Chapter 162 - 127: Am I Playing a Pirated Version?

Since that egg-filled pancake incident, the game seemed to have become a bit unruly.

Zhang Pengfei worked during the day, and after work, he would turn on the computer and enter the game "Love Advisor Department" to consult with the strategist Lin.

That’s right!

A proper love consultation.

Neither of them mentioned the pancake incident, as if it never happened, and just continued playing the game.

He wanted to court Lili, so Lin offered him advice. As for the other strategist, "Don’t Eat Tomatoes," she felt she wasn’t capable enough and voluntarily resigned, choosing to retire back home.

Watching movies, trying food, visiting zoos, riding roller coasters...

In order to better court Lili, Zhang Pengfei decided to ask Lin for advice on what dating activities would be suitable.

But Lin didn’t know either.

So they had to try everything, then have Lin stand from a girl’s perspective and analyze which method was better based on her experiences.

There’s logic behind this.

Although he couldn’t see the exact favorability score, Lin was playing a female character, so there were interaction options popping up just the same.

According to Lin, every time they interacted, options would show up on her side.

For example, after riding a roller coaster together, it might unlock responses like "That was fun" or "Let’s not come here next time."

Based on the different responses and interactions, they could analyze what Lili... uh, seems like these are Lin’s preferences, not Lili’s?

Forget it, whatever!

Zhang Pengfei didn’t know what this was about, but he found that talking with Lin made him happy, even a bit nervous at times.

One thing he hadn’t told Lin.

That was he discovered the favorability system, intended for NPCs, seemingly worked on Lin too.

As their relationship warmed, he even unlocked some hidden interaction options like "confess" and "hold hands" in the game!

A nerve-racking kiss...

When those options popped up, he admitted he was flustered.

What the heck?

Lin wasn’t supposed to be a player; how could NPC interaction options appear for a player character?

"This game is seriously addictive!"

Zhang Pengfei thought his fate might’ve turned when he whimsically bought an egg pancake in the game and discovered he could gift it to other players.

That gift stirred things up.

In the beginning, he aimed to court Lili, but Lin was supposed to help him with love strategies.

Now it’s like...

Lili? What Lili?

Doesn’t matter! He had even forgotten what Lili looked like; his mind was filled with thoughts of Lin’s voice and what she had said.

In truth, after talking for so long, he had learned Lin’s real name and a bit about her family situation.

But he had never thought of anything else.

Until one day, Lin suddenly told him that she was going to be busy in a couple of days and might not have time to play, so she asked if they could add each other on WeChat.

That’s when he realized.

Oh, my god! Is this an online romance?

But that’s not right! He just wanted a virtual girlfriend, how did things end up developing into an online relationship?

Though a bit surprised, for some reason, he added Lin on WeChat, turning from game friends to WeChat friends.

Of course!

Play is play, he wasn’t sure what kind of relationship he and Lin had.

At any rate, they continued playing games together, and off the game, they’d occasionally share life tidbits on WeChat...

Until one day, Zhang Pengfei jokingly told Lin about his "major discovery," that is, players can confess love to another player.

"How about trying?"

"Sure!"

"But..."

Zhang Pengfei hesitated, because in the game "Love Advisor Department," if the favorability wasn’t high enough, an NPC would reject the confession.

So here’s the question!

If confessing to a player, what would be the result?

"It should be the same as other interactions, with me deciding whether to accept or not..."

"Would you accept?"

Zhang Pengfei’s heart raced and his breath quickened.

Even though it was just a confession in the game, not to be taken seriously, he didn’t know why, but he was so nervous now, his right hand holding the mouse was sweaty.

"Guess!"

...

Tianba Official Website, Player Community.

days since the release of the early access version of "Love Advisor Department," Chen Ba had just finished discussing the formal release date with Dong, and now at loose ends, he planned to wander around the community.

This was part of his daily routine.

Listening to genuine feedback and feelings from players, making suitable adjustments and changes—this was serious work.

For instance, recently, "Star Emperor" had updated a new character—Emperor of Winter.

Once the new character was out, everyone scrambled to play, and the selection rate in ranked matches skyrocketed to over 70%, incredibly popular.

But after playing, people felt this character was a bit weak, not as strong as earlier characters, with win rates even lower than the long-standing underdog Emperor of the Long Night.

Whoa, what a lousy character!

The Emperor of the Long Night has low win rates because he’s a Glass Cannon, high ceiling with low floor, attracting players who are both unskilled but enthusiastic, so the overall win rate can’t rise.

But this new character, whose overall win rate is even lower than Emperor of the Long Night—isn’t that absurd?

Tianba Studio was poised to urgently enhance it, but then a player posted on the forum saying: Emperor of Winter isn’t weak, it’s just that you all don’t know how to play him!