The life mentor Yuri was perplexed as to why his disciple was contemplating love.
However, he understood that without reproduction, the human race could not continue. Love was simply a way for humans to choose their other half for the sake of survival.
"Uh... I…"
Shirogane Miyuki hesitated. He was unsure of what to say.
Seeing that his psyker hadn't yet made landfall in the United States, Yuri spoke slowly. "My dear Proselyte, we have plenty of time. Tell me all your concerns and I will address them."
Despite it being their first meeting and just a game, Yuri's demeanor compelled Shirogane to speak.
He confessed that he had fallen for a girl from an aristocratic school—a girl who was the daughter of a powerful Japanese conglomerate, one that controlled the lifeblood of the entire country.
After listening to Shirogane, Yuri nodded, understanding the situation. "I see. You believe you're unworthy of her, correct? Such a humble thought."
"Ah…"
Shirogane opened his mouth but said nothing.
"I never expected my most accomplished disciple to fall in love. This is a good thing. Only by understanding emotions can we truly harness them. Before we begin our battle, I will teach you the art of 'falling in love.'"
Shirogane then immersed himself in Yuri's "How to Fall in Love" tutorial.
Meanwhile, Kisara whispered to Liu Yuan. "Boss, don't you think something is off? Is this really love?"
Liu Yuan stroked his chin thoughtfully. "There's nothing wrong with his advice! Love is free, but to actually be together, there needs to be some compatibility. Judging by his situation, he must have fallen for a rich family's daughter. If he gains some unique skills now, he might just succeed. At worst, he could marry into her family."
"But Boss, would you marry into someone's family?" Kisara asked.
"To be honest, I'm a fan of living off with someone else," Liu Yuan replied.
Kisara couldn't help but applaud. "You truly are the boss, speaking about mooching off someone with such confidence."
On the other hand, Yuri's words made Shirogane's head spin.
If the girl's family opposed it, Yuri suggested controlling them or using economic warfare to diminish their power. Or even employing the U.S. military in Japan to execute a strategy. The options were numerous, and Shirogane trembled as he listened.
"Oh, my dear disciple, love can blind you. Before conquering the person you desire, conquer this country first."
With that, Shirogane Miyuki began controlling the psyker in the Epsilon storyline of Mental Omega.
Liu Yuan often recommended Epsilon to newcomers playing this version of Red Alert.
Why? Because Yuri guides the player from start to finish, with all technology unlocked and subordinates who are absolutely loyal. The only downside was a somewhat lacking logistics system.
Even if one didn't intend to advance the storyline and just wanted to learn something, Epsilon was still ideal. By restarting the first section of the plot endlessly, Yuri can teach you various things personally. Although each session was brief, it could be repeated many times.
In contrast, the Allied storyline had the super commander cooperating with teammates. Riku once openly stated that if given full control, he could eliminate all enemies within the twelve-part plot. Unfortunately, due to weak teammates and unreliable intelligence, every battle ended in significant errors.
In response, Epsilon players noted that while Allied intelligence didn't betray them, Epsilon's interference never led to such outrageous mistakes.
While all the guests were playing happily, the system suddenly contacted Liu Yuan.
[Boss~ We've recently acquired a new game template. Do you want to try it out?]
"What game?"
[Lobotomy Corporation]
"Pfft!"
It was a good thing Liu Yuan wasn't drinking water; otherwise, he would have sprayed it everywhere upon hearing the name.
"What game?"
[Lobotomy Corporation. The game is now ready for internal testing.]
"Is it dangerous?"
[Not dangerous at all.]
"Then that's fine."
Liu Yuan was worried that testing a new system game might traumatize customers, which would go against the principles of his Internet cafe. But then he pondered, "Does our Internet cafe even gain something with it?"
At that moment, another thought occurred to him.
"What are the benefits of testing? I could use that to promote it."
[The game is free, and the internet fees will be reimbursed during the test.]
"You won't be using my money to reimburse, right?"
[I'll cover it.]
"That's fine, then."
However, Liu Yuan had another question.
"Why does this game need testing?"
[This game is extremely large and might have a strong psychological impact on players. Although the system has harmonized it to be suitable for all ages, due to its difficulty, testing is required to gather player data. The boss is encouraged to select ordinary players for the test.]
"Ordinary..."
Liu Yuan looked over at Shirogane Miyuki, who had just started playing a game today.
When it came to ordinary people, he fit the bill.
So Liu Yuan waited until Shirogane removed his helmet and approached him.
"Hello, sir."
"Oh! Hello."
"What do you think of the games in our store?"
"Very realistic and helpful, but the price..."
"I'm sorry, but the price can't be reduced. However, we're about to launch a new game and need testers. I believe you're a leader at your school, right?"
With some pride, Shirogane Miyuki introduced himself. "Yes, I'm the current president of my school's student council."
"That's perfect. The game is a Corporation Simulation management game, and we need ordinary people like you to test it. If you're willing, I can let you play for free, and the internet will be free during the fifteen-day testing period."
"Really?"
"Really. But there's one small requirement: you must play the game for at least six hours daily. If you don't meet that quota, you'll need to make up the time."
"No problem!"
Having tested Red Alert, Shirogane knew how great these games were, but he lacked funds. Based on the prices here, he could only afford to play for one day by saving money.
But now he had the opportunity to play a test game for free? This sounded too good to be true.
However, Liu Yuan reassured him. "I guarantee this game will have no negative effects on your body or mind. If you're not interested, I'll find someone else."
Miyuki had second thoughts when Liu Yuan said this, so he contemplated.
Just as Liu Yuan finished speaking, Shin nearby asked curiously.
"What is that?"
"A new game needs beta testing."
"Beta testing? I can do it…"
Liu Yuan was about to move on from Shirogane, but Shirogane suddenly agreed.
"I'll do it!"
The reason he agreed was simple: he saw an opportunity to change his fate.
He knew he had no chance of pursuing Shinomiya Kaguya as a "poor peasant," but here, he had the chance to earn that right.