Chapter 2: Unlocked

Zhao Ming sat up straight with a "whoosh," his eyes excited.

What was the one thing Blue Star didn't lack?

It was the computing power of supercomputers!!!

In this era.

Blue Star had long since developed virtual helmets and virtual sensory pods that allowed players to immerse themselves in virtual reality, and what supported these devices was Blue Star's overflowing computing power.

As long as you had money, you could apply for the computing power of the photonic supercomputing cluster to design products, works, and so on.

This was also why many companies on Blue Star had very few people.

Because as long as you had an idea, even if you weren't very proficient in a certain direction, you could eventually achieve what you wanted through constant optimization.

Of those 60 million Federation Credits, besides the 10 million used to rent large servers.

The remaining 50 million Federation Credits were all used to purchase computing power from the photonic supercomputing cluster; in eight months, over 48 million Federation Credits' worth of computing power had already been used.

With only a little over 1 million Federation Credits' worth of computing power left, it was almost impossible to make another sci-fi game comparable to "Cyber Blue Star: 2077."

But...

What if he only rendered and designed an island, a single battle?

It probably wouldn't even take a few tens of thousands of Federation Credits' worth of computing power.

His 48 million-plus Federation Credits had mostly been used on the rendering of sci-fi technology, the future world, and various sci-fi details, which was why it was so expensive.

But normally rendering and designing an island, plus some thermal weapons.

Without those dazzling sci-fi elements, just designing the most realistic, reality-approaching visuals, this was the simplest thing and didn't require that much computing power at all.

And what he wanted to do was to transform a certain segment of a movie into a game based on gameplay.

This was much simpler.

There were so many WWII movies on Earth, and many were cruel enough to be worth deep reflection.

Blue Star hadn't experienced a world war, and many things remained on the surface, including the "Anti-War Competition" organized by the six major federations, which was also just to appease the public.

Anti-war, anti-war... how could you be anti-war if you hadn't experienced war?

Might as well bring the cruelty of WWII to the people of Blue Star.

That effect... would definitely be explosive.

Zhao Ming stood up excitedly, pacing back and forth in the office, the more he thought about it, the more he felt this method was feasible:

"Damn... I'm a genius."

"Now I just need a WWII script. Which one should I pick to turn into a game?"

【Ding—】

【Detected that the host triggered the keyword 'script', Earth's Strongest Director System activated!】

【This system possesses Earth's database and can help the host become Earth's strongest director.】

【Database opened.】

【Redeeming data requires emotional value. Emotional value needs to be obtained from others; any emotions like anger, shock, or admiration towards the host can be harvested. Please collect emotional value as soon as possible.】

【Current emotional value: 572】

Holy crap?!

A system???

The voice that suddenly rang in his ears and the virtual panel that appeared before his eyes stunned Zhao Ming for a moment.

Then, Zhao Ming's face lit up with joy, and he hurriedly opened the so-called Earth database, searching according to the prompts.

Good heavens...

It really had all the data.

Zhao Ming searched for the filming data of a movie; not only what the director did at every minute and second, what he did, and what his thoughts were at the time, but even details like how many cigarettes he smoked and how many people he scolded were all there.

It was too detailed, too complete.

Throwing this stuff into the computing power allocated by the photonic supercomputing cluster would be a scene recreation in minutes.

It could be rendered directly.

However...

Zhao Ming suddenly thought of a key question:

"System, do I have to make a movie?"

"Can I make a game?"

He was currently participating in the game category of the competition, not the movie category, and he didn't know if he could harvest emotional value.

【Ding—!】

【Please note, this system is Earth's Strongest Director System, aiming to help the host become the strongest director.】

"..."

"Can't you make an exception?"

【Ding! No.】

"But this is Blue Star, not Earth."

【Ding! No, this is Earth.】

【This system would never transmigrate to the wrong world, absolutely not.】

"You... you slipped up, didn't you?"

【Ding! No.】

Zhao Ming's mouth twitched. Damn it... your mouth is really stubborn.

Zhao Ming didn't dawdle; he immediately opened the computer, searched for Blue Star's history and naming, and pointed at the screen:

"Come on, tell me."

"What are these two characters called?"

The words are right in your face, let's see how you talk your way out of this.

The system was silent for two seconds.

【Ding! Earth.】

????

Zhao Ming had a face full of question marks:

"What did you say?"

Looking at those two characters "Blue Star," system, you're lying through your teeth.

【Ding! Earth.】

Hiss—

Zhao Ming gasped.

Damn it?!

This system is a bit cheeky?

"Fine, fine, that's how you want to play, huh?"

Zhao Ming searched for the Anti-War Competition section of Blue Star on the computer again and pointed at the two characters for 【Game】 category:

"Tell me, what are these two characters called?"

【Ding! Game.】

Zhao Ming's mouth curled up:

"No, these two characters are called... Movie."

【.....】

【.....】

【Please do not talk nonsense, host.】

"Are you a Blue Star person or am I a Blue Star person now?"

"What you possess is Earth's database, not Blue Star's database."

"These two characters on Blue Star are called Movie."

"You also want to harvest emotional value, right? Cooperation leads to mutual success."

"So... what category am I participating in?"

【.....】

【.....】

【.... Zzz.... Data updating.】

【Ding! The host is participating in the Anti-War Competition, 'Movie' category.】

Zhao Ming nodded with satisfaction:

"That's more like it."

Precious experience in taming a wild system; this must be written down.

"System."

"Search for 'Berlin Speech' for me."

"I want to make an opening CG."

"Also."

"Search for the movie and data of 'Normandy Landings' for me, and also the movie and data of 'Battle of Stalingrad'."

"I want to make a match-three game."

He only knew how to play match-three, but it should be about the same.

Games are all the same.

Bullets hitting heads, human match-three...

Hmm... no problem.

【Ding!】

【Redeeming 'Berlin Speech' data requires 500 emotional value.】

【Redeeming 'Normandy Landings' movie and data requires 150,000 emotional value, and redeeming 'Battle of Stalingrad' movie and data requires 280,000 emotional value.】

【Current emotional value balance: 572】

Damn?!

With this little emotional value, can't I only make an opening CG?!

What about the game?!

Obtaining emotional value requires it to be related to himself.

How about...

Creating a scandal?

But who the hell knows him? No one would watch a scandal.

Scratching his head, Zhao Ming looked at the system panel. Forget it, just do what he could for now:

"System, redeem 'Berlin Speech' data."

Following Zhao Ming's command, his mind was flooded with a lot of data, and a new folder appeared on the computer desktop. Zhao Ming clicked on the folder to take a look; all the data was there.

Amazing.

Zhao Ming took a rough look; there were various versions, and even some selected fan edits.

Zhao Ming chose one, dragged it into the local server of the photonic supercomputing cluster, and according to the original owner's memory, began to operate the rendering of this video into a CG.

What he wanted was this earth-shattering effect.

——

At this time.

Outside the office, it was silent.

The sudden major blow had brought the entire company to a standstill.

Boss Zhao Ming had entered the office after showing his face in the morning and hadn't made a sound for most of the day.

Tap, tap, tap!

A mature woman wearing a black dress walked in, her cold white skin and slightly furrowed brows revealing a sense of coldness. She looked at the silent office and said coldly:

"Does no one need to work?"

"Where is Zhao Ming?"

Everyone in the office looked at each other.

They had already been plagiarized, so what was the point of continuing to work? They couldn't beat them anyway...

The receptionist saw that it was the company's second-largest shareholder, Shen Qinghan, and hurriedly stood up:

"Boss Shen, Boss Zhao hasn't made a sound for half a day."

"Why don't... you go take a look?"

The receptionist said cautiously, while praying in her heart that Zhao Ming wouldn't do anything rash.

Boss Shen was so rich, she should have a way, right? ===== CHAPTER 3 =====