The male supporting character was actually myself.

After all, while the dragons that always attack suddenly are difficult to deal with, they can still be instantly killed if there are enough archers who can deal strong damage at the same time.

My addition of Jingzhe was merely icing on the cake, simply to shorten their completion time.

"Don't panic, take your time, we have plenty of time." Jiang Chen helped her reattach the safety rope, patted her shoulder to signal her to follow behind him, and then picked up his long knife and began climbing.

As time went by, the team's cooperation became more and more seamless.

The archers cleared out the monsters within range, leaving the hidden monsters that were difficult to spot to be dealt with by the little white cat; the elves, led by Wushuang Zhinan, nimbly moved along the cliff face, rivet-making; Jiang Chen protected Lin Ruochu all the way; her parrot Jixiang circled in the safe area at all times to give warnings, and whenever a mini-boss appeared, it would be hit on the head by Jingzhe, and the other archers would gather to shoot it to death in mid-air.

Aside from the mini-boss that appears too briefly and is too difficult at the very beginning of the canyon, the deeper you go into the canyon, the easier the team battles become, provided you have enough people to calmly dodge the detonating mechanisms; otherwise, a slight mistake can lead to failure.

Finally, the long canyon was nearing its end, but instead of letting out a sigh of relief, everyone was on tenterhooks.

Is clearing Treasure Island really that easy?

With Jingzhe's help, we were able to kill the first mini-boss in the shortest amount of time. The rest of the journey was difficult, but we didn't see a single slightly larger boss. I had a feeling that things weren't going well.

"Everyone be careful, there are definitely more big guys out there." Jiang Chen tried hard to recall if there was any content about clearing the Hero's Canyon in the original plot, but the script seemed to only focus on how the male and female protagonists fell in love with each other in the midst of danger, without mentioning the level settings at all.

He had a feeling that either there was an ambush at the door or there would be a fierce battle after pushing open the door. Otherwise, passing the level so easily would be a bit too easy compared to the famous top ten unsolved mysteries.

"Boom!"

As soon as he finished speaking, while everyone was on high alert, a rumbling sound suddenly came from beneath their feet, followed by the ground shaking. Lin Ruochu almost fell because she lost her balance, but Jiang Chen quickly grabbed her and pulled her behind him to protect her. "Back to the rock wall, quick!"

The team consists entirely of seasoned gaming experts who immediately formed a battle formation upon noticing the situation was amiss.

With agile movements, Wushuang Zhinan took a few steps back, her long robes fluttering as she lightly leaped onto the cliff face. She reached out to pull her teammates, shouting, "Come on up! A big guy is about to emerge!"

The earth rumbled and shook so much that rocks fell down into the canyon, quickly sealing off the exit. This blocked the view of the players watching from the outside, leaving them with no idea what was happening inside.

The undercover agent at G Technology Company hurriedly reported the situation and then anxiously tiptoed to peek inside.

"Is this to prevent our base from being raided?" Jiang Chen pressed himself against the cliff face, protecting Lin Ruochu with one hand to prevent her from losing her grip and falling off. He said calmly, "After the canyon exit collapsed, all the detonation mechanisms on our side became useless. Anyone outside who wants to rush in and grab the BOSS will have to go through all of this again. It's a very fair design."

Lin Ruochu's heart pounded in shock. Hearing him say that, she suddenly realized the problem—the rules of Brave Canyon were different from those of other games in the virtual world, and it had always tried its best to ensure fairness.

Even ordinary players have a chance to clear the game, instead of being directly crushed by M, G Technology, or other powerful teams. Once they pass through the canyon, they will be temporarily protected, unlike the competitive mechanisms on some islands outside where everything depends on fighting for resources.

The canyon is relatively fair; outside the canyon, it's a dog-eat-dog world.

The two designs have significantly different philosophies.

Before she could think any further, a wide, deep crevice appeared between the canyon and the door amidst the massive earthquake.

"Hi~"

A deafening hiss rang out, and a bunch of snakes crawled out of the crack in the ground!

To be precise, it was a cluster of snakes, all sharing the same large body but extending out dozens of tall, upright snake heads, completely filling the narrow passage.

"I'm Cio!"

"Fire! Fire now!"

……

Everything happened in the blink of an eye. From the moment everyone noticed the ground shaking and returned to the cliff face to the appearance of the big boss, the entire process took only a dozen seconds. Some teammates who were a little slower even saw the giant snake head flicking its tongue and lunging at them as soon as they had climbed up the rock face and stood firm.

"Rat-a-tat-tat!" Jiang Chen was the only one who arrived at the checkpoint terminal with a gun. Upon seeing this, he did not hesitate to fire a burst of bullets at the snake head that was threatening his teammates.

The big boss isn't invincible; it's just that the health bar it has makes people feel hopeless.

They arrived at the destination cautiously and with trepidation. No one had much ammunition stored up; even Jingzhe didn't have many crossbow bolts left.

"Don't panic, host! Watch my invincible cat claws help you clear the level!" The little white cat ran on the cliff face on all four legs. When it got close to the big BOSS, it scratched and threw out a row of bombs.

"Boom boom boom!"

The series of explosions made the entire canyon tremble.

Those waiting on the perimeter for the recording were getting impatient after their view was blocked, when suddenly they saw huge, terrifying snake heads emerge and begin to attack with an oppressive aura, making the onlookers hold their breath.

Then came the sounds of gunfire and explosions, leaving ordinary players speechless. "No wonder M Technology Company is so rich! They've already fought all the way to the other side of the canyon, and they still have so much firepower. Solving the top ten unsolved mysteries is something we can't afford to do!"

"Don't you find it strange? Perfect World was clearly designed and developed by M Technology Company itself, and they were also responsible for creating the unsolved mysteries. In the end, a group of professional players from M Technology Company are trying to solve the unsolved mysteries. Isn't this just playing against ourselves?"

"Internal strife between big companies, who knows what's really going on? Anyway, we're not expecting to just watch the show..."

……

The discussion outside was lively, but the fighting inside was even more intense.

Everyone was running low on supplies. The archers rained down arrows, but could only stop the attacks of some big bosses, having little effect on their terrifyingly long health bars.

"Get ready, jump with me!" After firing a burst of bullets, Jiang Chen stopped attacking. He was seriously thinking about the extremely illogical parts of the original plot. Even if the male and female characters had dazzling auras that allowed them to get through the Valley of Heroes by sheer luck, given the level of danger, the remaining bullets and crossbow bolts would definitely not be as many as his team.

How did they manage to get past the boss that they couldn't even scratch?

Since the male and female protagonists were able to successfully complete the game when they were at their wits' end, it means that the terrifying-looking serpent was probably just a decoy. Otherwise, even if an entire army were to be airdropped, it would be difficult to kill it completely within half an hour.

Having completed all ninety-nine bows, with only the final tremor remaining, Jiang Chen decided to take the risk and give it a try!

"Stop! Everyone back off!" Jiang Chen gave the order, drew his long sword from his waist, and pulled Lin Ruochu through the gap in the snake's head.

The group stopped attacking and retreated to a safe position to watch from a distance.

"Should we rush over?" Lin Ruochu was a little flustered. It was impossible not to be afraid when faced with a giant snake head that was the size of a truck cab and extremely realistic. But since OGN had suddenly decided to jump, she could only suppress her fear and risk her life to accompany him.

At worst, we'll die, devise a plan, and start all over again!

With a death wish, Lin Ruochu's right hand was tightly gripped by Jiang Chen's left hand, and the two rushed in unison toward the big BOSS that was flicking its tongue and attacking in all directions.

Clang!

Jiang Chen stabbed a snake in the head with his long knife. He felt a jolt in his right hand and was then pulled up by the snake's head, which thrashed backward in pain. Lin Ruochu jumped up to relieve the burden.

Two figures, appearing tiny against the backdrop of the enormous snake head, were thrown into the air. Their clothes fluttered as they were flung away by the snake head. Jiang Chen controlled the direction and jumped towards the ancient gate, releasing his long sword to protect Lin Ruochu as she fell to the ground.

"thump!"

Surprisingly, she didn't feel much pain when she fell to the ground. Lin Ruochu blushed as she got up from OGN and looked back, immediately realizing, "So the big boss wasn't meant for us to fight after all. This design is too ingenious!"

“Yes, look, even the sandpit is ready.” Jiang Chen stood up, dusted himself off, and laughed. “According to conventional thinking, when players see a BOSS that looks terrifying and fierce and takes the initiative to attack, their first reaction is to attack. But the countdown is not enough, and after passing through the canyon, the ammo reserves are not that many, so there must be other solutions.”

"By bravely taking the plunge and facing the challenge head-on, the problem was solved." Lin Ruochu looked at him with great admiration. To be able to quickly figure things out and make a decisive attempt in a critical moment, the person who manipulated the virtual player origin must be an extremely capable individual.

He possesses skill, keen judgment, and strong leadership; what is he really like in real life?

Feeling a strange mix of admiration and curiosity towards him, Lin Ruochu's gaze softened as she looked at him.

"Let's go, let's see what's behind the gate!" Jiang Chen gestured for the two of them to push the gate open from the left and right. She hurriedly stepped forward and placed her hands on the heavy, ancient gate with its exquisite carvings.

"squeak~"

It was as if a secret sealed for many years had been unlocked, and a unique aura of time frozen in place rushed towards us.

From afar, the onlookers and their teammates, blocked by the menacing boss, only saw the gate open a crack, with colorful light spilling out from the gap before the gate closed and returned to its original state.

The ground shook for a moment, and the big boss snake head retreated and disappeared. The door also disappeared completely, leaving only a realistic cliff.

"Meow? Was I teleported somewhere else?" The little white cat tilted its head, looking completely bewildered.

Equally bewildered was the parrot Jixiang. It never expected that its owner would disappear without summoning it back. It could only flap its wings and mutter softly, "You old fool, back off, back off!"

The fluffy ball glanced at it and shook its head helplessly. "Such a nice little girl, why did she raise such a silly bird?"

The two stepped into a bright light, and the light gradually dimmed as the door behind them closed. A few seconds later, a small room appeared before them.

It was decorated very warmly, like a young girl's bedroom.

Pink flowers and a pile of plush toys were placed next to the pink princess bed. On the table, a ballerina twirled slowly to the soft music in a music box, and the flames in the fireplace crackled softly.

In the corner of the room stood a statue whose body was wrapped in wings. As the light faded, its wings slowly opened to reveal a beautiful face. Then, an angel stepped forward with light steps and smiled gently at the two of them. "Congratulations on crossing the Valley of Heroes and arriving at my secret base. I have six keys here, but each of you can only take one."

As she spoke, she presented six identical, exquisite keys with both hands, which glittered brightly.

Jiang Chen and Lin Ruochu stepped forward and each took one.

The other keys disappeared, and the angel looked at them with a gentle smile, saying, "Besides the keys, I can also give you a reward for completing the game. Each of you can ask any question, and I will answer it."

The two exchanged a glance, and Jiang Chen asked first, "What exactly is the core secret of 'Perfect World'?"

“Child, you will know the answer.” The angel smiled gently and shook his head, “But not now. You will know the final answer when you become the first player to obtain all ten keys.”

He dismissed one question, smiled, and stepped back.

Lin Ruochu's heart pounded with excitement the moment she stepped into the room. Fighting back tears, she asked the angel with the familiar voice, "Do you know where Dr. Ye Zhaoqiu is?"

Chapter Twenty-Two Hidden Plot

Sure enough, Lin Ruochu's falling out with G Technology Company was because of that genius doctor.

But what exactly is their relationship?

Jiang Chen waited quietly to hear the hidden plot.

Despite being an AI virtual avatar, the angel's face instantly softened with a gentle expression as she stepped forward, stroking the girl's face softly, and said, "So it really is you. Poor child, you don't need to look anymore, Dr. Ye Zhaoqiu has passed away."

I'm sorry, I don't know the flow of time outside, so I can't provide you with a clearer time reference. I can only tell you that it was many years ago.

Ye Zhaoqiu came from a wealthy family and showed a talent for programming from a young age. She was a like-minded friend of Ji Linyan, the chairman of G Technology Company, and Jiang You, the chairman of M Technology Company.

The three made a pact to create an all-powerful AI that would transform the devastated world after the disaster, allowing the survivors to live a prosperous and happy life.

With such wishes and dreams, the three often gathered together to discuss the design concept of this AI core. However, after high school, the young people's ideas changed again.

Jiang Youxian left the team because he believed that unrealistic ideas without practice are ultimately castles in the air. To apply virtual technology to reality, he first needed to find a suitable way. So he changed his major in college and eventually founded M Technology Company, focusing his main efforts on developing virtual games.

In comparison, Ye Zhaoqiu was closer to Ji Linyan. However, when Ye Zhaoqiu chose to pursue further studies, Ji Linyan went to the research institute that was the predecessor of G Technology Company for an internship. Many years later, he became the head of the company and merged all the companies under his control to eventually become G Technology Company.

Given their different areas of expertise, G Technology Company leans towards AI technologies used in real-world industries such as planting, animal husbandry, and processing. However, Ji Linyan hasn't given up on his dream; at least, that's what he said when he recruited Ye Zhaoqiu.

Recalling the past, a hint of sadness appeared on the angel's beautifully sculpted face.

She lowered her head slightly like a real human being, her delicate expression completely surpassing the original simulation state of "Perfect World".

A thought suddenly flashed through Jiang Chen's mind: Could the so-called core secret be Dr. Ye Zhaoqiu's consciousness? Her body died, but her consciousness was successfully uploaded as a digital life form, hidden at the end of the ten unsolved mysteries, waiting for someone to receive it and become the successor to continue her last wishes?

The thought that this virtual angel in front of him might possess a real human consciousness filled him with a faint sense of pity as he looked at the angel.

Playing games is one thing, but being trapped in a game where you're neither thirsty nor hungry, can't feel hot or cold, and can't even commit suicide is a terrifying thing to think about.

“You’re a smart kid.” The angel noticed the change in Jiang Chen’s eyes and emotions, and gave a forced smile as she said softly, “Actually, as data, I can modify my appearance to a certain extent and even blend in with the players to feel ‘alive’ again, but I still don’t recommend that you develop in this direction.”

She turned to look at Lin Ruochu, who was trying to hold back her tears, and continued the previous topic, "Ye Zhaoqiu is determined to create the virtual AI core technology that he dreams of, which can serve all mankind, so that people have enough goals to strive for in the combination of virtual and reality, and can get rewards from the virtual world to transform a messy world."