Chapter 290: Victory and Reward

"You're treading a narrow path, young man!"

Xu Zhi sat in his chair, leisurely eating an apple, looking down at the trembling contestant. He didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "These guys," he mused, "they imitate characters everywhere, and now they're even imitating me."

"I am the Creator!"

"I like to eat apples!"

Hearing these words gave him a headache, but he wasn't so petty.

However, in the subsequent quarterfinals, Xu Zhi was bemused when this particular professional combatant instantly lost composure and was eliminated.

The entire arena erupted.

"Oh man! A cheap knock-off!"

"Creator: You're useless, leave the group!"

The crowd roared with laughter.

The Creator himself came to watch, and you fell immediately? Couldn't you have shown a little respect?

Even some of the Creator's female fan groups protested vehemently, vowing to "purge their guild groups" that very night.

The contestant was utterly distraught. He was undeniably an elite professional combatant, but in combat, where situations change in an instant and witchcraft is employed, mental fortitude is crucial. Even a moment of hesitation could lead to defeat.

Xu Zhi watched for a while.

This grand combat final was a points-based tournament, with four arenas hosting simultaneous matches. Opponents were constantly rotated, and four of the top eight contestants were quickly eliminated, moving the competition into the top four.

"They are indeed formidable."

Seeing this, Xu Zhi couldn't help but smile.

These were true combat prodigies, far beyond what the sandbox evolution players could achieve. After all, those players were primarily biology experts specializing in evolution—academically brilliant but with virtually no talent for fighting.

Even players like Autumn Mountain Speed and Moe Girl, upon entering the sandbox, would struggle to become the protagonists of an era, and this was precisely why.

"These geniuses are outstanding professional combatants chosen from millions. Moreover, they have meditation prodigies supporting them, constantly elevating their cultivation levels! There are also alchemy experts helping them forge equipment..."

"Every individual here is akin to a versatile, peerless genius! Meditation, alchemy, combat—all integrated. Even at the level of a fourth-tier wizard, the fights are thrilling."

In fact, the combat techniques in fighting are infinitely improvable and highly entertaining to watch. As a skill-testing competitive game, this is one of the main reasons for the "Wizard Community's" popularity.

After all, fair competitive games have always been a major category in online gaming on Earth. This kind of live combat completely outclasses other games like tower defense, shooters, or battle royales.

At that moment, after the quarterfinals concluded, a system notification sounded:

"Contestants advancing to the semifinals receive a reward of five million Meditation Coins each."

A roar erupted!

The entire arena burst into an uproar.

"Holy cow! That much?!"

"The game development team truly has a conscience!"

Five million Meditation Coins was an astronomical sum. Although nearly three thousand people stood behind each contestant, with each character representing a game server, and the entire game having a thousand servers, what they were witnessing was a battle between servers. Even when divided among them, the players of that character's server would still receive a substantial reward!

"Just for reaching the semifinals, they get such generous rewards?"

"Devs, I'm raving about you!"

"Hahaha, our Di Qi server advanced!"

Some cheered, while others felt a bit down.

"Damn it, the Batman server advanced too! That's a server mostly made up of foreigners!"

"Damn it! Just talking about it makes me furious! This game, on our local portal, has a thousand servers, but eight of them are foreign players. When the five hundred new slots for the second beta test opened, those scoundrels caught wind of it and went to the official website to snatch VIP spots from us. We had more people and faster reflexes, but they still managed to grab some game slots. Now, their foreign servers, consolidated into eight regions, have actually qualified for the finals?"

"I have to admit, they have masters over there too! Though fewer in number, they've gathered elites. Casey, the professional combatant controlling Batman, is truly a monster, with terrifyingly keen combat awareness. Their players call him 'Beast Casey.'"

"Waaah... in the quarterfinals, Kunkun from our server was eliminated."

"Damn it, our Creator server was eliminated!"

Some people, sitting in front of their computers, took off their VR headsets.

Their servers, for which everyone had worked so hard, were eliminated. It felt like a guild battle defeat, leaving a deep sense of loss.

But the joy of winners and the disappointment of losers were inevitable.

At this moment, the "Wizard Community" game, which encompassed social and casual entertainment, now also included competitive gaming, showing a trend toward becoming a global hit.

Next, after a half-hour halftime break, the combat semifinals would begin.

Suddenly, they heard a notification:

"Semifinals commencing. Venue change: Storm Region."

In the arena, everyone was surprised.

Was this the official surprise and Easter egg?

Just as everyone was about to speak, the four contestants on the field, along with host Bai Xiaojun, were suddenly swept up by a whirlwind, their bodies enveloped, and swiftly carried into the sky.

Whoosh!

The four landed. When they regained their senses, they found themselves standing on a high-altitude black platform, surrounded by howling winds, with a scorching sun overhead and wisps of blue sky and white clouds.

"A high-altitude environment?"

All four of them looked astonished.

This black platform was actually the orchard's flying pet, which had ascended into the sky.

Meanwhile, in the arena, the spectators noticed that the four combat players had vanished from the fighting stage, replaced by a translucent screen projection showing the four contestants in the high-altitude environment.

"Holy crap, they changed the battleground!"

"You damn developers, come out here! Couldn't you have announced the game flow in advance?!"

"Wow! Watching from the audience isn't enough! I've logged off to spectate those player accounts—they're really on a high-altitude arena, so cool!"

"I'm going to check it out too!"

"The storm is strong and really affects combat. It'll show who has stronger adaptability."

At this point, the behind-the-scenes teams of the top four, including all players and managers of those servers, began to feel anxious.

This match was being held at a high altitude.

The four star-level combatants, each backed by an astonishing number of fans, fought brilliantly. There were countless reversals from desperate situations and an endless display of hidden strategies, making for a truly satisfying spectacle.

After a round of individual matches, it was time for the second round, the semifinal clashes.

Then, another message sounded:

"Terrain change: Lava Region."

Whoosh.

A storm swept the four contestants. When they opened their eyes, they found themselves standing before a massive, pitch-black circular arena.

Xu Zhi blocked out the surrounding view.

Then, he placed a black frying pan on the gas stove and turned on a low flame...

Rumble!

Scorching heat slowly baked the black circular ground.

"Hot, hot, hot!"

"It really lives up to its name, the Lava Region!"

The four contestants' expressions grew serious, realizing the organizers had put a lot of thought into this.

Another round of matches, with continuous venue changes, gradually led to the final arena.

"Venue change: Waterfall Region."

Whoosh!

In a blink, a whirlwind swept through, and when they opened their eyes again, they found themselves on land that felt like cement.

Xu Zhi turned on a faucet.

Splash!

From the sky, vast waterfall rivers poured down, creating white splashes and countless flying droplets.

"The terrain is even more complex!"

"The massive waterfall spray makes it hard to see! This terrain tests one's mental power and perception witchcraft, with opponents hiding in the waterfall to ambush!"

"This is too difficult!"

"It's equally difficult for everyone else!"

At this point, the four were still competing, but based on points, the top two were essentially decided and would emerge from two specific players.

There was Casey, the foreign server player, and Yuan Qinghua, the legendary professional player from the Chinese server, an eighteen-year-old rumored genius who had recently shot to fame, emerging as a dark horse no one had known was so formidable.

The two were vying for the championship.

Splash!

The snow-white waterfall sprayed as the two interwove, like assassin wizards in the shadows.

Drip...

Drip...

Misty raindrops sprinkled onto the ground.

"Their moves are incredible!"

Countless people felt their hearts tighten. In just over ten minutes, with various shadow movements and assassinations, both players performed stunning, god-tier maneuvers that left everyone wide-eyed. Ultimately, Bai Feng, with a slight advantage, knocked out his opponent and claimed the championship!

"We won!"

"Hahahaha! We won!"

Everyone cheered, and many in the audience embraced each other.

Xu Zhi sat nearby, a faint, calm smile on his face.

The Wizard Community had never had any strict rules, and he had rarely paid close attention, letting it develop freely. He hadn't expected it to become so sophisticated today.

The first inter-server combat competition of the Wizard Community concluded. The entire forum erupted in cheers, and many people were moved by the process, sharing words that evoked a sense of profound emotion.

After the competition, the host even interviewed the various contestants.

The contestant from the Creator server was in tears. "I underperformed," he said. "Seeing the Creator, I couldn't suppress my excitement. I apologize to the players on our server. I had hoped to reach the semifinals, but now I can only withdraw with regret."

Next, the host interviewed one of the favorites to win, "Noob 052," who was widely expected to take first place, even the default champion. Everyone had witnessed his exquisite maneuvers, but he only placed third, leaving many disappointed and feeling he deserved better.

He had underperformed; otherwise, he wouldn't have allowed Casey and Yuan Qinghua, two players he had previously defeated, to surpass him.

He said, "I realized that competing and playing normally are two different environments. I'm someone who gets stage fright and is shy around strangers. When I stood in the arena, facing the expectations of nearly three thousand people from our server, feeling that oppressive and agonizing sense of destiny, I was very nervous. I hope to do better next time. I will be back."

Bai Xiaojun interviewed him: "What was your original expectation?"

"As long as it wasn't second place, I could accept it. Now I'm third, which I can accept," he replied. "Mental state is also a form of strength. If you're not strong, you're just bad, there's no arguing about it. In esports, being bad is a cardinal sin!"

Countless people fell silent, deeply moved.

"Noob 052," the combat legend of the Wizard Community—a fighting monster with a record of 173 consecutive wins in PVP arenas and a 97.3% combat win rate—had been effectively dethroned.

Next, host Bai Xiaojun interviewed the second-place finisher, Casey.

He stated, "Combat talent is important, but understanding your opponents is even more crucial! Our team uses big data analysis to review fights, analyze each opponent, study character combat systems and rationality, and form our assassin wizard tactics... But I can't deny that your Huaxia server players are very strong! There are too many monsters! This was my full effort, and I have no regrets about not taking first place!"

The first-place winner, Yuan Qinghua, was remarkably calm. "Our server also studies individual systems and tactics, and we watch various unconventional playstyles from forums and Tieba. Even our Three-day Eagle Ring alchemy equipment system was learned from the forums."

As each interview concluded, it brought this grand combat event to a close.

With a thousand servers participating, each with nearly three thousand people, it was equivalent to a war of a thousand servers. Players from every server worked hard, hoping their server and character would emerge victorious.

In competition, there was bound to be joy for some and disappointment for others.

Even during the closing ceremony, as a group of beautiful and cute girls danced and awards were presented, some people constantly left mid-way, logging off directly to post silently on the forums.

After all, this was someone else's victory and glory. They had put in too much effort themselves, and it was still somewhat hard to accept.

One post, in particular, was deeply moving:

"I believe many people took time off from their real lives today specifically to watch this game's grand final. Although this game has only been open for just over a month, I'm sure everyone deeply loves its time flow ratio.

Undeniably, we must thank this great game! Its social elements are astonishing, offering a mysterious and hyper-realistic second life.

Although there are only a thousand people in the community, with identical appearances, every time I log in, the souls beneath those skins are unique. We can cast aside our real-life identities, chat freely, play together, play chess, talk, complete Summoner's Rift together, or even engage in arena PVP—every time is a completely new experience.

The first combat competition also saw too many upsets. As for the legendary player 'Noob 052,' I am also a fan of his.

I had originally been quietly drafting a celebratory post for his grand final victory, but as I watched, his performance faltered, and he made various basic mistakes. I quietly deleted the post.

Honestly, I was very sad! He was actually defeated by Casey, a player he had previously beaten, a foreign server taking the runner-up spot. Our disappointment was great, but his must have been even greater. Many people are cursing and bombarding him with criticism, but I don't think it's necessary.

To be honest, Casey's tactics were indeed astonishing; he's a formidable monster, and his positioning was incredibly stylish. Thankfully, Yuan Qinghua emerged as a dark horse and won the first combat grand final. Otherwise, if a foreign server player had taken the championship, we would have truly been humiliated (cries)..."

The post was very moving, filled with analysis and observations, dissecting everything from screenshots to individual player combat habits and the alchemy equipment of the behind-the-scenes teams. It generated a huge response.

The first Wizard Community competition gradually came to an end that night amidst various joys and sorrows.

During the closing ceremony, a group of beautiful girls were still dancing and singing on stage.

Xu Zhi sat in his chair, biting into an apple, and smiled at the scene. "They've really developed a strong sentiment for the Wizard Community," he mused. "But it's true, with more people, all sorts of geniuses emerge: combat geniuses, meditation geniuses, alchemy geniuses... They could serve as a reserve force in the future."

Of course, Xu Zhi wasn't thinking about that at the moment.

Meditation, combat, alchemy geniuses—these types of talents weren't crucial. Across multiple worlds, native inhabitants would constantly produce such prodigies, with each era giving rise to them.

What he still lacked most were species with extraordinary potential!

He needed more and more potential creatures to introduce into various worlds.

"However, the rewards still need to be distributed."

As Xu Zhi thought this, a message resonated throughout the Wizard Community arena:

"The top three: Batman, Piccolo Daimao, and Patrick Star—characters from three different servers—receive a reward: entry into the Gourmet World."

A roar erupted!!

Instantly, everyone erupted in excitement.

"Entry into the Gourmet World—that was the promised reward!"

"But for one character to enter another world?"

"What does this mean? In the Wizard Community, one character represents one game server, and nearly three thousand people log in alternately to that server! Does this mean an entire server's worth of players will collectively enter another world?"

Countless people gasped.

"Holy crap! This is amazing!"

"Hahahaha! One person gets to heaven, and their chickens and dogs follow! I'm in the Patrick Star server; I used to meditate for the big shot—this is utterly fantastic!"

"Waaah, I'm from the Qingxiu Mountain server! I want to switch servers, I want to switch servers!"

Instantly, the entire Bird's Nest arena erupted with shouts and cries. More and more people felt deep regret, secretly vowing that for the next competition, they would grind desperately, meditate relentlessly, and strive to get their game server into another world.