114: Chapter 114 Lin Lu's First Encounter

"Good evening, everyone. Tonight, we won't be discussing Bergman's long takes, nor will we be analyzing Nolan's non-linear narratives. Tonight, I want to try something a bit 'out of the ordinary.'"

In the live streaming section of Station C, a room titled [Through a Film Critic's Eyes: Examining 'FGO': Is the So-Called ninth art a Masterpiece or a Collective Unconscious Carnival?] quietly went live.

In the frame, Lin Lu, a film and television commentary uploader with nearly a million followers, was dressed in high-quality silk loungewear. Holding a steaming cup of Americano, she leaned elegantly in front of her custom-made pure white holographic VR pod.

Following the start-of-stream notification, a large number of Lin Lu's fans flooded in, and the previously empty screen was instantly covered in dense bullet comments.

"The missing person has returned!"

"Wait, Lulu isn't reviewing movies today? What is 'FGO'? A newly released foreign sci-fi blockbuster?"

"Looking at the title, it seems to be a game? What's going on? Is our aloof Queen of the Film Section also going to dive into gaming?"

"Front row science lesson: 'FGO' is that VR tower defense game by Gu Yi that gave players across the internet depression! As one of the victims, I rolled in the moment I saw this title!"

"Hell yeah, double the joy! Is Lulu finally going to cross over and punish Old Thief Gu? Please, use your professional film critic's eye to harshly criticize this evil capitalist who uses tears to bait microtransactions!"

Looking at the bullet comments—mostly confused film fans and a few game fans eager for chaos—Lin Lu gently blew on the steam from her cup, her tone carrying the characteristic reserve and slight playfulness of a professional film critic.

"To be honest, a few nights ago, my best friend finished the ending of this game called 'FGO.' Not only did she cry uncontrollably in my room, but she also swore to high heaven that the narrative tension of this work is more heartbreaking than 'Titanic' and is a well-deserved 'ninth art.'"

Afterward, Lin Lu set down her coffee cup, gently put on the VR headset's data interface, and a proud smile curled at the corners of her lips:

"As a professional film critic who has watched countless movies, I have indeed seen the overwhelming praise for this designer Gu Yi over the past couple of days. But when it comes to 'narrative' and 'script depth,' can the fragmented expression of video games—which inevitably requires grinding and leveling—really be compared to classic films backed by a century of cinematic art?"

"So, tonight I've decided to put on the equipment and see for myself. I'll see if this work that has made countless players weep late at night has a script structure as flawless as its fans claim."

Accompanied by Lin Lu's confident declaration, she pressed the start button, and her vision was instantly swallowed by a stream of azure data light.

[Rayshift system initiated.]

[Please enter your Master codename: ____]

Lin Lu casually entered her real name, "Lin Lu," and clicked confirm.

[Identity registration complete. Welcome to the Security Organization for the Preservation of Humanity—Chaldea.]

After a brief moment of darkness and weightlessness, Lin Lu didn't see the flashy CG opening typical of conventional games as she expected. Instead, she felt a wet, furry sensation on her cheek.

She snapped her eyes open and found a strange white creature, looking like a cross between a squirrel and a puppy, lying on her chest, gently licking her face with its pink tongue.

"Fou! Fou-wu—"

"Eh, what kind of setting is this? Starting with a cute pet?"

Just as Lin Lu was trying to push the little fellow away with a mix of disdain and curiosity, a gentle, slightly concerned young girl's voice suddenly came from the side.

"Ah, Senpai, you're awake!"

Lin Lu turned her head and saw a girl with short pink hair and half-rimmed glasses, with an aura like a tranquil lake, standing nearby.

The girl beamed at Lin Lu and bowed slightly, her tone earnest: "Nice to meet you, I am Mash Kyrielight. I saw you fell asleep on the floor of the corridor just now, so..."

Just as Lin Lu was about to critique this pink-haired girl's character design from a film critic's perspective, the broadcast in the Chaldea corridor suddenly rang out.

[Notice: Mash Kyrielight, please report to the Central Control Room immediately. Professor Lev is looking for you. Repeating...]

"Ah, sorry, Senpai." A hint of apology appeared on Mash's face, and she pointed down the corridor somewhat awkwardly. "I should have been the one to lead the way for you, but Professor Lev's summons seems urgent. Please go straight down this corridor to the new recruit registration area. I'll come and meet you as soon as I've finished."

With that, Mash picked up the small white beast called "Fou" and hurried away.

"This novice tutorial is way too perfunctory, isn't it? Who leaves a player alone in a corridor less than ten minutes into the game?"

Lin Lu couldn't help but complain to the camera of her live stream.

However, when she stood up from the cold floor and looked around, she was still slightly stunned by the sight before her.

The first thing that caught her eye was the silver-white metal corridor, which had a very sci-fi and hard-edged style.

The soft cold light from the ceiling poured down, making the floor look spotless.

"The environmental rendering has indeed reached the top-tier of the current industry, and the material feedback of the footsteps is very realistic. It seems this Producer Gu has really invested a lot in the technology."

Lin Lu strolled through the corridors of Chaldea in first-person perspective, scrutinizing everything with an extremely professional eye while commenting in the live room:

"But then again, for a game that focuses on the plot, having a pretty exterior isn't enough; you also have to look at the characters—"

*Thud!*

Before she could finish her sentence, at a corner, because Lin Lu was distracted by the bullet comments, she slammed right into a figure walking toward her.

"Ah!"

Lin Lu was knocked back half a step and let out a soft cry.

The person opposite her was even more exaggerated, letting out an extremely pathetic exclamation. The tray in their hand fell to the ground with a 'clang,' and an exquisite plate, along with an enticing pastry on top, traced a parabola in the air.

However, the other party's reaction wasn't slow either. They practically scrambled forward in a dive, barely catching the small plate with both hands mid-air.

"Whew... That was close, that was close. The strawberry cake was almost ruined. This was the last piece I managed to snag at the cafeteria after queuing for a full half hour..."

A slightly lazy male voice, tinged with a bit of relief and weakness, sounded in Lin Lu's ear.

Lin Lu looked closely.

It was an adult male wearing a slightly wrinkled white lab coat.

He had slightly messy, warm orange long hair, casually tied into a small ponytail at the back of his head.

His face was unexpectedly clean and handsome. Although those green eyes were always half-drooped and surrounded by dark circles so heavy it looked like he hadn't slept for days, this didn't ruin his looks. Instead, it added a non-aggressive, gentle feeling that made one want to get closer.

Looking at that face, Lin Lu's heart inexplicably skipped a beat.