Chapter 38: The Glowing Go Board

Chapter 38: The Glowing Go Board

With the blink of an eye, the world had shifted. This time, however, entering the Void Realm came with something akin to a cinematic cutscene.

The tiny, inconspicuous blue marble seen in satellite photos now appeared as the center of the universe, radiating an endless gravitational pull. Stars were drawn toward the Earth, orbiting it as they drew ever closer. Then, Xiong Yan felt himself transform into light. As the light neared the stars, they grew larger and larger in his vision until, with a sudden flash, he lost consciousness.

...

When Wang Zongchao regained his senses, he found that, aside from the first group of familiar faces, there were five complete strangers present.

"Where is this?"
"Who are you people?"
"I was just playing a game; how did it end up like this?"
"Is this a group transmigration?"
"Have we arrived at the Main God's space?"
"If we fail our mission, will we be wiped out? Where are the Main God's wristwatches? They aren't here!"
"Are we the protagonists? Or is one of us the protagonist, and they even conjured up this Main God's space?"
"God, I just had a stroke of fortune, and now I'm here? I haven't even had a chance to make something of myself yet. Why?"

Seeing the chaos, Wang Zongchao cleared his throat. "Everyone, this is the Void Realm. You are all here because you responded to its call."

"Think carefully. Before you arrived, did a sudden invitation appear in your mind?"

"I think so!"
"I was dazed and dreaming at the time. I accepted the invitation subconsciously... This is forced selling!"

"Are you a veteran?"
"Brother, can you tell us more about the Void Realm?"

Wang Zongchao held up his hands, fingers spread, and pressed them downward. The group quieted down, looking at him.

"I am Wang Zongchao. In the past, I was... well, you can call me Chief Instructor. Currently, I am the Director of the Action Bureau under the Great Xia's Department of Special Affairs, specifically responsible for extraordinary combat."

"This is not the Main God's space. There is no such thing as being wiped out for failing a mission. As for the Void Realm, it is related to the resurgence of spiritual energy."

"Everyone, even with the resurgence of spiritual energy, the Great Xia still exists. Do not think that being an 'extraordinary' makes you superior or allows you to do whatever you please."

"Of course, we will not exploit, oppress, or seize your opportunities. These opportunities may be great for you as individuals, but for the Great Xia, the small gains you might acquire are not worth the state risking its reputation to play dirty."

"Finally, our Department and Research Institute have just opened, and we are eager for any extraordinary to join us. As long as you are willing, the terms are negotiable."

"You have likely heard of talent recruitment, residency programs, and subsidies. For example, when a Ph.D. settles down, they usually receive a generous relocation allowance. If a Ph.D. from a top-tier university is willing to relocate to a second-tier or third-tier university in the North or Northwest, they are often given a house, a large relocation fee, and employment for their spouse. Benefits like social insurance and housing funds are merely the basics."

"You are very lucky. Because there are currently few extraordinaries in all of Great Xia, as long as you are willing to join, the benefits will be better than those for a Ph.D."

Upon hearing this, some were clearly tempted, though others remained hesitant. Wang Zongchao spoke well, but who knew if it was true?

"Don't worry. We have a month in the Void Realm, which is enough time to get to know each other. We are a legitimate agency of the Great Xia, reporting directly to the highest authorities. Even if you ultimately choose not to join, it doesn't matter. We are a proper institution, not a criminal organization. Do not underestimate the magnanimity of the Great Xia."

A short while later, Wang Zongchao led the group to begin their reconnaissance and intelligence gathering. When night fell, they gathered again.

"I have some good news and some bad news for you."

"The good news is that this Void Realm is a very specific 'wilderness survival' type."

"The entire realm shows no signs of human life, only various wild animals. Theoretically, as long as we survive for thirty days, this world will automatically recognize us as its masters."

"The bad news is that this is a rainforest, and rainforests are extremely dangerous. There are far too many poisonous and lethal creatures here."

"So, for the next thirty days, you must listen to me and cooperate if you want to survive."

Though his face remained stern, Wang Zongchao was delighted inside. With a wilderness survival backdrop, he was confident he could make these five newcomers feel the reliability of the Great Xia military and the care of the Research Institute and the Department.

Even if that failed, a month was enough for him to memorize their appearances and behavioral habits. Once they returned, he could have professional sketch artists recreate them, and with big data screening, none of them would escape. Of course, there was no need to say this out loud; it would be bad for morale.

Meanwhile, Lin Er, the Two Sages of Phoenix Mountain, and the other newcomers had finally figured out their location.

"There is a temple here called Lingyun Temple. There is a young boy in the temple named Jiang Liuer," Gu Yu reported the results of his scouting.

"What a coincidence. The son of Inspector Jiang Lingyun is also named Jiang Liuer. There is talk going around that the Great Ming officers were defeated by Japanese pirates at a critical moment. It is said the pirates even used Great Ming divine cannons." Lin Er looked speechless.

What kind of Inspector would name his son Jiang Liuer? Anyone with a shred of culture wouldn't give their son such a name, let alone a court official. They couldn't just say it was a childhood nickname—he was already a teenager, and he still didn't have a formal name? His father was a legitimate imperial scholar; Lin Er was truly at a loss for words.

"Ahem, so this is the world of 'Go Player'? I watched this show when I was a kid and liked it quite a bit. But now that you mention it, the plot really is absurd," Huang Zixing asked.

"It should be. But the entire Void Realm is small: just one Lingyun Temple, a small town, and a big river. Anything further out is just white mist—an invisible wall. Nothing else!"

"But the question is, does 'Go Player' have anything particularly valuable? Lin Xincheng's 'World Harmony' move?" Gu Yu asked, puzzled.

Xiao Zhai nodded as well. "When watching the cartoon, they could make the pieces glow and conjure dragons while playing, but in reality? We can't actually conjure a dragon, can we?"

Can your egg-fried rice glow?