บท 54: Chapter 54: Commander Zhongli, the Arrival of Riku

"Is this AI?"

"Can we win one-on-one against this guy?"

"He's so strong. Do you all want to play another game before we close for the night?"

Red Alert, a real-time strategy game, was indeed interesting, but everyone had different goals and could only focus on the game they needed. Relaxation was still relaxation, and after being defeated, one could watch the computer's first-person perspective video, which greatly helped with game comprehension.

Zhongli was completely different. Now, in Liyue, he was in a state of leisure, listening to the theater and laidback. His interest in fighting and killing in games was minimal.

Despite having killed many things thousand years ago, he was tired of fighting. Although he enjoyed leisure, overdoing it was a problem. In Minecraft, for instance, He had already planted 1,000 acres of land, and his daily routine involved collecting crops and planting new ones. It was slightly boring but offered a different kind of fun.

Red Alert, however, was different. It required using wits to win, a feeling he didn't hate.

"Indeed, we can give it a try..."

This game only required the use of the brain, and Zhongli was slightly confident in his own abilities, so he opened the game for today's combat.

Kisara noticed everyone's choices and asked Liu Yuan curiously, "That Mr. Zhongli, he seems to like this game a lot?"

"Maybe he's not the type who enjoys fighting and killing, or his own strength is so great that he doesn't need the game to improve himself. For this kind of person, real-time strategy games are very popular."

"Then boss, what level of skill do you think he can reach?"

"Zhongli, huh? This person is cautious, has a big overview, and reacts very swiftly on the battlefield, probably due to his previous battle experience. He is inclined towards solo command battles, his ability to manipulate small-scale elite units is strong, and his group combat awareness is excellent. The downside is that, for some reason, I always have the impression that he wants to jump in and fight himself."

Liu Yuan continued, "In about three days, after understanding the game's basic mechanics, he will be able to defeat these AI opponents. But if we turn on the Realism Difficulty, he will struggle for a few days. Within a week, he could try the Mental Omega plot levels in realism. After clearing all the plot levels, he should be able to challenge the super-intelligent AI. It's estimated he could get to the point of a stalemate. The computer operates with precision but doesn't understand the human mind. Zhongli, however, understands the human mind."

To defeat a fully AI-controlled super troop, there are only two ways: either be stronger than the AI, reaching a human level of artificial intelligence, or have enough people to overwhelm the AI.

"That strong?"

"Of course, besides Nyaruko, he should be the strongest in the entire internet café, right?"

As the two chatted, the door to the internet café opened.

A tightly dressed youth with goggles on his head walked in.

"Where am I?"

Kisara stepped forward and introduced himself, "Welcome to the Four Dimensional Space Internet Café~"

"Internet café?"

Riku looked around. He remembered hurrying after leaving the gathering place and was about to sleep when he suddenly found himself here.

Kisara introduced with a smile, "This cyber café can connect to various worlds. You can obtain the resources you need by playing games. Become a warrior who fights valiantly? A scientist researching a cure for a virus? Spend your days leisurely creating or completing various data bodyguard jobs? Or become an excellent commander."

Kisara paused, as Red Alert had just been added, she only knew its feature of being able to become a decent commander. She didn't know about the others. She turned to Liu Yuan and hastily gave him a wink.

Liu Yuan, not slow to respond, introduced, "You can also obtain various technology blueprints here. Teenager, want to save your country?"

"I don't have money."

"It doesn't matter, you have life!"

Liu Yuan smiled, "A day of life costs 10. Of course, you can take your life on credit and pay me back once you earn enough money. Spells, items, weapons, and equipment – you will get a system as soon as you play a game in this internet café. This system can help you get valuable items. But remember, money can only buy back your mortgaged lifespan; it can't add to your lifespan. However, the game can."

Kisara whispered to Liu Yuan, "Boss, don't you think you look more like a demon than me now?"

"Just kidding, demons can't do anything more evil than humans."

Kisara retorted, "I don't know how to respond to that."

"Does he look like he has money? Scare him first and let him play. He'll earn money in his world as his powers improve. No one wants to die early."

Riku didn't hear their whispers. In his agitated state, he nervously asked, "Are you human?"

"Human?"

Liu Yuan pointed at Kisara, "See this pink-haired humanoid JK? She's a demon, capable of everything a human can do, and more human than humans. The rest, except for that white-haired one, are considered human."

"So, are there gods here?"

"Gods? There are. Look at that!"

Liu Yuan pointed at Nyaruko, who was in her Grumpy Old Sister state.

"Damn! Chut-chut-chut! Da da da! Eat my grenade da..."

There was a system device to help block out the sound, but just watching the dynamic villain on the screen showed how much fun she was having.

Riku fell silent. He couldn't tell where this was, but he knew by instinct that this could be a chance to keep humanity alive amidst the great war.

"Is there a way to defeat the gods?"

"Defeat the gods?"

Liu Yuan smiled, "Of course! Whether it's becoming the Elden Lord or an excellent commander, would you like to enjoy it?"

The game content introduction appeared on the monitor at the front desk. Thanks to everyone playing the game intensely, the system had edited a large number of excellent images.

Meteorites falling from the sky in the Lands Between, flames that burned the earth to the ground, holy golden light...

Endless greed in Minecraft...

Weather manipulation, time-manipulatibg machines from the Red Alert mod, strategic nukes with super-wide strikes, mind controllers who destroy nations on their own.

He was sure there was something that suited the man in front of him.

"Choose! Whether it's to improve yourself or your world's technology, these real games will allow you to do so."

Riku gulped.

In his world, humans no longer had a choice.

In his world, humans were 'animals' evolved from monkeys. The remaining fifteen races treated humans as prey, even the weakest species.

He had left the tribe to find a way to break out of the situation.

Was this place suspicious? Very.

But if it could keep the human race going, what was wrong with using his life as a bargaining chip?

"Of course, you can also allocate your time wisely, say six hours to improve yourself and six hours to improve your technology. As long as you pass any of the games on the highest difficulty, you'll be able to get the weapons, equipment, items, and even technology from those worlds."

Riku gulped. The temptation was too strong. Even a one-in-a-million chance for humans to live normally was worth the gamble.