Read Continue Online (Book 1, Memories) for Free Online Page A

Loot, lives, and love all lost. Nothing is as
simple as it seems, everything has reasons, layers, and hidden
aspects.
    It’s
too late for me to quit, I’ve already lost my old self and
found who I wanted to be. I’ll be logging in again after
submitting this review.
    Game-play
elements weren't shown with significant amounts of detail. There was
an implication of statistics, measurements of skills and talents.
Nothing listed about a class system. Nothing about what sort of
quests there were.
    I
had seen a few online role-playing games that promised realism and
personal choice, but most of those still fell short. Situations were
still tangibly scripted. Like being given a sandbox to play in but
the walls were very real. Those limited games had dwindled in
popularity since Continue Online was released. Almost two years of
being curb stomped by one game had sent more than one company into
bankruptcy.
    I
loaded up an interview tape, one of the few items shown for public
consumption.
    “ Earlier
today, the internet was swamped in a storm of rumor and speculation.”
A chipper female smiled from the projection. She wore a nearly white
dress and sat with the skyline of the moon colonies behind her.
    “ It’s
been an amazing few hours in terms of the sensation this has caused.”
Her male counterpart stated. His clothes were equally pristine and
the smile crossing his face almost hurt.
    “ I
know. I’m still a flutter from an hour ago. These implications
are huge.”
    “ Don’t
be fooled by the images, though. It’s not the video itself
that’s making waves, it’s the company behind it.”
The male newscaster said while grinning.
    “ That’s
it exactly. The company behind the ARC device released this
commercial amid the super bowl halftime show. They also provided it
to new feeds, major game websites, and many other sources.” Her
hands fluttered inches away from her body as if tethered.
    “ If
you haven’t seen it or are only now sitting down after a long
day, we’ll be replaying it here in a few moments. First, some
highlights from the press statement ten minutes ago.”
    “ Take
a look,” She said.
    The
scene cut away to another room entirely.
    ” Ladies
and Gentleman of the press, today's statement will be brief. We are
addressing only the most basic information our video.” The man
at the podium looked to be slightly plump. His eyes scanned the crowd
as he spoke. There was a very excited expression to his face.
    “ The
ARC Project and its parent company, Trillium International, recently
announced a joint venture. The sheer amount computing power going
into this release is officially unmatched. This even outweighs the
Mars Colony Endeavors.”
    “ To
be clear. The ARC project, specifically the capsules that many people
own, had a single goal. This goal was separate from all the sideline
benefits already achieved.” The crowd clamored for a moment
over the statement before realizing no questions would be answered.
Multiple people looked disappointed and frustrated but were willing
to wait.
    “ This
is a direct quote from the lead scientist behind both the ARC project
and our new venture. He’s not a great speaker, but we at
Trillium wanted you to hear it directly from him. In the background,
you’ll hear his partner offering her opinion.” Audio
switched out for a moment and started playing. In the crowd, there
was a wave of confused murmurs. People turned and looked at each
other. Some scribbled out notes.
    “ Uhhh…Oh.
Hello, everyone.” An awkward pause ensued. The voice was male,
so this must have been the lead scientist mentioned. “You, many
of you, have been limited in your choices. The world has been
explored. The Mars Colony projects are limited and require degrees
most can’t afford. Maybe you wanted to make something, a
statue.”
    There
was a female voice in the background. The sound of heels and
frustrated mutterings could be heard. Her tone was passive and
snippy.
    “ Who
would want