Chapter Two: The Veteran Player

In the information officially released by Singularity, the Foundation has many dangerous tasks that require the recruitment of outsiders to complete. In this game, players take on the roles of terminally ill patients, gambling their lives for a sliver of hope in exchange for special medicines that can alleviate their suffering.

Sss... Sss...

It was as if a fingernail was scraping across a blackboard—the harsh, grating noise echoed repeatedly.

Clack!

The door slowly rose, the space gradually revealed itself, and the unsettling sounds ceased abruptly as the scent of blood rushed out.

The five players, filled with curiosity and wariness, immediately looked toward the open doorway.

There, standing in the room, was a massive humanoid figure. Under the gaze of the group, it seemed almost shy, turning its back to the door and cowering in the corner. Its large, stone-like head pressed against the blood-stained wall, drooping slightly so that its face could not be seen. A damaged arm rested against the wall, surrounded by deep scratches that stood out starkly on the filthy surface. It stood motionless, resembling an ancient statue in a decaying city, exuding the scent of wind and earth. Who, one wondered, had given such a poetic name—“Brocade”—to this thing?

“Go in!”

The security officer’s gaze became razor-sharp the moment the door opened. The players exchanged glances, hesitated no longer, and stepped into the grimy room with their cleaning tools.

Swish!

As Embers, the last in line, crossed the threshold, the door thundered shut behind them, almost as if it couldn’t wait. The ultra-realistic graphics and immersive sound effects quickened the hearts of the five newcomers.

Although the room was harshly lit, the non-human entity’s full form remained indistinct, yet it radiated a palpable pressure. The officer’s repeated warnings kept everyone on edge. The players all glanced at Brocade, and, perhaps it was their imagination, but even the glaring high-powered lights couldn’t entirely illuminate the statue. It seemed to be shrouded in a faint, dark mist.

This bizarre phenomenon made the atmosphere heavier.

“Why on earth is Singularity abandoning the mythic classic style of ‘Titan’ and suddenly going for sci-fi horror? ‘Anomaly Park’—the name alone spells trouble!” The one who broke the silence was a bright-eyed young player. His gaze swept over the others and finally settled on the two figures beside Embers. “Fish, Master, I’m counting on you two to carry us today.”

The tall man called “Master” folded his arms and said nothing.

The middle-aged, bald woman referred to as “Fish” chuckled and waved her hand. “We’re all newcomers here. Who’s to say who’ll be leading whom? But, I heard your guild, Thunder, invested heavily in Anomaly Park. You bought over thirty beta keys, didn’t you? Storm Duke is always so cautious; this is really out of character. You must’ve gotten some inside info, right?”

“Ha, what inside info? Singularity keeps everything locked down. Even the Player Union barely gets anything useful, let alone us.” The young player laughed it off, denying everything. “Our boss had no choice. The big guilds are pressing hard, and if we don’t show some guts, Thunder will become second-rate.”

Fish, Master, Thunder, Storm Duke, Player Union.

As they chatted, Embers still had no clear understanding, but the last player—clearly a random—was wide-eyed with surprise. “Wait, are you two the veteran players ‘Scaled Arm’ and ‘Not a Master’?”

Not a Master nodded coolly, his eyes never leaving Brocade in the corner.

Scaled Arm grinned and replied, “Old as I am, is ‘veteran’ still the word? I’m just here for a review gig. Hey, if you’re up for it, let’s add each other after this.”

“Sure!” The random player was overjoyed. Since he hadn’t yet found the friends list, he eagerly revealed his in-game name: “Gallop.” To ensure a thorough review of Anomaly Park, Singularity had set up an official chat group and invited all testers. Gallop had joined early, lurking among the chatty famous players, never daring to interrupt. Now, receiving Scaled Arm’s invitation thrilled him beyond measure.

Scaled Arm displayed his own name in response, but his was outlined in silver, unlike Gallop’s plain one—something that caught the envy of Gallop and the young player, and piqued Embers’ curiosity. This was, after all, one of the marks of a “Veteran Player.”

The title “Veteran Player” wasn’t self-proclaimed. It was awarded by the Player Union to players who had proven themselves in popular games.

The Player Union itself had started as a grassroots group fighting against cheats, but as its influence grew alongside the booming gaming industry, it began cooperating with major companies, becoming a semi-official player organization and establishing a Hall of Fame. Thanks to their rigorous standards and ever-growing network, the Union had become the industry’s true hall of legends, a coveted honor for any elite player.

With the rise of game streaming, every veteran player was a star in their game of fame. As for Scaled Arm, who had made a name for himself in multiple popular titles, his influence was immense—even Embers, not particularly involved in these circles, had heard of him. It was no wonder the top review outlet, “Player One,” had invited him for a playtest.

“So they’re both veterans. No wonder everyone knows them!”

Enlightenment dawned on Embers. Previously, due to personal reasons, he hadn’t ventured much beyond “Titan,” so he couldn’t quite share Gallop’s excitement. Still, he did envy the perks of the veteran title.

While it was merely a recognition of skill without any material rewards, one benefit was the right to a unique username. Any large game cooperating with the Player Union guaranteed name security. When registering for “Titan,” Embers had found his real name already taken and had to choose something else. This time, armed with a beta key, he’d claimed his name early.

“They say there’s an Embers who’s a well-known player in Titan. I wonder if... Never mind, why bother? It’s most comfortable to use your own name anyway.” So thinking, Embers caught Scaled Arm’s friendly glance and displayed his own username. He also learned that the young player who first spoke was called “Rain Tomorrow.”

As for Not a Master, he stood there with unshakeable poise, the very picture of a top-tier player.

“Fish, why don’t you take the lead? Singularity only released a little over a thousand test accounts, and a tenth went to veterans and media. Our boss is under real pressure. It took a lot for me to get a spot. If I don’t perform, I’m doomed! And this is hard-mode battle royale—without a leader, none of us will last.”

Rain Tomorrow was determined to follow Scaled Arm’s lead. Scaled Arm didn’t hesitate, and seeing no objections from Embers and the others, nodded. “All right, then. I’ll take the lead for now. Master, you don’t mind, do you?”

Not a Master shrugged. Scaled Arm was respected in the industry. Though age had moved him away from the front lines and he hadn’t taken part in recent hits like “Titan,” his experience was immense. Not a Master thought him better suited as commander, and Embers and Gallop had no objections either.

“Who has the highest life level? Let me know. My starting skill is ‘Strength Boost.’”

Scaled Arm quickly began assigning tasks. Not a Master raised his hand, confirming what Embers had noticed earlier.

Scaled Arm considered for a moment, then decided. “Good. Since the officer keeps stressing to watch the target, the chance of an accident is low. So, Master and Rain Tomorrow, you two start cleaning. There are twelve floor tiles in all. The rewards may be tied to cleaning contribution, so you each get three to start, as compensation for the risk. Don’t worry, the rest of us won’t let you down. Also, let’s move quickly—we’re unlikely to last sixty minutes in here. The sooner we finish, the greater the hidden rewards could be.”

Everyone agreed with his fair division. Not a Master immediately took his tools to the corner, while Rain Tomorrow hesitated a moment before stepping forward. However, as he was about to step onto another tile near Brocade, a game prompt appeared.

[Notice: Anomaly—Brocade radiates a powerful life force. You must pass a Life Check to approach.]

[Notice: Checking... Your life level is zero. Check failed!]

[Notice: You cannot approach the anomaly.]

[Warning: If you persist in approaching, you will suffer negative effects. The severity will depend on your life level.]