They Said It Was a Casual Game, But the Long March Instance Made the Whole Internet Cry

Luo An transmigrated to a parallel world, Blue Star, three months prior to the story's start. This world boasted advanced VR technology but lacked cultural depth, with no history of the War to Resist US Aggression and Aid Korea. Entertainment was dominated by pay-to-win games and shallow content. Luo An, a game developer, faced financial ruin with his studio's bank account nearly empty. Just as he reached his lowest point, his 'Civilization's Spark' system activated, granting him the ability to create games. He developed a VR experience titled 'Healing Journey: Oath Under the Snowy Mountain,' marketed as a healing and scenic simulation but actually based on the historical Long March from his original world. The game placed players in the instance 'Crimson Expedition,' a Pauper Edition focused on crossing Jiajin Mountain with no war scenes, only extreme cold, hunger, and despair.

Brother Kuang, a popular streamer, was the first to enter the game as a new recruit. He immediately complained about the conditions, discarding a barley ration mixed with sand that an NPC offered, calling it trash. During a sudden blizzard triggered by the game, he faced severe cold and hypothermia, with health dropping rapidly. He tried to force quit but was labeled a deserter, which he refused. An NPC named Xiao Hu, a young soldier, sacrificed himself to save Brother Kuang when he fell into a snowdrift, throwing the previously discarded ration to him before sinking into an abyss. After the instance failed with an F score, Brother Kuang wept profusely. He restarted the game, determined to save Xiao Hu. This time, he tried to exploit bugs by taking a cliff path, which collapsed. He fell into a trap and was saved by the Old Squad Leader, who slapped him and told him that there were no shortcuts on the snow mountain, and that he had no choice but to endure. Brother Kuang apologized and committed to following the squad.

Eagle Eye, a top technical streamer, joined next. He dismissed the game as a walking simulator and believed he could overcome it with skill. He entered and demanded a weapon from the system mall, but found it under full blockade with no items available, and even billions couldn't buy half a mantou. He tried to rely on his abilities but was overwhelmed by the cold. Ruan Ruan, a beauty streamer, entered expecting a scenic experience for her audience. She was immediately hit by the extreme cold and pain, unable to access the menu to adjust settings, and her face froze. She cried out but could not adapt.

Luo An used the emotion values collected from players to upgrade the game system during this time. He redeemed advanced neural erosion sound packs, deep physiological collapse modules for hunger, and primary NPC intelligent dialogue modules. These enhancements increased the realism of the environment, such as bone freezing sounds and stomach acid burning sensations. The Old Squad Leader and Xiao Hu gained real-time feedback capabilities based on context, making their interactions more profound.

The players' experiences were broadcasted live. Brother Kuang's stream went viral with tags like 'BrotherKuangMadeToCry' and 'NoShortcutsInSnowMountainInstance,' breaking views records. Eagle Eye's arrogance was challenged as he realized technique alone could not overcome the game. Ruan Ruan's persona broke down as she suffered. The audience was stunned by the realism and the sacrifices depicted. Brother Kuang repeatedly restarted the game, determined to change outcomes, but was forced to face the reality of Xiao Hu's death and the lack of escape. Eagle Eye began to understand the value of willpower over shortcuts. Ruan Ruan learned to endure.

The game demonstrated that in this historical context, there were no rewrites or easy paths. The Old Squad Leader and Xiao Hu embodied sacrifice for the group. Luo An's game served as a medium to convey this history, turning players from mere gamers into participants in a trial. The system lured players with healing tags but delivered a harsh truth about the past. Brother Kuang, Eagle Eye, and Ruan Ruan each emerged changed, with Brother Kuang vowing never to let Xiao Hu die in vain. The story concluded with the players confronting the severity of the Long March, understanding the requirement for endurance over entertainment. Luo An's creation succeeded in shocking the spiritually empty world with a taste of historical resonance.