The helmet sent to Brother Loyalty’s office was different from the others.

It had the same shape as a normal gaming helmet, but was painted in a peculiar white color with a red cross symbol.

Just like a damn medic’s helmet.

Hey, put it on your head and pair it with a revolver so small you can’t even fit your thumb in the barrel, and congratulations – you’ve just transformed into a “Battlefield Quack” who only treats injuries by giving shots, no matter what the wound is.

But like all previous terminals, Brother Loyalty searched the entire helmet and couldn’t find a single sealed interface.

Obviously, he couldn’t take this thing apart, just as he couldn’t dismantle his own helmet.

Speaking of which, this helmet was quite bizarre.

It would develop minor scratches and non-functional deformations over time, but these physical properties were limited to the effects of time. Once any external force attempted to violently crack it, this thing would immediately exhibit various inexplicable situations.

No exaggeration, Brother Loyalty had even stuffed grenades into this thing with superior permission, but guess what?

Not a scratch!

Not even the paint was damaged.

Theoretically, such miraculous properties should attract many players’ attention, but the problem was, how precious were these gaming helmets?

One person gets one permanent binding, and the development team had stated on the forum that they wouldn’t replace any helmet for any reason, meaning once you damaged your helmet, you’d have to say goodbye to Transia forever.

Under these circumstances, who would carelessly scratch or carve on their precious helmet without being under work pressure?

Only people like Brother Loyalty, who carried responsibilities and missions, would conduct such violent dismantling, they even used hydraulic presses!

However, after destroying three presses, the helmet remained unscathed.

Brother Loyalty suspected this was “black technology” mastered by Alpha Company. They dared to give this to little players because they weren’t afraid that current Earth technology could crack this “technological black box.”

Such blatant arrogance and disregard was really too much!

The sudden situation meant Brother Loyalty once again couldn’t get home on time for soup today. Despite being severely scolded by his wife over the phone, he had no choice but to work overtime until late night, constantly cursing the damned 《Reality Realm》 development team in his heart.

The only consolation was that everyone else in the group had to work overtime with him.

One person’s misery is painful, but a group’s misery can be shared, even dissolving much of the small resentment in their hearts.

Finally at 3 AM, Brother Loyalty, who had already crashed on the floor to sleep, was shaken awake by Ziwei.

“The superiors have responded.”

Ziwei, with two dark circles under his eyes, yawned and said to the group leader:

“You better go take a look.”

“Oh, thanks for your hard work, go home now, take tomorrow off.”

Brother Loyalty rubbed his eyes as he got up and said to the other brothers, and before entering his office, he didn’t forget to instruct Brother Wanderer:

“Have all the civilian staff in our group fill out applications! Once our guild reaches level 2, we’ll bring them into the game! But mind the confidentiality regulations.”

“Mm.”

Brother Wanderer responded steadily without complaint and quickly conveyed the order.

Brother Loyalty returned to his office and opened the remote conference. His superior appeared on screen also wearing pajamas and holding a cup of hot tea. The latter spoke concisely to Brother Loyalty:

“We’ve discussed it in the meeting, and everyone agrees this is an opportunity. According to our behavioral analysis experts’ opinions, this is very likely a hint from them.

Obviously, they don’t plan to involve the real world in the short term, which is why they’ve handed this matter to us to execute, meaning both sides can develop limited cooperation.”

“Cooperation? Assigning us tasks isn’t called cooperation!”

Brother Loyalty said with displeasure:

“And there’s another question, do they not want to involve reality, or can’t they? Perhaps they are some kind of ‘sealed’ entity.”

“With the technology they’ve demonstrated so far, do you think that’s possible?”

Brother Loyalty’s superior took a sip of hot tea and sighed:

“We can’t even accurately trace their delivery methods and channels now. The research on the principle of ‘brain wave interference’ inspired by that helmet…

Well, this thing should officially be called ‘quantum interference technology based on the microscopic world’ and has only just begun.

If they wanted to, they could deliver that special helmet to Yang Qishan and Yang Qingfeng without alerting us, couldn’t they?

And then there’s that note they sent.

This is the first time they’ve actively contacted us in this way, and they referred to us as the ‘Operations Team’ in the note.

Think carefully about what this means.

Obviously this is a kind of teasing, our previous operation disguised as a medical team was under their observation the whole time. It’s really troublesome.”

“Fine, so we’re responsible for observing and treating Yang Qingfeng?”

Brother Loyalty sighed and said:

“Should we book a hospital or something in advance?”

“No need, the organization has mobilized resources, a very professional medical team will arrive at your location tomorrow afternoon. We’ve rented a villa in your city’s suburbs to temporarily serve as the 《Reality Realm》 Operations Team’s workspace.

After Yang Qishan’s family arrives, arrange them there and collect real-time data. You personally oversee this and maintain reports every three days.”

The superior lit a cigarette to keep himself awake in the night.

He instructed:

“Additionally, this matter has truly alarmed the high-level leadership, and many resources will be tilted over. They planned to appoint someone special to take over but I refused.

Since your team discovered this matter, you’ll continue to handle it, just that there will be a high-level inquiry meeting in some time. Remember to bring all the information you’ve collected so far to make a report.

And you know the recent pandemic is coming on strong, we really don’t have much energy to put into this. From now on, you’re fully responsible for following up on this lead.

Make sure to contact us promptly if anything comes up.”

“The pressure is too much!”

Brother Loyalty wailed:

“I’ve never handled this kind of third kind encounter before!”

“Bullshit! Back then in Xisha you dared to charge with me in the first wave, and now you’re afraid of this? Act more properly!”

The superior scolded:

“If anything goes wrong you’ll be the first one held responsible. Lastly, give me a copy of their test application.”

“Huh?”

Brother Loyalty opened his eyes wide and said:

“You want to personally join too? No way, at your age-”

“What about my age? Think I’m too old to be useful? Let me tell you, if you make me stand up, I’ll beat you up!

Stop the nonsense, send over the link! As the first person responsible for this project, I’m really not at ease if I don’t go in to see for myself.

Remember, just pretend I never had this conversation with you, don’t actively look for me in the game. If there’s any trouble I’ll contact you.

Got it?”

————————

Three days later, a low-profile plane landed at the airport in Brother Loyalty’s city.

Because the strong pandemic caused many people to return home making the airport extremely busy, but when Uncle Yang and his wife and the medical team escorting their son got off the plane, they saw several cars specifically parked on the side.

Very professional medical vehicles and staff took over Ah Feng’s care.

This young man lying in the hospital bed was skin and bones, obviously because years of comatose bed rest had caused his body functions to start deteriorating. He had terrible scars on his chest and limbs, “souvenirs” left by that previous marine disaster.

Uncle Yang and his wife watched worriedly as their son was loaded into the medical vehicle, and before them, Brother Loyalty wearing a trench coat stepped forward and said in a gentle tone:

“Hello, I’m the person in charge of Alpha Company’s operations team, specifically responsible for assisting you two-”

“Wait! I’ve seen you before!”

Uncle Yang, wearing loose training clothes, looked at this familiar middle-aged chubby man with surprised eyes and exclaimed:

“Aren’t you that Brother Loyalty?”

“Hehe, pardon me.”

Brother Loyalty grinned and said:

“We staff members also need to participate in game testing, after all it’s a game made by our development team. What qualified developer doesn’t play their own game?

Of course, this identity needs to be ‘confidential’ in the game.

Please understand this point.”

“Mm mm, I can understand, of course I can understand this kind of thing.”

Uncle Yang nodded.

The graceful but haggard-looking lady beside him paid no attention to the men’s conversation, her eyes fixed entirely on her son. This was Beef Bowl’s wife, they had divorced but from their appearance you could tell they had come back together because of their son.

“Ah Feng’s helmet-”

On the way to the operations team’s work area by car, Beef Bowl couldn’t help asking:

“Only three days time, will it…”

“No worries, the hardware team delivered the special helmet yesterday, it’s in the box next to you.”

Brother Loyalty driving the car said without turning his head:

“We’ll put it on Feng when we get back, don’t worry, the hardware team has already adjusted it, at least that’s what ‘they’ said.

If we’re lucky, you’ll see your son soon.

Of course, only on ‘that side.’

By the way, Mr. Yang, can you really accept your son recovering in this ‘unreasonable’ way?

Even if he can wake up in Transia, his condition in the real world will still maintain this terrible state.

This shouldn’t count as a ‘cure,’ right?”

“Cure? You’re too optimistic.”

Uncle Yang in the back seat clutched the box containing the helmet tightly and said hoarsely:

“I’ve long given up hope for a cure. Now I just hope Feng can enjoy another life, even in a false world.

As long as he can escape this current state that’s worse than death, I’ll do anything-”

“Then you’ll need to serve ‘Transia’s future’ well.”

Brother Loyalty said meaningfully:

“Alpha Company won’t ask anything from you, they- ahem, we just need to complete this test according to plan, nothing more.”

“But I don’t understand.”

Beef Bowl looked up and asked puzzledly:

“Why did you spend so much manpower and resources to create such a realistic virtual reality? For money?

Doesn’t seem like it!

I’ve collected information on the forum to study your company’s strategy, you’re definitely not doing this for money.

Otherwise just this supporting technology alone, even if you only sold a little bit of the surface level stuff, you could establish a business empire capable of influencing world patterns overnight.”

“Do you want to hear the real answer?”

Brother Loyalty turned the steering wheel and looked at Yang Qishan in the back seat through the rearview mirror. After noticing the other’s change in expression, he revealed a slight smile and said softly:

“The real answer is I don’t know either- don’t look at me with those eyes, Old Yang, I’m just the local person in charge of the ‘Operations Team.’

I’m not a development team member, how would I know what the higher-level decision group plans to do, but what’s certain is that at this stage, we have no interest in interfering with the real world.

Oh right, speaking of this, I have to ask you a question on behalf of the development team members, please answer honestly.”

“Mm, go ahead and ask.”

“How do you feel about Transia- I mean, based on your gaming experience, do you feel that world you’re in is real enough?

Are there any areas that need improvement?”

“Um, would you try to change the overall environment of reality because of some complaints and grievances about reality?”

“No, I wouldn’t. No rational person would.”

“Mm, that’s my answer too. I also wouldn’t try to twist an entire world because of some small flaws, to make it operate in the most perfect way I imagine-”

“But that’s fake! You know, Transia is just a programmed world, you only need a ‘logout’ button to leave there.”

“It’s real! If Ah Feng can restart his life there, then my wife and I will do everything we can to ensure its existence.

We will spare no effort to protect our child-

In my eyes it is real!

It must be real!”

————————

Yang Qingfeng hazily sensed a beam of light illuminating before his eyes.

This feeling was hard to describe, after all his entire state was also in quite an indescribable situation. The poor young man’s last memory was still stuck on the scene of being swept off the deck into the sea by a fierce wave.

He vaguely remembered seeing his desperate mother crying and trying to jump down to grab him while he was in the water.

The memories after that were just chaos, as if intelligence had left him, no longer able to understand the world and everything happening to him.

Like an eternal silence infinitely approaching death-

However, a beam of light illuminated.

Right before his eyes it seemed to drive away all the haziness and chaos, making his muddled soul actively follow that beam of light out of this troubling surge and ocean.

He seemed to walk into the light, and also seemed to walk in a reflected sea of stars.

Looking up he could see starlight lighting up in the dark nebula, but before he could look carefully, an attractive force from below dragged him in a head-spinning way and roughly poured him into a newly formed shell.

But he didn’t wake up immediately.

His situation was very special.

Other players completed registration before entering the game, with fixed game IDs and complete identity information, but Ah Feng was different. He hadn’t filled out a test application, so he could only be required to make it up before waking up.

Like how a database could only grant permissions after information was entered.

“Game ID? What the hell is this? What kind of dream am I having?”

Feng looked bewilderedly at the form appearing before his eyes, quickly realizing he had to complete these to proceed to the next step.

His mind still rather muddled, he filled it out based on the first thought that floated into his mind.

Since it was game-related, might as well be game-related.

So a dozen seconds later, a guy with the ID name “Pants Stripping Demon” truly opened his eyes in the midnight chamber, and what entered his sight was an unbelievably handsome yet peculiarly pale face with blood-colored pupils.

“Hello, my warrior.”

Murphy looked at this bewildered soul before him, revealing a subtle yet gentle smile, reaching out his hand to the wide-eyed young man before him, and saying softly:

“Welcome to Transia.”

“Huh?”

Feng’s first reaction was to open his eyes wide.

Holy crap!

Did I get isekai’d?

So after being swept into the sea I “deleted my account” in the real world and opened a new account in another world?

Damn!

So those urban legends about otherworld reincarnation were all true?

But the guy in front of me looks strange no matter how you look at him, so is this a legendary vampire? Also can someone explain what exactly happened?

With such doubts, Ah Feng reached out to grasp Murphy’s ice-cold hand, and struggled to get up with a body that felt rusty, moving with difficulty.

He looked around but before he could take a careful look, he heard an exclamation.

“My son!”

When Fireworks Beef Bowl saw Feng stand up, he immediately burst into tears of joy and rushed forward to hug his son.

But players’ bodies in the Midnight Chamber, this special initial save point, had spirit energy protection preventing direct contact, so Uncle Yang only hit an “invisible wall” and almost fell down quite comically, but was quickly supported by Brother Mao’s quick hands from the side.

“Dad? And Brother Mu? How- how did you guys come here too?”

Feng was now greatly shocked.

Still not understanding the situation, he screamed:

“You! You guys got isekai’d too? Damn, the whole family reincarnated to another world? This works too?”