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

Chapter 171 [Sarajevo Incident - A Fateful Choice] The Enraged Earth Anchor (7k Two-in-One)

Upon seeing the text appear on the screen, the Blue Star players realized what was happening.

This is the Battle of Verdun, one of the most brutal battles of World War I on Earth.

Although there is no specific data.

However, among the World War I intelligence gathered by players during the World War II storyline, there is information about the 'Battle of Verdun'.

It is said that this battle was a "meat grinder," and that a third of the French men died here.

When the players on Earth first learned of this information, they couldn't believe it.

A third of the men died in battle?
Is France really that tough?
They had played the storyline of "Blitzkrieg France" before. France, which boasted the strongest army in Europe, surrendered after only 39 days of resistance against the Empire.

This surprised many players on Earth at the time.

Is this what Europe's strongest army is like?
As information was gathered, it was later learned that a third of the French men died in World War I.

Upon hearing this news, players on Earth felt that it was just like the claim of "Europe's strongest army"—a boast made by France itself.

But at this time
Seeing the battlefield scenes in the CG, the players on Earth couldn't help but believe it.

Simply because of the battlefield below.

Pale yellow clouds of poisonous gas billowed and spread, spreading across the entire battlefield like blood vessels along the dense, winding trenches.

Meanwhile, soldiers on both sides kept sticking their heads out and firing from the ravines.

Although it is somewhat different from that of World War II, players on Earth can still distinguish that it is French and Imperial soldiers fighting by means of flags and distinctive features.

Shells rained down on the battlefield from time to time, tearing the little figures below to shreds.

Mud mixed with bright red blood splattered all around.

As the camera zoomed out, the Blue Star players couldn't help but catch their breath.

This is not a scenario that should appear in reality.

At this height, you can see the surrounding situation and the whole picture more clearly.

A pale yellow poisonous fog permeated the entire battlefield, and the artillery fire turned the battlefield below black, with thick black smoke billowing from some corners.

Unburied corpses piled up in a huge shell crater, and the water in the crater had turned bluish-purple. Such shell craters were scattered throughout the battlefield.

Due to the weather, some of the bodies in the bomb craters have even revealed their bare bones.

All of this felt like hell.

But at this moment, on this 'hell', human soldiers from both sides are fighting.

Even players from Earth who experienced World War II couldn't help but turn pale at such an environment, after all, the battles fought by Stalin and in Moscow were incredibly brutal.

But the environment isn't that bad.

At least during the battles of Moscow and Stalin, it was winter, so the corpses wouldn't be like those at Verdun below.

No one came to collect the bodies; they were left to soak in the water from the bomb crater.

The water turned a bluish-green color after being soaked, and the entire battlefield was filled with a pale yellow poisonous mist. This is... damn it!
It turns out the French weren't exaggerating; they really were that tough during World War I.

If a French soldier were to suddenly appear and ask who the coward is, the players on Earth would undoubtedly say without hesitation that they are; the environment is just too harsh.

The CG scene shifts.

It appeared over a plain.

The battlefield was shrouded in a leaden smog, and from the air, the vast plain looked like the surface of the moon, riddled with craters.

The water in the crater, illuminated by sunlight, seems to come alive as the CG camera moves.

Several large characters slowly appeared on the screen.

Somme Plain

The battlefield below was charred black everywhere. Because there was no cover, sandbags and corpses were piled together to serve as defensive fortifications.

The soldiers on both sides lay directly on the sandbags and corpses that had been dead for who knows how long, and fired at the enemy.

These craters are distributed in two or three per meter on average.

Even across the battlefield, eerie green flames burned. The players on Earth knew these were phosphorescent flames, caused by hydrogen released from the corpses spontaneously combusting.

The players on Earth gasped in shock.

hiss--

This isn't much better than 'Verdun'.

As the CG perspective sweeps across the Somme plain.

The screen changed again.

Perhaps due to the climate, what came into view was a battlefield that was also covered in mud.

The gray-green mud, the pale corpses, and the tanks stuck in the mud create a picture of despair, but what is most terrifying in this picture is...

Those bottomless swamps are swallowing everything.

The charging soldiers accidentally stepped into the mud and struggled frantically, but they sank faster and faster until their raised arms also sank into the mud.

They completely disappeared from the battlefield.

None of the surrounding soldiers noticed, or rather, even if they did, they wouldn't have cared.

Because many people may not survive the next second, where would there be time to save people?
As a barrage of shells rained down from both sides, the spread of multicolored poisonous fog caused the Blue Star players watching the cutscene to change their expressions even more drastically.

It is unknown what kind of highly toxic gas it is.

In the instant the fighting spread across the battlefield, soldiers on both sides who were not adequately protected collapsed to the ground, convulsing and dying within seconds.

This scene left the viewer momentarily dazed.

It's as if humanity has been stripped of its disguise called 'civilization,' becoming beasts devoid of any moral concept, resorting to any means to achieve victory.

Perhaps this is the true nature of war.

As the viewpoint moves across the screen.

The scene abruptly shifts to a battlefield.

This is the Verdun battlefield we just saw.

In the pitch-black trench, a tall officer in a French military uniform, wearing a gas mask, was trying to pry open an ammunition box in front of him with his bayonet.

Boom——!
A shell landed in the trench next to them, and the shockwave knocked it over.

The gas mask on his head was also twisted to the side.

Seeing the half-face exposed under the gas mask and the blood-stained gauze, netizens on Earth immediately recognized him as General de Gaulle.

De Gaulle, who was thrown over by the blast wave of the shell, got up immediately without pausing.

Put on your gas mask, pick up your bayonet and continue prying open the ammunition box.

The screen suddenly zoomed outwards.

Swish!
It was as if we had entered a different battlefield. The environment here was not as muddy as before, but the deafening artillery fire outside never stopped.

Inside the trenches at this time.

A corporal gripped his rifle, waiting for the order to charge, just like the soldiers in the nearby trenches.

boom--!
A shell exploded in the trench.

The firelight instantly illuminated everything around, including half of the corporal's face, which was hiding in a pit on the side of the trench.

A gaunt, sunken face, a signature beard... a young imperial leader?!
Before the Blue Star players could even take a second look...

Swish!
The screen switches again.

Amidst a sea of ​​golden wheat, a British Commonwealth Maxim machine gun spews fire, while steam from the cooling water rises upwards—this appears to be the player's first-person perspective.

However, the viewpoint quickly zoomed out, and the Blue Star players realized it was an NPC's perspective.

This NPC appears to be a military officer.

Holding binoculars, he kept observing the situation on the other side; the CG footage focused on this officer.

The Blue Star players frowned slightly upon seeing this.

Who is this?
Which famous figure from World War II? I don't recall.
Following Polaris's usual practice, this must be a famous figure from World War II. After all, the previous ones were De Gaulle and the Führer, so this one couldn't possibly be an unknown person.

Looking at this young and handsome face, the players on Earth couldn't quite place him for a moment.

Perhaps it's because the players on Earth couldn't have guessed it.

So at the very end of the scene, just before leaving, a few words slowly appeared beside the handsome officer.

Churchill

???

???

Everyone looked confused, including the streamer Kong Yang, who immediately paused the CG.

"Holy crap? Who???"

"Is that the 'British Prime Minister'?!"

The viewers on Earth in the live stream were also stunned.

[No, something's definitely wrong!]

Could this be the 'British Prime Minister'?

Holy crap, is there really such a big difference between when I was young and when I'm older?

[I can't even describe how fast I've aged!]

[World War II wasn't that long after World War I, how come they've grown so much that they're unrecognizable?!]

Kong Yang also found a photo of the British Prime Minister during World War II in the storyline, and then put it in the live stream, comparing it with the handsome man in the paused CG.

(Young vs. Old)

Kong Yang's expression was strange:
"Ah this."

"They are not exactly the same, but rather completely unrelated."

"That's not right either."

"The chin is somewhat similar, both being quite round, but the face has changed so much."

"It's good to be young."

Viewers in the live stream compared the photos and confirmed that the chin did indeed vaguely resemble the same person.

But his face became unrecognizable.

Outrageous!

Kong Yang clicked his tongue and said:
"However, I didn't expect that the British Prime Minister had also participated in World War I."

"Still an officer."

"That's true, it seems officers live longer."

"To be fair, there were many famous people in this world war."

"Customization requires selecting an officer."

"And he even became the Prime Minister of the Commonwealth later on. Wow, isn't that an inspirational story?"

After making a few remarks, Kong Yang continued playing the CG.

As the CG sequence on the Commonwealth side ended, the scene switched to another battlefield.

The machine gun is in sight again, but this time it seems to be from the machine gunner's perspective.

In the center of the CG, a machine gun spews fire, while a bandaged hand appears on the right, pouring water on the overheated barrel. The camera slowly pulls outwards.
It's Rommel?!
Looking at the young Rommel, I thought about his later legendary life and his forced suicide.

Netizens on Earth couldn't help but sigh.

The screen changed again.

On the muddy swamp, tanks were stuck in disarray, and soldiers kept opening the hatches, climbing out of the tanks, and rushing towards the other side with their guns raised.

Meanwhile, behind the tank formation...

The hatch of a broken-down tank was also open, and a lieutenant covered in oil crawled out.

And looking at the lieutenant's face.

Although many Blue Star players don't recognize it, many others have seen it.

He was General Patton of the United States during World War II.

Some players on Earth had seen Patton on the Western Front, so they recognized him.

At this time, Patton was still a lieutenant. After climbing out of the tank compartment, he roared and commanded his men to fight. Clearly, Patton was just as brave and fierce when he was young.

More than these.

The scene then flashes by quickly, showing prominent figures and generals who stirred up the world during World War II, now struggling in the quagmire of World War I.

Who could have imagined decades later that corporal hiding in the trench, that handsome officer next to the machine gunner, that lieutenant holding the ammunition box with his bayonet?

These people will become part of the world's manipulation.

No one could have imagined it.

It is precisely because of this unexpectedness that Blue Star players feel extremely excited when they see the famous figures of World War II in their youth.

After all, the story mode of Polaris games is all single-player.

In other words, if you get close to these famous figures from World War II and build good relationships with them in your own game's single-player campaign, you might just become an original shareholder.

Wouldn't it be even more exciting to stir up trouble later?

Many players on Earth are looking forward to it.

As the CG ended, the game's main interface appeared.

Compared to the vibrant feel of the 'World War II' interface and the somber feel of the 'Cold War' series, the 'World War I' main interface has a rudimentary industrial feel.

It's as if it's undergoing a transformation, seemingly foreshadowing the changes that are taking place on Earth.

On the main interface at this moment.

Two options are highlighted.

One is the [Immersive Story] mode, which is familiar to players on Earth. This is undoubtedly a single-player story mode.

One of them was a [Custom Story] mode that players on Earth had never seen before. Kong Yang looked at the button for that mode, and then an introduction popped up.

[The custom story mode is a free-choice mode where players can select their starting location, identity, and other customization options.]

[Note: This mode allows you to freely choose the starting time (e.g., between 1890 and 1914), while the [Immersive Story] mode starts at a fixed time.]

Looking at the introduction, Kong Yang understood:
"Understood, brothers."

"【Immersive Story】Mode: You start fighting right from the beginning, just like in World War II when you start in Poland, except I don’t know what kind of story this is."

"The 'Custom Story' mode is more flexible. You can choose not only your identity and location, but also the time. It's probably designed for players to interact with celebrities."

Which one should we go with?

As soon as he finished speaking, all sorts of shouts and comments came from the live stream chat.

However, after looking at the comments, Kong Yang thought for a moment and decided to play the [Immersive Story] mode.

Because this is entirely new, with a complete story structure. The "Custom Story" mode is like finding a needle in a haystack; he naturally can't afford to lose sight of the bigger picture. The task of finding the characters can wait for later players to complete.

"Alright, more viewers still want to see the story."

"Let's select the [Immersive Story] mode first."

talking.

Enter the [Immersive Story] mode.

The screen flashed.

Kong Yang appeared in a small alley, sitting on a chair with a newspaper in his hand.

at this time.

Letters appeared before my eyes.

[Early 20th century.]

[The rise of empires challenged the hegemony of the British Empire; the French Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were embroiled in unresolved regional disputes; and the Russian Empire and the Austro-Hungarian Empire were locked in a continuous struggle.]

Meanwhile, Austria-Hungary was deeply disturbed by Serbian nationalism.

On June 28, 1914, Archduke Franz Ferdinand, heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne, was assassinated in Sarajevo while visiting Serbia on its National Day of Injustice.

[And it was this assassination attempt that ignited the powder keg on the European continent.]

[With Austria-Hungary declaring war on Serbia, followed by the Russian Empire joining the conflict, European powers and allied nations were drawn in, ultimately triggering World War I.]

The letters slowly disappeared, followed by a notification.

Congratulations! You have earned the 'Chosen One' achievement.

Look at the prompts.

Kong Yang let out a soft "Eh":
"An achievement right off the bat?"

"The Chosen One?"

"This achievement looks pretty awesome."

The chat room was filled with question marks: "They haven't done anything yet, why are they giving us an achievement?"

However, the viewers in the live stream soon found out why.

Kong Yang looked around at the surrounding environment and thought about the introduction that had just appeared on the subtitles. At this moment, some Blue Star fans with good memories recognized him.

Wait a minute? Isn't this the place where Archduke Ferdinand was assassinated?

[That's right! I remember in that CG scene, Archduke Ferdinand came here, and the assassin discovered that his accomplice had failed, which is why he drew his gun and fired.]

[Hey streamer, check your pockets! Do you have a gun?]

The viewers in the live stream urged him on, and Kong Yang also remembered something.

Isn't this a scene from the 'World War I CG' that Zhao Laozei played during the anti-war contest awards ceremony?
So he's that assassin now?
Thinking this, Kong Yang reached into his pocket and pulled out something cold.

He looked at the pistol in his hand.

Goodness, he really is playing an assassin.

The viewers in the live stream suddenly realized why they had earned the "Destiny Chooser" achievement; it turned out that this identity would change the world.

Sudden.

Gunshots suddenly rang out from several streets away.

Kong Yang was startled and quickly put the gun back in his pocket, looking around.

here we go?

The viewers in the live stream also heard the gunshot, but many were urging Kong Yang not to fire and see what would happen.

After all, we already know the outcome of the shooting.

Kong Yang, who was thinking about creating some fun in the new game, thought for a moment and made up his mind. He then said to the live stream audience:
"Okay, then we won't fire."

"If I hadn't fired this shot, I might have saved millions of lives."

"A sense of responsibility has kicked in."

"My greatness as the one who decides my destiny is truly deserved!"

While chatting with the live stream audience, Kong Yang pretended to be reading a newspaper and looked around.

soon.

Archduke Ferdinand's vehicle turned into the alley, but unlike before, this time the assassin was played by a Blue Star player, so no shots were fired.

Kong Yang looked up and watched Archduke Ferdinand's vehicle drive away before putting down the newspaper in his hand.

"Is this the end?"

"So what should I do next?"

Kong Yang, who had let Archduke Ferdinand go, suddenly thought of this fatal problem.

The barrage in the live broadcast room paused.

Obviously, the viewers in the live stream had forgotten about this too. Yeah.

What to do after giving up the assassination attempt?
However, a viewer quickly reminded him to check if he had any money in his pocket. Kong Yang rummaged through his pockets and actually found some money. Seeing this, the viewers in the live stream encouraged him to spend it lavishly.

Kong Yang thought about it and agreed.

So I took the money and started shopping in Sarajevo. It was my first time shopping in a game.

However, Kong Yang had only been there for a short while.

Then the guards came out to search.

Archduke Ferdinand was clearly furious.

However, it has nothing to do with Kong Yang.

But soon a squad of guards rushed over and pinned him down. Confused, Kong Yang struggled and caught a glimpse of the owner of the street-side coffee shop where he had just entered the game.

Following the direction the shop owner was pointing, Kong Yang's heart skipped a beat.

Bang!

The pistol in his arms fell to the ground.

Bang!
The head was suddenly struck hard, and the screen instantly went dark.

In the live broadcast room.

Kong Yang slapped his thigh:
"rough!"

"It's careless!"

"The boss must have seen it when I took out the gun."

Archduke Ferdinand was just assassinated, and you have a gun in your pocket. Even if you didn't fire it, who knows if you're an accomplice?
Kong Yang cursed under his breath, and a moment later the screen lit up.

It was a dimly lit interrogation room. They saw Kong Yang wake up, but before he could speak...

Snapped!
A whip lashed down, and before Kong Yang could even adjust his pain level, he cried out "Ah—" before his mouth was stuffed with a strange-smelling rag.

Then came another lash.

Snapped!
Snapped!
There was no interrogation process at all, only constant torture and branding irons deeply imprinted on the body.

In just half an hour.

Kong Yang was beaten down to the point of barely having a breath left.

He was then doused with cold water, which caused him to convulse violently. The rag in his mouth was pulled out, and the interrogating officer grabbed Kong Yang's hair with a fierce look in his eyes.
Where are your accomplices?

"Don't try to deny it. We've already arrested several people in just one day."

"If you dare to lie, or if your story doesn't match theirs."

"hehe."

Kong Yang's lips twitched slightly, and he took a deep breath:

"tui!"

A mouthful of blood was spat onto the interrogator's face:

"I'm so annoyed."

Before he could finish speaking, his mouth was gagged, and cruel torture was used on him again.

Although Kong Yang felt frustrated, his pain level had dropped to its lowest point, and he was relieved that he could restart the game as long as he died.

However.
How could the interrogator possibly kill him? After all, he might reveal something if he were still alive.

I just didn't expect Kong Yang to be so tough.

They've been beaten to the point of near death, yet they still won't reveal their accomplices. This tactic is clearly no longer effective; we need to treat them quickly and find another way to torture them.

Then, right under Kong Yang's shocked and furious gaze...

The doctor came to treat him, kept him alive, just to prevent him from dying.

Kong Yang was furious.

Other live streamers had already started playing because of him, but he was still stuck in the interrogation room, tied up and unable to do anything.

They can't die.

Kong Yang was so angry that he wanted to bite his tongue and commit suicide, but his mouth was blocked, so he struggled and made "woo woo" noises.

Upon seeing this, the doctor who was treating the patient glanced at the interrogator and only pulled out the rag at the interrogator's signal.

The moment the rag was pulled out, Kong Yang closed his eyes, hardened his heart, and bit off his tongue with his mouth shut. Fortunately, the pain was minimal, and he felt nothing.

However, this approach also requires immense courage.

As the tongue was bitten off.

Kong Yang's vision gradually blurred, and the doctor noticed something was wrong. He quickly pried open Kong Yang's mouth and found that his tongue had been severed.

Kong Yang smiled and made a 'hoho' sound.

Blood rushed into his trachea, and after struggling in agony, he choked to death on his own blood.

The scene ends with the interrogator shouting in shock and anger.

Kong Yang finally felt a bit better. The screen lit up again, showing the main interface. Kong Yang couldn't wait to start a new game, muttering curses under his breath:

"Damn it! If I don't kill that guy this time, I'll write my name backwards."

"Damn it."

"This has wasted almost an hour of my time! I was the first to download the game!!!"

"I'm so angry!!!"

The viewers in the live stream were gloating, clearly the same group that had urged Archduke Ferdinand to be spared.

The screen flashed.

Kong Yang entered the game again, but this time he didn't stay in his seat. Instead, he got up and walked in the direction Archduke Ferdinand had come from.

soon.

Gunshots rang out, and Archduke Ferdinand's vehicle quickly drove into the alley.

But this time...
Bang bang bang bang! ! !

The vehicles that had just turned into the alley had their magazines emptied by Kong Yang, and he didn't even spare the drivers.

Kong Yang felt unsatisfied even if they lived for just one more second.

After emptying the magazine, a 'perverted' smile appeared on Kong Yang's face:

"Finally, I feel comfortable."

"Damn it, I'm so angry! I just let him go, and then they threw him into the interrogation room and beat him for ages! What the hell!"

At this point, Kong Yang's expression suddenly froze.

rough!
Isn't this just repeating the same old mistakes?
He looked down at the gun in his hand and at the dead Archduke Ferdinand in front of him.

Kong Yang suddenly realized, could it be that he had been tricked by that old scoundrel Zhao?!

hiss--

Damn? !
That old scoundrel Zhao definitely did it on purpose, didn't he?!

Kill him, and start the war.

I won't kill you; I'll keep you in the interrogation room.

rough! ! !
Kong Yang was about to denounce Zhao Laozei's 'conspiracy' in the live broadcast room when the pursuers on the street rushed over. Kong Yang didn't have time to make his accusation and ran away!
Viewers in the live stream cheered him on as they watched this.

Only Kong Yang, who was running, knew how frustrated he felt.

the other side.

Other streamers in the "World War I: Twilight of the Empire" section on the Tiansha platform.

The games have already started.

At this moment, in Wu Jie's live broadcast room.

Having just finished settling out World War II and only just entered the World War I game, he was already a step behind. Fortunately, he had a regular group of viewers in his live stream, so it wasn't a big deal.

As the CG ended.

Look at the two modes: [Immersive Story] and [Custom Story].

Wu Jie asked the viewers in the live stream for their opinions, and they all suggested that he choose the "Custom Mode," which Wu Jie did not refuse.
"Okay, let's choose [Custom Mode] then."

"Let me see"

"Identity? Choose businessman."

"Location... Vienna?"

"Go find the leader when he was young? That's fine too."

"We'll choose Vienna as the location."

"Where's the time?"

"Other live streams have had users selecting numbers between 1890 and 1903. Haven't you encountered that yet?"

"According to the information I have, World War I started in 1914."

"Let's start with 1913."

After selecting each option, Wu Jie finally confirmed his identity within the [Custom Mode] storyline:

"This model is really good."

"Look at this starting point: a businessman with tens of millions in assets, in Vienna in 1913. Even without seeking out the Young Führer, those tens of millions would have been enough to squander until World War II."

"Alright, let's get ready to start."

"Huh, there's an ethnicity option?"

(ps: Ask for a monthly pass~)

(End of this chapter)