It was supposed to be a casual game, but the Long March dungeon brought tears to everyone's eye

Luo An Studio's backend data is skyrocketing.

Luo An looked at the system interface; the new map, "Red Expedition: Grassland Chapter," had finished loading.

This time, the basic NPC intelligent dialogue module has been upgraded to intermediate level.

NPCs not only speak like humans, but they also think like humans.

Just then, an industry news article popped up, with the font bold and red.

Tencent's epic S+ tier title, *Winter*, launches its open beta tomorrow! With a 3 million yuan investment and stunning graphics, it crushes all competition!

The following day, on the Tomato Live streaming platform.

The title of Kuang Ge's live stream was extremely arrogant: 【Playing Tencent's "Winter" - If it's not fun, I'll eat my keyboard on the spot!】

Not only him, but also Eagle Eye, Soft Soft, and other top streamers across the internet are all on the show.

After all, Tencent is giving them so much.

"Brothers, Luo's new book won't be out for another three days. Let's go check it out next door first."

Crazy Bro put on the latest VR headset and chuckled.

"I heard they spent 300 million on special effects? I'd like to see if this snow is any real."

A three-person team landed in "Winter".

It has to be said that Tencent really has the financial power.

This snow-capped mountain is so beautiful it's like a 4K wallpaper; every snowflake seems to exude the fragrance of RMB.

He was wearing a high-tech polar suit and carrying a fully equipped modified gun, and he felt as warm as if he were in Hawaii.

Wow! The image quality is absolutely amazing.

Kuang Ge touched his clothes and sighed sincerely.

"This is what playing games should be like! It's not cold, and I'm not hungry."

But this novelty only lasted for less than ten minutes.

"Da da da—"

Madman pulled the trigger, flames spitting out, a truly exhilarating experience.

The enemy AI on the other side lined up to deliver their heads, like the Calabash Brothers saving their grandfather.

Mowing the lawn, just mowing the lawn.

"Boring," Hawkeye scoffed in the voice chat.

"The bullet trajectory is all guided by aiming assistance; you can get headshots even with your eyes closed. There's absolutely no sense of pressure."

Just then, the plot was triggered.

An NPC squad leader collapsed in the snow, clutching his stomach and bleeding profusely, his performance filled with a desperate, strained voice.

"Help...help me..."

Kuang Ge's heart skipped a beat, and he rushed over almost reflexively, his mind filled with the image of the old squad leader lying in the snow.

"Brother! Hang in there! I'll carry you!"

Kuang Ge roared and reached out to pull the person away.

This is a life-or-death instinct developed in "Red Expedition".

But the instant his hand touched the NPC's shoulder, a brightly lit, festive recharge pop-up appeared right in the center of his retina.

[Teammate critically injured! Purchase "Super First Aid Kit"?]

[Original price 18 yuan, first recharge special offer only 6 yuan! Buy now and get your comrades back on the battlefield!]

Crazy Brother's hand froze in mid-air.

He looked at the NPC who was still bleeding profusely, and then at the large button that flashed "First Recharge Special Offer".

A feeling of nausea, like swallowing a fly, instantly surged up from my stomach.

"I'll save your grandpa!"

Crazy Brother cursed and tried to close the window while carrying the person on his back.

The system, however, provided a prompt.

[Insufficient Strength attribute! Please purchase the "Single Soldier Exoskeleton" (priced at 98 yuan) to unlock the weight-bearing function.]

"Grass!"

Kuang Ge ripped off his helmet and slammed it onto the table.

"Where's the keyboard?! I'm not eating anymore! I'm going to smash it!"

In the live stream, millions of viewers watched as Kuang Ge's face turned red with anger, and the screen was filled with question marks.

"What's wrong, Kuang-ge? The game's graphics are pretty good, aren't they?"

"Yeah, it looks pretty cool."

Kuang Ge took a deep breath, grabbed the microphone, and spoke in a low voice.

"Feels good? Yes, it feels good."

"Great visuals, impressive special effects, and killing is as easy as mowing grass."

"but……"

Kuang Ge pointed at the still-flashing "6 Yuan Special Offer" on the screen, and his eyes actually reddened.

"But Tencent's planners don't understand. Snow-capped mountains aren't for sightseeing; they're for burying loyal bones."

"That person who fell wasn't there to sell blood packs, that was... a comrade-in-arms."

"When the old squad leader was dying, all he wanted was to give me his last bite of food."

"Someone fell down here, but they're asking me for 6 yuan."

At the same time, Hawkeye and Softie also went offline at lightning speed.

Hawkeye sent a message in the group chat.

"Data-driven garbage has no soul."

Ruanruan posted two pictures.

One photo shows her in exquisite fashion in "Winter," and the other shows her as a blind woman with frostbite on her face and her eyes covered in "Red Expedition."

"I used to think the first one was better," Ruan Ruan said.

"Now I feel like the me in the first picture looks like a plastic mannequin."

That night.

The number of online players for "Winter," which had initially exploded, dropped significantly after two hours.

Many players came with high hopes, but in that icy world filled with the stench of money, they felt an unprecedented emptiness.

It was great, but it felt like something was missing.

After a while, mowing lawns can get a bit boring.

Upon returning to "Red Expedition," they were shocked to discover that Luo, the old fox, seemed to have upgraded the NPC emotion module once again.

Why do I feel that the already authentic old squad leader and his comrades have become even more authentic?

……

Two in the morning, in a luxury apartment.

The neon lights outside the window were still flickering listlessly. Softly curled up in the gaming chair, wrapped in an expensive silk air-conditioning quilt.

The screen in front of her was lit up, displaying a three-person voice channel for the "Snow Mountain Demolition Office".

"Click."

I took a soft bite of the delicate dark chocolate; it was bittersweet and silky smooth like satin.

This is her favorite brand, costing several thousand yuan per box.

But at this moment, she frowned and swallowed mechanically, as if chewing wax.

"It has no taste..." Ruan Ruan mumbled into the microphone.

"Is this chocolate expired? It's not sweet at all."

The sound of Kuang Ge lighting a cigarette and the crisp sound of Eagle Eye typing on a keyboard came through the headphones.

No one responded.

They've been logged into the voice chat ever since they left Tencent's "Winter" a few hours ago, a game filled with pay-to-win elements.

I didn't say much; I just didn't want to sleep.

When I close my eyes, all I see is a sky full of snow and the one-armed figure saluting the light screen.

That emptiness that rose from the depths of her soul made Ruan Ruan desperately want to consume sugar.

"I want to eat candy..."

Ruan Ruan sniffed, tossed the thousands of chocolates in her hand back into the box, and stared blankly at the ceiling.

"Do you remember? When I was on my last breath, among that pile of dead bodies in the snow-capped mountains?"

"That thing the old squad leader pulled out of his pocket."

"That little shiny thing...it tasted so sweet when I put it in my mouth."

As she spoke softly, a faint smile of reminiscence even unconsciously crept onto her lips.

"I swear, that was the best candy I've ever eaten in my life."

"It tastes a million times better than these cheap junk items that cost a few thousand dollars."

"I want to go back and ask the old squad leader where he bought that candy."

"I want to have another bite."