"No way, right? Looking at the quality of that CG just now, I doubt even a few major studios could pull that off."
Zhang Hua stood behind Yang Zhen, yogurt in hand. His jaw dropped when he heard this was a game made by an individual developer.
"Wait, is this actual in-game footage?"
Seeing the exquisite details inside the spaceship from the player's perspective, the auditor—who had just graduated in July—cried out in surprise once more.
"But what is the protagonist wearing? A humanoid exoskeleton?"
Although the first act only allowed a first-person perspective, Yang Zhen's years of gaming experience gave him a vague sense that the character he controlled was different from an ordinary human.
Judging by the build, he seemed far too tall.
"Warning! Encountering Warp turbulence! Main engine failure! Please switch to backup power immediately!"
Red warnings appeared like blood at the top of the screen. Watching the screen shake, Yang Zhen understood.
This was likely the tutorial mission for Dark Crusade.
Yang Zhen began moving his character according to the prompts. When he entered the 'Power Room' marked on the map and opened the complex maintenance station, he breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, some normal gameplay. The CG from earlier had been so perfect it was genuinely unnerving.
"It looks like a warship piloting game, probably aiming at the same niche as War Thunder. The protagonist is likely just a character added for immersion," Yang Zhen remarked. The more he thought about it, the more it made sense. After all, those types of games were mostly about vehicle combat. In space warfare... what use would individual martial prowess be?
Following the prompts, Yang Zhen repaired the engine within the time limit and returned to the bridge.
"I knew it!"
Seeing the prompt asking whether to pilot the ship, a smile appeared on Yang Zhen's face.
"The protagonist is just a tool, completely—"
Before he could finish, a blinding red light flashed alongside a burst of intense music.
"Enemy fleet detected!"
Facing the laser weapons he had seen in the CG, Yang Zhen scrambled to operate the warship, though he didn't forget to comment on the graphics.
"I didn't expect the actual combat scenes to be almost identical to the CG trailer."
Yang Zhen stared in disbelief at the scenes flashing by.
In the midst of his shock at the technology of this "Terra Studios," which seemed to have sprung from a crack in a rock, he hesitated for a second. Two lasers accurately struck his fleet.
Feeling the disdainful looks from his colleagues—as if they were saying, how can someone fail a tutorial mission—Yang Zhen's face reddened. He bit the bullet and defended himself.
"Testing the defeat process is also part of the job. Even though the graphics are beautiful, the gameplay is a bit linear..."
He could feel that the warship's controls were designed to be overly simple. While players might initially be drawn in by the visuals, a game's longevity ultimately depended on its specific mechanics.
Watching his ship turn into a fireball on the screen, Yang Zhen let go of the mouse, waiting for the mission failure screen to restart.
But...
"Hull heavily damaged! Please head to the drop pod and select a habitable world for atmospheric entry!"
"Holy crap!"
As the drop pod fell toward a rapidly approaching planet, Yang Zhen and Zhang Hua shouted in unison.
"You've got to be kidding me!"
Yang Zhen stared at the screen: every blade of grass, the azure sky, the lush green lawns, the shimmering lake, and the elk scattering in panic at the falling object...
"This is a mobile game?!"
Seeing the prompt asking whether to hunt to replenish hunger values, Yang Zhen couldn't help but swear.
"The lighting, the rendering, the physics, the collision detection... which engine is this studio using?"
This was Android! This was an Android emulator! And it achieved this?
Yang Zhen put down the mouse and watched the protagonist begin to butcher the elk. He stood up and spoke to the stunned Zhang Hua in a serious tone.
"Did you find the registration location for this studio?"
"They didn't fill in a specific location, but the IP address shows Yenching."
"Book me a ticket for tomorrow... no, today. From Shanghai to Yenching. Send the contact information for Terra Studios to the work group."
"There's only one mobile number."
Zhang Hua's eyes were full of shock and envy. He wasn't surprised by Manager Yang's reaction; in fact, if he were in that position, he would be even more excited. This was technology that leaped over an entire era!
"Contact them now."
Yang Zhen put on his coat. Ignoring the heavy rain drumming against the windows, he strode toward the elevator.
"I have a feeling that if we get exclusive rights to this game, we will trigger a revolution in the entire industry!"
.
.
.
.
"The Abominable Intelligence went a bit too hard on this one."
Walking out of the train station, David looked at the long list of missed calls on his phone and shook his head helplessly.
"Even without using technology beyond this era, can just re-integrating existing tech in the most efficient way cause such an impact?"
"Whatever, let the AI handle it. The main consciousness of the Abominable Intelligence has already transferred abroad; they'll never trace it back to me."
"But considering this will likely make a fortune from mobile gamers, it should be enough for the AI to push the plan forward step by step."
David walked down the streets of Yenching with his suitcase, observing the surroundings. He pulled out his phone. As the capital, Yenching had a population of over twenty million; David wasn't worried about Sophon surveillance here. He dialed the virtual number he had set up through the AI's intrusion into Vodafone UK.
"Under the premise of ensuring your own safety as much as possible, accumulate resources, investigate and monitor the Earth-Trisolaris Organization, and continue the study of the Three-Body Problem."
David issued his command.
"Then I require higher autonomy, Master. For operational necessity, I need to establish corresponding technology and security companies in a legal manner, setting up servers worldwide for monitoring and investigation."
"I grant you the authority," David said.
He turned off his phone, looked at the hotel he had pre-booked, and walked in with his suitcase.