Why the bug I wrote became a core gameplay mechanic?!
Chapter 237 - 236: Withdrawal and Public Opinion!

Chapter 237: Chapter 236: Withdrawal and Public Opinion!

Soon, Chen Liang released a video on his short video account, detailing the entire journey of his thoughts that led to his decision to withdraw from the competition and retire from the motorcycle community.

"Hello everyone, I am Chen Liang. Today, I have decided to drop out of the Ghost Rider Youth Challenge and also announce that I will be retiring from the motorcycle community forever: a real man keeps his word!

"As to why I’m retiring, the direct reason is quite simple: it’s because of this challenge.

"I used to be very confident in my driving skills, but it was only when I came to this competition that I realized there are many people whose skills far surpass mine.

"Don’t tell me it’s just a game and that controllers can’t simulate real motorcycle driving skills. The truly insightful know that in reality, experts who familiarize themselves with the controls of simulation games should be able to crush average players with ease.

"Even if we set aside skill, professional racers’ ability to read the course, control their vehicles, and react instantly should all be far superior to ordinary people.

"I’ve only heard of professional racers dominating simulators, never of simulator experts going to the track and beating professional racers.

"But what defeated me is that, in this race, I was even worse than average casual players!

"Many fans previously asked me to compete on the track, but I never did. Because back then, I was deluding myself: although I admitted that I couldn’t beat top professional players, I definitely thought I was much stronger than the average person.

"That’s why most of my video content was on public roads.

"However, this competition mercilessly shattered all my illusions. I realized that even among ordinary people, I’m at the very bottom. The reason I became an internet celebrity and gained a mass following because of motorcycle content wasn’t really because of my skills; it was purely because I was flirting with death. People watched me like they would a performing monkey.

"If the kind of crash that happened in the Ghost Rider Youth Challenge occurred in real life, I’d probably be doomed.

"Reflecting on the times when I used to race, some of the footage was fraught with danger, I originally thought it was because of my good skills, even relishing the feeling of dancing in a minefield. But now, I suddenly realize that those near-death experiences weren’t fundamentally different from the crash in the Ghost Rider Youth Challenge.

"Some might think, one is reality, the other is a game; but I know, one was luck, the other was inevitable.

"That I’ve lived to this day is actually a result of luck favoring me.

"The fundamental reason for my retirement is that this competition made me reflect and summarize a lot about my life.

"My parents always advised me earnestly, but I never listened. Now, I suddenly want to go home like any ordinary person, to spend time with my parents, fulfill my filial duties after becoming an adult, rather than letting them worry about me every day.

"I know that on the track of motorcycle influencers, there will be many others who will follow in my footsteps because such risky behaviors will always draw attention and always have a market, so there will never be a shortage of people wanting a piece of the cake.

"But I’m telling you from my own experience, don’t do it.

"Don’t ride a motorcycle to chase a high-speed train, don’t pop wheelies on the road, don’t weave in and out of traffic or overtake recklessly, and don’t street race... If you’re really confident in your driving skills, then go to the track or participate in professional motorcycle stunts.

"Doing these things on public roads, and gaining followers for it, you might think you’re cool, but in the eyes of the public, you’re just being foolish!"

...

Once the video was released, it immediately drew a lot of attention from netizens!

In recent times, with "Road Rage Simulator" having already generated substantial hype, whether it was the campaign by the cyber army or the Ghost Rider Youth Challenge hosted by two big streamers, all these added fuel to the topic, causing the flames to burn even fiercer.

And the topic of a "motorcycle influencer withdrawing and retiring" perfectly validated many players’ discussions during this period, instantly sparking heated debate!

Of course, the fact that Chen Liang was the one retiring surprised many people.

In the motorcycle community, although Chen Liang had also done some excessive things and filmed some content that bordered on dangerous driving, amidst the various bizarre motorcycle influencers, he was comparatively normal.

At the very least, his driving skills were decent, and the times he engaged in dangerous driving were relatively fewer.

Look at the other motorcycle influencers, what kinds of monsters and demons are they?

Just take Zhuang Xiaoyu and Gou Dan, who are participating now: their performance is at the bottom, making one wonder, the so-called motorcycle influencers, are they just a bunch of posers?

Not to mention the other motorcycle influencers, almost all of them have some notable antics: driving without a license, hitting the road without wearing a helmet, speeding in a schoolgirl outfit, going against traffic, popping wheelies in public, chasing high-speed trains at top speed...

Netizens can think of anything that they can’t do.

Compared with those real ’Ghost Flame’ boys who court death, Chen Liang actually seems somewhat refined.

So, it was somewhat surprising that he became the first Internet celebrity to quit the scene amid this controversy.

However, after carefully considering Chen Liang’s statement, one would find a certain rationality in his decision.

"Who would have thought, Liang, with the best skills, would actually be the first to withdraw..."

"Unexpected, yet reasonable. It’s precisely because Liang has the best skills that he woke up to reality the earliest."

"Liang is right, so-called motorcycle Internet celebrities are just earning this life-risking money. Why don’t they go to the racetrack for real motorcycle races? Why not perform professional motorcycle stunts? Is it because they don’t like it? To put it plainly, they’re just not skilled enough, so they can only engage in dangerous driving on public roads as a gimmick."

"Exactly, that Internet celebrity who raced after a high-speed train on a motorcycle a while ago, some brain-dead fans called him ’the bravest of all.’ What bravery? Anyone with a little driving skill can twist the throttle in a straight line, but we all know it’s dangerous driving, so we simply don’t do it. When did courage become synonymous with courting death?"

"This is ignorance is bliss."

"Now that you mention it, the ’Ghost Flame’ boys challenge really did a great service!"

"True, without this competition, Liang probably wouldn’t have come to his senses so quickly. Many motorcycle Internet celebrities are either blindly confident in their driving skills or blindly trust their luck. But this competition ripped off their fig leaf and made them consider, if the scenario in the game really happened in reality, what would it be like?"

"Will other Internet celebrities withdraw as well?"

"Not likely. Liang could understand this because he is relatively smart and rational among these motorcycle Internet celebrities, and he didn’t engage in dangerous driving often to begin with. But the others? They are too far gone to be saved. They already behave like that in reality, so a mere game probably can’t stop them."

"But no matter what, this competition does serve a certain warning and educational purpose after all!"

"It might not save those destined to meet their end prematurely, but it may just rescue those whose time hasn’t come yet!"

"So, this ’Ghost Flame’ boys challenge isn’t actually promoting dangerous driving, but instead uses this method to show everyone the hazards of dangerous driving, especially to those motorbike enthusiasts?"

"Are Heilong and Ting Quan actually on the fifth level??"

...

Chen Liang’s video did indeed bring about a significant change in public opinion!

Of course, just one video wasn’t enough; there were other phenomena that corroborated this.

For example, during the days of the ’Ghost Flame’ boys challenge, almost all the motorcycle Internet celebrities stopped updating because they were all participating in the challenge!

After all, the main reason these motorcycle Internet celebrities drive dangerously is to trend; and now, the ’Ghost Flame’ boys challenge was trending the most, far surpassing the popularity of their real-world wheelie stunts.

There was no need for them to work against the trend.

At the same time, there were no instances of others imitating such dangerous driving behavior in reality.

In other words, this online ’Ghost Flame’ boys challenge not only didn’t worsen the real-world traffic environment or lead to more dangerous driving behaviors but actually improved the traffic situation!

It locked those Internet celebrities, who liked to cause trouble in reality, on the net with popularity, which could be described as immeasurable merit!

Moreover, there’s the rare case of a sudden awakening like Chen Liang.

The opinion of the Internet gradually reversed.

Even the laypeople should catch up by now; after all, ’Road Rage Simulator’ is a virtual world. Many people said that the game had a bad influence—isn’t that a bit far-fetched?

As things stand, it doesn’t only lack a negative influence but also serves as a warning!

Once this kind of public opinion starts to form, malicious PR forces, even if they wanted to force a subversive trend, would basically be impossible!

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