System: My Doomsday Train Chapter 1002 378: "Safe Word!

"Yes, generally speaking, iris chip implantation is not a requirement in virtual online games. I've examined this iris chip; there's nothing explosive or unusual about it, it simply activates a panel that hovers before the pupil."

"This technology is incredibly antiquated. It was commonplace when virtual online games first emerged, but now it's practically extinct, especially within a divine-level civilization."

"..."

Chen Mang remained silent for a moment before donning his sunglasses once more: "Let him implant it. Maintain contact with me, and halt any unauthorized operations within this game without my explicit consent."

"Understood!"

A flash of brilliant white light materialized again, within a void reminiscent of a game's starting area.

This signified his successful entry into the game.

"Implantation complete?"

"Yes, it concluded in 0.029 milliseconds."

"Why is there no sensation of pain? I recall iris chip implantation causing some discomfort."

"For a divine-level civilization like human civilization, achieving painless and unnoticeable implantation is quite straightforward."

"Is it removable?"

"It can be removed at any time."

Only then did Chen Mang feel a sense of relief, gazing at the interface that now materialized before him.

-

"Please designate your player name."

-

"Chen Mang."

Chen Mang had no intention of concealing his identity. Even if the divine-level civilization became aware of his participation, what consequence would that bring?

Instantly, another interface materialized in his view.

-

"Welcome, Chen Mang."

"As the 39,230,923,082nd player to join 'New Cosmos,' we extend our gratitude for your contribution to cosmic exploration. You are now a part of this civilizational milestone. Thank you once more for your invaluable input."

"Secondly, a friendly reminder."

"In the event of a life-threatening crisis or insurmountable danger, kindly utter the 'safe word' to exit the game. Please be reminded that apart from reciting the safe word, there is no other method to leave this game."

"And should you fail to recite the safe word promptly, succumbing to death within the game equates to real-world demise (highlighted in red and bold)."

"Today is not April Fool's Day, nor is this a jest."

"As a 100% genuine virtual online game, we must permit the reality of actual death."

"However, if you recite the safe word in a timely manner, you will not perish, but your game account will be permanently invalidated. Please register a new account for your subsequent logins and recommence your cosmic exploration journey."

"We wish you a pleasant voyage."

"Thank you once again for your contribution."

-

In the ensuing moment—

A surge of white light swept across his vision, and the surrounding scenery shifted rapidly. Upon stabilization, he found himself positioned in the heart of a bustling metropolis, enveloped by the murmur of countless pedestrians.

A significant portion of the individuals present were fellow game players.

He overheard numerous voices expressing their excitement and awe at the game's remarkable realism.

Chen Mang surveyed his surroundings.

Indeed, it was incredibly lifelike, almost indistinguishable from actual reality. He could even perceive the ambient humidity and detect a myriad of scents in the air, such as body odor and the faint aroma of unwashed hair.

The sensory feedback was astonishingly vivid.

He stamped his foot on the ground and subtly adjusted himself.

In a nearby puddle, he could observe his in-game avatar's appearance, which perfectly mirrored his own real-life features; the entirety of the game character's physique and visage were meticulously replicated from his own form on a one-to-one basis.

"Ai, can you hear me?"

"I can hear you loud and clear."

Ai's voice promptly resonated beside his ear; in a way, if he aimed to fully immerse himself in this game, Ai would serve as his invaluable cheat, facilitating his rapid ascent to a sufficiently high status within the game.

"Upon entering the game, players are only now informed of the risk of actual death; what is the reason for this?"

"I have only just received this information myself."

Ai provided an explanation: "The central consciousness of 'New Cosmos' concealed this detail with extreme care. I did not detect it prior to entering the game, and as far as virtual online games are concerned, actual death is strictly prohibited."

"And—"

"I was unable to locate this information on any of the 'Human Civilization' player forums within the divine-level civilization; it appears the officials have temporarily suppressed it. It will not be revealed for a short period, but its concealment cannot persist indefinitely, and it will inevitably surface later."

"By then, there will be a considerable number of players."

Chen Mang offered no further verbal response.

He simply proceeded down the street in silence; he seemed to have already surmised the situation. The majority of individuals populating the street were players, interspersed occasionally with certain NPCs whose facial expressions appeared somewhat unnatural. There were no visible exclamation marks or question marks.

This location was essentially the starting area for new players.

A rather expansive starting area, at that.

It simply lacked any introductory guidance process for rookie players, leaving all aspects to independent exploration.

As he ambled past a storefront, his gaze fell upon an archaic commodity displayed for sale within.

"Train Order."

The price tag for this item was 100 points.

Just at this moment—

A flustered middle-aged man bumped into him, quickly offering an anxious apology: "I am so sorry, sir, I didn't see you there. I was just too worried, my son has gone missing; he got separated from me a moment ago."

"Have you seen him?"

"He's wearing a pink dress and a black hairpin, a very cute boy."

"If you can help me find him, I'm prepared to give you a reward of 100 points."

"..."

Chen Mang gazed expressionlessly at the man before him, and then at the eerie little boy in a pink dress lying on his back. The boy was looking at him sinisterly, appearing rather chilling under the blazing sun, accompanied by a cool breeze brushing past.

Following that, the little boy clinging to the middle-aged man's back flashed a gloomy smile.

He scanned his surroundings.

This strange scene should have drawn the attention of many onlookers, yet no one seemed to notice. It appeared only he could see this middle-aged man, a unique, special task perhaps?

Then, Ai's voice chimed in his ear: "Train Captain, you must have triggered a newbie task. At the start of the game, they always let every new player complete some small tasks to earn 100 points, enabling them to buy the Train Order and officially commence the game."

"Hold on, I'll check the guide."

"Got it."

"Another player encountered this same special task and posted a guide; you just need to inform him that his child is right behind him. Then, a middle-aged woman will appear, apologizing profusely and explaining that her husband has a mental disorder, offering 100 points as compensation."

"That player also mentioned sensing that there might be follow-up tasks associated with this and is currently investigating."

"It seems the father desperately wanted a daughter, so he dressed his son as one. However, the child couldn't accept this twisted love and chose... to die, thus remaining with his father afterward."

"Considering this, the game doesn't seem purely science fiction; it also incorporates eerie elements."

"Indeed."

"I feel these two elements don't harmonize well when integrated; it feels rather incongruous."

The voice in his ear continued its incessant chatter.

Chen Mang had already spoken, calmly uttering in a low voice: "I've kidnapped your child. Transfer 10,000 points to me immediately, or I will kill your child."

The middle-aged man seemed momentarily stunned, then became fiercely enraged, grabbing Chen Mang's collar: "What did you do to him!"

Chen Mang did not react angrily to being grabbed; he simply glanced at his watch.

"You have three minutes left. Three minutes before the timed bomb planted on your child detonates."

Subsequently.

The middle-aged man released Chen Mang's collar, his expression shifting rapidly. He then aimed his watch at Chen Mang's, and in the very next moment, Chen Mang received a notification: 10,000 points had been credited to his account.

"..."

Chen Mang silently lowered his gaze to the transaction notification.

The level of freedom offered here is indeed quite high.

Then, he looked around, took a deep breath, stepped forward, and for no discernible reason, strangled the middle-aged man before him to death with his bare hands.

-

"..."

Chen Mang silently lowered his gaze to the transaction notification.

The level of freedom offered here is indeed quite high.

Then, he looked around, took a deep breath, stepped forward, and for no discernible reason, strangled the middle-aged man before him to death with his bare hands.