May 10th
The notice said two to three days.
In reality, Willow waited more than ten.
Just as he was starting to lose hope, the reply finally arrived.
A flight ticket confirmation,
a schedule notice,
and a clear instruction:
The trial would last one full week.
Before entering, every participant had to sign a confidentiality agreement, surrender their mobile phones and recording equipment, and promise not to leak any information about the game before Northstar officially revealed it.
No phones.
No cameras.
No recording devices.
If the destination hadn't been Los Angeles, and if the message hadn't come directly from Northstar Games' Official Blog, Willow would never have dared to go.
This sounded suspicious enough to star in a crime documentary.
Still—
He filled in the details.
The next day, he boarded a plane.
---
First Time Leaving Home
This was the first time in Willow's life that he had traveled so far.
Several hours later, the plane landed in Los Angeles in the evening.
After taking a ride-hailing car to the address provided by Northstar, Willow stepped out and looked up at the towering technology building in front of him.
At the same time, another young man stood nearby, pacing back and forth nervously, also staring at the building.
Willow looked at him.
Then burst out laughing.
---
"Hey—Handsome Bro!"
The young man turned around.
He wore glasses, had a clean, sharp face, and an unmistakable air of nervous excitement.
It was Alex Sage, a sandbox content creator with over 50,000 followers, and a familiar name from Willow's creator group.
Alex stared blankly for a moment.
Then—
"No way… Willow?"
"You've grown taller!" Alex exclaimed, walking over in disbelief.
"You're way more handsome in person than in your selfies," Willow laughed, throwing an arm around Alex's neck.
Alex rolled his eyes.
"We're gamers. None of us can take decent photos."
Willow nodded seriously.
"Let's go in together. I'm kind of scared to walk in alone. Northstar looks… ridiculously high-end."
---
The Seventh Floor
They entered the building, took the elevator, and headed straight to the seventh floor.
The moment the doors opened, they were greeted by a massive Northstar Games logo, with wide glass doors stretching out on both sides.
Alex gasped.
"Hold on—does this mean the entire floor belongs to Northstar?"
A whole floor.
Over a thousand square meters.
And if they were told to gather on the seventh floor—
Did that mean Northstar owned more than one floor?
Willow was stunned.
This was far beyond his expectations.
---
The Welcome
At the eastern entrance stood a uniformed receptionist. She smiled politely.
"Excuse me, are you here to participate in the game trial?"
"Yes, yes!"
Both of them nodded immediately.
"Please follow me. You're the last two."
They followed her inside.
---
Familiar Faces, New Reality
The meeting room was already full.
Because of limited space, Northstar employees had given up their workstations, offering them to the visiting creators.
When Willow and Alex entered, they saw dozens of familiar yet unfamiliar faces—mostly men, with a few women scattered among them.
Everyone sat in front of computers, excitement barely contained.
Then a man stepped forward.
---
Daniel Takes the Stage
"Everyone, please take your seats," he said with a friendly smile.
"We'll explain the rules shortly."
"I know what you're worried about. The hotel has already been arranged—double rooms. If you need anything during your stay, just tell me."
"My name is Daniel. I'm the game manager at Northstar Games."
The tension eased immediately.
Daniel turned and walked toward a door.
---
The Legends Appear
A moment later, two people walked out.
One was a cute girl in a yellow dress, hair tied into a large bun.
The other was a young man in casual clothes, wearing a calm, confident smile.
The room erupted.
Whispers spread instantly.
"It's Ethan Reed!"
"And the mascot boss!"
Willow: "…"
Yes.
The legend was true.
Because of her looks, her past public blunders, and her cosplay of Luna Ash, Vivian Frost had long been crowned the unofficial mascot of Northstar Games.
Meanwhile, Ethan Reed—
Cheap-mouthed.
Brilliant.
Terrifyingly productive.
Among fans, there was a running joke:
> If Ethan Reed was the genius sow strategist,
then Vivian Frost was the clueless but adorable mascot boss.
And somehow—
A lot of fans shipped them.
---
The Opening Speech
Ethan stepped forward.
"Everyone, please quiet down."
The room instantly fell silent.
"Good evening," Ethan said calmly.
"I'm Ethan Reed, lead planner at Northstar Games."
"I invited you here to test our new game, help us identify its shortcomings, and assist with promotion."
Beside him, Vivian crossed her arms, pouting slightly.
Shortcomings?
She had dark circles from playing too much.
---
Rules First
"Please hand over your phones," Ethan continued seriously.
"During the trial, no information may be shared externally."
Daniel moved through the room with sticky notes.
"Write your name on them and attach them to your phone. We'll return everything afterward."
A basket was passed around.
Forty-six phones were collected from forty people.
When it was done, Ethan smiled.
---
Welcome to Stardew Valley
"Welcome to Northstar Games," Ethan said.
"Our new project is called Stardew Valley."
"It's a farming sandbox game. You can do almost everything you can do in real life."
"I won't explain too much. You'll experience it yourselves—starting tomorrow."
Then he gestured for everyone to stand.
---
The Tour
First stop: the seventh-floor rest area.
"Drinks and snacks are available at all times," Ethan explained.
"We restock daily."
"Over there is the entertainment zone—comics and consoles. Controllers are under the TVs. Our staff often play Animal Party here after work."
Alex: "…"
Willow: "…"
They were instantly jealous.
No wonder people online claimed Northstar was the best game company in the country.
This wasn't work.
This was paradise.
---
The Sixth Floor
They took the emergency stairs down.
"This is where you'll be playing Stardew Valley," Ethan said.
"There are snacks here as well."
"It might feel empty—it's after work hours."
Indeed, the floor was vast and quiet.
Then they arrived.
---
The Battlefield
A full row of brand-new computers, all offline.
Each one already installed with the Stardew Valley demo.
Ethan smiled.
"Choose your seats."
Willow and Alex sat together with two close friends, forming a small group in the corner.
After everyone settled, Ethan bowed slightly.
---
"I'll Be Counting on You All."
"Welcome to Northstar Games," he said.
"I'll be counting on you all for the next week."
He nudged Vivian gently.
As the boss, she should say something.
Vivian immediately hid behind him, pressing her face into his back and staying silent.
Ethan: "…"
A tyrant at home.
---
After the Welcome
"For the next week," Ethan continued,
"Daniel will be your point of contact. If you have problems—in game or in life—talk to him."
Daniel patted his chest confidently.
"Don't be shy."
Then Ethan and Vivian left.
---
This Time, It Belonged to Them
Sandbox lovers.
Farming fans.
Who could possibly resist Stardew Valley?
Impossible.
Even Vivian—an internet-addicted girl—had to be forcibly stopped from playing nonstop.
What about them?
---
Addiction Begins
Ethan returned to the seventh floor.
Daniel pulled up a chair, turned on an unused computer.
He paused.
…He took back everything he'd said about Stardew Valley being "low-tech."
This game—
Was terrifyingly addictive.
At that moment, across the entire sixth floor—
The same scene appeared.
---
Silence. Clicks. Focus.
Stardew Valley had begun to claim its victims.
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