Chapter 55: Prelude to War
Faced with Wang Xiaoqian’s aggressive and shameless nature, with Li Xin’s temperament, he was no match for her. Resist? That would only mean more torment and ridicule. It was better to play dead—silence is golden.
He had thought Wang Xiaoqian was wild enough, but compared to her, her group of friends were even more outrageous. They swarmed around him, hands roaming everywhere, and Li Xin was on the verge of tears.
Liu Ran could only smile wryly; he truly couldn’t understand how Li Xin, who had come just for a trip, ended up with a girlfriend. Still, watching his old friend flounder was amusing, though today was clearly not the time for private conversations.
Four women and two men quickly finished their coffee and headed straight to a bar for some fun. In the end, no one could quite recall how they each made their way home.
The next day, Li Xin drifted around Gaoyou with Wang Xiaoqian. On the afternoon of the 25th, just after five, Aunt Zhang called to say that two packages had arrived via express delivery, and she had signed for them. The two immediately got in the car and headed to the Wang family villa.
A diamond-tier helmet deserved packaging of equal extravagance.
The outer box was a 70-centimeter white cube; five sides were smooth and spotless, with only a courier label in the lower right corner of the top, and six golden calligraphic characters in the center: Diamond VIP, Exclusive Prestige Service.
Undeniably, it was a symbol of status.
They unboxed it to find another layer of sturdy cardboard, and then beneath that, a helmet swaddled in foam, complete with an instruction manual, a warranty card, and a VIP diamond card.
Every diamond-tier helmet came with this VIP card; once slotted into the helmet, it unlocked exclusive services—special game gear and titles.
They were already well-versed in the process, so after a quick preparation, both donned their helmets and entered the game.
A cascade of melodious notes, a dreamlike, ethereal landscape—it felt as if one had truly stepped into a fantasy, ready to wander its wonders. The Game King chip activated simultaneously, but Li Xin was in no rush to merge with it; he intended to get his bearings first.
A beautiful woman with long flowing hair, dressed in ancient court attire, appeared with a radiant smile.
“Welcome to the World of Odyssey. I am your service agent, Mengyao.” Her voice was sweet and clear.
“Would you like to log in with a new account or an existing one?”
Existing account.
Li Xin quickly entered the username and password he’d bought from Wang Huan. The login was successful.
“ID verification failed. Change password or rebind account?”
Change and rebind.
“Would you like to enter the game?”
Obviously—why else would I spend this money?
“Entering the game. Please wait…”
The scene before his eyes shifted; the elegant fairyland vanished, replaced by a vast, modern battlefield. Smoke billowed, gunfire thundered, soldiers shouted and charged. The world trembled, dust filled the air—the spectacle was awe-inspiring, stirring the soul, making one itch to grab a gun and plunge in.
Li Xin paused, surprised. He’d assumed Odyssey would be another game of mages and warriors in opposition.
No wonder the official website contained no detailed descriptions, only a single cryptic slogan. Li Xin smirked at himself; he’d neglected to search the forums for information—an oversight on his part.
A lengthy passage appeared on screen. Li Xin read it carefully; it was the game’s detailed introduction. After poring over the five-page explanation, he finally understood.
Odyssey was a real-time shooting game, akin to CrossFire or Call of Duty, yet fundamentally different.
Those games were competitive PvP; Odyssey was true warfare. In essence, you became a soldier in this conflict, striving to rise from the lowest rank to Marshal. In these peaceful times, wars are rare; even the military seldom experiences real combat.
That’s why shooting games like CrossFire endure—everyone craves the thrill of battle, but can only find it in virtual worlds.
As for Odyssey, its concept was promising, though the approach might not appeal to everyone. If it were keyboard-and-mouse based, it would likely attract a vast player base.
Mengyao reappeared.
Li Xin was a bit speechless—a war game with such a classically styled NPC felt oddly out of place.
“The player’s identity has been updated. As a distinguished Diamond VIP, you are entitled to change your profession and create a new character once. Your previous account information remains unchanged.”
“There are two factions: the Angel Legion and the Blackstorm Legion. Please choose.”
Li Xin noticed Wang Huan had chosen the Angel Legion, the regular army. After some thought, he opted for the Blackstorm Legion; sometimes, being a rebel had its charms.
Instantly, a divine thunder enveloped him, transforming him completely in seconds.
Ding!
“Character creation successful. Please enter a name.”
Yi Ran!
“Welcome, Yi Ran, to the Blackstorm Legion. Together, let us fight side by side, pursue the path of the true spirit, and seek the world’s treasures.” Mengyao smiled, her white court dress shifting to black, her makeup now stark and cold. She looked every bit the assassin from a film—no longer gentle and pure, but exuding icy ruthlessness.
Li Xin was impressed by the game’s realism. Though it lacked some competitive elements, this war simulation would sharpen his strategic vision and command abilities. Reaching general or marshal rank in-game would make him the equal of any real-life commander.
With such training, returning to CrossFire would be effortless.
At that moment, Li Xin’s calm heart suddenly pounded. His thoughts raced back—one year, two years, five, ten. He saw all the honors he’d won, the peaks he’d reached.
To be forced into early retirement, to break contracts and retreat into obscurity—claiming he felt no resentment would be a lie. For months, he’d used illness as an excuse to numb himself.
Now, with the Game King chip, there was hope for recovery. And with this war game, he could hone his command skills anew.
His heart stirred. He longed for the day he could return, reclaim his dignity.
Ding!
“You have been assigned to the 325th Infantry Regiment, 7th Division, 12th Army, Blacklion Corps.”
The prompt snapped Li Xin from his reverie. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to calm down. He yearned to find Dongjia and settle old scores, but he was in no rush.
A blade is forged over ten years; having chosen to return, he had to become the strongest—so that when the time came, he could strike with overwhelming force.
“I’m not in a hurry. But you all must wait for my return. Otherwise, I’ll regret it,” Li Xin smiled calmly, then, brushing aside all other thoughts, immersed himself in Odyssey.
View character.
Player: Yi Ran
Rank: Vice Squad Leader
Class: Infantry
Skills: Charge, Deadeye
Number of revives: 3
Overall attribute: 15
View attributes.
Soldier: 1-9
Squad Leader: 10-19
Platoon Leader: 20-29
Company Commander: 30-39
Battalion Commander: 40-49
Regiment Commander: 50-59
Division Commander: 60-69
Corps Commander (Three-Star General): 70-79
Four-Star General: 80-89
Five-Star General: 90-99
Marshal: 100