Chapter 1069: Open Beta Strikes!

Chapter 1069: The Shockwave of Open Beta!

Perhaps startled by that starship of monumental architecture, the masses—still exulting over the successful ignition of controllable nuclear fusion—finally recalled the terror once wrought upon them by "The X Fortress," snapped out of their fervor, and returned to their senses.

The reason was singular.

The gulf was simply too vast!

Even the foremost physicists on Earth could offer no rational explanation for the power source or propulsion method utilized by that vessel; they could only infer, through fractured clues left within the "game," that it likely employed some manner of anti-gravity technology.

As for how this was actually achieved, no one could provide a coherent theory.

And this meant that, from the very bedrock of its fundamental logic, the scientific achievements of human civilization lagged behind their counterparts by no small margin...

The academic community clashed fiercely, arguing from the four fundamental forces all the way to the conservation of energy, and from Minkowski spacetime theory to the ten-dimensional strings of superstring theory and the additional strings of M-theory.

Though no physicist committed suicide over the notion that "physics no longer exists," the debates regarding this new frontier of physics certainly caused many to lose the few remaining hairs on their heads.

Some physicists proposed that perhaps a unique particle existed in a dimension invisible to human eyes.

This particle would obey not only the laws of three-dimensional space but also the laws of other dimensions beyond human comprehension, thereby allowing mankind to use it to indirectly interfere with gravitational fields situated in higher dimensions.

Others posited that perhaps the gravitational field itself was a particle of a higher dimension.

To the extent that humanity, and indeed everything humans could behold, were merely projections of this particle onto a three-dimensional surface.

Though these conjectures were flawed, riddled with assumptions out of whole cloth that could neither be proven nor disproven by current human technological means, they nonetheless represented a step forward in a certain sense.

Even if this blind groping in the dark remained a world away from the "cosmic membrane" existing upon the eleventh dimension...

The controversy did not halt within academic circles; it reverberated with equal magnitude across public discourse.

Confronted with the overwhelming technological superiority of a higher civilization and the limited goodwill it had already displayed, the "Adventists" gradually emerged as the mainstream voice in public opinion.

After all, to expect humanity to rid itself of the inherent flaws of human nature and achieve widespread equality on its own was simply too difficult.

If what the higher civilization injected into human civilization was merely advanced productivity, devoid of a distribution method to match it, then no matter how advanced the technology, the ultimate result would be nothing more than a cage used to fortify the old order.

Since they were going to help, they might as well do it thoroughly; it would be better for everyone to realize a galaxy-wide prosperity together. And compared to liberating others, being liberated was itself a form of salvation.

The representative figures of the Adventists who supported this argument were too numerous to count, consisting chiefly of radicals from the industrial and academic sectors.

Naturally, a considerable number of Darwinians still vividly painted the perils lurking within, arguing that a peace of mere appearances was nothing but a sugar-coated bullet hiding swords, and that invasion from the higher civilization would follow shortly.

They called themselves the Decisive Battlers.

Their representative figures were the conservative factions within the establishment, led primarily by Fick, a former CIA agent and the current head of a certain temporary civilian group.

Whichever voice it was, neither represented absolute truth; they were merely viewpoints scattered across the ideological spectrum.

Two diametrically opposed voices, while keeping each other in check, were also driving each other forward.

Yet apart from these two mainstream voices, a few fringe perspectives surfaced as well.

The "Virtual Game" theory was one such example.

Faced with a starship that far exceeded anything human science and technology could fathom, a segment of opinion leaders proposed that the universe "we" inhabited was actually just a virtual playground for a higher civilization, where everyone's destiny was set from the moment of birth.

For the higher civilization acting as Game Masters, they could alter the rules of the game at will, or even ignore them entirely... Therefore, whether cooperating with them or resisting them, it was all an exercise in futility.

Much like The Matrix.

Those who supported this theory were not few in number, and it had even subtly evolved into a rising cyber-religion.

Beyond that, there were those who viewed the "higher civilization" as the Creator, a divine faction believing that "Wasteland OL" was a specific future of human civilization foreseen by the Architect.

Yet no matter the viewpoint, one thing remained beyond all doubt—

The nerves of the entire globe were being pulled by that vessel journeying toward Mars...

...

A certain research base in Eastern China.

Inside the hollow command room, the air conditioning blasted at full strength, yet it could not dispel the restless heat rising above the heads of the crowd.

Operators clad in work uniforms sat meticulously before their terminals, busily aggregating data sent back from astronomical observation stations deployed across the country.

Yet once that information was analyzed, processed, and compiled, all that appeared on the command room's massive screen was a single, blinking green dot of light, flanked by a few blurry photographs listed beside it.

Standing before the great screen, an old professor of about fifty years wrinkled his brow, muttering under his breath.

"...Too bizarre. Our radar cannot capture it at all; even the radio telescopes cannot see it. The only thing capable of catching its trail is the optical telescope... But its speed is too fast, our zoom velocity cannot keep up with it whatsoever. The moment it switches orbits, we have to recalculate its position all over again."

Standing beside the old professor, a man with a square-jawed face also knit his brows tightly.

It was one thing to fail to detect it during the takeoff phase; after all, they had deployed no radar in the middle of the Pacific, and satellites could not remain locked onto a strategically worthless no-man's-land every second of the day.

However, now that this starship had already flown beyond synchronous orbit, their radar still could not lock onto it... This was somewhat inconceivable.

With the complete failure of radio detection technology, optical telescopes had instead become the most effective means of observation.

"Is this the technological generational gap..."

Hearing the voice of the square-faced man beside him, the old professor let out a bitter laugh and shook his head.

"I'm afraid it's not a matter of a technological gap... That might well be a technology we do not understand at all."

"Like a deflector shield?"

Hearing this name he had never encountered before, the old professor froze for a moment, frowning as he asked.

"...What is that?"

The square-faced man smiled apologetically and said.

"Nothing... Just a setting in the game."

The old professor: "..."

Though mentioning a game on such an occasion did indeed seem improper, they had no choice; it was currently the closest clue to the truth they possessed.

According to Professor Yan Feng, the anti-stealth technology adopted by that starship was highly likely related to some kind of anti-stealth coating that had appeared in the game, and should have nothing to do with a deflector shield.

Of course.

Considering that the ship was equipped with an anti-gravity device, installing a deflector shield as well did not seem like a major stretch.

Just as everyone was lost in thought, an operator sitting before a terminal suddenly let out a cry of pleasant surprise.

"There is new word! That starship has broadcasted a radio message to Earth!"

Upon hearing this, the chief of the investigative agency, who had stood with arms crossed in silence, snapped his head up, walked briskly to the terminal, and pressed his face close to the screen to ask.

"What does it say?"

The staff member clattered away on the terminal's keyboard, and soon said with a tense expression.

"After decoding that message, there seems to be only a single symbol... Translated, it appears to be α?"

"Alpha..." The chief of the investigative agency froze, his expression shifting slightly as he spoke, "Only this symbol? Is there no other information?"

"...No." The operator shook his head with a strained expression, "It likewise did not answer our communications... Within the three seconds of the continuous broadcast, there was only this single symbol."

This time, he spoke with absolute certainty.

Because just moments ago, other observation stations had successively reported their findings, and what they observed was the exact same message.

Including their international partners.

"Alpha..." The director rubbed his chin with his index finger, his expression heavy, chewing over the word repeatedly.

Standing nearby, the old professor from the aerospace field pondered for a long time, then suddenly looked up and spoke in an uncertain tone.

"Could this be their name? Or rather, a name they gave themselves using symbols we understand?"

"That possibility can't be ruled out," the director said gravely. "What bothers me is why this particular symbol... Could there be some deeper meaning behind it?"

The people in the command room exchanged glances, sharing the looks on their faces.

They had too little information.

Relying on a single symbol, it was hard to extract anything useful.

But just then, the square-jawed man, who had been deep in thought for a long time, suddenly spoke up.

"It just occurred to me that the early version number of *Wasteland OL* was Alpha... Later it changed to Beta."

"Alpha, Beta..."

"I'm wondering if what they mean is... they are Alpha, and we are Beta?"

Though it seemed a bit far-fetched, he voiced his speculation.

Murmurs spread around.

Several officials from the capital turned their gazes toward him.

"What do you mean..."

"Can you elaborate?"

Facing those eyes fixed on him, the square-jawed man thought for a moment before continuing.

"It's just my guess."

"Maybe they're saying they are our future, and also our pioneers. We are their past, but also their continuation?"

"Past and continuation..." The director mulled over the phrase, frowning. "How is that possible?"

It sounded like the civilization calling itself Alpha was both their past and their future?

"I don't know," the square-jawed man admitted, shaking his head. "Maybe parallel universes? Or multiverses? Or both... And some universes were born earlier than ours."

"As for the specifics, I'm not sure... Besides, I'm no expert in that field, so this theory is just for reference."

"That does sound pretty far-fetched..." The old professor from aerospace said with a wry smile. "Parallel universes of us—I wonder why they contacted us? What do they want from us?"

After a long silence, the director didn't agree with the professor but said thoughtfully, "Though it sounds far-fetched, it would explain their inexplicable goodwill toward us."

The square-jawed man shook his head.

"I don't think it's necessarily inexplicable."

The director looked at him.

"How so?"

Seeing all eyes on him, the square-jawed man thought for a moment and said, "Maybe they contacted us to solve some problem of their own, and they've likely already achieved that goal... That's why we saw that spaceship."

The director's expression grew serious.

"Showing their hand?"

"Yes," the square-jawed man nodded slightly, his gaze shifting to the screen ahead. "They no longer need anything from us, so they've stopped hiding their tracks... But I think laying all cards on the table isn't necessarily a bad thing."

"At least from now on, we won't have to suspect each other. We can communicate on a more equal footing."

"Probably."

...

Though his "probably" lacked conviction, events unfolded unexpectedly as the square-jawed man had predicted, bringing unprecedented change.

Shortly after the unidentified spaceship reached Mars orbit, an organization called "Vault-Tec" suddenly appeared at the center of public attention.

The man was named Yuan Li, claiming to be the CEO of Vault-Tec, the director of Vault 404-β, and the Alliance's ambassador to the β universe.

In a pinned video on the *Wasteland OL* official forum, he announced in clear, articulate tones:

"We are not aliens."

"We are another version of you."

"You can call us the pioneers, the Alpha civilization... or our compatriots from the Alpha universe."

In the video, Dr. Yuan Li briefly described the theory of eleven-dimensional cosmic membranes and the soap bubble theory.

These theories were originally the work of "Professor," but since the Professor was no longer around, Yuan Li had to explain the theoretical basis for their connection on his behalf.

Of course.

He did not reveal details about morphic fields or other technical specifics in the video.

From their perspective as those who had come before, they would continue to offer appropriate guidance and inspiration to their compatriots in the β universe, as they always had, but they would not force-feed knowledge that the latter did not yet possess.

Hastening growth would benefit neither side.

What the people of the α universe might miss was merely a "+3 to Sociology" opportunity, but the people of the β universe would lose their potential for self-development and the tools and methods that might arise from exploring the unknown.

If they faced the same predicament, the α universe's experience could help the β universe breeze through it.

But if the β universe encountered a dilemma in the future that the α universe had never faced, that dilemma could become an insurmountable obstacle.

After all, according to the Observer, conditions might differ between universes.

Take the β universe and the α universe as examples. The human civilizations in both might have experienced similar or even identical histories, but beyond the horizon, they could still encounter entirely different situations.

For instance, the pioneer civilization that the α universe's humans encountered at Alpha Centauri would likely be encountered by the β universe's humans as well.

Including Tau Ceti.

The pioneer civilization, which left a remnant soul at Alpha Centauri, had once declared information about the ruins at Tau Ceti, so for both universes' humans, that place strictly fell within the "horizon."

But for places farther than Tau Ceti, it might not be the case.

That would be a completely new arrangement.

Perhaps the humans of the α universe found nothing in a star system 100 light-years away, while the humans of the β universe were lucky enough to discover another pioneer civilization's ruins there, opening a new path... All of this was entirely possible.

"We are different from each other—in our faces, our names, and the maps beneath our feet."

"Yet we are the same—because what you have encountered, we have also encountered. And what we have experienced, you are now experiencing."

"We have embraced an inseparable destiny, and from now on, we will move forward together in the void. We thank you for the help you once gave us... and we hope our history can offer you some inspiration, to avoid tragedies that may come."

"If tragedy cannot be avoided, do not lose heart."

"When that time comes, we will come to save you!"

"Just as you once saved us."

Whether the people of the β universe could digest this vast amount of information or not, Dr. Yuan Li methodically revealed the truths that "he and Chu Guang agreed needed to be made public."

Not only that.

Dr. Principle, under the name of "Vault-Tec," issued a global open tender for the regional agents of the *Wasteland OL* open beta server and the suppliers of true full-dive helmets.

Though this fully immersive virtual reality technology is equally epoch-making for the civilization of β-universe humanity, it is not quite as exaggerated as the "morphogenetic field" technology—it can still be achieved without carbon nanotube circuit boards.

It might just cost a little more.

As a mirror of the early version of the closed beta server, the open beta server will operate as a true fully immersive "MMORPG." All game data will be stored in local data centers across Earth in the β-universe, and the game will begin from "Wasteland Era 211," allowing players to participate in the grand epic of the α-universe.

Open beta players will start from the bitter winter before the "Bone-Chewing Rebellion," retracing the paths they once watched from afar, with more exaggerated attribute panels and skill trees, battling stronger mutants, raiders, and super mutants.

At the same time, all NPCs in the open beta server, including administrators, will be played by AI provided by the Ideal City, and some plot-critical NPCs will have the same resurrection ability as players—unless they are special characters killed off by story progression.

Simply put, the open beta server is like an all-ages nostalgic version of the closed beta server.

The exaggerated skills and attribute panels will dilute some overly heavy content—for example, being caught by raiders or mutants won't land you in a boiling oil pot; instead, your screen will go black and you'll resurrect directly.

The strict rules of the closed beta server will also no longer exist in the open beta server. For instance, malicious PK behavior won't result in an immediate kick; instead, players will be marked with a red name like in other MMORPGs, and only after being killed by other players or safe-zone NPCs will penalties be triggered... thus becoming part of the gameplay loop.

Theoretically, open beta players can even choose to play as raiders, no longer bound to the order faction.

Additionally, the resurrection cooldown in the open beta server will be removed.

Not only that, compared to the already dulled pain sensation in the closed beta server, the open beta server will further reduce pain and introduce a "painless, scarless, no-damage, clothing-destruction-free, harmonious version" to prevent whining from immature players who "can't handle what they asked for."

After all, since it's already a virtual game, making it too realistic is somewhat unnecessary.

Players in the open beta server can still build relationships with AI-played NPCs, give gifts to accumulate affinity, develop bonds as brothers or sisters, or even spark romance... though the explicit parts will be edited by regional agents according to local laws.

Although Vault-Tec is not an institution registered in the β-universe, it will still comply with local laws.

As for the closed beta server, everything remains as before.

Players can still continue playing with the mindset of a game or an immersive dream, exploring unforeseen futures alongside the "NPCs," providing expansion data for the open beta server, or even becoming bosses in the open beta server... as long as they follow the rules.

After all, no material exchange occurs between the α-universe and the β-universe—only consciousness can be transmitted. Treating it all as a dream is perfectly logical.

For those players who can no longer treat the game as just a game, they can now shed any psychological burden, confess their origins to friends in the new era, and even invite them to visit their own world in the future.

The *Player Handbook* will remove the confidentiality clauses regarding "game" content and add explanations about the α- and β-universes, along with some declassified materials from Project 404.

How to view everything in the β-universe will be up to the players themselves!

*Wasteland OL* has promised not to delete save files, and it will continue to operate as always.

Even the closed beta qualifications will continue to be distributed at the original pace to players who have already registered, or to those who perform exceptionally in the open beta server... roughly one to two hundred accounts per day.

Even if it's not an online game at all, but another real universe!

Moreover, if any closed beta player wants to experience the nostalgic open beta server, it's easy—just buy the paid version of the game helmet from the regional agent.

The data between closed beta and open beta accounts will not be shared, and there will be significant differences in various in-game settings.

However, as a reward for closed beta players, when they register an open beta character, they will receive a special medal and skin reward from the system.

As for more specific details, players will discover them on their own after the open beta server goes live.

The moment Dr. Principle's video was released, the *Wasteland OL* forum exploded.

Not only that, but the entire world was in an uproar!

The behind-the-scenes operator of *Wasteland OL* turned out not to be aliens, but another group of humans from the future?!

At that moment, both the "Arrival Faction" and the "Final Battle Faction" were left awkwardly stuck by their previous conclusions.

So the higher civilization was actually ourselves...

How rash!