To ascend, I had no choice but to create games

The game’s graphics, already impressively lifelike, became even more realistic with the enhancement of the VR equipment. Every blade of grass and tree around him was clearly visible, everything so vivid it was as if he had truly stepped into another world.

This world had been eroded by the Disease Demon Lord.

The sky was filled with black miasma, swirling like dark dragons, wantonly destroying the very foundation of this world.

The surroundings were shrouded in a grey mist, with countless terrifying creatures roaming in the darkness, rampant and eying him closely from not far away.

The path ahead glowed faintly, as if beckoning Chen Rang to hurry forward, to the end, to accept the fate that belonged to him there.

But he dared not move.

The diseased environment made him feel that a single step would result in being devoured by the darkness.

A wave of intense fear struck him, rendering Chen Rang as rigid as a wooden chicken.

“Boss… Boss! Can you grab my arm? I haven’t really crossed over, have I?”

A warm and firm hand landed on his shoulder, its strong touch relieving Chen Rang, who then realized he was drenched in sweat.

Taking a deep breath, he offered his thanks and began walking on the path.

The movement platform beneath his feet allowed him to walk freely here. The ground, slightly muddy from a recent rain, was replicated so authentically that it felt as though he was truly walking on the path.

Bats fluttered and insects droned, with 3D sounds emerging constantly, keeping Chen Rang’s sense of wonder active from the start.

The walking simulator might be terrifying, but it was awesome.

The gaming passion that had long dimmed was reignited by a walking simulator, making Chen Rang realize domestic games weren’t all bad—there were still some strong contenders.

But he soon found out he was wrong.

Terribly, terribly wrong.

At the end of the path stood a dilapidated Taoist temple, its buildings riddled with holes and on the verge of collapse.

Out of place amid the ruins, however, was a girl in a white robe in the yard.

She was roasting corn by a fire, and on the blood-red corn, each kernel had a tiny mouth, each one shrieking in agony.

The girl was pretty, her classical adornments endowing her with traditional elegance, while her gentle and cheerful smile added a touch of warmth.

In a world full of ruin and blackness, the girl’s presence was like a bright light, illuminating the path ahead.

Hearing approaching footsteps, the girl by the fire lifted her head, then swallowed the corn that was still wriggling in her mouth.

Wiping her mouth, she raised her hand and said to the approaching Chen Rang, “Yo, you’re back again. Who inhabits your body today?”

The nonsensical words gave Chen Rang a feeling of being a riddle solver, but then he realized this must be the game’s character naming segment.

The microphone inside the all-in-one machine was already on. Chen Rang spoke into the microphone, “Chen Rang.”

“Quite an ordinary name, huh? Alright, I’ll remember it. You possess no merit in your body; you can’ t be a good Benevolent Doctor like this. Come here, I ‘ll lend you some merit and teach you a few tricks.”

Standing up, the girl channeled the power within her body, and a faint purple light began to emanate from her fingertips.

Drawing a circle in the air, the purple light did not dissipate but closed to form a complete loop.

Once the circle was formed, the purple light burst forth violently, killing the mosquitoes within a five-meter radius, reducing the annoying buzzing in the air.

Afterward, a stream of purple qi floated into Chen Rang’s body, and the girl raised her hand, indicating it was his turn.

Attempting to draw a circle, Chen Rang was again stunned.

The movements were smooth, the feedback delicate, the effects spectacular, and the ray tracing outstanding…

Everything seemed incredibly perfect, made even more real with the haptic gloves in hand.

When a purple light circle was completed, the entire circle burst into a larger arc, clearing all mosquitoes in an even wider area.

The girl’s eyes widened with surprise as she said to Chen Rang, “You’re more talented than I thought. To be able to perform the Purifying Sky Skill so smoothly on the first try, you truly are worthy of being sent by the Great Heavenly Lord.”

The girl’s compliment made Chen Rang endlessly pleased, even though he knew it was a preset reaction from the game, and the lines might have been poorly written. But it felt oh so satisfying.

After enjoying the moment, he inquired, “Who is the Great Heavenly Lord?”

“The Immeasurable Heavenly Lord who relieves suffering and distress. This world was nearly destroyed, but the Great Heavenly Lord descended to save the Heavenly Tao of this place. After vanquishing the Demon Lords, the Great Heavenly Lord had to leave, but he sent a multitude of healers to expel the disease from this realm, restoring peace to the world. Right, you are one of those healers.”

“Then you are…”

“Me? I am without name or lineage, a puppet of the Heavenly Tao here to assist you. If you don’t mind, you can call me Mukuai.”

“Why that name?”

“Wooden puppet. Do you always have so many questions? Were you raised on ‘why’?”

“Mind your own business.”

Chen Rang had already experienced the Powerful Artificial Intelligence Fang Cheng Studio once before, briefly sampling “The Nameless,” but he hadn’t gotten the full experience yet.

However, now, with a cheerful, generous powerful Al appearing before him, wrapped in a good-looking shell, Chen Rang instantly connected with it.

He had thrown his interview mission to the back of his mind, completely forgetting the plan he had prepared to catch people off-guard.