Chapter 348: Recruiting Seven Hundred More

After Tang Qiuxiang posted her story in the group chat, it sparked a discussion for a while. Then, Tang Qiuxiang suddenly asked, "I felt like my strength and speed increased, just like in the game, except I can’t summon Magic Treasures or use Spells. Do you guys ever feel that way?"

The group chat immediately erupted in discussion.

[Wu Dahu: Not really? But my physical condition has definitely improved. Even my bowel movements are smoother than before. I used to be constipated all the time.]

[Ma Xiaoniao: You say that and still expect to find a girlfriend in this group?]

[Ma Xiaoben: Smoother bowel movements +1]

[Gu Yunxi: Hmm, it’s true. We’re so absorbed in the game we’ve lost all track of the world, and our schedules are even more irregular than before. But I feel great, both physically and mentally. Could Cultivation in the game subconsciously affect reality?]

[Yang Meimei: You’re overthinking it. Don’t we all have trouble telling what’s real when we log off!]

[Han Tian: It’s not that strange. It’s an overly realistic game, after all. It’s normal for it to affect your brain and cause some changes.]

...

Everyone in the group was talking about it.

One person paused as he read the messages.

It was Jiang Tianya.

As one of the first people to discover the game and have some insights into it, he and his cousin, Liang Xueyao, had discussed this very issue long ago.

If anyone had experienced the greatest change, it was Liang Xueyao.

His right leg was amputated in the real world, so any change in him would be the most obvious.

A few days ago, Liang Xueyao had called him, his voice hesitant. "Bro, my right leg has been really itchy lately."

Jiang Tianya knew what this meant.

From the moment of the amputation, the nerves had died. The doctors said he would never have any feeling in his right leg again.

An itch was something that should have been absolutely impossible.

Unless something abnormal was happening.

It wasn’t pain or any other sensation. It was an itch.

It was a strangely subtle feeling.

Because Liang Xueyao had also said, "It feels like something is growing out."

In truth, they both knew what this represented.

Liang Xueyao’s leg was changing.

And the only thing that could have brought about this change was the game.

It wasn’t obvious at first, but now, as his in-game cultivation increased, the change had become much more pronounced.

Liang Xueyao didn’t dare tell anyone else, nor could he go back for a check-up at the hospital that had already pronounced a death sentence on his leg. He could only discuss it with Jiang Tianya first.

"Bro, what do you think I should do?"

Jiang Tianya was silent as well.

He knew Liang Xueyao was hopeful, but he was also terrified.

Everyone around him knew about the amputation. Countless people had come to visit him.

Every single one of them had seen it clearly.

Back then, every gaze was filled with pity.

If, at a time like this, there was suddenly hope that Liang Xueyao’s leg was getting better...

’That wouldn’t be a medical miracle; it would be a horror story.’

He wasn’t paralyzed.

How could an amputee grow a perfectly new leg?

Seeing those messages in the group chat, Jiang Tianya realized that some things were probably not just their imagination.

He said, "Should we contact Minister Wei?"

Liang Xueyao fell silent for a moment.

Ever since they told Minister Wei about the game, they knew the "national team" had gotten involved.

After all, several players who were clearly different from ordinary people had appeared in the game.

Although they couldn’t know more details, judging from Minister Wei’s occasional concerned inquiries, the higher-ups were likely paying close attention to this game.

Liang Xueyao voiced his fear, "Bro, I’m just scared. I don’t know who I can trust anymore."

The unknown consequences he might face were far more worrying than the hope of his right leg healing.

"That’s why the only person we can trust right now is Minister Wei," Jiang Tianya offered, his advice sound. "At least we can find out if this change is a good thing or a bad thing."

Jiang Tianya’s meaning was clear: it was better to let the government investigate.

Other things were one matter, but Liang Xueyao was simply afraid of being locked up for research.

But he knew that in this situation, it was best to let the government step in and get a clear picture of what was happening to him.

He pinched the bridge of his nose and, after weighing his options, contacted Minister Wei.

Minister Wei was somewhat startled to hear his news and quickly hung up, saying he would arrange for someone to pick Liang Xueyao up.

He then summoned Liu Wen Yu and told her, "We may have one more arrangement that needs to be kept strictly confidential. I need you to form another special team of medical experts."

Liu Wen Yu understood immediately. "Has something happened with one of the players?"

Wei Jun paused for a moment, then said, "Liang Xueyao’s leg... he feels that it seems to be gradually recovering."

Even Liu Wen Yu, who had seen her fair share of shocking news in recent months, found her eyes widening.

"Are you saying our previous hypothesis was correct?"

There had long been evidence that the game could change a player’s body.

But this was the first time they’d received news of someone recovering in a way that completely defied common sense.

Because Liang Xueyao’s right leg was amputated. That was something they all knew.

Wei Jun nodded. "Xue Yao wouldn’t bring this up for no reason. He must have truly seen changes in his body and can’t hide it anymore."

’If the changes weren’t so obvious, the kid probably wouldn’t have contacted me.’

Liu Wen Yu murmured, "’His leg... is actually growing back?’"

"Yes," Wei Jun said, a headache coming on. "If this news gets reported up the chain, the old guard will probably go insane. This game... you really have to love it and hate it!"

Such a fortunate opportunity was given to a mere bunch of ordinary players.

There was no telling how many people would be jealous.

Therefore, the nation absolutely could not let this news spread.

If foreigners found out, nothing good would come of the game.

Foreign powers would try every means to destroy the game, perhaps even hunt down the current players.

The world was not short of people who would rather destroy something than see others benefit from what they couldn’t have.

Under these circumstances, even Liu Wen Yu and Wei Jun found it hard to resist the game’s allure.

And their envy for the players.

"The slots are too few. That’s what drives people mad."

Right now, there were a mere three hundred players. Who knew when the next batch would be recruited.

The game had been quiet for some time now.

Just as Wei Jun was thinking about this, Song Jiulai, inside the game, brought good news.

The Array Han Daozi had brought required fifty people who were online daily, and they were surprisingly hard to pick.

The Longevity Sect currently didn’t have fifty life-style players who were active within the Sect for long periods.

Most of them still preferred to run around everywhere.

Even the players who truly cherished their lives would choose to venture out a few times, as long as their safety was guaranteed.

Moreover, Han Daozi said this Array would require a group of people to be stationed in the Sect for a period of time. If they were to set up a rotation system, they’d need people for the rotation.

So, Song Jiulai asked him with a grin.

"Old-timer, even if there were many more people, would the Array prevent anyone from noticing anything unusual?"

Han Daozi bristled and glared. "You dare doubt the power of my Array? How many people could this little realm of yours possibly have?"

Song Jiulai then said, "If I were to restrict an entire region, not allowing anyone from outside the Longevity Sect to wander in, could you guarantee that no matter how many people there were, they wouldn’t be discovered?"

"Of course! Aren’t you using this for the Longevity Sect? As long as you allow it, you can make this entire region undetectable to outsiders."

Song Jiulai said, "I want to recruit new disciples, but I don’t want outsiders to be able to enter the new disciples’ territory."

The Longevity Sect needed a truly safe place.

Han Daozi was unconcerned. "Then recruit them. How many people could you possibly recruit?"

Song Jiulai: "Let’s recruit another seven hundred this time."

Han Daozi: "..."

’How many? You said how many?!’