ATPnovel 035 Sky Institute
035 Sky Institute
In the first and second [Dream] games, there is a problem that has troubled many players.
How vast is this world?
The key to this problem is not that "the world is too big to measure," but that "the world is changing and cannot be measured."
In the later stages of [Dream], there are quite a few mounts and players capable of traveling tens of thousands of miles a day.
Some people, bored out of their minds, try to emulate the ancient gods, Tai Zhang and Shu Hai, by measuring the world.
Eight people, each traveling from the North Pole to the South Pole, met and, after comparing their data, discovered that none of them had anything in common.
They swapped routes and retested. The results were still different.
Moreover, the data obtained this time is completely different from the first time.
Afterwards, the eight people spent several months traveling back and forth between the Arctic and Antarctic countless times. They also contacted players around the world to gather information. They finally came to a conclusion—the area of this world, or rather the volume of this planet, is expanding.
Moreover, the degree of "expansion" varies in different regions and countries.
Disproportionate and irregular.
After further exploration and data compilation, players discovered that "expansion" is mostly related to [territories] and [leveling spots] within the corresponding area. The more numerous and higher-grade these areas are, the greater the degree of "expansion."
Later, some players, by searching local chronicles and relevant historical records in China and referring to some foreign myths and legends, compiled statistics on the frequency and intensity of global earthquakes and volcanic eruptions over the past hundred years.
Data shows that in the decades since the emergence of players, only Japan, the Americas, and the Tunguska region have experienced some earthquake and volcanic activity.
It seems that the planet's "expansion" has not triggered large-scale crustal or plate tectonics.
Players were puzzled and tried to investigate further, but they couldn't find the answer.
Some speculate that the village building blueprints may contain elements of "Breath Soil." Others say that both the village building blueprints and leveling spots are manifestations of the "Planetary Will."
Only in this way can natural disasters be averted.
Players want to pursue the truth, but for most of the natives, "world expansion" and "the arrival of the aliens" are both unsolvable puzzles and not worth their time.
What they are concerned about is a series of problems brought about by [village building blueprints] and [leveling points].
The world's "expansion" corresponds to changes in land and water. These changes vary in scale, ranging from thousands of acres of lakes and ponds to a single acre of fertile land.
No matter how much, any change will inevitably involve the division of land and the use of water resources.
Farmland and irrigation have always been essential to people's livelihoods, leading to countless clan feuds.
If this is the case among the indigenous people, it goes without saying that it's the same with the players.
In the game, many players believe that establishing a territory will allow them to become a "nation." By following the rules and regulations of modern civilization, they can thrive and dominate a region.
But that was a miscalculation.
The village construction plans within the territory of Huaxia include [Zhou's Academy], [Spring and Autumn Village], [Han Gathering], [Han Village], and [Northern Dynasty Village].
As long as your [Strength] ≥ 20, [Intelligence] ≥ 20, and [Charm] ≥ 20, you can use it and become a glorious "Village Head" or "Village Chief".
However, soon after taking office, the "local chief" would encounter problems such as "land being occupied" and "water resources being occupied".
To resolve the issue, one must either resort to force or seek mediation.
Using force is highly likely to trigger armed clashes between players and NPCs, leading to even greater complications. In the early stages of the two [Dreamscapes], hundreds of player territories were suppressed and destroyed by NPCs as a result.
As for mediation, the "Painting Village Chief" can find village officials, magistrates, and other similar figures. However, these indigenous officials will tell the player—
Player territories are not independent little kingdoms. Like the NPC village chiefs, the "blueprint village chiefs" must participate in the August case-by-case and complete the "money counting, rent and tax collection, and corvée labor" tasks assigned by the township and county governments.
Only then will they intervene.
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Li Yu briefly discussed his potential future interactions with indigenous people.
The players present expressed their understanding.
Li Yu then led them to envision the future, mentioning ideas such as "building primary schools so that children can return to school," "building hospitals with departments of obstetrics and gynecology, internal medicine, and surgery," and "building nursing homes so that the elderly can have something to rely on."
This drew cheers from the players, further fueling their enthusiasm for building their villages.
When asked about the name of the territory, Li Yu told them to think of one themselves.
As a result, the names they came up with were a chaotic mess, a veritable cacophony of demons and monsters.
Loyalty Hall, Righteousness Group, Hegemony of the World, Twilight Empire...
Temple of Death, Temple of War, Temple of Godslayer...
Sheep Village Kindergarten, Bear Helping Hands, Space Guardians...
Kunlun, Wudang, Emei, Shaolin, Beggars' Sect, Heaven and Earth Society, Swallow Tower, Sun Moon Sect, Listening to Fragrance Pavilion...
Mount Shu, Fulong Temple, Taibai Sword Sect...
One by one, Li Yu was overwhelmed by the list of names and simply rejected them all, choosing instead the name from [Second Dream]—[Sky Courtyard].
Although many players disliked it, their attention was quickly diverted to another topic—the location of [Sky Academy].
One player, based on his years of experience in the entertainment industry, said that the best location for a [territory] is a wide valley. With peaks as a barrier and valleys to defend against enemies, one can store up grain, delay declaring oneself king, and painstakingly carve out a new world.
Some objected, saying that regardless of whether the location was easy to find or not, even if the village was found and built, what future could there be in closing the country off from the world?
Another player suggested that they go to Juancheng, head to Liangshan Marsh, and build a water empire across the eight hundred miles of water towns.
Some people objected, saying that these people, traveling with their families, would face too much risk by walking hundreds or even thousands of miles. And what if they arrived at a place where someone had already built a village?
The players were buzzing with discussion, but Li Yu didn't participate.
Location does indeed affect the attributes of a territory, such as the relationship between a Fanghu and a Xianlu.
However, such situations are rare and unpredictable.
In the dream, there were only three or five people.
For example, Aquaman had a miraculous encounter and tamed a three-thousand-foot-long sea monster, building a Crystal Palace inside its belly. From then on, he roamed the world for decades without ever being defeated.
A player in Sudan, favored by the thunder god of the Yoruba mythology, was granted the Bronze Palace of Shango. This Bronze Palace is a sky fortress that can unleash lightning and hurl burning boulders.
The player then established a territory within the palace and used it to drive the Romans out of East Africa, becoming a powerful force for a time.
With Haiqiu, Tonggong, and Fanghu as comparisons, Li Yu naturally looked down on the various site suggestions proposed by the players.
Therefore, after proposing several site selection requirements such as "easy to develop", "not too far away", and "not in a war-torn area", he took his leave.
Amidst shouts of "Respectfully bidding farewell to the Dean," he and Xiong Ba parted ways.
Xiong Ba was about to return to the village to fetch his horse and head to Gan Dan County and various towns and pavilions to invite Magistrate Liang and others to participate in the village founding ceremony the following day.
Li Yu, carrying his family's heirloom bronze spear, went to the leveling spot—the Bat Cave.