Chapter 11: Screen Peek
The reason it felt so good was simple.
Not only was the Zhou Ning in the video good-looking—making it easy for players to project themselves onto him—but even in the midst of battle, he exuded an effortless composure. Every move he made was calm and calculated, as if everything was under control.
Simply put, the cool factor was off the charts.
Though it felt a bit embarrassing, Zhou Ning had to admit—it was a great watch.
Don't believe it? Try it yourself. Watching someone else praise you on screen is a bizarrely satisfying experience.
The more over-the-top the praise, the more surreal it gets.
Of course, it wasn't just flattery. In his past life, Zhou Ning had fought in over 2,000 arena matches in Apocalypse, with an 89% win rate. That kind of skill speaks for itself. Can that even be called boasting?
He continued the video.
On screen, the enraged Marien took a deep breath, clearly about to unleash her ultimate.
The players watching the video all held their breath for Zhou Ning.
But the worry was needless. The Zhou Ning in the video didn't hesitate for a second—he dashed forward and narrowly evaded Marien's ultimate, "Banshee's Howl." Ironically, it was the cultists from the Curse God Cult, who had been surrounding him, that got caught in the blast.
Next, as Marien lunged toward him, Zhou Ning casually drew his pistol and fired. When the bullets ran out, a shotgun appeared in his hands as if from nowhere, and he fired three shots in rapid succession, finishing her off.
The visuals were intense and striking.
By now, the video was nearing its end.
As Marien collapsed and disintegrated into countless tiny spiders, the barrage of bullet comments exploded once more.
"Damn it, he pulled it off again!"
"Yeah, he's definitely showing off—but damn if it isn't cool!"
"He really knows what he's doing…"
"With that much style and good looks, who could think he isn't the protagonist? Seriously, who?"
"Dude above, everything in Apocalypse is simulated by the central AI, including this video. Technically, there is no protagonist."
"Even if he's not the 'protagonist,' he's gotta be some kind of chosen one! Calling him the main character works too!"
The screen flashed again.
Zhou Ning was greeted with a familiar setting—the front gate of Vick University.
A black-haired teenage boy with a scar on his face, dressed like a freshman, raised both fists and declared, "I'm gonna be the Weather Child!"
Above his head popped up a name: Apprentice Alchemist: Leandro de Pessa.
Another cut.
An orange-haired girl with a stunning figure, dressed in patched-up clothes, was running a street stall, peddling goods to passersby. When someone tried to haggle, she smiled and said, "My clan's code is fair trade to the last coin. Don't expect to swindle even one Roshen out of me."
Above her head: Apprentice Swordswoman / Merchant: Cress Bradenreiser.
Immediately, the screen was flooded with a single word: "Wife."
Another cut.
In a boundless darkness, a lone book lay open. Though no one was flipping its pages, it rustled to life and started turning on its own.
Names densely filled the pages.
After a moment, the pages stopped, locking onto a particular section.
The first name listed: Wayne Sturwell.
The screen faded to black. The video ended.
Zhou Ning: "…"
Ending it there was just cruel.
He was extremely curious about that book—something about it gave him a distinctly bad feeling. But the central AI had deliberately cut the video right at that moment. Honestly, what a jerk move.
As for those two before the book scene? Very familiar. Their dialogue was so over-the-top, it gave him a bad case of secondhand embarrassment.
In the original Apocalypse game, that black-haired teenager had been the game's official chosen one—Leandro de Pessa, a genius alchemist and hopeless meteorologist. The overly dramatic girl was technically a "half-chosen" character. Her name was Cress Bradenreiser—adorable, busty, and widely beloved in the previous life's fanbase. She was even the star of several… unofficial artbooks that often sold out.
As they say: "An artbook section without Cress is like instant noodles without seasoning."
He vaguely remembered that both of them were new freshmen this year. With classes starting in a few days, he figured he ought to reach out—maybe even grab some of their spotlight.
But wait a minute… this time around, he was in the same video as both of them. And not just that—his screen time was clearly more than theirs combined. Wasn't he the one getting main character treatment? If anything, they were riding his coattails.
If he didn't already know Apocalypse had no main character, he might've actually believed it.
Zhou Ning took a deep breath and scrolled down to the comments section.
The video had just been released, so most people had likely just finished watching. But already, the comments were piling up.
"Calm, clever, handsome, powerful… total main character material. I've got high hopes for this guy."
"Same here. I'm tagging along with him when the test launches."
"Great promo video and all, but couldn't they make it longer?"
"Am I the only one who thinks Leandro is the real protagonist? The edgy lines, the black hair, the scar—he's got all the shounen manga tropes."
"Everyone's talking about the closed beta—when does it actually start? I'm dying here!!"
As he scanned the flood of comments, it was clear that at least half of the viewers thought he was the Apocalypse game's de facto protagonist.
Honestly? A pleasant surprise.
As a player himself, Zhou Ning knew just how powerful other players could be. If he could rack up some fame within the player community early on, it would definitely help him thrive in the game.
As for the plot?
Whatever. Even if it changed, it wouldn't be by much. In the previous life, the first expansion's story revolved around the ancient god buried underground—Nyastora. A few tweaks here and there, like changing the protagonist, wouldn't really mess things up.
[ Ding! You've had a significant impact on the world of Apocalypse. You've earned 1 point of a random skill as a reward. ]
Zhou Ning: "…"
He'd just been thinking about the traversal simulator—and then out of nowhere came this pleasant surprise.
+1 random skill point!
Zhou Ning's eyes welled up with emotion.
So touching. It's rare to find a game that hands out random skill points this generously. Is this what people mean when they say a game has a soul?
Turns out affecting the simulated world could earn him rewards—and so could influencing the game world.
After a full day of stress and anxiety, Zhou Ning had originally planned to get some rest. But now? No way he could sleep.
Initiate traversal!
[ Preparing to traverse… -1 Traversal Coin ]
[ A match has been found in a parallel world… ]
[ Would you like to spend another coin to re-roll your talents? ]
Now a wealthy man, Zhou Ning didn't hesitate for a second: "Yes."
[ Please select three talents from the following list to serve as matching criteria: ]
1. Athletic Prodigy (Blue): Your physical abilities are exceptional.
2. Crooked-Smile Dragon King (Purple): Every time you flash a crooked smile, things get easier. Just do it, NIKE.
3. Zidane (Purple): You have soccer skills on par with Zidane. Downside? Your hairline is exactly like his at 35.
4. Tony Stark (Purple): You're a stereotypical playboy genius like Iron Man—bit of a smartass, but brilliant. Maybe not quite as good as him, but close.
5. Love Beyond Species (White): You've always been a furry. Remember how much you liked Tauren in World of Warcraft?
6. Sail-like Back (White): Your back muscles are abnormally developed.
7. Tai Chi Master (White): You've mastered the art of Tai Chi—yes, the actual martial art, not just verbal sparring.
8. Forty and Wise (Green): You'll become a lot smarter when you hit 40.
9. Mechanical Ascension (Purple): Flesh is weak—mechanical is divine. Note: You may find this world lacks the parts you want.
10. Honest and Reliable (Green): You never lie.
Please make your selection!
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