Tokyo: The Player Behind the Scenes

But he gritted his teeth, stared at the ceiling, and endured it for a minute or several minutes before slowly pulling himself out of that feeling of death.

"Hoo... So real," Iwasaki murmured.

"Eh? This is Goto. Is Mr. Iwasaki talking to me?" Goto's voice came from the device next to him.

"Don't mind it. As long as I didn't call your name, just pretend I was talking to myself," Iwasaki said, taking a deep breath.

Goto said "okay" a few times, then fell silent.

Iwasaki closed his mouth, but the corners of his mouth kept stretching out in a wide grin.

Although he experienced another brush with death, he also appreciated the beauty of being healthy, and for him, the latter was greater than the former.

The only question is how much lifespan is lost upon death in the game, which is quite important.

This determines whether death can be used for trial and error, and how many times trial and error can be tolerated.

But at least from his current perspective, he is not mentally impaired, so he shouldn't age ten years from a single death.

You played a game.

[The title of this game is "Subway"]

[Game Rewards Announcement:]

Entry reward: Red Paper Doll Amulet (Resists one instance of physical damage; can also be used in the game, please activate it beforehand (issued after achieving an ending))

Third place: Jian Ti Wan (strengthens the body, enhances immunity, and cures a few diseases (mostly ineffective))

Second place: Xiaoshoudan (extends life by ten years, but does not grant immunity to injuries and diseases (players only))

First Place: Rejuvenation Pill (Heals all diseases and injuries except for those involving soul damage or near-death experiences)

[Ranking List (Subway):]

1. Hao

2.Month

3. Wisdom

The content is concise and clear.

But it gripped Iwasaki's heart tightly.

His eyes were fixed on the description of the first-place prize.

Heal all diseases and disabilities!!!

He looked much more serious, closed his eyes to calm his turbulent emotions for a while, and then solemnly chose to start again and re-enter the game.

This time, he only brought his phone with him, still using the right-side door, and immediately discovered the security mechanism of the surveillance camera, prompting Higashiyama Shin, who was watching from the sidelines, to exclaim: "No wonder he's a talented player."

Because players lose lifespan upon death, they simply don't have the resources to risk their lives like Shin Higashiyama does.

Shin Higashiyama's state is like Superman trying to use his super brain.

Super Brain: Use your superpowers! Give your brain a break!

That's pretty much it.

Using death to try and fail is the fastest and most effective method.

"Ahhh, I'm so scared! Help! Help! Is this the way? Is this the way? Waaaaah! There's a monster here too! It looks as ugly as my pet chicken! Help! Cluck cluck cluck!"

Mouse platform.

A virtual paper doll wearing what appeared to be a rooster's comb hat let out a death scream during a game livestream, sounding like a rooster crowing, and immediately a large number of messages flooded the chat box.

【Chicken Moon Sauce (*▽*) Chicken Moon Sauce】

Ah, I just love seeing Chicken Moon flustered like that!

Does Chicken Moon Sauce really raise chickens at home?

Ah, is it dawn yet?

[Newbie here, why is Toritsuki-chan called Chicken Mooncake?]

[Chicken Moon Sauce's Screaming Service Renewal Successfully! Daily Crowding Package Now in Effect! (｀)σ]

[Newcomers please note! Chicken Moon Sauce belongs to the genus Gallus in the family Aves, and its scientific name is *Gnaphalium affine*!]

I almost left as soon as I entered... I thought I had stumbled into a chicken farm ASMR zone.

The chat box was very lively; it was clear that people with a perverse sense of humor enjoyed seeing girls panic and scream.

However, behind the internet cable, the virtual streamer Bird Moon/Chicken Moon, as people call her, is without makeup, with messy hair, one foot on a gaming chair, calmly making what looks like panicked cries, and then controlling her game character to run around randomly, attracting a bunch of monsters but somehow surviving.

No way, no way, can anyone really take a business persona seriously?

"Over here, I know, it must be over here—ah no, hehehe, why are there monsters everywhere!"

She has mastered the skill of multitasking during live streams. For example, she is currently working, but another part of her mind is already trying to figure out what the notification box next to her is all about.

Why didn't it disappear even after I clicked "accept"?

She treated it as a hallucination, since it's normal to experience eye strain from looking at screens too much.

She had seen even more outrageous hallucinations before, but those were all hallucinations she knew were hallucinations. This one, however, she couldn't quite figure out at first.

"Yeah!"

She deliberately ran into the most terrifying room, and then, just as the multi-headed monster turned around and pounced, she let out a sharp bang, instantly exited the main interface, and turned off the broadcast, all in one smooth motion.

Great, now we have both entertainment value and a chance to see what's going on.

She brushed her bangs aside, casually tied her hair up, revealing a naturally beautiful face. Then, she focused intently, her small face tense, taking off and putting on her frameless glasses repeatedly, only to find that the square frames remained.

[Settings before starting the game?]

"Oh no, could I really have a mental illness?" Uesugi Hitomi scratched her head. She did a quick search and saw that hallucinations are one of the symptoms of mental illness, and may also be a warning sign of mental illness risk. How scary.

She finally found a suitable job, but unexpectedly, she got sick after only two years. She didn't feel much pressure at all. All she did every day was play games and shout a few times. It was her dream job. She didn't have to wear makeup and wouldn't be accused of disrespect. Hooray!

"Sigh, let's see where this illusion can take me."

Thinking this, she clicked "yes".

Chapter 32: Three Players

"I'm a man now?!"

When Uesugi Hitomi, with the mindset of "whatever, let's see what new tricks the illusion can come up with," completed a series of settings and entered the game, she realized that she had underestimated the illusion.

What is this for me?

Is this still my rented apartment?

Can hallucinations be this real?

The slightly unsettling air, the cold aluminum alloy walls, the glaring LED lights, and the ever-receding scenery outside the window.

more importantly!

Her chest—was flat!

"It's so easy to be a man without any burdens. It's so nice to be a man."

Uesugi jumped while looking at the reflection in the car window, his hands sliding up and down the suit jacket on his chest without any movement, and he didn't feel like he was falling when he jumped up and down.

However, when she tried to take off her pants, she found that she couldn't, and she also lacked the ability to control her urination and defecation.

She had originally wanted to try what it would feel like to be hard, but now that wish has been dashed.

"Can't we take our clothes off? It seems this isn't a game with a high degree of freedom."

"But have I ridden this train before?"

[We are approaching Tsukiji Station. The exit is on the left. Passengers heading towards Tsukiji Market, please exit through the left door. Please take your valuables with you when you disembark.]

"Ah, the Hibiya Line."

Uesugi's expression gradually shifted from indifference to seriousness as he looked at the pair of men's hands he had extended, examining them closely.

It's filled with palm print details and realistic fingerprints. There's even a small scar on the index finger, and a fingernail can leave a cut when it scratches the skin: "This isn't an illusion. I really was chosen to join a game. Heh, interesting."

As a live streamer who wears a costume, she rarely chats with her fans; she usually plays games, mainly horror games.

She didn't find those horror games particularly scary. In her opinion, all horror games followed a similar formula: music and visuals created atmosphere, subtle noises served as foreplay, the face-jumping kill was the dessert, and the chase was the core.

As long as you have a clear understanding of the process and the map, and maintain a calm mindset—along with the ample room for maneuver left by the game designers—it's so easy!

But she soon realized that a costumed character calmly playing games wouldn't be appealing, so she added a character who panics in the face of trouble and is afraid of ghosts and the dark.

Sure enough, after that, the number of her videos increased dramatically, and her fan base grew rapidly. She was finally able to support herself by working as a live-action costumed character.

She is quite satisfied with her current life, but wouldn't mind adding more fun to it.

The train stopped, and the empty platforms on both sides seemed to exude a bright yet eerie atmosphere.

Uesugi stretched out his arms and took a deep breath, looking quite pleased with himself. Now, the horror game had come to life, which was at least a little more fun than a cold screen.

I looked at my belongings. My phone showed the month, but the year was blurry.

"March 15th." She tried adding a guessed year minus one to the beginning of the number, then entered her phone password. She tried twice, but both attempts failed.

Then she stopped trying, took the flowers, and got out of the car through the right-hand door.

In horror games, simply following the voice prompts to go left will definitely not end well. Look at the contrast between neatness and messiness; it's actually designed to provoke a rebellious mentality, guiding you to go right first. After dying a lot, you'll go left, and then die even more miserably, only to realize that you need to collect key items on the right before going to the left to solve the problem.

Otherwise, why would a game developer go to the trouble of building an extra scene? Do they have so much money they're just wasting it?

By applying game development thinking, Uesugi Hitomi actually stumbled upon the key point.

However, this is on the premise that it's not a game like Iwanna or Cat Mario, which are full of malicious layering.

Even someone as cautious and meticulous as her, who thought three steps ahead for every one step, still risked her life to figure out the function of the surveillance camera.

Back in reality, she straightened up in the gaming chair, clenched her fists, and after a long while, she opened her eyes, pale-faced.

She quickly skipped over the reward announcement after her first visit, not paying much attention to it.

Now she's more interested in completing the game than in the reward.

So he quickly opened his social media account and started editing a leave request notice.

[Torizuki was so scared she lost some feathers o(╥﹏╥)o So I'm taking three days off starting tomorrow to get my feathers groomed! (つ｀)つ——Your noisiest (scratch that) cutest Torizuki-chan]

(P.S.: See you in three days! If you don't come back on time, I'll be punished by turning into fried chicken nuggets and being eaten by you guys!)

Leave application complete!

Uesugi Hitomi roused herself and began searching for information on the computer based on the simple data she had obtained from the game.

Shinichi Higashiyama witnessed the two players' gameplay firsthand and was quite satisfied with them so far. These two players truly deserved their high score of 80. Playing puzzle games was like drinking water for them; they could quickly grasp the key points and did not show much fear. Even the near-death experience did not scare them into stopping.

Now, only one player remains.

Chira Nobi.

He was the one who accepted it the fastest of the three.

Perhaps it's because he hasn't outgrown the age of daydreaming.

However, at the same time, the game completely hit his weaknesses.

Terrifying. So terrifying.

Even though he had adjusted his breathing countless times and encouraged himself countless times, he still hesitated in the carriage for half an hour.

"I can do it! I can do it! The brave fear no dungeon, heroes never die at the hands of the demon king! Monsters and demons, leave! Monsters and demons, leave!"

Finally, after the twentieth self-suggestion, he picked up his briefcase and flowers, and following the prompts, got off the train through the left-hand door.

thump.

"Whoa!! The door is closed."

Nobita had a bad feeling.

But at this moment, he had no way out.

We can only try to look around to see if we can find any clues.

“The style of the platform is not from the Reiwa or Tenjin era; it’s probably from the Heisei or even Showa era. I need to know what events happened at Tsukiji Station during that time. And what does March 15th represent?”