In the online game “Mingchao”, Xiakong, a newly appeared five-star resonator, has brought an extremely complex material cultivation system. If we carefully examine the number and acquisition methods of these materials, it is not difficult to see that this is not only a clever arrangement of game design, but also a vivid portrayal of the mutual entanglement and mutual image of people and the virtual world in today’s society. Isn’t Xiakong’s cultivation path a metaphor for the dilemma, desire and loneliness in our real life?
The dazzling array of materials: low-frequency, medium-frequency, high-frequency, full-frequency tide erosion sail core, burning phosphorus bones, golden wool, and various levels of shackles from impurities to high-purity crystallized phlogiston, special weapons… All of this seems to be just a boring pile of numbers, but in fact it tells the dual struggle of modern people in the spiritual world and the material world. Each material is an indispensable “task”, and every breakthrough has to pay a high price, just like the difficulty of people chasing fame, wealth and power in real life.
The name of the low-frequency to full-frequency tidal sail core reveals the meaning of erosion and destruction. The tide constantly washes the reefs on the shore, day after day, and eventually takes shape or destroys. The same is true for people. The hardships and insecurities in life erode people’s hearts like the tide. Players repeatedly collect these “sail cores” in the game, just like people in real life who try to grasp a solid thing to rely on under the heavy pressure of life, but time and environment are ruthless, and they are exhausted and can hardly avoid the helplessness of gradual wear and tear.
The burning phosphorus bone is more tragic. Isn’t the cruelty and tyranny of the sighing ancient dragon just like the ruthless rules and oppression in reality? In order to obtain the burning phosphorus bone, players have to face strong enemies many times, and the cycle of failure and restart is exhausting. In reality, people are repeatedly defeated in the system and competition, exhausted, but have to continue to struggle, like fighting against an invisible “ancient dragon”.
As for the golden fleece, it is more like a symbol of fantasy. The treasures that heroes dream of in mythology are tightly bound by “purchase restrictions” and “spending” in reality. The Golden Fleece is no longer a dream of freedom, but a tool for capital operation, limiting people’s access to it. This is like contemporary society, where many seemingly beautiful wishes often become unattainable in the face of the barrier of money and become a symbol of commodification.
The shackles and crystallized phlogiston of special weapons are the chains and nutrients of people’s spirit. The shackles are like cages, restraining the growth of the characters, but they are also the source of their power. The purity of crystallized phlogiston is progressive, which is the ladder of life practice. Unfortunately, in this system, countless players are like imprisoned prisoners, and they must use a large amount of real currency (shell money) to support all this. Virtual and reality are intertwined here into an invisible network.
The various materials of the resonance circuit are more complicated, from impure to high purity, layer by layer screening and improvement, which is very similar to the social hierarchy and resource allocation mechanism. The way to get “Iris Blooming Day” – weekly challenge – is like a rare opportunity and reward in reality, which motivates people to keep fighting, but also makes people exhausted.
Although the prop “Stuffed Meat Tofu” is insignificant, it can increase the material drop rate. It is like a small happiness in life. Although it is small, it can bring a little comfort and hope in the vast predicament. However, this comfort is often short-lived, and more often it is just a temporary relief from the pressure of reality.
The advertisements of the recharge platform Treabar and its discount codes nakedly reveal the exploitation and control of players by capital. Players use real money to exchange for virtual growth. The game and capital collude with each other to jointly build a seemingly glamorous but actually costly pursuit. The virtual world of the game has become an extension and replica of real capital, which makes people feel sad and powerless.
In summary, the material system of Xiakong’s cultivation is not a simple game setting, but a mirror that reflects the dual dilemma of virtuality and reality of contemporary people. We pursue growth and happiness in the online world, but inevitably fall into the double shackles of capital and time. Xia Kong’s growth path is both a challenge in the virtual world and a metaphor for real life.
Perhaps, behind this complex material, there is a heavy narrative about the modern people’s soul: we are all prisoners of life, struggling under the heavy pressure of material and spirit, longing for a trace of freedom and redemption. However, where does this redemption come from? Is it the virtual world of the game, or some kind of breakthrough in real life? This is a topic left for each of us to think about.