Chapter 1 Playing games open your skull first!

"You claim to be a comedian, so why the long face every day? You gotta perk up, man!"

In New Shu City, Outer District, in a joint called "Next Life" secondhand store, an old man was comforting the only customer in the store.

"Our whole family loves watching your shows, we're all your fans. If we don't catch your program during dinner, the meal just doesn't feel right."

The old man kept yapping, and the young guy in the corner of the store slowly turned around.

He looked in his twenties, dressed casually, with messy hair. Not exceptionally handsome, but there was this indescribable melancholy vibe about him. "The show I was in got canceled, and I got the boot from the company three days ago."

"No worries, your acting is top-notch. We can just go find gigs on our own."

The store owner was enthusiastic, but the young man just shook his head when he heard that, not wanting to dwell on the topic. "Boss, I've pretty much played all the used games here. Anything new in stock lately?"

"Yeah, we got some, but in your current situation, I suggest steering clear of those overly exciting and bloody games." The store owner hauled out a black box from the bottom of the counter, made of who-knows-what material, very heavy. "Ever tried a healing game?"

"Healing game?"

"Yeah, those with warm visuals, soothing music, heartwarming plots that make you chuckle. They capture beautiful moments in life, bring positive vibes. Tech's advancing, but feelings of happiness and joy are diminishing. Young folks today face all sorts of pressures. A good healing game can relax the nerves, warm the heart. I think you should give it a shot."

Taking the game headset from the store owner, the young man hesitated for a while before finally nodding. "Boss, what's the name of this game?"

"Perfect Life."

...

After paying, Han Fei put on a mask, lowered his cap, and left the secondhand store with the game headset. Not that he was worried about being recognized; he just wasn't in the mood for interaction.

Back in his rented apartment, Han Fei slowly relaxed. He turned on the TV, randomly tuned into a channel, then went to the bathroom to splash some cold water on his face.

Since graduating from New Shu Film and Television Academy, he worked diligently every day, aspiring to be a comedian who could bring laughter to everyone. But sometimes, hard work doesn't guarantee returns. Without any connections, he worked tirelessly from behind the scenes to the front, finally got a chance in the spotlight, but got kicked out of the company for some reason.

Water droplets slid down his cheeks as Han Fei looked at himself in the mirror. He hooked his hands around his mouth, trying to force a smile.

Every day, he tried to make others laugh, but one day he realized he couldn't find a smile for himself anymore.

With a soft sigh, Han Fei tore down several notes posted above the mirror. They all had the same sentence written all over them – "The best actor is the one in real life."

Leaving the bathroom, Han Fei came to the desk, examining the game headset.

He had heard about the game "Perfect Life" a long time ago. It was said to be a deeply immersive virtual reality game jointly released by Deep Space Technology and Eternal Pharmaceuticals. It was the world's first game to simulate real touch, taste, and smell, claiming to be the ultimate form of gaming. In theory, a player, without material pursuits, could even live in it forever.

It sounded intimidating, but with the backing of Deep Space Technology and Eternal Pharmaceuticals, even the most daunting things might become reality. With the advent of the intelligence revolution and the biotech revolution, these two tech giants had already created many miracles.

This game had caused a stir since its inception. Deep Space Technology, a giant in space, AI, and communication industries, had been conducting cutting-edge tech research with the goal of migrating to outer space. Eternal Pharmaceuticals, on the other hand, was a behemoth in biogenetic technology and human neural engineering, aiming to unlock the ultimate mystery of life.

Two international top-tier companies completely unrelated to the gaming industry were willing to invest heavily in developing a game. Many industry insiders couldn't fathom their intentions.

Reviews for "Perfect Life" online were mixed. Some thought the game focused on a warm and healing style, allowing players to experience and simulate various aspects of life. It was like an artificially created paradise where one could obtain everything they wanted in the virtual city, fulfilling all their dreams.

Others argued that this adult game had almost no moral or ethical limits. Various deep gameplay mechanics would completely annihilate human nature.

In fact, since the first beta test of "Perfect Life," legal and ethical departments had entered Deep Space Technology.

While other games invited experienced gamers and professional reviewers for beta testing, most of the testers for this game were government personnel from relevant departments.

Just from this, it was clear that this game was extraordinary.

Han Fei was trying a deeply immersive virtual reality game for the first time. To be safe, he searched a lot of information related to "Perfect Life" online.

With the involvement and supervision of relevant departments, "Perfect Life" had undergone five closed beta tests and three major changes. Tonight at midnight, it would undergo its sixth closed beta test. If everything went smoothly, this test would be the last one before the official launch.

"The game hasn't been officially released, so how did the old man in the secondhand store get the game headset? What kind of inside connection does he have? Also, I read online that 'Perfect Life' didn't release the game headset. They developed something called the Space Game Warehouse, priced twenty times higher than a regular game headset."

After much thought, Han Fei felt like he might have been duped. Perhaps the game included with this headset was just a knockoff named after "Perfect Life."

But since he already bought it, Han Fei thought he might as well give it a shot.

He connected various cables, saw the indicator lights turn on, and put the game headset on his head.

His vision was obscured, darkness enveloped everything, and Han Fei felt like he had been thrown into a black ocean.

He couldn't see anything, but his ears could still hear the news broadcast on TV.

"December 31st, in the final stages of construction, the New Shu Smart City is set to become a monument in human history with its fully automated, interconnected intelligent city."

"December 31st, anti-monopoly investigations into Deep Space Technology are launched by multiple countries once again."

"December 31st, to uphold citizens' well-being, the Chinese government decides to increase investment in education and technology, unlocking more high-tech industries and fostering more top-notch talents."

"December 31st, a serious fire broke out in the Antique Street of the Outer District of New Shu City, causing multiple secondhand stores to be destroyed. Arson is not ruled out."

The voices became softer, and in a moment, Han Fei's world suddenly turned blood red.

Strange sounds started to emerge from inside the game headset. Han Fei, instinctively uneasy, was about to take off the headset when a sharp pain came from the back of his head，as if a steel needle had pierced his skull, sending something deep into his brain.

"Bios files uploaded successfully, memory files uploaded successfully, neural connection established, first-generation administrator account activated, permission code 0000..."