Approved.
Watching from below, Li Mo knew he was safe the moment he saw the elegant female elf sink into plants vs. zombies.
'Krister, this work is fascinating—I'm sure you'll find it interesting.'
'Oh?'
The middle-aged male elf was surprised.
Melissa was not only a long-famous Dream designer but also a high-ranking ranger.
For this woman to personally recommend something, he wondered what magic the piece could possibly hold.
Without another word he activated the moonstone.
The same expression: at first his brows knit, for he too saw how tiny the work's footprint was.
It was hard to imagine it being anything outstanding.
But as time passed.
He gradually fell silent.
It was a stroke of Genius—an innovation never before seen in history.
A setup that carved its own path, gameplay where every link locked into the next.
Even someone who'd spent his life inside the Dream World was dazzled.
Unfortunately, this was only the screening round; he couldn't spare time for a detailed appreciation.
Without question.
Approved.
Below the stage Li Mo exhaled in relief.
So far, no surprises.
The first round moved quickly; all approved works were now on the board.
Next came the audience's most anticipated phase.
Li Mo received a numbered tag: 69.
That was his booth.
He hurried to collect his things and headed for Booth Number 69.
It sat rather far back, but he wasn't worried.
Each booth held only ten experience pods, allowing ten simultaneous players.
He set the prepared placard out front.
[plants vs. zombies]
A horde of evil zombies is invading your garden, hungry for your brain—don't let them reach your house!
Spectators began scattering to find works they wanted to try.
The crowd bustled—some gathered to discuss.
Some couldn't wait and jumped straight in.
Nearly a hundred works had made it to the second round—plenty to choose from.
No one could sample them all.
This contest was for newcomers: a hard rule allowed only designers registered with the Temple for less than ten years.
Yet a commoner designer without any certification—like Li Mo—was rare.
Most entrants already boasted small fan bases.
Some had even reached Rank Two.
Helena, surrounded by onlookers, enthusiastically explained her creation.
As Great Master Gorin's granddaughter, raised under his influence, she had become a noted Dream designer while still young.
But this Genius had her pride.
Her dream was to step out of her grandfather's shadow and surpass his achievements.
So she concealed her identity; outsiders had no idea who she truly was.
Her masterpiece
[rose knight] would surely win the championship—her first step toward the Peak.
Thanks to her spirited pitch, all ten pods filled at once, with a queue forming behind.
She glanced around: Booth 69 stood beside her.
Seeing the dazed male elf who didn't seem to know what he was doing, she shook her head slightly.
Clearly a raw rookie.
Probably his very first work, yet he couldn't wait to show it off.
There were always dreamers like him—talentless, inexperienced, yet craving instant fame.
Sunlight slanted in, setting her fiery hair shimmering, each strand dusted with motes of light.
She blazed with enthusiasm, a dancing bloom amid the booths.
Li Mo stared blankly at the lively, beautiful girl next door.
He wondered whether he should try something similar.
Just standing here doing nothing felt idiotic even to himself.
'Bro, is your world a maze theme?'
'Nope.'
'Then does it have a beautiful princess?'
Li Mo was bewildered.
'No…'
The man glanced again—still a designer without a single Rank.
'Tch, trash.'
He walked off without looking back.
Li Mo panicked.
'Wait, bro—since you're here, give it a try before you go!'
The man waved him off in disdain; time was limited and he had only one vote—he'd spend it on a theme he liked.
Li Mo had miscalculated.
A few people came, saw a rookie designer and a weird title, asked a couple of questions, then left uninterested.
Anxiety gnawed at him.
This stage was decided by votes; every second of playtime counted.
Then a chubby, bespectacled elf ambled toward his booth.
Ron was wandering; the booths he fancied were all full.
Unwilling to queue, he strolled around.
plants vs. zombies
What a strange name.
'Does your theme have a beautiful big sister?' he whispered behind a hand.
'Yes, bro, yes!!!'
sunflower counts as a sister!
'Can I use magic?'
'Of course, bro—magic you've never seen before.'
Ron's eyes lit up.
Li Mo was desperate; finally someone had arrived.
Lure him in first—slaughter… no, invite him in first!
Ron activated the moonstone and began.
Li Mo grabbed the projection crystal, beamed the session onto the big screen, and maxed the volume.
Enter game.
Ron was speechless—only a lawn?
This must be the prologue, maybe a flashback…
Yeah, had to be.
Though he felt a bit conned,
since he was here he might as well watch.
The fog lifted; the login screen appeared.
His eyes bulged.
What was this?
A seasoned shut-in, for special reasons he spent every day inside the Dream World.
He'd tried almost everything, yet nothing this bizarre.
Following the prompts, he cleared the tutorial in no time.
Never-seen-before gameplay, a novel art style,
and music of a genre he'd never heard, perfectly woven into every moment—
he was hooked.
Level Five mini-game began.
A conveyor belt started rolling out Wall-nut Bowling; zombies attacked.
He dragged cards to place the bowling balls.
Bang! Bang!
Fun!
Adjusting his glasses, he felt in perfect control; zombie after zombie was crushed, and he cleared the stage.
Next level.
Princes and princesses, heroes and thrones—
all forgotten.
Only now, tasting fine grain, did he realize everything he'd played before was garbage.
Level six began ramping up the difficulty.
First time playing, he hadn't formed a strategy yet and didn't fully know what each plant did.