Tag: Survival

  • The strange landscape of contemporary people’s spiritual life can be seen from the complicated list of materials for the development of Xiakong in Mingchao.

    If the spiritual world of modern people is compared to an ancient castle that has not been completely renovated, then the complicated list of materials for the development of “Xiakong” in the game “Mingchao” is undoubtedly the complicated beams and carvings in the castle, which are both cumbersome and redundant, but indispensable. Looking at this list, there are many names such as “tidal erosion sail core”, “crystallized phlogiston”, “burning phosphorus bones”, etc., which are like a dazzling alchemy performance, but also faintly reveal the alternative anxiety and complex demands of contemporary people for spiritual life.

    This list is nothing more than a microcosm of social culture, reflecting people’s hesitation about the blurred boundary between virtual and reality today. Development materials such as “low-frequency tidal erosion sail core” and “high-purity crystallized phlogiston” sound very mysterious, but they have become a symbol for players to prove their identity and show their existence. Not to mention games, even the efforts in the human world are like this – it’s just that the “materials” in reality are more secretive and complicated, but they are equally painful.

    Imagine that a modern player, in order to make “Xiakong” from obscurity to a five-star character admired by thousands of people, needs to run around, brush dungeons, brush materials, and frequently recharge, consuming countless efforts and material resources. The fatigue here, if viewed from the life experience of ordinary people, is almost like hard labor day after day; and on the spiritual level, it is the constant pursuit of self-worth and the cruel kidnapping of a sense of achievement. Those virtual materials have become the dual currency of spirit and time. Players exchange time for happiness and money for satisfaction, which is quite ironic in modern consumer society.

    The names of the materials are particularly intriguing. The term “burning phosphorus bones” sounds like a secret recipe for alchemy in ancient times, but it is actually a drop after defeating a specific BOSS; “Golden Fleece” borrows mythological allusions and becomes a precious item that is limited to purchase in the virtual mall. Ancient mythological symbols are reborn here, but they are capitalized into resources that can be bought and sold. This scene makes people smile. The legends and myths of the past have become the “commodified myths” of today’s game economy, and the absurdity and nothingness of life have been concretized and turned into materials and numbers in hand.

    The complexity and redundancy of the game world is exactly the same as real life. In today’s society, the layers of tasks and goals, countless “materials” and “resources” seem to have become the standard for measuring success and value. People continue to “cultivate” themselves, from the accumulation of knowledge to the promotion of their careers, which is no different from collecting materials in the game, but often lose the fun of the process, leaving only mechanical repetition and boredom.

    What’s even better is that the “achievement system” created by this type of game is nothing less than the “spiritual opium” of the modern people’s spirit. In the face of frustration and hardship in real life, players temporarily find a sense of existence and self-affirmation by constantly collecting materials and upgrading characters. Unfortunately, this sense of existence is mostly fragile and fragile, like a paper castle that will be blown away by the wind. Such “cultivation” is either a loss of spiritual self or a deep exploitation of individuals by the consumer society.

    It can be seen that cultivation materials are not only virtual resources in the game, but also a metaphor for spiritual dilemmas in reality. Faced with an increasingly fragmented and fast-paced life, people need to rely on certain symbols and systems to build their own “identity” and “value”, and the material list in the game just provides such an operational symbol system. However, this system can easily become a “spiritual cage”, and players often lose themselves in the process of chasing materials and forget why they set out.

    In fact, games are like life. The key is not how much materials and levels you accumulate, but whether you can find your true self in the process. If you only know how to chase numbers and symbols, it is nothing more than endless labor. Only by appreciating the breadth and depth of life in cultivation can you be called “living interestingly”.

    Starting from the list of “Xiakong” cultivation materials, it reflects the desire of contemporary people for meaning and belonging, and also reminds us not to let the complex virtual materials become a spiritual cage. Life should be simple and rich, and the spirit should be free and bright. May we not only enjoy the fun of the game, but also stay sober in the chaos and find our own truth and tranquility.

  • Glimpse the loneliness and tenacity of modern people under the flaming popcorn pot

    Ju Fufu, a girl holding a popcorn pot, spins and sprays flames, like a flame dancer in a storm. In the world of Zero, she uses this seemingly funny weapon to resist the enemy and protect herself. Her battle is a war without gunpowder. Simple, cold, but full of power. Just like modern people facing the endless pressure and loneliness of life, only by spinning and persisting can they not be knocked down.

    1. Popcorn pot: extraordinary in the ordinary

    This popcorn pot was originally just an ordinary utensil in the kitchen, but it became a sharp blade and flamethrower in Ju Fufu’s hands. Just like ordinary people use their limited means to face seemingly invincible difficulties. There are no vigorous heroes in life, only you and me who pick up the tools around us and fight silently.

    The pot body shines with metallic luster, like a hard armor, protecting her fragile heart. At the moment of the flame spray, it seems that anger and anxiety are released, but it also burns herself. The popcorn pot is her shield and her sword.

    2. Four-stage combo: the rhythm of life and the rhythm of battle
    The four-stage attack of Ju Fufu is clear in rhythm, neat in action, and each attack is precise. It is like a person who is cautious in life, calculating every step, and can neither make mistakes nor relax. Repeating day after day, it is like a mechanical rhythm, without fancy, only practical.

    These four combos are not only combat skills, but also a portrayal of her inner world. Life taught her to keep the rhythm in suffering, not to be impatient, and keep moving forward. Every hit is a response to life, and every swing carries the expectation for the future.

    3. Spin and dodge: perseverance in loneliness
    Ju Fufu’s spin and dodge is invincible. She spins, surrounded by flames, but also like struggling to protect herself in a lonely space. Spinning is not only a means of fighting, but more like an escape, a resistance to the pressure of reality.

    She spins and dodges attacks, but she can’t get rid of the anxiety in her heart. The invincible state brought by the rotation is her ultimate expression of self-protection. Rotation is her loneliness and her tenacity.

    4. Flame Special Skill: Passion and the Edge of Self-Destruction
    When Ju Fufu releases the flame, the whole world is engulfed by the scorching flame. This flame is her inner passion and her pain. The flame is ruthless, but beautiful, just like the suffering and hope of life intertwined.

    This flame skill cannot be interrupted, symbolizing her persistence in her beliefs. No matter how turbulent the outside world is, she must burn herself and illuminate the way forward. The flame is not only an attack, but also a salvation, and a new life after burning.

    5. Teamwork: Dependence and Challenges in Modern Society
    Ju Fufu is not fighting alone. Her joint skills and support skills reflect the importance of teamwork. In modern society, the connection between individuals is becoming increasingly close, but it is also full of friction and challenges.

    Her support skills are encouragement and protection for her partners. Just as people seek dependence and trust in complex relationships, Ju Fufu warms his teammates with flames and protects the team with spatulas. Collaboration is a battle and a compulsory course in life.

    6. Heat mechanism: accumulation and outbreak of emotions
    The heat value is like the accumulation of emotions, gradually increasing, and finally causing a flame to burst. Ju Fufu’s flame attack depends on heat, symbolizing how people’s inner pressure and passion accumulate and eventually turn into the power of action.

    This mechanism truly reflects the mental state of modern people. The outbreak of emotions is both dangerous and a breakthrough. Ju Fufu uses heat to control the flame, just as we use emotions to drive life.

    7. Resistance and bonus: growing up in the tempering
    Ju Fufu’s resistance to fire attributes and wound bonus show her tenacity in growing up in the hardships. Flame is both a harm and a source of power. She has learned to use the environment and also endures pain.

    This is a balance, symbolizing how modern people can find the wisdom of survival in adversity. The coexistence of wounds and strength is a lesson taught to us by life.

    8. Conclusion: The flame under the popcorn pot and the fire in the human heart
    Ju Fufu uses a popcorn pot to spin, dodge, and attack in the flames. Her fight is a fight against reality and a reflection of her inner loneliness. The flame is pain and hope.

    In this spinning flame, we see the tenacity and fragility of modern people’s hearts. No matter how difficult life is, we are like Ju Fufu, using the limited “pot” in our hands to ignite the inextinguishable fire in our hearts and keep moving forward.