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Chapter 761: Chapter 427 Interesting_1 Chapter 761 -427 Interesting_1 “Teacher.” After knocking on my mentor’s door and letting the misfortune that seemed to cling to me leave the door ajar, I stood facing him. It was an unwritten rule at the school that teachers and students couldn’t close the door during their meetings. No matter whether the heating was on in your office, or even if it was air-conditioned, the door simply had to stay open. This rule was initially established to prevent certain special circumstances, but at this moment, feeling like I was being publicly executed, it only added to my embarrassment. Gazing at my mentor’s expressionless face made my legs tremble as if turned to jelly. He took a sip of water and said slowly, “I’ve read your article.” “I was wrong!” I blurted out immediately. “There indeed are quite a few mistakes, such as the inappropriate layout, and the punctuation in some places isn’t uniform, giving a bad impression to others. Also, you forgot to sign your work, remember to write your name and provide proof of your originality next time. However, not having any typographical errors is commendable.” I listened to my mentor’s critique, trembling all over, but to my relief, these were all minor issues; there were no major problems. Or was there actually a big one saved for last? Looking up cautiously, I asked softly, “Is there anything else wrong?” “Do you want there to be? I can find something.” “No, no, no, it’s good that there aren’t any. But, teacher, didn’t you say that ‘Economic Observation’ doesn’t accept articles related to gaming?” My mentor scoffed, “That’s because their writing is poor. Some people take anecdotal evidence from a game as common knowledge and then keep fabricating data to support their views. If they weren’t rejected, that would be a problem. Your piece is quite good, and the fact that you actually researched data from ‘Gardener Simulator,’ demonstrating attention to various details, is praiseworthy.” A huge weight finally lifted from my heart. Knowing that my article could be published and that my graduation was assured, the blood flow to my brain resumed, and my intelligence, once on high ground, allowed me to realize a problem. “Teacher, do you play games too? Didn’t you previously say that games are for kids?” My mentor’s face reddened, and his eyes carried a hint of menace: “Do you still want to graduate?” “I do! Teacher, I don’t know anything!” After a moment, I said, “Teacher, I have a request, if I may?” “Speak.” “Can we include the name of the Living Immortal as one of the authors?” My mentor looked at me approvingly and said with a smile, “Yes.” With my mentor’s recommendation, my article was successfully published. To my surprise, this paper, which was intended only to address graduation requirements, sparked considerable discussion. ‘Economic Observation’ publishing an article that used a game’s economy as a sample was unprecedented, signifying the mainstream media’s acceptance of gaming, as well as a tacit endorsement. While some argued that games are not suitable as case studies because of their heavy subjective content and imperfect reflection of reality, it was precisely this imperfection that allowed scholars to study specific issues in economics within a controlled environment, separated from the complexities of the real world. Economists found the behavior of gamers intriguing, leading to a proliferation of new studies that not only cited the Living Immortal as an author but also made a point to thank Fang Cheng’s game at the end of each article. This collective action also took ‘Gardener Simulator’ into a whole new realm of popularity. [Who says indulging in games necessarily leads to lost ambition?] [This game gets the economists’ seal of approval] [If you can’t play games, you might not even graduate] … Self-media outlets didn’t care about the full story—they just chased the traffic. Thus, they cranked out increasingly sensational headlines and outlandish content, until it reached the point where they suggested that this year’s Nobel Prize in Economics was awarded thanks to ‘Gardener Simulator.’ It was a testament to the wild imagination that seems to thrive on the internet, particularly within self-media. Seeing the increasingly muddied waters of public discourse, Fang Cheng gave up. The tainted shades within the Dustfire showed that these people had lost the pure intent of playing games. The latest crop of players couldn’t really be called gamers; they were scholars. They began to study the game’s ecosystem and sought out the most efficient strategies based on the game’s mechanics, an approach that Fang Cheng found quite helpless. What made Fang Cheng even more exasperated was the look in his colleagues’ eyes at the studio. Their admiration for him had escalated to a new level due to the recent article frenzy, making Fang Cheng feel as if he was back in his old Immortal Sect, surrounded by disciples who revered him intensely. Being an Immortal had its downsides; any little thing you do can lead to widespread scrutiny, resulting in an overinterpretation of your actions, and making it impossible to proceed with your plans. Noticing this trend in his studio, Fang Cheng simply took a break and dove into studying the Heaven-Opening Blocks. When he appeared next to Zhiyi Heavenly Lord, Zhiyi was dealing with Xiayun Heavenly Lord. The New Celestial Honor sat across from Zhiyi and said discontentedly, “Old timer, you can barely hold onto your pieces, why are you still here? Just retire and go home. If you lack the money for it, I’ll give it to you.”