To ascend, I had no choice but to create games

There really is a natural gap in talent between people, and in Huang Ping’s view, Monkey was definitely one of those with an extraordinary talent for competitive gaming like warfare.

Watching Monkey’s movements, Huang Ping exclaimed, “Monkey, with your skills, you could totally make it in esports. No wonder you dared to challenge the boss back then.”

“I was young and foolish back then,” Monkey replied with an embarrassed smile, “Now, I’d ask the boss to spare me one hand.”

“I think you’re still a bit naive.”

in the game, Monkey and his teammates struck from thousands of miles away; his arrows flew true, piercing targets a hundred steps away. With his teammates’ cover, he shot the enemy leader, decapitated him amidst the chaos, and then rode off majestically.

He had also been trapped in dire straits, standing alone against a city wall, holding out for a day and a night against the assault of fifty bandits without yielding and ultimately waiting for reinforcements to arrive.

Huang Ping had intended to take advantage of the work hours to rush through the planning for the sequel to “Quiet Cultivation,” but as he watched, he became engrossed in the game, as if he too had traveled to the deserts of the Western Regions thousands of years ago, defending the glory of the Tang Dynasty alongside an unnamed soldier.

As the game progressed, it became increasingly difficult; the old soldiers of the Protectorate began to die off slowly, and the days of scant clothing and little food grew harder. Sometimes, they even had to eat the enemy’s leather boots to stave off hunger and then continue to resist the invasion of the Tubo soldiers. Fortunately, once they reached the Protectorate, their characters wouldn’t die. After every grave injury, the character would have to convalesce in a sick bed because of the wound, even an esports prodigy like Monkey suffered severe injuries four or five times, wasting quite a bit of time.

Moreover, after being gravely wounded, there was a chance the character would gain some permanent negative states, such as disability or Fear of War.

Luckily for Monkey, he only received a few temporary statuses that disappeared after convalescing, a great fortune amidst misfortune.

Just before closing time, Monkey’s character finally turned twenty-seven. After years of hard work, his skills had matured. He had mastered all the related survival skills in the wilderness; if you threw him into the wilds, he would still live quite comfortably.

On this day, he received a special quest.

Deliver a message to Chang’an.

Seeing this quest, both Monkey and Huang Ping trembled with excitement.

This was a mission almost certain to end in death, but it was also an ultimate honor. Only the strongest, most cunning, and wisest soldiers were given this quest, then they would head for Chang’an.

He would form a small team with four others, looking out for each other as they marched towards Chang’an. In their flesh and blood, they would traverse seven thousand miles to bring news that the Protectorate of Anxi still stood to the Emperor of Chang’an.

Receiving this mission meant his abilities had been acknowledged, Before setting off, Monkey controlled his character to tie his hair to the red willow at the gate,

“Body, hair, and skin, received from my parents.” Leaving behind his hair was the equivalent of leaving part of himself; even if he never returned, he would still protect this land, standing together with his brothers.

Looking at the red willow now full of hair, Monkey saluted solemnly, then turned and departed, embarking on the journey with his companions.

But just as his adventure was about to unfold, the music signaling the end of work began to play.

Xu Qingling clapped her hands and said to the three planners, “Alright, it s time to get off work now, let’s head home.”

“Xu, can’t you give us another ten or so hours?” Monkey pleaded, “we’ve just received the final mission and are ready to die with honor.”

“I’m sorry,” Xu Qingling said regretfully, “but I really don’t want to be implicated and then have to take a leave. Do you know how much I want to work now? I’m in such a good mood at work that my family is starting to wonder if my job is even serious. Besides, I have to go home and train the cat to do a backflip as soon as possible.”

Since Xu Qingling had spoken, even Xiao Douzi could only sigh with regret, then get up to pack his things.

Xiao Douzi was slightly less skilled in the game, and had been seriously injured more times.

In addition to the time lost, he also acquired the permanent negative status of “Lame.”

Because of this situation, he would never be able to embark on the journey to Chang’an, his final mission now completely out of reach.

Therefore, he could only do logistics work quietly at the Protectorate, and ultimately died in the camp because of the recurrence of an old injury. Before dying, the old soldier still gazed into the distance, his last words merely two simple words, “Chang’an.”

After the game ended, the settlement screen showed the highlights of The Nameless’s life recorded, along with a brief introduction to his life.

A lifetime of war, yet in the end, unable to be wrapped in horsehide in death, was certainly an regret.

And the longing for Chang’an became a thorn for Xiao Douzi, filling his face with regret.

If he had been a bit more careful back then, if he had taken the maintenance of his weapon a bit more seriously, could it have…

But when he saw the final score of 64 appear, his regret finally peaked, causing him to slap his thigh hard.

Startled by the crisp slap, Huang Ping turned his head in surprise and asked Xiao Douzi, “What’s wrong?”

Pointing at the number on the screen, Xiao Douzi said with regret, “Only 64 points.”

“What does that mean?”

“It’s a character evaluation. Based on the information I collected in the game and the materials I looked up online, I believe this part of history has been adapted from real events, and the protagonist is a historical figure. The boss rated the historical figure’s deeds out of too, and I only got 64 points, which is barely passing.”

“How come I didn’t see this score?” Huang Ping said in astonishment.

“Scores below 10 points don’t show.”

In an instant, Huang Ping felt like a piece of bacon that had been dried out too much.

Old, wrinkled, and yet forced to be on display. Although a bit resentful, what Huang Ping wanted more was to know the ending.

Looking at the displeased Xiao Douzi, and then at Monkey, who had started scratching his head again, Huang Ping thought for a moment before saying, “How about you two come over to my place tonight? My place is quite spacious.”

Xiao Douzi looked at Huang Ping in astonishment, while Monkey also looked at him fearfully, involuntarily shrinking back.

“Behave, we don’t want to be etched in your heart,” Monkey shouted. “What are you thinking?” Huang Ping sighed, resigned, “Monkey, you don’t have a computer, right?”

“Uh, I can’t get an internet connection where I live, so I usually hang out at an illegal internet cafe until about one or two in the morning before leaving.” “Xiao Douzi, you want a higher score too, right?”

Xiao Douzi nodded.

“So how about we all go to my place and play games all night?

The proposal was filled with temptation.

What could be more exhilarating than a bunch of grown men gaming all through the night?

After hesitating for a moment, Xiao Douzi asked, “Your girlfriend…

“She’s busy tonight.”

“Then what are we waiting for, let’s go!” Monkey exclaimed excitedly. The group decisively copied their progress, immediately left the studio, bought snacks and drinks, and ordered barbecue and pizza.

The game night for the planners had begun!