Chapter 1 (2/2)
”Its function is similar to the ring. Players who enter the game with the ring would automatically have the ident.i.ty of a benefactor, and players who enter the game with the collar, would also gain another type of ident.i.ty.”
”What is it?”
”The thing you just heard about, a combat-pet.”
”… Wind Pterosaur?”
”That's right, the Wind Pterosaur is a representation of the combat-pet's AI. The so-called AI is artificial intelligence, and to be clearer, it's made up of data.”
Ling Xiaolu listened attentively. ”And so?”
”However, no matter how smart an AI is, it can only follow according to what people have designed it to be, and react accordingly to its programming. Even though Xinshan has made amazing advancements towards the abilities of AIs, but an AI's intelligence will never be able to exceed that of human beings, and will never have independent will.”
”If it does, that would be even scarier!”
”So, after the ring with the special privilege was released, to satisfy the benefactors' desire for non-AI combat-pets, an item to match the ring was created. Players who enter the game with a collar can be obtained by the players with a ring as combat-pets. As for the cost of the collar, it would be covered by the benefactor after the player with the collar signs an agreement with the benefactor.”
”What?! Rich people sure know how to play!”
”However, no one had expected that a huge problem would arise during the development of such combat-pets.”
”What problem?”
”Many people are unable to wear this collar.”
”Huh?”
”Exactly what I said. This problem may sound very ridiculous, but all the developers of Xinshan, and experts whom they have sought after for help, and even the most secretive hackers have all been unable to solve this technical problem.”
”What's so difficult about this? I know what's the problem.”
The salesperson was pleasantly surprised. ”You do?”
”The collar's too small, the player's neck is too thick. Of course they wouldn't be able to wear it.”
”…”
The salesperson gave an awkward cough. ”That's not the reason.”
He took it out from the counter, and invited Ling Xiaolu to come nearer and take a closer look.
”This collar is made by a material imported from beyond the galaxy, and can adjust itself according to the size of the wearer's neck. The rings produced by Xinshan are all of the same size, but they all fit the wearers perfectly, and the same goes for the collars.”
”If it's like that, then why can't people wear it?”
”I can demonstrate it for you.” The salesperson placed the collar on his left hand, and his right index finger lightly touched the collar and traced along the edge, drawing an arc. Ling Xiaolu watched in astonishment. The silver collar now had a gap following the line of the finger, as though it had been erased on the spot.
”That's too amazing!” Ling Xiaolu could not help but exclaim.
The gap was big enough to go around the salesperson's neck. The original collar in his hand now could barely be called an arc.
Under Ling Xiaolu's gaze, the salesperson placed the arc around his neck. With the same method from just now, he drew his finger from one end of the arc to the other. The erased part regenerated, and once again became a flawless collar, and the place where a gap used to be was seamless.
Ling Xiaolu was surprised. ”Aren't you wearing it now?”
The salesperson did not answer him directly, only placing his hands on either side of the collar. ”Three, two, one.”
When the countdown ended, the collar broke into half and became two semi-circles, both caught by the hands of the salesperson.
”Why is it like this?”
”This is also a problem that has troubled Xinshan for the past year.” The salesperson placed the two halves of the collar together, and they joined back flawlessly as one.
”This isn't scientific. Logically speaking, if the ring can be worn, why can't the collar that is made from the same material be worn?”
”Probably because the biggest difference is that the ident.i.ties of the players wearing them are different. According to a related source, the main reason the collar would split apart is because there's a conflict with the programming of the combat-pet.”
”What do you mean?”
”Because although the concept of the benefactors was only included later, they still belong to the category of players. However, the original design of combat-pets was that they were lifeless NPCs. Now, forcing the design to be changed into players with their own will, the game data is now complicated, and the terminal is unable to process it. So, the system would naturally reject the registration of this type of players.”
”So it's like this.” Ling Xiaolu got the gist of it.
”However, this is the strange part about it. After a long period of testing, the server does not reject every account that registers itself as a combat-pet. There's still a very small group of people who can overcome this error, and successfully bring about Xinshan's intended design.”
”You mean, there are players who can wear the collar without it splitting apart?”
”Yes, despite there being very few of them. Up to now, there are only about 30 players who have pa.s.sed the test, and the quant.i.ty can only satisfy less than 30% of the benefactors.”
”If that's the case, why don't the game developers target these 30 players and examine them? Maybe they'll be able to find out the reason why it's like that.”
”Xinshan has never stopped studying these special players. Not only that, they're even doing a nationwide survey. As long as a person can successfully wear the collar without it splitting apart, they'll be given a gaming peripheral for free.”
”Including the bracelet that costs 8888 dollars?”
”Yes.” The salesperson tapped a few times on the screen that was showing the promotional images just now, and displayed the challenge posted by Xinshan.
The prize was pretty good, Ling Xiaolu was a little tempted.
”Does it mean that once a person wears it, they'll have to continue wearing it to play the game?”
”Of course not. Ignoring the fact that the success rate is only 0.00001%, even if you succeeded, Xinshan only needs to collect your data once. As for how you want to enter the game, it's your own choice. You can use the free bracelet to enter the game as well.”
”If that's the case, I don't mind trying.”
”No problem.” The salesperson again created the gap in the collar. ”I'll help you put it on right now.”
The metal-looking collar rest upon Ling Xiaolu's neck, but was not as hard and cold as he had imagined.
”The material is really very amazing.”
”Yes, it is. You can wear it to eat, sleep, and do anything, and it will never feel out of place.”
”Ha, even if you say it like that, I also don't want to wear it.”
The salesperson's finger drew an arc on Ling Xiaolu's neck, and the collar sealed itself.
”How does it feel?”
Ling Xiaolu did not answer. In reply, he copied his actions just now, placing both his hands on each side of the collar.
”Three, two, one.”
”….One.”
”One.”
He counted three consecutive ”1s”, but the collar did not move. In alarm, Ling Xiaolu looked up, and the salesperson's shock was no less than his.
”Am I considered to have succeeded?”
”Yes, and you're actually the first person I've personally witnessed to have successfully put the collar on. Congratulations, you've won a gaming peripheral worth 8888 dollars.”
”Great!” To have so easily saved over eight thousand dollars, the student Ling Xiaolu could not be any happier.
”Once someone successfully wears the collar, the game terminal will be automatically notified. The technical department will soon be able to gather all data about you; all you have to do is sign an authorisation agreement.”
”No problem.”
Ling Xiaolu signed his name on the screen, and a bar showed the progress of the data upload.
”You really don't plan on testing out the game content as a combat-pet? As such players are even rarer than the benefactors, a human combat-pet is very popular in the game, and an unbound human combat-pet is a target that all benefactors would compete for.”
”You're joking. I want to catch pets in the game, not be a pet.”
The screen flashed silver, a notification that the data had been successfully uploaded.
”Thank you for your support and cooperation. Your data has been gathered, I'll help you remove the collar now.”
”Thanks.” Ling Xiaolu raised his chin to allow the salesperson to access it easily.
One second, two seconds, three seconds… half a minute had pa.s.sed, but Ling Xiaolu did not feel the collar coming off.
”What happened?” Ling Xiaolu questioned. With the speed the salesperson had put it on just now, it should not take so long to remove it.
The salesperson looked up, his face troubled.
”I don't know what happened. This… isn't opening…”
Author's Note:
The novel is t.i.tled <群雄逐鹿> 2. The main plot is them racing to the top, the story is them racing to the top, and in one sentence, it's ”a group of males chasing after a deer [一群雄性追逐小鹿 – yi Qun Xiong xing zhui Zhu xiao Lu, over here, the author broke down 群雄逐鹿 into a literal meaning. The little deer (xiao lu) sounds the same as Ling Xiaolu (凌小路). I love this author and her wordplay![/efn_note] ”.
Readers who only want to read about a couple dating should avoid this novel. The males will never give up, and the deer will continue being chased.
Translator's Note:
This will be a 1v1! If you're worried about that.
*off to pat myself on the back for the punny novel t.i.tle”
About Latest Posts Join us on and follow us on !
Latest posts by Alex PT () - May 17, 2019 - May 17, 2019 - May 17, 2019
</spirit></spirit></the></spirit></the></spirit>
<script>