:

"All power to the Soviets!"

He joined in the shouting.

These scenes terrified the players on Earth, and they also learned what an 'iron will' truly meant.

Torture could not break his will, and the terrifying blizzards of nature could not take his life. He eventually took control of the Soviet Union and became that gluttonous bear that devoured the world.

All of this has its reasons.

Such a will ensures that one will never yield to others from the very beginning.

Screen switching.

Verdun

The Blue Star players were somewhat surprised to see the words that appeared: France?
It seems to have little presence. Who will be featured?

And the answer came in the next second.

In the picture, the captain, who is already two meters tall and wearing military boots, is none other than General de Gaulle, the president of Free France, who is shown in the background.

At this point, he was just a lowly company commander. His uniform was covered in mud and blood, his left arm was bandaged, and blood was seeping from his right leg. He was organizing the few dozen men left to fight back against the enemy's attack.

The scenes kept changing.

once.

twice.

Three whole days.

He led a few dozen men and repelled seven enemy attacks.

Looking at the French soldiers in the picture, who showed no fear of death, and even after losing consciousness due to excessive blood loss, De Gaulle got up and rushed back to the battlefield.

It has refreshed the understanding of players on Earth.

Is this really France?

France, which was overthrown by the Empire in 39 days during World War II, surrendered?

In the end what happened?
Why was France so formidable during World War I, yet so pathetic during World War II?
If any French soldiers during World War II had possessed the same fighting spirit and courage as those during World War I, they wouldn't have been defeated by the Empire in just 39 days.
The players on Blue Star couldn't help but become curious.

However, we can only find out the answer when the game is released.

The screen continued to scroll.

Every battle is a test of endurance; every fall is followed by an immediate rise and charge.

It's hard to imagine such a French force.

Why did it degenerate into what it is now? But the scene ends quickly.

because
De Gaulle's company was running out of ammunition and supplies in the face of the Empire's attack. When the Empire finally arrived, he was stabbed countless times in the fierce hand-to-hand combat.

Finally, he collapsed.

When the screen lit up again, it was already a prisoner-of-war camp.

Unwilling to give up, de Gaulle attempted to escape from prison time and time again, until he angered the officers of the prisoner-of-war camp.

De Gaulle was imprisoned in a cell of less than 9 square meters.

24 months
As they watched the time pass on the screen, the players on Blue Star gasped in shock.

24 months?

They were lying in virtual reality pods, receiving nutrient solutions, playing games every day, but they couldn't last 24 months.

How did De Gaulle manage to stay insane for 24 months while being confined to a cell of less than 9 square meters?
Although there is bread and water every day, the books in the picture are the same few books over and over again. To have such a few things for 24 months is too cruel.

Not crazy?

This question flashed through the minds of the Blue Star players.

The image itself provides the answer.

Twenty-four months later, de Gaulle walked out of his cell with a cane. His gaze was so calm that it surprised even the guards.

He's not crazy.

Perhaps only with this kind of spirit and will could one person cross the ocean and continue to declare war on the empire when the whole country surrendered.

Screen switching.

One by one, high-ranking officials from various countries who stirred up the storm during World War II.

At this point, in the CG of 'World War I', there are those who are down on their luck and those who are in glory.
These figures present a stark contrast in their peak moments of manipulating the world during World War II and the Cold War.

This reminds netizens of what they learned in the "Huaxia" series of games.

'The world is full of heroes.'

Who could have imagined that the shy and taciturn young man would become the head of the empire?

Who could have imagined that the young man exiled to a life of hardship would become a Soviet leader?

Who could have imagined that the captain who was imprisoned in a prisoner-of-war camp for 24 months would become the last backbone of France?

Who would have thought that the US congressman, whose early life was full of unconventional style...
Who would have thought that such a thing could have happened in a small mountain village in the Republic?
The beginning and end of each individual figure in the picture.

No one could have predicted this.

But it is precisely this unexpectedness that has given Blue Star players the desire to explore.

Playing the sequel, "Cold War Shadows," allows you to experience the peak of great power rivalry.

Let's play "World War I: Twilight of the Empire" and connect with them from their younger days.

Regardless of the type, both are highly attractive to Blue Star players.

As the CG ended.

Zhao Ming's projector was displaying the following:

"The above is the CG content for the [World War I Series]."

"I believe players can generally sense that our World War I series is primarily focused on experiencing the story."

"So, depending on the choices you make, you can try to become a friend, rival, or enemy of those characters. You can challenge yourself."

"The whole thing is a standalone [immersive story] mode, so there's no need to worry about any uncontrollable situations arising."

"Because if it becomes uncontrollable, the game will have to start over."

"It's like a young, inexperienced emperor of the empire, cowering under a bridge, and you go up and stab him."

The Blue Star players below couldn't help but laugh.

Zhao Ming shrugged, spread his hands, and said with a helpless expression:

"It will definitely reopen."

"So try to participate from the perspective of an observer or a friend."

"Be an observer."

"As these important figures on 'Earth' grow, players will also learn a lot from observing them."

"Anyway, those warmongers can't fool you anymore."

"On warfare and political maneuvering?"

"Are you sure those guys are as powerful as the 'big shots' in the CG just now?"

The words fell.

This once again drew laughter from the Blue Star players below, and indeed it did.

Earth's wars, power struggles, and the division of spoils are hundreds of years ahead of Blue Planet. To them, those fanatics who constantly advocate war are just playing house.

The speeches given by the imperial leader in the game's storyline are far more persuasive than those of fanatics.

Anyone who has played "World War II: Rise of an Empire" will find the rhetoric of those fanatics completely childish.

It's laughable just to hear it.

Everyone, from the audience to viewers on the live stream, couldn't stop laughing.

I wonder how much broadcasting equipment has been smashed by fanatic hideouts all over the planet.

On the stage at the press conference.

After the players' laughter subsided, Zhao Ming's projection continued:
"These are the games and sequels that Polaris will release in the future."

"As for the launch time."

"Once World War II officially ends in World War II, it will be available on the Polaris website."

"After all, the European theater is almost over now."

"But the two major battlefields, the Asian theater and the Pacific theater, are not over yet; there is still a long way to go."

"Everyone still needs to work hard."

The words fell.

A chorus of boos erupted from the audience, but Zhao Ming's projection displayed a smile, showing no embarrassment whatsoever, and continued:

"All right."

"Next up is the Q&A session with the players."

"Hmm, let me see."

"That streamer or player in seat number 35 of row 3, please stand up."

The player who was chosen looked excited. A drone robot floated overhead and handed over a communication device, which the player accepted.

"Um, I wanted to ask about that. In 'World War II' games, is it possible to choose your identity at the start, like in the [China] series?"

Zhao Ming nodded on the projection side:

"We will consider adding this suggestion later."

"When the game was initially designed, the focus was on the unknown and randomness, allowing players to experience the feeling of exploration and puzzle-solving."

"But as the number of players increases and their understanding of the 'Earth' in the game deepens, it's time to add this gameplay element where players can freely choose their identity."

"We could consider unlocking this feature once a certain amount of game time has been reached."

The player, satisfied with the answer, nodded and sat down.

Zhao Ming projected the image onto the audience:

"Next person."

"I'd like to ask the streamer or player in seat number 64 of row 7 to stand up."

The player excitedly stood up, raising his hand, only to be handed a microphone by the drone robot:
"I want to ask."

"The previously mentioned choice of the Free Federation of America may trigger a storyline involving a battle with the Republic."

"As for this plot..."

"Can the faction be randomly assigned to the [Republic] faction?"

The Blue Star players in the audience lit up; this question hit the nail on the head.

On the projection screen, Zhao Ming nodded and said:
"This part of the storyline that triggers the battle against the Republic is based on the timeline."

"Once the timeline in the story reaches that point, players will have a high chance of triggering the event, with the faction being randomly selected between the [Republic] and the [American Free Federation]."

"It's a 50 percent chance."

"And it doesn't matter if you trigger an unwanted faction."

"This part is mainly based on the plot."

"So there's no need to worry about the user experience, because the chance of triggering it is very high, and the next time it might be that 50%."

The player nodded in satisfaction.

"Thank you."

Then he sat down.

Zhao Ming then projected his gaze onto the next person.
The press conference consisted of half CG and half Q&A segments.

As for whether someone might make a special 'Earth' movie, showing the legendary stories of those 'Earth' celebrities, Zhao Ming could only answer that it was still pending.

At the same time, the replies trigger plot fragments, many of which are enough to make up a movie, or participating in them is equivalent to filming it yourself.

soon.

The content of the Polestar press conference spread online.

Many people who saw the CG of the sequel and the new game after get off work had the same reaction as those who watched it live: nothing but shock.

Including Zhao Ming's final reply.

That seems plausible. Imagine entering the game, filming these celebrities from a third-person perspective, and creating a legendary movie!

This has potential!!!
Many players are eagerly awaiting the game's release.

A week later.

Inside Yu Feng's live stream room on the Tiansha live streaming platform.

Fang Ming was pulled over again because, after attending the press conference, Yu Feng, like other streamers, started skipping the storyline and did so for a whole week.

The scene then moves to the Allied siege of Berlin.

Inside the live stream, Fang Ming complained:

"Why did you drag me along when you were getting beaten up?"

"I just activated my general identity and am currently leading my men in a fierce battle with 'Han Xin.' We almost had our camp raided. Calling me over at this time is just a waste of time!"

Yu Feng smiled and said:

"That's a single-player immersive story, so pausing doesn't matter."

"The 'World War II' storyline is an immersive experience that's being broadcast online simultaneously, so I have to participate."

"The empire is about to fall; witness history."

"And look at this map, doesn't it feel familiar?"

As he spoke, Yu Feng shared the 'real-time map' screen of the live stream.

Fang Ming's lips twitched slightly. This was all too familiar. Back when he first played the [Immersive Story] mode, he played the Polish Prime Minister, and this was exactly how the Polish Empire and the Soviet Union divided the country:

"What was originally the partitioning of Poland has now turned into an empire?"

"Tsk, life is unpredictable."

The picture in front of him was almost identical to the one he had seen of the Polish prime minister before. Fang Ming couldn't help but sigh inwardly, wondering who would have thought that this empire had swept across Europe.

Now they've become the targets of being divided up.

Fang Ming shook his head; it wasn't a big problem.

After learning more about military strategy in [Huaxia], I'll come back and replay World War II.

Yu Feng also sighed:
"Yeah, who would have thought."

"Get ready to fight."

"Berlin is now surrounded, and the anti-aircraft towers are ready."

"The Allied forces should be launching an attack soon."

(End of this chapter)