Test Begins

  "Damn, I'm so tired of this job. Why isn't it over yet? The leadership had a sudden brainwave and decided to add an A test."

  Luo Le grumbled as he plugged a cable into the port at the back of his head.

  "These corporate executives are idiots, deg to rush a test within 24 hours—they don't have to plug this stupid cable into their heads, so they don't mind the pain."

  "Calm down." His colleague, Xue Nian, g the publicity department member clumsily putting on the neural link suit with the help of logistics staff. "Look at that kid from the publicity department; he's more anxious than we are."

  "He's just another worker like us. He got a midnight task to shoot some PV—just watch, the first time doing a full neural link, the pain is..."

  Old Luo grumbled as he ied his employee card into the mae.

  Beep—

  【Employee at authenticated, login plete】

  【Qiqiao work A12 Game Tester: Luo Le】

  "I o check my physical ditio rate 119, breathe, don't get angry, don't get angry."

  A series of physiological information showed that his dition wasn't good. Luo Le took two deep breaths to calm down.

  "Be tent. As criminals, we weren't sent to ize po see primal beasts baring their teeth; the AI showed us mercy. What more do you want?" Xue Nian, also a game tester, was used to it. "Being allowed to stay on the home p is enough for me."

  "It's just a new prison—damn it, criminals are people too. Prisons have eight-hour work schedules. Since I was transferred here, the dumbass leadership treats me like a beast of burden."

  Luo Le raised his middle finger.

  There was h penalty these days. The harshest punishment was either beio ize ps or having one's sciousness uploaded to aronic prison for hundreds of years.

  He and Xue Nian were long-time rades, having served in the federal army together, ter itting impulsive murder after a quarrel—thinking the worst would be prison.

  "I'd rather be in jail than be a work dog for these idiots." Luo Le pined.

  Who khe AI would trahem to this game pany developing "Abyss of Stars," where they had to work eight or even ten hours a day.

  And the pay was still at prison rates, damn it!

  Xue Nian didn't mind the job. As retired soldiers, they were used to idling away their days. Serving time in a different prison didn't make much difference.

  He ected the brain-mae interface, ied his employee card, and logged into the internal work.

  His employee inbox was flooded with various messages. Xue Nian quickly skimmed through and became serious.

  "Old Luo, check your email."

  "What is it? Let me see—Qiqiao work staff will watch the A test live—damn, is the A test that important?"

  Luo Le was surprised and quickly adjusted his behavior.

  "Will good performance reduce our sentences?"

  "Maybe." Xue Nian opehe live stream and saw several high-ranking officials often seen on the news. "Even the vice president is here... this is really important."

  "Not just our Frost-Pted Republic area—the testers from the Red Arrow and Sky Ring areas said they saw fn officials and even heads of state." Luo Le marveled. "How did we get the eet these dignitaries?"

  "Why are so many bigwigs here?"

  The publicity department kid was almost in tears.

  "I'm just an intern photographer and designer. Why drag me along?"

  He was sleeping soundly at home when the pany suddenly pulled him, an intern, to participate iest with these two scary-looking victs.

  God, these two have arms thicker than his thighs, with two serviails on their foreheads. Retired soldiers plus victs—this double buff was terrifying enough.

  Now, he had to show his fa front of so many bigwigs—why should a freshly graduated college student bear such pressure?

  "Because several employees in the publicity department are on New Year's leave, they're short-handed. Besides, Blue Star isn't the only starting p; other tries need shooting too."

  Xue Niaed him kindly.

  "Don't be nervous, kid. We're experienced virtual work infiltrators. We'll give you the right filming opportunities—what's your name? I'm Xue Nian, he's Luo Le, just call us brothers."

  "I'm Lu Run." The publicity kid grimaced. "I thought I was just responsible for photography and post-produaybe making some imations... what do I do now? I've never pyed games before."

  "Who needs CG? Just shoot in the game." Luo Le sneered. "Stop dawdling; the Red Arrow area has already started. Old Xue, teach him."

  Xue Nian nodded patiently, guiding him.

  "Abyss of Stars is a full-dive neural link game. Simply put, it uploads your sciouso the game world temporarily, so you need some teiques. First, log into the internal work. The pyers don't have an internal unication system, so you o prepare in advao tact each other."

  Lu Run learned quickly, eg to the internal work and joining Xue Nian and Luo Le's voice el, theing the game and logging in.

  Bang!

  His s instantly went bck.

  "Wow—Brother Xue, my s went bck."

  "The first startup always has a bck s for a while. Just wait for it to load."

  Lu Run had to atiently.

  After a long loading time, he vaguely heard a deep male voi the background.

  ……………………

  "Why do people keep running?"

  "To the universe, from the first ape sharpening a stoo a on to a starship crossing the universe at light speed with an antimatter drive, it's all a blink of an eye."

  "We are incredibly small, yet we love running toward the future."

  "Whether worshiping maes devoutly or turning materialists into demons, we are willing to pay any price to reach the end."

  "Now, we've unveiled the universe's mysteries."

  "Abyss of Stars (Stabyss), the end of all things, or our in."

  "Now, all meanings beeaningless. Moving forward is our only hope."

  "Dive into the endless abyss of stars."

  "May your path be filled with ce and curses."

  "Don't worry about our eventual extin. Eternity is insignifit before miracles—the stars will witness us!"

  ……………………

  【Qiqiao work presents】

  ……………………

  "Lu Run! Lu Run!"

  Xue Nian's call in the el woke him up. The young man, who had ouched a game before, felt a nameless honor aement.

  "I heard it, Brother Xue."

  "Good, you should be doh the opening animation. The mae will link to your nerves—now listen to me."

  "Empty your mind, gradually sense your body."

  "Start with your fingers, keep trying to move them."

  "Remember the feeling of airflow brushing your skin, tinuously think about and strengthen your awareness of it."

  Xue Nian's voice grew distant. Lu Run calmed down, his breathing slowing, then speeding up involuntarily. He felt a tidal, moist sensation, as if being pressed through a roller coaster.

  After a while, a line of text lit up before him.

  【Transmission plete】

  【First login, at created】

  【Enter your ID here】

  Lu Run blinked, feeling an indescribable sensation, like his body was soaked in some solution but didn't affect his breathing.

  "Follow the system prompts." Xue Nian said. "Old Luo and I will desd first and wait for you at the street er."

  Even a novice like Lu Run knew what to do now. He entered his ID as per paions.

  [CL] Publicity Group 1 - Lu Run

  Then, the system sed his body and appearance, asking some strange questions.

  Like, 'Do you like cats?' ' you accept having parents?' 'How would you handle cold violence from a sister?'

  He wasn't one of those novel characters with dead parents ah. Scratg his head, he chose all the options.

  【A matg individual has been summoned】

  "Summoned?" Lu Run uzzled. "What does that mean?"

  "It means the NPC matg your criteria has been occupied by another pyer. Choose another." Xue Nian patiently expined. "Don't worry, it doesn't matter."

  "Wait, wait, you mean I'm not creating a character but... summoning an NP these eleic worlds as my body?" Lu Ru strange.

  "Don't overthink it. It's work."

  "Oh, okay."

  He modified the options slightly, not liking cats muyway.

  【A matg individual found】

  【Dest ready—desd?】

  【Yes/No】

  "Desd."

  Lu Run instinctively said.

  The moment, his body suddenly sank, as if unched by something. The heavy load pressed him painfully, but he couldn't make a sound.

  Vaguely, he heard a faint voice blessing him.

  "May your ce and faith never fade."

  Thud!

  g his teeth, the pai like ay, then he suddenly felt like he had grown limbs and a body. His skin touched the cold, solid floor.

  It took a while to recover, struggling to get up from the cold floor. In front of him was a mirror, refleg a brown-haired, blue-eyed man looking at himself in pain and fusion.

  Scattered on the floor were his ID dots and clothes. Guided by Xue Nian, he quickly gathered them.

  The ID showed his name: Lu Ao Wei Ke, nationality: Frost-Pted Republic.

  Other items included a GTB (Global Trade Bank) work card, a third-rate uy diploma, various information showing he was a low-level intern clerk living with his family, in a cold war with his sister, and had a pet dog.

  He g the messy yet simple room, the strong sense of life leaving Lu Run stunned.

  "Is this really a game... it's too realistic."

  "Maybe it's not." Luo Le joked.

  "Shut up."

  Xue Nian whispered in the el.

  "Good, now the game system and personal panel are activated. Take your phone and dial 012XXXXX090, we'll meet up."

  FAL