Chapter 1
- Well, moving on to the next news. The announcement of the update for the 10th anniversary of the VR virtual reality game, 'Heroes Saga,' has propelled the game's market share to a staggering 70 percent. As a result, the stock price of Heroes has increased by 5 percent, surpassing a market capitalization of 6 billion dollars.
Nevertheless, some users have expressed dissatisfaction with the game's slow updates and lack of progress on the storyline, despite it being the 10th anniversary... In a quiet and empty fencing hall, the sound of a sword being drawn cuts through the air.
Gradually, the man's breathing subsides along with the motion of his sword. After adjusting his disheveled uniform, the man sat down and stared at the TV.
He was at the age of 30, neither young nor old. At this age, most people are just starting out in society, working hard and dreaming of marriage...
Usually, that's the case. Yet Ethan Williams bore a distinctive story. When he turned 14, he made a mistake one night with a girl he had been living with in an orphanage, leading to a night of indiscretion and an unexpected consequence—a pregnancy...
He found out about it when she was four months pregnant, and after consulting with the director, Ethan made the choice to embrace fatherhood. At first, the director tried to persuade them to get rid of the child. However, the girl, who displayed uncommon courage, resolved to bring the child into the world.
"It's about time to go back."
It will be past 11 p.m. by the time Ethan returns home. Soon as he's back, there will be household chores waiting for him.
When he arrived home, Ethan went straight to his daughter's room. Inside, darkness reigned, interrupted only by the faint glow emanating from the virtual reality headset snugly resting upon his daughter's head.
It was the usual scene.
Over the past two years, Ethan's daughter had been deeply immersed in a virtual reality game called 'Heroes Saga.' Was it really that fun?
Suddenly, the sound of the dryer interrupted the stillness of the room. Ethan took out all the laundry from the dryer and started organizing them one by one in the living room.
While many people would assume that juggling work, household chores, and the responsibilities of raising a teenage girl single-handedly would prove arduous for a man, Ethan found solace in the rhythm of his routine. However, there lingered a hint of regret in his heart, and that was his relationship with his daughter. "Oh, I had intended to do that..."
Suddenly, his daughter, Lily Williams, emerged from her room wearing an apologetic expression and started helping with the laundry.
Ethan said, "Thank you," and continued his work silently. With the two of them working together, the task was quickly finished.
"..."
"..."
Silence filled the room. Although the work was clearly done, Ethan didn't get up right away. What should he say? His mind was devoid of the right words.
He couldn't help but envy people gifted in the art of conversation.
Just as Ethan pondered, his daughter broke the silence. Lily had a faint smile on her lips, unlike usual. "I think I can pay for the game starting this month."
The game fee she was referring to was the monthly payment required to enjoy 'Heroes Saga.' It was a hefty sum of $154 per month. For the past two years, Ethan had been covering the game fee without question. This unexpected turn of events left him taken aback. "You? Lily?"
"Yes."
To a 15-year-old girl, $154 was a considerable amount of money. Moreover, it was not a one-time payment but an ongoing expense. Ethan couldn't help but wonder where she would get that money.
Before Ethan could ask about the source of the money, Lily answered first.
"I should have told you earlier, but I've actually started earning some income. Oh, don't worry, Dad, it's nothing illegal. I began streaming my gameplay sessions of Heroes Saga, and I gained a lot of subscribers. I started earning revenue through people supporting me..."
As Ethan wasn't familiar with this field, he said, "I see." albeit with a touch of confusion.
It didn't make sense to him naturally, but regardless, it was a happy occasion that Lily was able to generate income while playing the game she enjoyed. "Congratulations."
"Thank you, Dad."
A gentle swish was in the air as Lily's gaze turned to a corner of the living room.
There, a trophy with the words' 20th World Fencing Championship Winner' gleamed.
Ethan's mind echoed with memories of his youth, a time when, at the age of 15, he had participated in the World Fencing Championship; he easily and confidently won the championship.
"If I succeed later on, Dad, would you consider quitting your job and freely pursue fencing, which you love?"
In an instant, Ethan was at a loss for words. "Lily, I've mentioned this before, but I am enjoying myself with where I am right now."
"Anyway, I'll head inside now. Goodnight, Dad."
"..."
Lily went back into her room.
Silence enveloped the room as Ethan watched her retreat, his gaze fixed upon the closed door. She still seemed to think he had given up his job and went to work early for her sake.
Despite both of them having a deep affection for each other, there remained a chasm of understanding between them. Ethan lacked experience in parenthood, and so was his daughter.
…
At a beer house in San Francisco, Ethan reunited with a long-lost friend, Maxwell Adams. Maxwell stared intently at Ethan while chewing on dried squid legs. After quickly taking a sip of beer, Maxwell spoke up. "You..."
After uttering those words, he brushed Ethan's bangs aside, revealing his forehead, which was hidden by long hair that nearly covered his eyebrows. "Damn dude, you look insanely handsome."
"What are you saying?"
"Honestly, it's a waste for you to be toiling away as a public servant with a face like this. You should have become an actor or a model."
High-end. That adjective suited him perfectly. His face possessed an allure that left nothing to be desired, complemented by an equally captivating physique. From his commanding voice to every nuanced detail, he seemed to possess an air of perfection.
"No, seriously. Don't you remember? Back then, when Lily was into that... what was it, BTA or something, instead of those typical boy bands. They had a fan signing event, and the girls lined up to get your autograph and take pictures with you? And then, a staff member from BTA's entertainment company came and offered you a casting opportunity. It caused a frenzy on the internet too."
"We agreed not to bring that up."
"No, we'll keep talking about it until we die. Even when you're a 90-year-old grandfather."
Ethan let out a subdued sigh. He decided to change the subject. What topic should he bring up?
After thinking for a moment, he decided to talk about his friend's business.
"How's the VR room doing these days?"
Maxwell chuckled in response. He, who had always been a diligent student since childhood, graduated from the University of California, Berkeley, with a degree in Mechanical Engineering. He landed a job at a prestigious government enterprise that job seekers would die for.
However, three years ago, he quit his job and decided to start his own business, eventually establishing his own VR room.
"How much did sales increase this month?"
Maxwell pondered for a moment, "I think I mentioned last month's sales were $230,000..."
"Hehehe. This month's sales reached $300,000. It's a 25% increase compared to last month. It's insane."
In the early stages of his business, Maxwell had grappled with constant worry and financial struggles. But since then, his business has been thriving. Maxwell had transformed into a "successful CEO," boasting ownership of two luxurious apartments valued at $540,000 each. He had plenty of reasons to smile these days.
Seeing his friend happy made Ethan feel good too.
"So, the drinks on me."
"But you always paid before. Forget it. I'll take care of it today."
"What kind of money does a public servant have?"
"Save some for yourself while I'm earning a lot. If things don't go as planned for me, maybe you can help me. Instead of spending money on drinks, buy something delicious for Lily."
Ethan chuckled.
"By the way, how's Lily been these days? Is she doing well?"
"Well... She's pretty much the same. Although I wish we could have more meaningful conversations..."
"Try to take the initiative and initiate more conversations."
"It's not as simple as it sounds. Sometimes, it just ends up making things more awkward for no apparent reason."
It's because she's going through adolescence. People often say it gets better with time. These are words of advice from senior colleagues at work who have children of the same age. However, Ethan knew. It wouldn't change much, no matter how it goes. "..."
"Well, let's take a closer look at what's included in this 10th-anniversary update. Reporting live from the Heroes Saga 10th Anniversary Festival at the Silicon Valley Technology Center, we have journalist Emma Johnson, who will provide further insights."
"Yes, this is reporter Emma Johnson. Along with the warm spring weather, the festival grounds were filled with numerous crowds. There were about 1.5 times more participants than in last year's 9th-anniversary update, creating a vibrant atmosphere. In particular, it was reported that special boxes will be provided, containing one piece of equipment and one skill book, for beginners entering the Eden Continent, aiming to attract new users. The response from new users has been generally positive..."
Most of the customers in the store were focused on the TV. Ethan and Maxwell were no exception. Especially Maxwell, who operated the VR room, was deeply engrossed as he planned how to attract new users from this update to his VR room.
Nearly 10 minutes passed. After the news about Heroes Saga ended and other topics were introduced, Maxwell's interest waned. He pondered for a moment and then asked Ethan, "..."
"By the way, Lily is also into the Heroes Saga, right?"
Ethan nodded. "After returning from school, she locks herself in her room and becomes fully engrossed in the game."
"But she takes a break to eat dinner, right?"
"She quickly eats and goes back to playing the game. Is it really that fun?"
Ethan's thoughts drifted towards his daughter, Lily, as a heavy sigh escaped his lips. He was 30 years old, and his daughter was 15. Despite raising her with all his love and fulfilling the role of both mother and father since her mother was absent, the lack of meaningful conversations weighed heavily on him.
"Well, at least she remembers to eat. We often hear that people who become addicted to the Heroes Saga forget to eat. In our VR room, once people connect, they stay for a minimum of 5 hours. Some even go up to 10 hours. Considering that, the fact that you cook meals for Lily and enjoy them together must be a comforting experience.."
It was a comforting thought. Ethan took a big sip of his beer. "Shall we call it a night?"
"Yeah. I need to prepare some promotional materials for the upcoming update tomorrow. I'll go out for a bit while I have some free time."
They settled the bill for the drinks and stepped out onto the street.
Although spring was in full blossom, a slight chill lingered in the air. It took about 5 minutes to walk from here to the VR room operated by Maxwell. It wasn't too far from Ethan's house. No, it was practically around the corner.
As they walked for a while, they arrived at the VR room.
Maxwell valued accessibility, so he rented the ground floor of a building to set up the store. From the entrance to inside the store, it was bustling with people. Ethan had never seen it like this before, but suddenly he thought of trying out Heroes Saga once.
What on earth is this game that people, including Lily, are so crazy about? What is it about this game? Is it something that captivates people worldwide? In my 30 years of life, the only hobby I've had is kendo. I wonder if this game is more enjoyable than Kendo... And if I were to play it, would I be able to get closer to Lily?
"Maxwell."
"What?"
Ethan's resolve shone through as he made his request. "Teach me how to play this game."