Within a timeframe of three months, he needed to save the heroine and stabilize that world. At the end of the mission, the heroine could choose to leave with him or stay. Whichever choice she made, it still benefited him because he would have entry to that world at any given time.
His gaze was filled with seriousness. "What happens if I get injured during the mission?"
"That's where the real danger comes in," James explained with a sigh. "Everything that happens to your body in that game will happen to you in real life. For example, if you're mutilated in the game, in real life, unfortunately, your body will also be mutilated. That's why you need to be fully dedicated to this."
"That's indeed pretty serious," Mike agreed. However, his thoughts were elsewhere. He felt his numb heart race in his chest, and his hand clenched beside him. "Can one be treated in there?"
"As in?"
"If I were sick here, let's say with a terminal illness—if the people there are more medically advanced, could I be saved?" After all, there are future era.
Finally understanding, James nodded. "Yes, you could be. As I mentioned earlier, it's as if you are transported completely to that world. If you're injured here, you'd be injured there. If you're injured there, you'd be injured here. The same goes for treatment..." Looking into the hopeful eyes of the young man before him, James made a guess... "But you... It's not definite which world you'll be transported to. It's decided by the system and is completely random. You might wish for a modern world and find yourself in an ancient era."
Mike cooled down a bit. But as someone whose days were numbered—so close he felt the fear of death pressing in—he didn't want to give up. Even the smallest chance, he wouldn't let it slip through his fingers. His gaze burned with fiery determination. This hope—he would hold on to it.
"Anything else I should know? What if I complete the mission earlier?" He sounded a bit eager.
If he were to be a beta tester for this game and was thrown into a world he didn't want—maybe an apocalyptic one—as long as he finished his mission early, then he would be able to enter a new world pretty soon, until he finally entered the one he wanted.
One had to say, his brain worked pretty quickly when it came to his survival.
"There's no problem with that."
"Can you enter another world immediately?"
"Yes."
"What if someone fails the mission and is unable to save the heroine?"
James's expression turned grave. "There would be two cases. If you can't save the heroine within the time frame but she's still alive, you'd be able to come out—except you wouldn't be able to go in again for another three months. And the other case... if the heroine dies when the three months are up, the world will destabilize, and everything will crumble into ruins, like it never existed... including you."
Mike swallowed, goosebumps rising on his neck.
He massaged the area uncomfortably. "But you said I could bring the heroine out... If she dies, though, the world will crumble. Doesn't that mean the world would crumble with the heroine's disappearance?"
"No." James shook his head. "Leaving is different from dying. If the heroine is safe, the world will be fine. If she leaves, the world will choose another heroine the moment her aura grows faint. But if she dies, it's like being snapped out of existence—so it's a different case."
"I think I understand a little better now."
"I'm glad you do."
"So what else do I need to know?"
James tilted his head thoughtfully. "You might be given a skill."
"What's that?"
"Honestly, you shouldn't get your hopes up, since it's not guaranteed. But the system might give you a random survival skill—it could be martial arts, or healing, or even smooth talking. It varies."
"Mmm, I understand."
James relaxed and smiled. "I've pretty much said everything... It's possible I might have missed some parts, but I assure you, anything I missed isn't that important. If there's anything important you'd like to know, just let me know. Oh—and in case I hadn't mentioned it, you can't be contacted during the time you're in... I mean, that's pretty obvious, but just to be clear—you can't leave halfway. Anyway, that's all."
"I understand." Mike nodded again, then voiced out his doubt. "This game sounds cool, so if I may ask, why don't many people sign up yet...?"
James's expression turned slightly grumpy, his voice tinged with bitterness. "After the initial excitement of entering new worlds and being surrounded by pretty ladies wore off, all that was left was the risk of dying in the game. And that's a risk many weren't willing to take."
"That's true..." Mike acknowledged with understanding. Even his past hale and hearty self wouldn't have entertained this kind of idea after hearing it involved death. He wanted to live so badly—or else the current him wouldn't be here in the first place. In the end, it was a game of survival.
"So..." Rubbing his arm nervously on his thigh, James asked tentatively, "Would you like to go home and think about it?"
Please say yes.
Please say yes.
Seeing the silent pleading in the man's eyes, Mike couldn't help but chuckle. "Mmm, yeah. I'll contact you soon."
"Really?" James's eyes lit up with joy, then relief.
Yes! This is the first step! One that had happened too many times and end up in disappointment. But he never failed to be happy that he was able to get words in!
"Yeah. Moreover, it seems like a good game. As long as there are no unforeseen circumstances, everything should be good, right?"
James nodded like a rattle drum. "Of course! We spent trillions on these projects! The only thing we were lacking was beta testers. The government said without the evidence that it's completely safe, they wouldn't allow this to be released to the public. As long as one person steps forward to prove it's a success, it'll only be a matter of time before others start volunteering!"