ATPnovel Chapter 1: A Holographic Version of MapleStory?
Chapter 1: A Holographic Version of MapleStory?
May 3, 2026, 10 PM.
Jiangcheng.
Chen Jun stubbed out the last half of his cigarette, closed the sliding door to the balcony, and sat back down at his computer.
He glanced at the fluctuating number on the screen: 527611 people. This was the number of pre-registrations displayed on the official website of MapleStory Classic.
"With over 500,000 nostalgic fans, Mouqu is really reaping the benefits of its past success."
As a professional gamer who has been in the online gaming industry for over a decade, Chen Jun knows better than anyone else: passion is the most valuable thing in the world.
He rubbed his face dry and opened a QQ group called "Did you take any risks today?"
His ID is "Climbing Snail," and he's the group admin. Having nothing better to do, he decided to see if any of the seasoned veterans in the group had any shortcuts to avoid crowds.
...............
Roasted Whole Lamb Ah-Hmm: "Seriously, with so many pre-registrations, the server will definitely be like the international classic version when it opens. What's the point of fighting snails then? It's practically a death sentence."
Czech public security agent: "It's estimated that before the second job advancement, all the maps that are easy to clear will be packed with players."
Xiaoyu: "If only Brother Lynn were here, he would have been the first on the entire internet to find those hidden maps. His scouting ability is comparable to my dog's."
Upon seeing this name, Chen Jun paused for a moment while holding the mouse.
Lynn was a long-time admin in the group, but she suddenly vanished three months ago. Her phone was switched off, and she stopped replying to WeChat messages, as if she had been completely wiped out from the world.
Just then, the gray profile picture that had been silent for three months suddenly lit up without warning.
Lynn: "Xiaoyu, you're talking about me behind my back, do you want to get banned?"
The group was silent for three seconds, then immediately erupted into chaos.
After some playful banter about him "coming back from the dead," Lynn revealed his true purpose.
Lynn: "Alright, enough of that. I saw you guys were worried about not being able to get any monsters. Since the official server is so crowded, why don't you try it out here? I've been working with a company for the past three months to create a full-immersive version of MapleStory, and I just happen to need a few hardcore players to help me test it out."
Czech public security agent: "Wait a minute, Linzi, hold on. Holographic version? You mean the kind of holographic movie you watch with VR glasses, or the kind of holographic movie where you're completely immersed in your mind like in novels? Are private servers that advanced now?"
Lynn: "100% consciousness access. Well... simply put, you can achieve this by wearing our company's specially made VR glasses."
To put it another way, it's not the MapleStory we used to play. You can imagine it as a fully immersive MMORPG game based on MapleStory.
Once inside, you'll find that you really do have hands, you can feel the texture of tree bark, your perspective is exactly the same as your own, and you can smell the earth and grass.
Roasted Whole Lamb Aen: "Are you kidding me? Current VR can only simulate vibrations at best; the sense of presence is completely lacking. Linzi, let me ask you, if I were in there and someone hit my foot with a rock, would it hurt in real life?"
Lynn: "It hurts. That's why I said it's hardcore."
The pain feedback inside is at the neural level. Although I lowered the threshold, if you are actually hit by a mushroom, it's not as simple as losing health. You will clearly feel yourself being bounced back half a meter.
Furthermore, our game doesn't have the concept of respawning. If you chop down a tree, it's truly fallen; it doesn't magically reappear a few minutes later.
Xiaoyu: "Holy crap... what if there are no monsters left? And if I get tired of playing, am I supposed to sleep in the game?"
Lynn: "You'll get tired, thirsty, and hungry. So snails, if you like to grind for resources, be careful, the load inside is real."
If you collect a few resources and put them in your inventory, you might be unable to move, instead of just taking up one inventory slot like in the PC version. And there are no scripts or cheats; it's completely free.
"Bragging"
"+1"
"I don't believe it either, hahaha, what kind of MapleStory is it if it doesn't have monster-attracting abilities or cheat codes?"
It's common for people in a group of about a hundred to remain silent, but once someone starts a conversation, a few lurkers will always pop up and say a few words.
The holographic version of MapleStory was still too shocking for veteran 2D players, but out of trust for his old friend, Chen Jun consulted him with a skeptical attitude.
Climbing Snail: "This doesn't sound like a game, Linzi. We've known each other for seven years. I'm only asking the crucial question: can the rewards from this game be brought out?"
"You've hit the nail on the head," Lynn typed in the chat box. "Although the physical items can't be taken out, they can be freely traded later."
Every brick you move and every resource you collect can be traded within the game.
As for off-game transactions, you can decide for yourself. It's still in closed beta, and the company has allocated four slots. Are you interested?
After saying that, a link was sent to the group: [Web link: MapleStory Holographic Edition - Developer Test Entry]
"After your reservation is successful, you will receive VR glasses from our company. Of course, the equipment is free, but due to limited funds, it is true that you will not be paid for helping with testing."
Roasted Whole Lamb Ah-Hmm: "Are you kidding? If it were really as amazing as you say, would I still need your salary?"
MapleStory Holographic Edition
Appointment required: YES□/NO□
Game ID: _______
Shipping address:_________
Current number of reservations: 1
It seems someone has already made a reservation. Chen Jun clicked on the link sent by Lin En, his brows furrowing slightly.
If what he says is true, then this is not just a game to be tested, but a new trendsetter for the future of gaming.
As for whether it's a scam or a data breach, that remains to be seen.
Just kidding. These days, how many people have their personal information leaked and sold? It's not like one more time will make a difference.
.....................
Meanwhile, another world also began to get busy.
Rainbow Village, Southern Outpost.
Lynn wiped the cold sweat from his forehead and closed the system interface that was flashing in his mind.
"Damn it, thank goodness the agent asked those good questions, otherwise I really wouldn't have had a chance to explain the weight and realistic feedback settings..."
"Sir... will this give us helpers?"
The speaker was an old man with white hair, wearing a tattered robe and leaning on a wooden cane.
Lynn seemed to have thought of something, quickly turned his head, and shouted at the bewildered old man:
"Hurry, Lucas! Stop staring at your forge! Have someone move all those pebbles from the backyard, the ones we use to weigh down the vegetable jars, to the roadside! Remember, make it a chaotic yet orderly mess, don't line them up in a row, make these guys think they just grew there naturally!"
"Also, don't arrange those beginner's wooden sticks, one-handed swords, and one-handed axes too neatly! We need to give these great traitors... no, these warriors the illusion that this world is so real it's completely undesigned!"
As Lynn spoke, she nervously tugged at the white beginner's shirt she had been wearing ever since she transmigrated here.
Just then, the system's voice rang in my mind:
[The summoning sequence is locked. Current number of pre-registrations: 4/4.]
The dimensional teleportation device is about to be delivered to its target.
The fish has taken the bait.
Lynn stared at the screen in her mind and finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The four IDs that were jumping around on the screen—"George," "Climbing Snail," "Roasted Whole Lamb Ah-Hmm," and "Czech Public Agent"—were closer to him than his own father at that moment.
Whether they live or die depends entirely on these four precious children.
However, there's a problem: the other three IDs are all very familiar... but who is this "George"? And judging from the order, he was the first one to make an appointment.
Lynn was still in a daze when the system's voice echoed in his mind again:
[First batch of adventurers pre-registered, phased rewards distributed]
[Reward Item: Administrator's White Hat.]
I didn't expect this system to have rewards...
It was a ridiculously large white newsboy cap, meant to be worn backwards, with a blue "W" embroidered on the forehead.
With a soft thud, the hat fell to Lynn's feet.
He picked up the hat, his lips twitching slightly.
He was very familiar with this thing; it was the exclusive hat worn by GMs in MapleStory.
Goodness, does that mean we can use the GM title to trick players into working for us?
Or to put it another way, players can experience the game more deeply under their own guidance.
Great, a win-win situation!
As Lynn comforted himself, he casually turned the white hat with the blue "W" on it upside down on his head.
He stood up and walked to the edge of the terrace. His gaze passed over old Lucas's blacksmith's forge and looked towards the coastline outside Rainbow Village, shrouded in green mist.
This so-called win-win situation is actually built on the edge of a precipice.
Lynn looked down at the faint green light that remained on her fingertips.
Those were the marks left after he wiped away the poisonous mist from the stone tablet. Even with the system's support, his palm was still trembling slightly.
It seems that in this real MapleStory world, he is no longer playing a game, but trying to repair a real world that is on the verge of spiraling out of control.
If the four players summoned this time cannot help him gradually grow his power and venture out, then in this world full of mushrooms and snails, Lynn will eventually turn into fertilizer for this land.
The days ahead don't look easy.
"It's almost time." Lynn put his hands in his pockets, his vision piercing through the distant green light, as if he could see himself as the GM welcoming the four of them.
As for why Lynn appeared here as a "fake GM"... well, that all started three months ago one night.