Meteor Fall Master in the 'Starry Abyss'
Chapter 747 - 356. Version Termination

Chapter 747: 356. Version Termination

"According to Qiqiao Network’s statistics, four hundred Ajincour players want to transfer to the Fiery Summer District’s server, eighty percent of whom are coming for Baizhu Star’s leader, ’Li Aozi.’"

The camera shifted, and Dewey, now wearing a pain suit covered with posters of Li Aozi, proudly held a banner of Li Aozi and declared:

"It’s normal. My wife Li Aozi is the top brand of ’Starry Abyss,’ launching nuclear bombs into space, becoming an alien president, establishing a new home, and now even engaging in colonial expansion. She truly deserves to be my wife!"

"It’s undeniable that Li Aozi is currently the most popular character in ’Starry Abyss.’ As a novice mentor of the [Sovereign] system, he is the only NPC character capable of guiding players into space and opening new territories."

"But unfortunately, they might never see the real Li Aozi again."

Johnny Stein changed his tone, adjusted his duck mask, and said:

"More than five thousand players have reported: Since declaring the expedition, Li Aozi hasn’t launched any new activities and has been silent for a long time. Players can’t receive new tasks, and even the old tasks accepted cannot be submitted to Li Aozi."

"The famous PVE blogger ’Thick Gift Crab’ believes: Actually, Li Aozi’s historical mission is already complete. He guided players out of Earth, led them against Old Frost Plating and Sky Ring, and unveiled ’Society’ as their arch-nemesis, opened the Starfield – for the players, his story has been thoroughly explored, and there’s nothing much left to play on Azure Star."

"In the next version, everyone will go to space, but Li Aozi of Zeta Rank (6) would no longer be significant. ’Starry Abyss’ is a game for all players, not just Li Aozi’s personal saga of valor. If Li Aozi continues to dominate the rankings, how would players develop? How would other NPCs and plots, crafted with equal effort, be introduced?"

"It must be understood that Qiqiao Network is a large company with thirty thousand employees, including dozens of writers responsible for storyline creation. Allowing only Li Aozi’s storyline to shine obviously isn’t fair to the others. From a capital perspective, success from just one Li Aozi can’t satisfy everyone."

"Based on the available information, we can almost confirm that Li Aozi is being gradually shelved by Qiqiao Network. When version 2.0 arrives, Li Aozi will fade from our vision. Particularly after the storyline of Azure Star concludes, Li Aozi might completely retire from the historical stage."

Johnny Stein put down his card, and Dewey, beside him, immediately hugged a Li Aozi pillow and cried:

"Ah! Li Aozi! My wife whom I’ve never met, how could you vanish like this? – At least leave your head for me before you go!"

"What you said is quite right. As version 2.0 approaches, Qiqiao Network plans to launch a ’Li Aozi’ themed set, including headgear from various versions of Li Aozi’s implant gear, priced at 94,500 point tickets. It’s a bit expensive, but interested players might consider it. If you’re a fan of Li Aozi, this will be the best memento of an NPC about to exit the version."

Johnny Stein sat upright and solemnly delivered the closing theme:

"Throughout his life, from rising in Qian Mo as a hero against tyranny to battling the mundane and leading the era of the stars, even if facing a shelving and fading outcome due to company considerations, Li Aozi remains a legend."

"We admire heroes not only because of our envy for their strength but also because they embody those great aspirations we once fantasized about, brought into reality by heroes. They appear countless times in novels, animations, comics, games, and movies, bringing comfort to our souls. Yet, fantasies remain fantasies, every story has an end, and even heroes retire one day."

"And you, my friend. The one who bravely faces life and persists in striving for your ideals – you are the true hero."

Beep –

Caramel Snail turned off the "Starry Abyss Daily." He stood in the ship’s corridor, turned his head, and looked towards the direction of Dragon Satellite.

Li Aozi was about to be shelved.

This rumor had been confirmed by major media outlets, and it seemed even the officials had implicitly acknowledged it.

Caramel Snail also sensed something strange.

Since the great bombing of Ziluo Star, Li Aozi had completely severed contact with the players.

A period later, the always silent Li Aozi suddenly ordered the X fleet to head to Dragon Satellite.

Now, the President had been missing for several weeks. They had been on standby. Many players, having nothing to do, resorted to entertaining themselves and finding their own tasks.

On the forums, posts about Li Aozi were decreasing in traffic, and secondary creation works could not be seen for days.

Whichever perspective you viewed it from, Li Aozi’s figure was indeed gradually fading.

Caramel Snail clenched his fists, feeling a wave of confusion.

Initially, after the Ziluo Star incident, he had fallen out with Li Aozi, but now, with Li Aozi gradually disappearing, his original anger and discontent felt like a punch on cotton, with residual resentment having nowhere to release.

War criminal Li Aozi, who committed planetary massacres, eventually ended by exiting the Starry Abyss stage.

What kind of end is this...

Caramel Snail’s feelings were incredibly complex.

At this moment, he looked down at his equipment, checked his skills, the weapon at his waist, and even the arcane energy within his body and his whole implant gear body – all given by Li Aozi.

...Maybe there really was some misunderstanding between him and Li Aozi.

He thought he would resent Li Aozi until Li Aozi died because of the Ziluo Star bombardment, but when the game officially intervened, Caramel Snail felt empty inside.

It seemed that he didn’t really want Li Aozi to be ruined but wished for Li Aozi to return to normal and become the hero who saved Grante and Sky Ring.

But it was too late for that.

Such an ending was overly dramatic.

Caramel Snail loosened his fist and sighed.

"...I should have realized long ago, this is just a game."

What unresolved grievances would ultimately be dulled by the comforts of life.

The virtual world was just the virtual world.

Maybe, this was Li Aozi’s curtain call.

Caramel Snail looked at the isolated Dragon Satellite in the distance – a planet without even a moon, seeming like Li Aozi’s fate.

—Loneliness.

[Version major update detected, logging out soon...]

With the version end countdown, the number of online players gradually dropped, and Caramel Snail also relaxed.

[Estimated version update time: 28~30 natural days (in-game time: about 15 years)]

In any case, although Li Aozi made mistakes, he also made many contributions and was a distinguished mentor who guided him.

[Please note to submit tasks, saving your progress]

[’Lai Anding Medical Protocol’ read and write complete]

[Disconnecting from ’Starry Abyss’...]

In the next version, without Li Aozi, what kind of characters would "Starry Abyss" push to the stage?

Caramel Snail’s body turned into virtual shadow fragments, and in the last moment before he was logged out of the game, he vaguely saw something.

On the Dragon Satellite, covered in purple mist, a bright light seemed to flicker.

Like a cold moon...

He didn’t have time to confirm whether it was an illusion or reality, as everything before him instantly turned dark.

[Look forward to your return to save Starry Abyss.]

Hiss—

The game pod door opened, and Jiaozi Niu’s neural connections disconnected. He stepped out, his body having lost a lot of fat due to excessive gaming; originally muscular but now skinny.

He sat naked on the floor for a while, planning his next steps.

"A huge update of thirty days... well, it’s just the right time to go back to school and study."

He shook his head, grabbed a mug, and went to the drink machine given by Xia Yubing to get a soda, chugging it down.

"Gulp—Gulp—Ah! Refreshing!"

Jiaozi Niu wiped his mouth with the back of his hand, feeling delighted:

"In this hot weather, cold water is the best!"

A voice came from behind:

"It’s not advisable to drink cold beverages right after intense exercise."

"Oh, whatever."

Jiaozi Niu waved his hand but suddenly realized something.

He slowly turned his head towards the source of the voice in the living room.

There sat a woman with short brown hair, dressed in formal attire, sitting on his couch. His phoronic butler PT lay on the floor as if it had shut down.

Jiaozi Niu’s eyes narrowed.

Swoosh!

He immediately sprang up, kicking up a practice steel sword from the ground, grabbing it mid-air, and lunged forward. The blunt blade instantly rested against the woman’s neck.

Clatter—!

Jiaozi Niu stopped in place. From the bookcase and behind the TV, a team of armed personnel with stun guns immediately emerged.

"I advise you all not to act rashly."

Jiaozi Niu coldly spoke:

"After all, I am a nationwide runner-up. If your trigger speed is slower than 0.045 seconds, my sword will be faster."

The woman smiled faintly, raised her hand to signal the others to lower their weapons, turned to Jiaozi Niu, and said:

"Mr. Jiaozi Niu, you’ve misunderstood. We mean no harm."

"No harm—referring to 12 armed employees in bulletproof fiber uniforms breaking into my house and subduing my maid?."

Jiaozi Niu had no intention of lowering his sword, coldly saying:

"Who are you? What do you want? Who gave you the authority?"

"Don’t be nervous, Kiddo, Caramel Snail... Your Excellency Gio Zieou."

"...Gio Zieou?" Caramel Snail was puzzled. "Who is that?"

"You only need to know that we are here to discuss something – about your good friend, Li Zi."

The woman gently moved the sword aside, revealing a nurturing smile, her brown eyes seemingly glowing with warmth and composure, and said:

"Let’s start with a brief introduction."

"My name is Chen Dingxiang, Minister of Logistics at Qiqiao Network Co., Ltd."

"Of course, you might know me by another name, one you should find more familiar."

She stood up slowly, and Jiaozi Niu noticed that the woman was nearly three meters tall, something that wasn’t apparent while she was seated. Her physique was almost perfect, exuding a maternal beauty.

The woman opened her arms, gently saying:

"Livending."