"Ahem..."
Jean gently tucked a loose strand of hair behind her ear.
Maintaining a composed, upright posture, she understood that the previous moment had been a misunderstanding. An awkward atmosphere now lingered in the air, so she could only focus her attention on the palm-sized 'box' before her.
"Shopkeeper, you said this thing is called a 'mobile phone'?"
"And a 'mobile game' refers to a game within this 'mobile phone'?"
"You catch on quickly."
Jean found it somewhat unbelievable, but she was quickly captivated by the small, hand-sized device.
"It can actually emit light, and it even displays a picture. How miraculous."
At that moment, the phone's screen was paused on the game's entry interface.
Against a backdrop of a mysterious sky, a simple, ancient stone archway stood at the center.
"The screen is touch-sensitive. You can try tapping it."
Seeing Jean staring blankly at the phone, Lin Yu couldn't help but offer a reminder.
After all, for someone like Jean, it was her first time ever seeing such a thing as a mobile phone; she had no idea how to operate it.
Following Lin Yu's instruction, she tapped the screen with her long, slender index finger.
Voom!
The stone archway instantly swung open, and a brilliant white light enveloped the entire screen.
It looked...
...as if she had just stepped through the gate into the world beyond.
After a brief loading period, the game officially began.
Normally, entering the game for the first time would trigger the cinematic of the Traveler twins battling the Sustainer of Heavenly Principles on the floating island. However, as the developer, Lin Yu had removed this segment. In its place was a panoramic, bird's-eye-view animation showcasing the various landscapes of the Mondstadt region.
Starsnatch Cliff, Starfell Lake, Windrise...
Finally, the view returned to the city of Mondstadt.
Under the setting sun, the massive windmills turned, outlining the entire city in a golden silhouette, creating a scene of exceptional peace and beauty.
Lin Yu had his reasons for removing the opening cinematic with the twins. He knew very well that in this world, the audience for his Genshin Impact mobile game wasn't a group of experienced gamers, but the simple, unadorned people of Teyvat who had never encountered high technology.
The original animation was miHoYo's way of showcasing their technical prowess and planting seeds of foreshadowing, building anticipation for the players' experience.
But here, Lin Yu had no need to use such methods to generate hype.
Because in this world, his mobile game was one of a kind!
Moreover, the content within the game was directly related to this very world.
After playing it once, no one would be able to refuse such a 'realistic' game.
Besides,
that opening cinematic with the twins revealed a massive amount of information.
Lin Yu predicted that his game hall would become an explosive hit. When the number of players grew, someone would inevitably emerge who could understand the implications of that opening scene.
Lin Yu had no desire to be invited for a 'chat' with some of the more powerful beings of this world while his 'business' was just getting off the ground.
Of course,
Lin Yu wouldn't let that cinematic go to waste. In the future, once he had acquired sufficient power for himself, he could re-purpose it as a new story quest.
At this moment, witnessing such a "realistic" art style, Jean couldn't help but reveal a look of astonishment.
On this tiny metal box, she was actually seeing the many significant landscapes of the Mondstadt region, including the city of Mondstadt itself!
How could she not be shocked?!
With this thing, you wouldn't need maps anymore. You could just look at the real scenery right here!
"Shopkeeper, what is going on? Why is there a scene of Mondstadt inside this?" Jean couldn't help but question him, her tone demanding.
"Why so agitated? As I said, this is just a game. You can play the role of a traveler and freely explore the 'Mondstadt' within this game."
Following the direction Lin Yu indicated, Jean shifted her gaze back to the phone screen.
On the screen,
two opposing figures appeared.
On the left was a young man with a long braid, and on the right was a young woman with short hair.
Both had golden hair and wore the attire of foreigners. They looked as if they might be brother and sister.
Remembering what Lin Yu had just said, Jean knew she had to choose one of them to role-play.
It was like reading an illustrated novel, where you put yourself in the shoes of the protagonist.
Without much hesitation, Jean chose the female character, Lumine.
Since she herself was a woman, she felt she would have a stronger sense of immersion by identifying with the female protagonist.
By now, Jean was completely captivated by this 'mobile game'. It was the first time she had ever encountered something so peculiar, and she was eager to find out what would happen next.
After selecting her character, a system prompt asked her to set a nickname.
Using her finger, Jean wrote the character for "Jean" on the screen.
Simple and unadorned.
It completely lacked the creative flair of the naming geniuses from Lin Yu's past life.
But then again, she was just being introduced to this concept. Everything was still in the exploratory phase, without any need for frills.
Once all preparations were complete,
the story,
began.
"An unknown god took my brother away, and I was sealed by that god, losing my original power..."
"How many years ago was that? I don't know, but I will find a way to learn the truth..."
"After I awoke, I was always wandering alone. Until two months ago, when I met you."
Lumine sat on a rock on the beach, speaking to the white, floating creature in front of her.
The camera angle shifted,
turning to face this white creature.
It was... a little pixie? With the face of a little girl?
The pixie nodded and said:
"Yeah, and I have you to thank for that! Otherwise, I probably would have drowned..."
"So, I'll do my best to be a great guide."
"It's time to set off. Let's go!"
As Paimon finished speaking, the player's control over the camera was unlocked.
When she saw the scenery on the screen,
Jean couldn't help but exclaim:
"This is so familiar... This is the riverbed below Starsnatch Cliff!"