Chapter 1

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Chapter 1: The Paradise Game

Atlantic Ocean, aboard the Heart of the Ocean cruise ship.

Four passengers were seated around a long table inside a luxurious suite on the top floor of the ship and studied one another.

Only VIP guests could book these suites, so their identities were all quite affluent or influential. The reason they had been brought together here wasn’t for business negotiation but to play a game—a game that was said to be as mentally stimulating as it was thrilling.

“If we’re going to sit here anyway, why don’t we introduce ourselves first?” A middle-aged man spoke up in English, “Hey, I’m sure everyone can understand me, right? My name is Joe James, American. What about you guys?”

No one responded.

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

“All right, all right, how about French? No good? How about Chinese or Russian? I know a little bit of those too.” He said, switching languages rapidly.

“Enough already, this isn’t some talk show,” someone finally interrupted his chatter, “We’re all here for fun, so what if we don’t know each other?”

“Let’s just make some friends.” James raised the champagne glass on the table and waved it at the man. “Besides, nobody knows what this game is going to be like. Wouldn’t it save time if we already knew each other when teamwork might be required?”

The man lifted his eyebrow slightly, seemingly convinced by James’ words. “…Anthony Chekhov. I welcome all of you to come hunting in Siberia whenever you have the time.” He looked older, almost close to fifty, and was also the most imposing figure among them. At least nine rings adorned his fingers; one was set with a gemstone while another was carved from bone, both catching light brightly.

Strangely, despite his Slavic appearance and an Eastern European name, he spoke fluent Mandarin.

“If it’s just hunting, I prefer South Africa,” James said, turning toward the only female participant amongst the five. “So how about you, miss? Might I inquire for your name?”

“Asahara Naruko,” she replied, pointing behind herself to the burly man standing next to her. “This is my guardian, so there’s no need to introduce him.”

“Are you bringing your servant along for pleasure?” Chekhov stroked his ring, implying something. “I don’t want to enjoy myself with someone else watching.”

“He will leave once the host arrives.”

“But young lady—”

“You needn’t say anything,” Naruko interrupted in Japanese.

The burly man shut up.

“My name is Zhou Zhi,” The last of the young men tilted his head slightly under everyone’s gaze and added, “I boarded the ship at Berlin Port, but my home is in—”

“That’s enough; there’s no need for such specificity.” James cut him off with a wave of his hand. “While waiting to meet the Host, I have a suggestion: it would be best if we limited the age range of participants. Keeping youngsters out ensures they won’t spend their entire lives feeling unfulfilled.”

This provoked quiet laughter from the others present.

Zhou Zhi’s expression darkened as well.

“Does Mr. James’s words include me?” Asahara Naruko asked calmly. “After all, judging by appearance, I’m around the same age as he is.”

The two of them were indeed the youngest among the passengers, both appearing to be in their early twenties.

“Of course not, restrictions will never target beautiful women,” James hastily added to ease the tension.

“I can afford the ticket price.” Zhou Zhi emphasized each word distinctly.

“Yes, we all know this,” the American blinked, “For example, we’re all aware who’s actually paying for it.”

Zhou Zhi shot up from his seat.

“Never mind, even the organizers don’t care about this part, so it doesn’t matter whose money is being made.” Chekhov pressed down on his hand and changed the topic, “I’m curious how exactly this game works though. This isn’t my first time boarding one of the Caribbean Company’s cruises, but I’ve never heard them advertise anything similar before.”

His words seemed to strike at everyone’s hearts.

The Heart of the Ocean was one of the most luxurious cruise ships in the world, boasting a wide range of entertainment facilities from casinos to clubs. However, these kinds of luxuries were commonplace among the elite, which meant they had experienced such pleasures countless times already, rendering them completely immune to novelty. It was precisely because of this that when the host sent out invitations for the new game, they didn’t hesitate to click accept, despite the million-dollar entrance fee alone.

According to the invitation email, this event was unparalleled and extremely entertaining, surpassing even extreme sports in excitement. It would provide participants with the most primitive sensory stimulation, ensuring that anyone who took part would never forget it for the rest of their life.

Strangely, aside from the mail itself, there were no other advertisements on the ship, nor did any of the other passengers seem to know about it. This differed somewhat from what they had expected. If the organizers really managed to host such an amazing event, it should have been impossible for it to remain unknown.

“Could it be… we’re the first group of participants?” Zhou Zhi sat back down. “People from all over the world are here. If the event is truly as exciting as they claim, I’m afraid word will spread across the globe within a day.”

“There’s another possibility,” the American said nonchalantly. “Perhaps this activity doesn’t lend itself well to advertising.”

“What does Mr. James mean…” Naruko looked at him.

“Will ordinary games truly pique everyone’s interest?” he asked in return.

This comment earned Zhou Zhi an enigmatic smile from Anthony Chekhov.

The so-called “regular games” naturally referred to legal games. If life was indeed a game, then laws were undoubtedly its greatest set of rules. The more one disregarded these rules, the higher the thrill factor would be.

“Miss…?” That burly man frowned once again.

“But we’re on a cruise,” Zhou Zhi reminded him. “No matter how groundbreaking the game concept is, it must still be realized within the confines of this ship. I can’t imagine what new tricks they could pull off here.”

It wasn’t like they’d be playing a real-life version of The Hunger Games, surely?

“Why don’t we make some guesses?” James pulled out a chip from his pocket; the golden border indicated it was worth $200,000. “The winner takes all as a prize, perhaps? It’ll certainly add some excitement before the game begins.”

A prize pool of two hundred thousand dollars meant that four players would split eight hundred thousand.

Even excluding himself, winning sixty thousand at once wouldn’t be a small sum for anyone.

“There’s no need, none of you will guess correctly.” A voice suddenly interrupted.

Everyone turned to look and saw a man dressed in a violet vest and pure black pants enter the room. He wore a Sichuan opera mask of red and black that covered his entire face, and around his neck hung a plaque inscribed with the words “Chaoyang” in multiple languages.

Without a doubt, this newcomer was the host of the game.

“I apologize for the wait; the game is ready to begin.”

“Wait, wait, wait, you’re going to start it right here?” Joe James put away his chip. “You guys haven’t even explained how the game works yet.”

“That’s correct,” Chekhov agreed. “At least give us some rules or something?”

“In truth, those details aren’t important.” The host smiled. “Please look at the table.”

To their surprise, each participant now had a VR headset on the table, though they hadn’t noticed when it happened. There was nothing strange about the VR headsets themselves, but the stone slate beneath them contained no drawers or secret compartments, and the host had been standing near the door since he entered, never approaching the table. In mere seconds, these headsets appeared out of nowhere.

“So…the game you all designed isn’t actually a game?” the Russian said with displeasure as he picked up the VR headset.

This attitude was already showing some restraint.

If it weren’t for the shock of the VR headset appearing out of thin air, he likely would have slapped the table and left long ago.

For these people to come play video games—and brag about how each experience would be unforgettable? This was clearly condescension disguised as charity! What kind of connections did they have to board this ship? They had seen every delicacy on earth, been to every corner of the world; anything that could be purchased, they had no qualms about enjoying.

Virtual reality games? Those were mere pastimes for the poor!

“Didn’t the email say it’s impossible to imagine the game even after exhausting one’s intellect? Moreover, it’s beyond description through language alone,” the host continued courteously. “I withheld details because there is nothing to explain. All you need do is put on the headset and experience it firsthand.”

The four crew members exchanged glances.

However, the host wasn’t entirely wrong. Since they were already here, trying on the VR headsets wouldn’t take too much time. If it truly was false advertising, they also had channels within the company to demand compensation—then money wouldn’t solve their problem.

Reputation—especially reputation among the wealthy elite—was of utmost importance to a luxury cruise company.

“Then let’s try it,” James said dramatically with an exaggerated sigh. “But you’d better watch out for those irate Russians; if they’re not satisfied, Siberian tigers aren’t picky about their appetizers.”

“Lady, I’ll wait outside.” Seeing that everything was fine, the burly man bowed slightly toward Naruko and walked out of the room.

After everyone else had put on VRs, Zhou Zhi also placed his own over his eyes.

“I’m done, what next?”

No one replied, and silence enveloped them like a solid wall.

Wait, this device is a pair of glasses, not earbuds—how could it suddenly make the room so quiet? Something wasn’t right!

Zhou Zhi reached up to take off the VR headset but found himself grabbing only air. Aside from his own flesh-and-blood eyes, there was nothing else around him.

A blinding white light pierced his pupils, making him scream instinctively!

In the following second, his vision returned, and an endless expanse of ocean and sky unfolded before his eyes.

Zhou Zhi froze, stunned.

It wasn’t just him—the entire group was frozen in shock.

The luxurious suite on the Heart of the Ocean had vanished, replaced by a dilapidated wooden ship that wouldn’t survive even a wave two meters high.

“I-How did I become like this?!” someone suddenly cried out, “This isn’t my original body!”

“Who…are you?”

“Dammit, report your names immediately! I’m Joe James!”

“Asahara Naruko.”

“I’m Zhou Zhi.”

Everyone named themselves one by one, and only relaxed slightly after confirming they were all game participants.

“Fucking hell, what the fuck is this? Hey, Host, are you still there?” James looked around anxiously and asked, “Of course,” replied the mask-wearing man’s voice from the middle of the ship—unlike everyone else, his figure was translucent, as if he were merely an apparition. “Welcome to Paradise.”

“Beep Beep, is this some kind of technology? It feels so real!” The Russian man spat out a string of curses, seemingly unable to express his shock otherwise. He leaned down, over the railing, and reached a hand into the water for a scoop. “Damn! The temperature, the feel, everything I can sense is practically identical to reality!”

Chekhov scooped up a spoonful of water and drank it.

“Ugh—this is so salty! The taste alone is enough to kill me!”

In truth, there was no need for him to say this aloud; everyone could experience it themselves. They felt the slight warmth of sunlight on their skin, smelled the faintly briny scent of seawater carried by the breeze, and felt the rough friction beneath their bodies as they stood upon the wooden deck of the ship. From every angle, this exceeded anything VR could ever hope to achieve.

“How…is this possible?” James asked with suspicion. “Are we really still aboard the Heart of the Ocean?”

“If our side were to move your bodies without permission, that would undoubtedly be a grave violation against you all. You are VIP clients, so please rest assured that this will not happen. If any of you wish to exit the game, you may do so at any time,” the host answered leisurely, nodding. “As for this technology—it’s subject to restrictions set forth by its developers, so I’m afraid I cannot reveal much about it. However, I can tell you that it employs cutting-edge techniques in neural signal simulation, affecting more than just what you see. This is the first time such a project has been implemented within Paradise, and we hope everyone enjoys it.”

“I still can’t believe… all of this is virtual,” Zhou Zhi murmured to himself. He studied his reflection on the water; he was wearing a set of worn leather clothes right now, and though the body beneath them was thin, it had been well trained. The strength concealed within him could not have belonged to someone idle or lazy. “And I feel full of energy right now. Even if a shark came along, I could rip it apart.”

“Kid, save your boasting for later,” Chekhov teased. “Strength can be adjusted through settings, but courage cannot.”

“Hahahaha…”

“I don’t think he’s necessarily a coward.” Naruko didn’t join in with the laughter, instead extending her hand to point at the American standing at the bow of the ship—she too had changed her appearance, though she remained female. She no longer possessed those beautiful long black hair and refined facial features, looking more like a radish head crushed by poverty and hardship, yet her tone remained calm and steady.

Only then did everyone notice that Joe’s hands were trembling violently.

“Fucking hell, what are you all looking at?!” he cursed between gritted teeth. “I’m just a little excited, okay? Dammit…anyone got a smoke? I want a puff.”

The host lifted his hand, and in an instant, a cigarette appeared in his fingers.

“…Thank you.” James shook the cigarette between his lips before taking a deep drag. “So what’s next? This game isn’t just going to have us hanging out on the ship appreciating the view, is it?”

“Technically, Paradise does not restrict participants’ actions; everyone is free to do as they please,” the host said with a smile. “However, considering this will be your first time entering Paradise, I’ve added some guidance for you all. Please check beneath your feet—”

Zhou Zhi turned around, shivering immediately upon seeing the sight.

Beneath the shadows of the gunwale lay more than ten rusty weapons: scimitars, daggers, and longbows of various shapes and sizes. The sharp edges of these lethal instruments were stained with dark blood, clearly not meant for display purposes.

“Would you like to play pirate for a day?” the host asked, spreading his hands apart with a grin.