Newbie's Quest: Awaiting Challenge
Chapter 54: How Many Scenes Exactly

"Holy cow! The characters in the movie are actually players!"

"What? Can it even be played like that?"

"What's so surprising about that? Haven't the strategies for the cinema file been thoroughly dissected on the forum?" "It's just the beginning, the best is yet to come."

"No spoilers, please! Think of the new players, pretty please."

"Let's not spoil it, remember the live stream rules, right?"

"Just watch Ethan and his team's performance. With Ethan there, there won't be any problems."

The cinema file is a Grade-A file, challenging but not as terrifying as Grade-S.

Its fame stems not only from its perilous nature but also from its high entertainment value.

Players who have posted strategies online mention that the cinema file doesn't have many scenes, probably only 2-3.

The controversy arises over whether it's 2 or 3.

This debate even sparked an online argument.

It began with a forum post titled, "Just survived a Grade-A cinema file, feel free to ask anything."

At that time, the cinema file wasn't very famous, and netizens were more curious about how the poster survived a Grade-A file.

The poster roughly described the scenes of the cinema file and the attacks used by the bosses. The discussion was normal at first.

But around the thirtieth comment, an odd response appeared.

-The poster is definitely bluffing. Doesn't the cinema file have three scenes? 3D hall, 2D hall, and a VIP hall.

This caused an uproar. One-third sided with the original poster, one-third with the mysterious netizen, and the rest just enjoyed the drama. The original poster replied to the comment.

-No replay, no truth. I have a replay clip, do you?

The poster shared a snippet of their file replay.

Half an hour later, the accuser reappeared, first posting a video, then responding.

-My computer was so slow, it just got exported. No more arguments now, right?

The netizens clicked on the new three-minute video, and indeed, an unfamiliar VIP hall sign brightly appeared before everyone.

There was a stir.

What was going on?

Was there really a third scene?

Initially, some thought it was a hidden storyline initiated by the unfortunate netizen.

But hidden storylines either have special plots or extremely difficult monsters, yet this VIP hall had neither.

It seemed just like a normal game scene, quietly waiting for players to enter.

This matter sparked heated discussions on the forum, with some accusing the original poster of lying and others suspecting the mysterious netizen of editing the video. The debate was endless and even spread across various social media platforms.

Later, many bloggers and players specifically went to uncover the truth behind the cinema file. Indeed, some only found two scenes, while others found three!

Far from solving the mystery, it only added to the file's enigma.

The reason why so many entered the Grade-A file with minimal casualties was...

The completion condition of the file seemed to be replaceing the correct exit. If not found within a certain time limit, the file would "spit out" the players.

Players didn't even know when or how they were transported back to the real world!

The more the cinema file was discussed, the more mysterious it became, with no one able to complete it.

It was perfect for Felix Rayburn's team to have found this file. It was topical yet not too dangerous. Even if they didn't complete it, it would just add another layer of mystery to the cinema file.

And without wasting money, every member of Felix's team was worth their salary.

They had already started to set the tone in Ethan's live stream.

"Although the cinema file is complex, Ethan will definitely handle it!"

"If Ethan can't solve this file, then it's unsolvable, no one else stands a chance."

"Yeah, yeah, Ethan is so amazing, he will definitely complete it!"

At first, Ethan's fans in the live stream echoed and praised Ethan.

But soon, some more experienced viewers sensed something was amiss.

"Folks, don't be swayed! Aren't they just setting Ethan up for failure?"

"Damn! These uniform comments! What water army is this, having a team-building here?!"

"Everyone, don't fall into their trap! I noticed it earlier but didn't dare to say, it's so frustrating."

"It must be Felix Rayburn's team causing trouble!"

"The end of the universe is Felix Rayburn, right? You Ethan fans don't get too outrageous. Blaming everything on Felix?"

"What's this thing that sneaked in? Mods, quickly blacklist them, such bad luck."

The chat room gradually devolved into a chaotic battleground of fans and detractors. Ethan's room moderators, borrowed from the main association, are now numb from enforcing so many silences. Fortunately, Ethan hasn't bothered with a PR team; given his tendency to stir up trouble, he'd likely be blacklisted in the industry.

Once Ethan enters the file, he prefers not to watch the live stream or pay attention to the camera's location unless necessary. Oliver Wright, being a complete rookie, cluelessly follows his only brother, equally unconcerned about fans or the live stream.

Felix Rayburn, on the other hand, cares about these things and pays great attention to his public image. But right now, his biggest adversary is right in front of him, and just staying vigilant is exhausting him. As for Natalie Clark...

The managers of the team spend generously to hire professional operations teams to craft personas for their players. They patiently and meticulously teach them how to increase fan engagement and interact with fans. In an increasingly commercialized environment, this has become an essential course for every star player. The difference lies in how they view it and whether they choose to engage. Natalie belongs to the category of ace players who are close to their fans, without airs or aloofness.

The mobile cameras in the file change with the scene. Outdoor scenes generally use ravens, while indoor scenes switch to floating light orbs.

Natalie notices the camera and instinctively wants to greet his fans. But then he remembers his flamboyantly black attire and forcefully restrains himself. It wouldn't do at all; if his team leaders found out he skipped training to play a Grade-A file in the eight-hundred-plus districts, and if he were unfortunate enough to be caught on camera, the media and rival guilds would have a field day... He shudders at the thought of being hung upside down in the lobby for punishment. His fingers tighten around his mask, wishing he could hide his entire head.

Felix and Natalie have their own concerns, while Oliver is simply cheerful and straightforward. The only one truly focused on how to clear the file is Ethan.

Ethan observes the figures on the screen, and the "him" in the screen observes back. He changes a few poses-raising a hand, standing on tiptoes, waving an arm-and the screen's figure mirrors each movement. Ethan slowly lowers his arm.

"Huh?"

He voices his confusion, drawing the others' attention.

"What's wrong?"