139. Night Venture in Fine Attire
With a wealth of experience as a streamer in his past life, Li Aozi understood how to manage fan communities. When he played the role of a [Domination] system mentor as 'Li Aozi,' maintaining an air of mystery was essential. While he could be approachable, he couldn't get too close, nor could he resort to undignified means.
Now, as a player, Li Aozi felt much freer, completely unburdened.
"How to hype the [Domination] system—just directly tell everyone: the [Domination] system is stronger, more fun, and more promising than other classes."
So, which class at the current stage was truly more fun, stronger, and more promising?
—[Martial Artist].
"Make a name with [Martial Artist], then deliberately lose to a few [Mutants], post videos everywhere with exaggerated commentary, and easily boost the popularity of the [Domination] system."
As for discrepancies with reality? Players would justify it themselves: It's not the class that's bad, it's the player. I'm also in the [Domination] system, and I don't think it's unfun. You must just be bad.
And when players later realized the [Domination] system wasn't as overwhelmingly powerful as the rumors claimed—the public sentiment would already be established. Players who had joined the [Domination] system would explain: No one said the class was the strongest; you just misunderstood the message.
"This plan seems the most reliable for now."
After finalizing the plan, Li Aozi posted on the forum: "Isn't this game too easy? I'm already invincible."
"Today is my first time playing this game. As a [Martial Artist] with a retired soldier background, I've already figured this game out."
Similar posts were not uncommon, as many players enjoyed documenting their journey into the game. Li Aozi deliberately adopted an exaggerated tone and included a screenshot of his attribute panel in the main post, claiming the game was straightforward and that he had already mastered it, mocking Qiqiao Network in the process.
However, such cocky statements weren't rare and didn't attract much attention. Li Aozi wasn't worried; he planned to keep updating the post.
"The next tasks are pretty monotonous: leveling up and studying. Well, Isaac doesn't have a post-discharge assignment, so I'll just head back to his hometown for a while."
As a working-class class, [Martial Artist] had countless ways to level up. Whether as a security guard or bounty hunter, the earning efficiency was quite high. Of course, this depended on the region or nation; conditions like those during the Frost-Plated Republic's era would be different.
"Speaking of which, I still don't know where Isaac's hometown is..."
Li Aozi opened his personal terminal and searched:
"Oh?"
Six hours later, Li Aozi stood on the soil of Erga City. He hailed a cab and looked out at the scenery, sighing:
"What a coincidence."
Isaac's hometown happened to be in a village under Erga City's jurisdiction. A glance at the map revealed it wasn't far from the farm where the White Obelisk stood, making it very convenient for him to oversee and control the pathway building.
Seeing the bustling and prosperous streets, Li Aozi thought of something and immediately switched to disguise mode, asking the cab driver: "Hey, driver, I haven't been back in three years. Has the neighborhood changed a lot? Why is it so lively?"
Perhaps all cab drivers worldwide loved to chat. The driver took a sip of tea and perked up immediately:
"Oh, you've asked the right person. You're a soldier, right? You might not know this. Back in the day, this broken place of ours was only ever mentioned in geography textbooks and the national anthem. The Empire hardly paid attention to us. But who would've thought? Half a year ago, a miracle appeared on a farm in rural Erga."
"A miracle?"
"A very mysterious, sacred White Obelisk appeared overnight on the land. It scared the farmer so badly he thought it was some kind of fallen military equipment and worried about radiation. He quickly called the authorities. And guess what? Not only was the Obelisk harmless, but it also gave several farm workers superpowers."
Speaking of the miracle, the driver spoke enviously:
"Although the powers are limited to moving heavy objects or briefly hovering, far from being on par with true transcendents, they're still superpowers. Maybe it's even the legendary Omega Energy—do you know Li Aozi?"
"Li Aozi? I've heard of him," replied 'Isaac' dismissively. "A lunatic who nuked himself into space and whose current status is unknown."
As soon as he said that, Li Aozi inwardly grumbled:
[...What is this? Am I dissing myself? How bad must my reputation be in other people's eyes?]
"Eh, you just don't understand." The driver grew enthusiastic. "Even though the government hasn't confirmed it, Li Aozi is very likely an Empire-trained talent!"
"So what?" Isaac asked, confused.
The driver replied calmly:
"It means that the first person to lead humanity into space and challenge the Calamity blockade was one of us, a Red Arrow citizen."
As a cab driver, his statement sounded remarkably noble, elevating the narrative to an inspiring, heroic level that commanded respect.
"To many Red Arrow citizens, or even ordinary people, Li Aozi's appearance was like a shooting star tearing through the night. Life used to be so dark and hopeless that even a spark seemed like the sun."
The driver casually added:
"Look around. Now the tourists flooding these streets, at least 70% of them, come here hoping to awaken Omega Energy at the White Obelisk. Many were inspired by Li Aozi."
"That's not particularly special, is it? Playing with Omega Energy, this elusive stuff, is less practical than firearms," Isaac said, waving dismissively.
[Isaac, show some respect! Do you know who's recruiting you right now?]
"Yeah, well, it's just as you said."
The vehicle turned a corner. A child who had awakened gravity powers held an umbrella, floating gently in the air, attracting stares and photographs from out-of-town tourists.
"Before Li Aozi, Omega Energy users were only seen as laborers for specific combat or production tasks. No one truly respected them as transcendents. Ordinary people viewed them as akin to plague or leprosy victims. The Empire had to issue laws mandating professional academies to house and educate Omega Energy users."
Turning the wheel leisurely, the driver remarked:
"But after Li Aozi appeared, even a small, insignificant town like Erga flourished due to awakened superpowers, developing a considerable tourism industry. Tourism boosted consumption—hotels, dining, entertainment, even real estate all benefited."
Isaac chimed in:
"I get it now. People don't discriminate against differences; they discriminate against poverty and backwardness."
"Exactly. Without Li Aozi, even if the White Obelisk had appeared centuries earlier, the public would have only wanted to tear it down, calling it a curse."
The driver hit the brakes, bringing the car to a steady stop:
"But now, they call it a blessing."
Opening the car door, the driver tipped his hat respectfully to Li Aozi:
"Welcome home, soldier."
'Isaac' grabbed his luggage and stepped out, turning to see a stretch of lush fields. The artificial sun's glow cast a grayish-white sheen over the wheat, creating an illusion of a steel jungle in the distance. He stepped on the dry, cracked yellow soil, which still required farmers to burn straw and manually fertilize it to make it fertile.
This was a snapshot of most rural areas on Azure Star.
Having seen the verdant forests of White Candle Star and the unique ecological farms of magical civilizations, Li Aozi found this land increasingly unappealing.
"I'm back."
'Isaac' exhaled deeply, adjusted his black military uniform, and walked straight ahead on the cracked asphalt path, revealing patches of cement. A simple, humble rural self-built house came into view.
"Purr... meow..."
Before he could get closer, a short-haired tabby cat jumped onto the fence, wagging its tail slightly, its gray eyes curiously watching the visitor.