---Viktor's POV---
To maximize the display of the red-scaled worm's intensity and increase the players' sense of accomplishment, I deliberately edited together the four days of the Lucky Stars Team's battle of wits and courage against the red-scaled worm.
Real-life combat, as I well knew, was far different from the stylized battles often seen in games or movies. Three of the players had never undergone systematic combat training. Their movements were overly cumbersome, lacking sharpness and grace.
The result? A scene more comical and absurd than a street brawl.
Among the highlights contributed by ProGamer_Daddy were moments like: stepping into a mud pit, pulling up his pants in front of the worm's gaping maw, and twisting his wrist while wielding a weapon.
The absurdity dial was turned all the way up.
Adding to the hilarity were the players' in-battle dialogue and anti-scientific combat elements, all brimming with a game-like atmosphere. I watched as the gruesome, violent battlefield transformed into a comedic effects-filled short film.
The scenes were priceless: them shouting "One, two, three!" before starting the fight; one player chanting incomprehensible spells at a snail's pace during an intense battle; after sustaining injuries, players yelling with bloodied heads or twisted arms, "It's just a scratch! Don't mind me!"
I particularly enjoyed the moment when a player cried out for the healer after a severe injury, only for ProGamer_Daddy to either run out of healing spells or accidentally use them on the worm instead. Even better was when they resorted to barehanded combat with the massive worm when all spells were depleted.
The result? Scene after scene of laugh-out-loud moments!
I watched as the video's bullet comments and comment section exploded with laughter. Some viewers, clueless about the type of game being played, started role-playing as game commentators:
"The mage is taking action, preparing to cast a skill!"
"Three teammates rushed in—three teammates are down!"
"The three are back up—now being chased by the monster!"
"Where's the mage? Still charging the spell!"
"The healer tripped on a trap set in the last round!"
"Damn it! The map didn't reset after restarting the level—I'm filing a complaint!"
"Uh-oh, the worm monster is switching targets—to the mage who's charging their spell on the sidelines!"
"Help, help! The mage is almost done charging!"
"The assassin's going in! The assassin's gone stealth! Wait, it's a teleport—this assassin's a pro gamer, we've got hope!"
"Oh no, the weapon got eaten!"
"The mage finally finished charging! A fireball flies out—it fizzled!"
"Worm monster HP -1, congratulations!"
"The second mage is charging now!"
"The assassin pulled out a backup weapon and is attacking again, skillfully exploiting the wounds created by the fire spell!"
"Worm monster has been sliced in half, amazing!"
"But the worm's projectile hit the fire mage—critical injury!"
"The second mage is still charging!"
"The healer is moving—they're fast! Will the fire mage get healed?"
"The second mage's spell is still charging!"
"Wait, the healer's spell direction is off… They healed the worm! The red-scaled worm's wounds are regenerating—it's back up, and now there are two!"
I couldn't help but be amused as the chaos continued.
By the time the team finally defeated the red-scaled worm, I saw the bullet comments were flooded with over-the-top jokes:
"Red-scaled Worm Protection Association strongly condemns this!"
"Worm lovers are outraged!"
And—"We are the champions!!!"
I laughed uncontrollably as I read through the video. Not only were there countless actor-style commentary bullet comments, but also debates between trolls and fans acting out elaborate scenarios.
When the players had the advantage, viewers typed "GOD." When they struggled, they typed question marks, as if watching a livestream.
Opening the comment section, I found even more of a drama haven:
"Tearing up—turned the map from a mud puddle into a swamp, and they finally cleared the level!"
"Pure bystander here. This is clearly staged: a mage on observer duty, a traitor healer, and a stealth assassin—how did this lineup even win?"
"Exactly, must've bribed the developers."
"Pfft, stealth assassin indeed! Out of the four, he's definitely the most stealthy!"
Though the players' skill levels varied, I could see everyone thought the video was just a comedy skit.
The comment section continued to entertain me as random commenters joined in on the roast:
"Pure bystander here—the assassin did their best, but carrying this team was almost impossible."
"Always vanishes during tanking moments, letting teammates die before coming out to clean up—classic non-stick assassin!"
"Wasn't it our mage's fire-and-water combo that provided crucial crowd control?"
"Yeah, it almost managed to give the worm a warm shower!"
"Still better than the healer, who helped the enemy multiply!"
"As expected, support players aren't human. Just one mistake and it's remembered forever. But setting aside the slip-up, didn't our healer do frontline work too?"
"Exactly! We're always the first to charge in, and everyone's basic attack output was similar, okay?"
"Haha, without that healer, we'd have cleared the level back when there was only one worm!"
"Who's badmouthing our healer? Our healer worked so hard—love you, healer baby!"
"Eww—the comment above is cringe perfection."
I watched as the comments spiraled further off-topic, evolving from victory speeches to fandom wars. They even created a 20-year-long fake "black history" for the Lucky Stars Team members, accusing them of everything from "selling out" to "failing drug tests."
I strongly suspected that the video's viral success owed as much to the hilarious original content as to the chaotic comment section.
After laughing my fill, I turned my attention to practical concerns.
"The surge in registrations on the official website can pretty much be confirmed—it's all thanks to this video drawing in viewers."
"Considering these people don't even believe the game is real, they're treating the registration fee as a donation to support the 'show,' huh?"
It was absurd, but undeniably something netizens would do.
As I pondered how to further expand the game's popularity, the problem seemed to solve itself!
Based on the video's viral momentum, I could tell the hype would likely last another week.
Moreover, the number of viewers converting into paying registrants was far higher than what NeverShowOff's promotional videos had achieved.
Previously, players needed to believe that Chronicles of Aeltia might be a virtual reality game. This time, viewers simply thought they were watching actors and paid the fee for the entertainment value alone.
These were carefree spenders who just wanted to amuse themselves.
After a long moment, I sighed.
"What a... pleasant surprise."
The netizens got their laughs, other players gained a strategy guide, and I got a fresh influx of players.
The only ones who suffered were the four members of the Lucky Stars Team.
Who knows how they'd feel when they realized they'd become a meme?
I switched the window back to the official forum, thinking about the four players involved.
The comments from ProGamer_Daddy and Hedgehog had become something of a public spectacle, with curious onlookers treating them like a tourist attraction. However, after just a couple of replies, the two disappeared without further responses, as if they had resigned themselves to life's relentless trials and simply decided to "play dead."
Glancing at their online statuses, I could see they were both still lurking silently. With a wry smile, I selected ProGamer_Daddy and initiated a private chat.
[Admin]: Hello, are you there?
A classic awkward conversation opener. While it lacked a direct point, if he wasn't available, I could always try Hedgehog next.
Sure enough, the always-online ProGamer_Daddy replied quickly.
[ProGamer_Daddy]: WTF! Where did this chat window come from?!
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Since when does the forum have private messaging?!
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Who are you? What do you want?
Currently, the forum didn't actually have a private chat function. This feature was still in experimental testing, and since there weren't enough players signed up for the closed beta, I hadn't rushed to roll it out publicly.
For now, only I could use the backend to contact other players, while the others couldn't find any module to initiate private chats themselves.
[Admin]: I'm the operations manager and forum administrator for Chronicles of Aeltia. Recently, footage of your first kill of the red-scaled worm was mistakenly shared on other platforms. I wanted to learn more about the situation
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Oh, it's the admin lady! Never mind then
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Your company sure reacts slowly. That video's been trending for over a day, and now you're just catching on?!
[Admin]: I'm male
There was a two-second pause from the other end.
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Oh. Uh, big bro, carry on
My face darkened. Sexism, huh?
Suppressing the urge to retort, I continued typing.
[Admin]: Although we previously secured your likeness rights for appearances in the video, the terms don't cover videos shared on external platforms. The widespread circulation might affect your privacy. If needed, we can help you reclaim control of the video rights
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Too late, bro. The damage is done. I've already gone through all the embarrassment possible
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Now everyone knows I accidentally hit my teammates with Holy Light during the fight
I sighed heavily.
[Admin]: I apologize for that. Our editor has reflected deeply on their mistake
[Admin]: Next time, we'll make sure to highlight all players' heroic moments!
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Nah, no need. Honestly, the last battle still made me look pretty cool in the final cut
I was inwardly surprised. These players have such great attitudes? Was I overthinking things?
[Admin]: In that case, would you be okay with us keeping the videos on Platform A for promotional purposes?
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Sure, whatever! Actually, the most popular video on Platform A was posted by us!
[Admin]: !!
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Hahaha, bet you didn't see that coming!
Thanks to his loose tongue, I easily gleaned a wealth of information.
It turned out that NeverShowOff, in his efforts to promote the game, had leveraged his online connections. As a game streamer with four or five years of experience, his network primarily extended into entertainment circles.
By submitting the footage to a familiar influencer and having others help with reposts, the video went viral quickly and efficiently.
I took a deep breath. "These players are even more resourceful than I imagined!"
They weren't just helpful—"helpful" didn't even begin to describe it. They were practically mind readers, perfectly aligned with my needs.
[ProGamer_Daddy]: When are you guys planning to recruit more players? The game desperately needs more manpower—I mean, players! We're way too short on people!
Given how much effort and contribution the Lucky Stars Team had put in, I only hesitated briefly before throwing them a bone.
[Admin]: The selection process for new players is already underway. Expect good news soon. ^_^
[ProGamer_Daddy]: Awesome! Anything else you want to ask? Are there any internal rewards for this?
Of course. When it came down to it, all questions eventually circled back to the most primal desire—rewards.
[Admin]: Survey rewards can be collected from Alyanne in-game. ^_^
[ProGamer_Daddy]: !!! There really is something! Bro, my love for you is as eternal as…
I didn't bother reading the rest of the message.
After confirming that the four players had no objections to the video promotion on Platform A, I stared at the program I had initially prepared for dealing with a potential PR crisis. The problem was resolved.
Was there any point in keeping the program? Should I hold onto it for future use?
After a moment's thought, I dismissed the idea.
"Even if the red-scaled worm video is trending, there's no telling when the next similar opportunity will arise."
"Chronicles of Aeltia still needs a more stable source of new players than viral clips and tips."
I needed a way to generate enough income on Earth to address the game's headset pricing issue.
So, I rolled out the program as part of the day's version update announcement on the official website and began the process of selecting new players…
---Third POV---
Meanwhile, over on the official website, the Platform A video was still trending. Despite the three-minute wait to access the site, the forum remained bustling with activity.
The latest game announcement was greeted with comments piling up in real-time:
[User1]: First!
[User2]: Lame. Another bug fix, no new events?
[User3]: I'm convinced the exploration event is just one big bug. I've never seen anyone trigger it!
[User4]: Caught a live actor! Can I get a beta tester badge too? I wanna join!
To prevent chaos from these "cloud players" steering the conversation, Viktor had given beta testers and pre-registered users special tags next to their avatars. However, to overimaginative forum users, these tags were just proof of "actor accounts," supposedly the only ones allowed to play the game and boast about it.
Frustrated, the actual beta testers could only defend themselves:
[BetaTester1]: This game is real! Fill out your registration properly, and you might actually get picked for the beta!
[BetaTester2]: Forget it. No matter what we say, they'll think we're acting
Even a long-time pre-registered player, who genuinely believed in the game but never got beta access, chimed in with frustration:
[PreReg1]: Ugh, the forum environment is completely ruined by these trolls. Even the old player who used to provide all the strategy guides went into hiding after being socially crucified!
[PreReg2]: Can't the devs do something about the forum? If this keeps up, the game's community is doomed!
It seemed his silent prayers were answered. A new comment popped up below:
[User5]: Can you guys finish reading the announcement? There's new content—like a mini-game on the official site!