"Now, to explain the process," the instructor began, "you’ll go through two phases of testing. The first trial is all about testing how responsive or bug-free the player vs. zombies feature is. So, you’ll be killing zombies." He paused for effect. "The second phase is where things get interesting. It’s the newest feature—well, it was already in the pre-release, but it was limited. Now, in Phase 2, you’ll be testing the PVP Worldwide version."
The crowd buzzed with excitement. The new feature sounded like a game-changer—another PVP version with more players and bigger maps. It was like a battleground where zombies and players fought against each other in a massive post-apocalyptic world.
"This is the main reason you’re all here—the Phase 2 trial of the expanded PVP version. Your job is to find bugs, and we’ll fix them," the instructor continued.
A guy in the crowd shouted, "What about the compensation?"
"Oh, right! The compensation!" the instructor responded. "You’ll get $700 for a week of testing."
Kai’s jaw dropped. $700 for a week of playing a game? That was way more than he expected. He could barely earn that much working two jobs for a week, but here he was, just playing games and getting paid for it. Even the others in the room were hyped, some jumping up and down, others crying with joy. That’s when Kai spotted Naomi again—she passed, just like him.
"You passed," Kai said to her.
"I expected it," Naomi replied, a smirk playing on her lips. "Bet your friend didn’t even make it."
Kai shrugged. The number of questions asked during the interview was a good indicator—more questions usually meant the candidate wasn’t good enough. The fewer questions, the better the chances.
"He did," Kai said.
"What? Are you serious?" Naomi’s eyes widened in disbelief.
"Yeah, unfortunately, he didn’t pass," Kai said.
Naomi looked at him, an annoyed look in her eyes. "You knew, didn’t you?" Kai said.
"What?" Naomi asked, confused.
"You knew he wasn’t going to pass the moment you heard they asked him five questions," Kai said.
Before Kai could respond, the instructor signaled for them to start Phase 1 of the testing. He pointed to the capsule-like machines in the room. There were 20 capsules in one room, and several other rooms with 20 capsules each.
"Alright, here’s how it works," the instructor said. "When you get in the capsule, you’ll see a button next to your head. Just press it when you're lying down, and that’ll start the game. Simple as that. Once the game starts, select the PVZ mode, and play for an hour. After that, let us know what you find—any bugs? Or suggestions for improvements?" He finished, pointing toward the machines. "Alright, go ahead!"
Kai climbed into the capsule, and it lit up around him. He spotted the button the instructor mentioned—a red one, not too big, not too small, just there. He pressed it, and a thin chip-like device was attached to his head.
[Deadland]
A loading screen popped up, and Kai noticed the experience felt more like VR, but something about it was different. It was brighter, more immersive. He couldn’t quite put his finger on what made it feel more real, but it definitely did.
----------------------------------------
[Loading] [CONTINUE]
----------------------------------------
[Choose a Mode]
●PVZ
●PVP
●Solo
●Team
●Hardcore
●Practice
----------------------------------------
There were a lot of options, but Kai’s only choice for now was PVZ, where he’d fight different types of zombies in a limited area. It felt like an arcade mode, but with progressively tougher zombies.
[PVZ]
If you find this story on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the infringement.
[LOADING]
----------------------------------------
DYK? In the PVP Worldwide version, you can earn rare items by killing other players?
----------------------------------------
The fun fact popped up, and Kai couldn’t help but notice how much better the interface looked compared to the pre-release. The graphics were sharper, and the loading time was almost nonexistent—one of the biggest complaints about the pre-release.
----------------------------------------
[CHOOSE A LOCATION]
●Abandoned School
●Abandoned Building
●Hospital
●Bridge
●Forest
●Military base
●Playground
●Urban
●Rural
●City
●Beach
●Airport
●Train
●Airplane
●Bus
----------------------------------------
Clearly, this version had way more locations unlocked compared to the pre-release, which only had four: Bridge, Forest, Hospital, and the School.
[Abandoned building]
Boop!
----------------------------------------
[Choose a weapon]
In this trial phase, the game gives you a random weapon based on the type you pick:
[GUN]
[MELEE]
[EXPLOSIVES]
Click! [You have selected GUN]
[Your weapon will be "Pistol"]
----------------------------------------
Boop!
[Round 1] VS. Walker
A Walker is your basic zombie, the easiest to kill. Kai could take one out in a second. The key was the head—aim for it, shoot, and down it goes.
BANG!
"Damn." The experience was so real, with gore in the main version—brains and blood splattering everywhere. The guns felt authentic too.
Kai faced more zombies in this phase: Walkers, the slow and easy ones; Runners, which were a pain because they moved fast; Spitters, the worst, spitting toxic gas; Tanks, huge but slow and strong; and finally, the Parasite Zombies, the most annoying ones. Surprisingly after playing for an hour there is absolutely no bug at all, the gameplay was great as well.
After leaving the capsule, they were told to write down their experience. Any bugs? Suggestions for improvement? Kai noted that there were no bugs, the loading times were quick, the gameplay was smooth, and the buttons worked flawlessly. He added that he couldn’t wait for Phase 2 next week.
image [https://clipart-library.com/images/8czrRMbdi.png]
A week later
"Alright, moving on to Phase 2! This might be the last phase you’ll test, but that’s not guaranteed," the instructor announced.
In this phase, they’d be testing the new PVP version. The exciting part? Players could see each other, team up, go solo, hunt other players, or take on zombies in a massive map.
"Just like last time, go inside, click the button, and choose PVP mode."
[Loading]
........
[Continue]
[Choose a Mode]
●PVZ
●PVP
●Solo
●Team
●Hardcore
●Practice
[PVP]
PVP was definitely Kai’s favorite mode in the pre-release, but it was limited to just two players fighting in a small map. Now, it was a full battleground where players could see, talk, and team up with each other.
[Select A Role]
Scout
• Abilities: High agility, faster movement, and better stamina.
• Starting Items: Lightweight gear, a basic map, and a small knife.
• Perk: Can detect traps and hidden paths.
Medic
• Abilities: Heals teammates and themselves faster.
• Starting Items: First aid kit, bandages, and herbal remedies.
• Perk: Can craft advanced healing items.
Engineer
• Abilities: Repairs and builds fortifications.
• Starting Items: Toolset, basic materials, and a blueprint for a barricade.
• Perk: Can craft traps and advanced weapons.
Soldier
• Abilities: Superior combat skills and weapon handling.
• Starting Items: A basic rifle, ammunition, and a combat knife.
• Perk: Higher damage output and better armor durability.
Survivor
• Abilities: Balanced stats with no specific weaknesses.
• Starting Items: Random gear and a small food supply.
• Perk: Gains a small boost to all skills over time.
----------------------------------------
This was new. In the pre-release Deadland PVP, there was no role selection, but now, it was a huge upgrade. The ability to pick a role before jumping into the post-apocalyptic world was awesome. What role should he pick? Scout for agility? Medic for healing? Engineer for fortifications? Soldier for combat? Or Survivor for balanced stats?
For the long haul, maybe Engineer was the best choice.
[CHOSEN ROLE: ENGINEER]
"This is insane," Kai muttered, excitement surging through him.
After selecting his role, a new menu popped up in front of him: the inventory system. It was sleek and detailed, showing everything he carried.
Inventory:
• Weapons
• Ammunition
• Medical Supplies
• Food and Water
• Crafting Materials
• Special Items (rare and unique finds)
Weight Limit:
Carrying too much will slow you down. Manage wisely.
----------------------------------------
Another tab caught his eye: Points and Rewards.
Earn points by:
• Surviving each day.
• Killing zombies.
• Completing objectives (rescue missions, scavenging, etc.).
• Assisting teammates.
"So, I can trade points for items or materials? That’s genius," Kai thought, impressed by how immersive the game had become.
BZZZZT!!!
"Shit!" Kai clutched his ears as the glitching sound drilled into his skull.
BZZZZZZT!!!
The red light inside the capsule flared up. Kai froze, unable to move. The chip glued to his head felt like it was burning into his skull. "Aaagh!" he screamed internally, his nose suddenly bleeding as the pain intensified.
BZZZZZZT!!!
[Warning!]
[The players will be logged out.]
Kai barely read the words on the screen before his vision blurred. What the hell was happening? Moments ago, he was hyped to experience the PVP mode. Now, it felt like a goddamn nightmare.
[FAILED]
[FAILED]
......
BZZZZZZT!!!
"LET ME OUT!" Kai tried to shout, but no sound came out.
[Cannot log out.]
[Failed 3 times.]
BZZZZTTTT
[Logging in, 3 seconds...]
3...
2...
1...
Click!
Swisshhhhhh!
The pain vanished in an instant, leaving only darkness. Kai blinked, trying to orient himself. His body felt heavy, his senses heightened. When his vision returned, he found himself standing in front of an abandoned building. It was dark, eerily quiet.
"Is this?" he muttered, doubt crept into his voice. "That glitch probably the worst thing I’ve ever experienced," Kai said to himself, still shaken. He raised the pistol in his hand, staring at it in disbelief. It wasn’t just realistic—it was real. Even his arms looked exactly like they did in real life.
"Damn," he whispered, awestruck. "This might actually be the greatest VR game ever made."
Curiosity pulled him toward the abandoned building. Every step felt natural, his movements fluid. The sounds of his boots scraping to the ground, the faint sound of the empty structure—it was all so vivid it left him speechless.
"Amazi—"
BANG!
[You are slightly shot in the arm.]
Health: 97 (-3)
Kai hissed, diving behind a wall and grabbing his arm. Pain. Real, searing pain. Blood trickled down his sleeve, and his arm throbbed with every heartbeat.
"What the?" he whispered, his voice trembling.
Tu-tump. Tu-tump. Tu-tump.
His pulse was heard in his ears. Raising his trembling hand, he stared at it. This wasn’t a VR game. He is too sure. The pain, the blood, the gunshot—it all felt too real.
"This is real," Kai realized, his voice barely audible. "I’m in the game?"