New Viewer
Translated by boilpoil
Edited by boilpoil
Xü Beijin knows he must have been streaming for at least a few months in the outside world’s time, however, he’s never had more than a dozen viewers.
Ultimately, it’s because this type of gaming stream isn’t exactly popular at the moment, and also that Xü Beijin isn’t exactly a good streamer. Then there’s also…
Xü Beijin’s identity, he suspects, and also, his language.
He’s a human. Also, he speaks Mandarin.
So given all of these, this stream will only end up on a select group’s search results – humans who speak Mandarin, outside of the Tower.
It would seem to correlate with everything thus far; the camera showing scenes representing Earth in the Tower’s Nightmares don’t seem at all unfamiliar to the viewers of his stream.
Recall that Olai, the Biler, was so shocked by the appearance of humans, somehow resembling the ‘devil’ in their stories, that he had to be kicked offline.
This is a clear enough sign of the cultural gap that must exist between ‘Escape’ and what other cultures of the universe are used to; meanwhile, the viewers in Xü Beijin’s stream are completely opposite of that. They react normally to scenes in the Nightmare and actions taken by humans. They themselves have used the word ‘people’ numerous times.
And Xü Beijin’s stream went on for a long time without viewers casting doubt on the authenticity of the scenes or what the Missiontakers are doing in the Nightmares——Meaning, they come from the same cultural background as the Actors and Missiontakers.
That is actually the biggest peculiarity, per se.
It must be stressed that, this game is made by the Fy’ecas – the Fy’ecas who have been embroiled in a war the entire time Xü Beijin was streaming. And Xü Beijin knows they are almost entirely hostile to all other forces in the universe.
Besides minor species like the Bilers, who enjoy the protection of the Universal Accords, and keep entirely to themselves, who else might ever stumble upon a game stream originating from the Fy’ecas?
The Fy’ecas themselves, obviously, but also, any of their subordinate species.
Therefore, it must imply that the viewers of Xü Beijin’s stream…
Xü Beijin decides to stop his thoughts right there; he was quite wary of these viewers originally, until he convinced himself that none of his audience actually knew what was going on. Until finally, he’s even become quite familiar with these dum-dums who are his viewers.
Then there’s also his earlier hypothesis, that humans were involved in the design, and most importantly the implementation of the game——
Possibly, the Fy’ecas just needed the humans thrown into any gauntlet, so they let the humans figure it out themselves——This would require at least some humans who were able to remain outside of the game.
They may have been able to live and continue carrying the torch of human civilisation outside.
Since Xü Beijin doesn’t exactly know how long it’s been since they entered the Tower either.
What a terrifying prospect, that the humans who live outside the Tower – the new generation, are not even aware of their fellow humans trapped inside of a game.
Or it might have simply been lost to history entirely.
Why is no one else coming in from outside the Tower?
Well, it could be that there is already no one else, or attempting to enter the Tower is so dangerous it’s practically suicide… or, the people outside, have already forgotten about the Tower.
All that thought aside, right now, there is a new viewer in Xü Beijin’s stream.
And of clearly alien origins as well, compared to how the other viewers have been behaving themselves.
The comment the viewer gives is quite jarring to Xü Beijin’s understanding of Mandarin; a translator is clearly involved, but even then, it’s quite the guesswork just to understand what they’re trying to say.
“We note you message network. Maerton put eyes on subordinate of war, our. Accepting and kind of us, cooperation.”
Xü Beijin, watching the incomprehensible jargon roll past, is so thrilled his hands are trembling.
Lin Qin is looking at him, and Xü Beijin looks back at him as well, and says, “we’re about to succeed, do you get it?”
Lin Qin has no idea what Xü Beijin is going on about, or what kind of victory they’ll achieve sitting here when nothing is happening, but he’s happy when Xü Beijin is happy.
So he smiles and also says, “we were always going to succeed!”
Xü Beijin is amused by that matter-of-factly tone, and leans in to give his little apple a kiss, and says, “they’ll be saved.”
“They?” Lin Qin asks, “then what about us?”
Xü Beijin stops all of a sudden.
Lin Qin says, “I get it. We’ll be having a Tower-style honeymoon.”
It’s actually quite the depressing and bitter development to acknowledge, but Lin Qin has a way of putting it that makes Xü Beijin smile.
The Tower is quiet——So, utterly devoid of sound. He can hear Lin Qin’s breaths – so calm, unperturbed, both in its pace and in the effect this development has on him.
And it is unimportant to Lin Qin, as long as he gets to stay together with Xü Beijin.
A lot flashes across Xü Beijin’s mind, and then, he says, “there must be some way. We can both get out.”
Lin Qin is a bit surprised by the sudden shift to optimism when Xü Beijin was always quite markedly pessimistic.
Xü Beijin doesn’t say much, though; he also doesn’t want to give too much hope before a promise is struck, both hope for Lin Qin and for himself.
He simply looks at the comment rolling by quietly, and also that new viewer, who is waiting for his response.
He mutters, “give me some time… Lin Qin. I’ll secure the hope for our future.”
Lin Qin wants to reassure Xü Beijin that he is willing to stay in the Tower forever with him, but his instincts tell him Xü Beijin doesn’t want that, and, Xü Beijin doesn’t want Lin Qin to be so accepting of that either.
Thus he keeps his words to himself and waits quietly. He is looking at Xü Beijin like he is the world to him——His, vibrant, colourful world.
Xü Beijin looks at the viewer, and the first thing that leaves an impression is his name.
A very particular, Maerton-like name.
‘Verisimilar Iterate Lifeform-793’
Or, ‘Type-793 Biomorph‘ in more human terms.
Maertons and Fy’ecas, the best human language can come to approximate the sounds of their species’ respective names.
Though actually considering what the names mean in their species’ language, the closest translation in human would be, ‘tangible, real’; and ‘incorporeal, fantastical.’
Maerton means ‘real’;
Fy’eca means ‘fantastical.’
This is probably adequate enough for an explanation of why these two apex species of the universe stand firmly against each other and have been embroiled in perpetual war.
Because they deny each other’s fundamental existence.
In fact, a long time ago, these warring species originated from the same species, whose name has been entirely lost to history, lost to all currently surviving members coming from that time.
Something from far enough ago that even NE’s database did not record the species’ name.
Even though NE is a game Server belonging to the Fy’ecas, but its database did not contain a single reference – this situation might have stemmed from the original conflict that drove the Fy’ecas and Maertons apart and both sides declared independence. They may have tacitly agreed to erase their common past together, and rewrite their entire history and origin, to sever themselves in time entirely.
Though the ideological differences would soon drive both species back together again, locked in a long, unending war.
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