Chapter 5: Casting the Digital Fishing Line
Ran practically vibrated with newfound energy. The Grade 3 Root hummed within him, a constant, pleasant thrum against the backdrop of his awareness. The simple Qi ball he could now form effortlessly was proof: the System worked. His personal power was directly tied to its success.
But basking in the glow of a slightly-less-inferior-than-before Spiritual Root wasn't going to get him to Foundation Realm anytime soon. His progress, his future, depended entirely on one thing: the Player Dividend Loop. And that loop needed players. Lots of them. Preferably players with way too much free time and a penchant for clicking on suspicious downloads.
Right, time to go fishing, Ran thought, settling back down and focusing his mind. System, access the… uh… command center? Thingy?
[Accessing Omni-Console Interface. Please refrain from spilling coffee on the metaphysical keyboard.]
The familiar blue screen shimmered into view, displaying a more complex set of options than before. Ran navigated through menus that felt vaguely intuitive, like remembering a dream about using futuristic technology. He found the 'Deployment & Marketing (Budget Edition)' section.
Okay, step one: Make it look like a real game. He needed a presence, however flimsy. Using the System's built-in tools (which thankfully didn't cost extra CU or SEU, just required a bit of focus), he whipped up the most basic website imaginable for "Ascension Heaven." It featured a single, slightly blurry screenshot of the 'Whisperwood' (carefully angled to hide the repetitive tree assets) and some bold text.
ASCENSION HEAVEN - EXPERIENCE TRUE REALITY
(Well, like, 99% True. Legal Disclaimers Apply.)
DOWNLOAD THE EXCLUSIVE BETA CLIENT NOW! (1.0 GB - Requires Decent Hardware... Probably)
Subtle, Ran noted with grim satisfaction. No one will ever suspect this is run by a twelve-year-old out of his bedroom using alien space magic.
Next, the game client itself. The System helped package the 'Beginning World v0.1' into a downloadable file. 1.0 GB felt respectably hefty, implying content that wasn't entirely comprised of generic dirt tiles and grumpy squirrels.
Now for the crucial part: anonymity. He couldn't just upload this under 'Ran Sayfrid's Desperate Power Grab'. He needed a front.
System, create a shell company. Something untraceable.
[Shell Company Creation Module Activated. Please select Incorporation Jurisdiction: [Off-World Cayman Analogue], [Legally Ambiguous Pocket Dimension], [Generic Earth LLC Template]?]
Uh… Generic Earth LLC sounds least likely to attract cosmic auditors. Let's go with that.
[Generating Shell Company: 'Ascension Heaven LLC'. Registered address: A PO Box that technically exists in three dimensions simultaneously. Minimal paper trail established.]
[Activating Security Protocol: Aether Veil - Rank 1 Obfuscation. Basic shielding against passive scans and curious low-level divination attempts. Cost: 100 SEU.]
[SEU Reservoir Updated: 400 SEU Remaining.]
Aether Veil Rank 1? Sounds fancy. Ran felt a flicker of reassurance. Some basic protection was better than none. Losing only 100 SEU for it felt like a bargain.
With 'Ascension Heaven LLC' as the official publisher, Ran navigated to the submission portals for the two game platforms he'd mentally shortlisted. First, 'Quantum Leap Interstellar' or 'QL'. They were the biggest player in the region, known for high-tech VR and a massive user base. Getting listed there would be huge, though potentially harder due to stricter reviews.
Second, 'Player Hub' or 'P-Hub'. It was a smaller, more chaotic platform, a bit like the wild west of game distribution. Easier to get listed, maybe faster to attract random players looking for something new and weird. A good place to catch the initial trickle of users.
He filled out the submission forms, uploaded the client under the Ascension Heaven LLC banner, and hit 'Submit' on both platforms.
[Submission Complete. Client 'AscensionHeaven_Beta_v0.1.pkg' awaiting review on QL Platform.]
[Submission Complete. Client 'AscensionHeaven_Beta_v0.1.pkg' automatically listed in 'New & Unverified' section on P-Hub Platform.]
Done. The bait was in the water.
Ran leaned back, letting out a slow breath. He'd created a world (sort of), upgraded himself (definitely), and put his creation out there. Now came the hardest part: waiting. Waiting for some bored gamer or cynical reviewer to click that download button. Waiting for the first trickle of Dividends that would prove this whole insane gamble was worthwhile.
He glanced at his remaining 400 SEU. Not a huge buffer. He really needed players to start generating energy soon.
Come on, digital masses, he thought, staring intently at the empty space where the System interface had been. Your glorious destiny of grinding for herbs and fighting slightly angry squirrels awaits. Make Papa Ran proud… and powerful.
The waiting game had begun. And Ran Sayfrid was not known for his patience.