李明，一个标准的“二次元死宅”，hislifebloodflowsthroughthepixelsofhisscreen.Hisroom,ashrinetoanimefigurinesandmanga,isatestamenttohispassion.Hiscurrentobsession?《召唤魅族》,agroundbreakingARmobilegamethatblendstherealworldwithfantasticalcreaturesandancientlegends.Players,armedwiththeirsmartphones,embarkonquests,battlemythicalbeasts,andsummonpowerful"魅族"–notthesleekmobiledevices,butahostofdigitalspiritsandelementalbeings.ForLiMing,thisgameisanescape,aworldwherehecanbeahero,asummoner,alegend.
Hismother,however,seesitdifferently.Awomanofpracticalityandunwaveringfocusonthetangible,sheviewsLiMing'sgamingasacolossalwasteoftime,adangerousaddictionthatkeepshimfrom“reallife.”Theirhouseholdisabattlegroundofpassive-aggressivesighsandlecture-ladenultimatums.“Whenareyougoingtogetarealjob,LiMing?”she’dask,hervoicelacedwithafamiliarblendofconcernandexasperation.“This…thisdigitalnonsensewillneverputfoodonthetable.”
Thencamethe“incident.”Araresolarflare,aglitchinthegame'saugmentedrealityoverlay,orperhapssomethingfarmore…mystical.Onemoment,LiMingwasinthemidstofadesperatebossbattle,hisvirtualsummon,amajesticphoenix,onthebrinkofdefeat.Thenext,hisphone,usuallyaconduittothedigitalrealm,vibratedwithanintensityhe’dneverfeltbefore.Ablindinglightfilledhisroom,andwhenitsubsided,hisvirtualphoenixwasgone.Initsplace,hoveringmid-air,wasaspectral,shimmeringfigure…thatlookedeerilylikehismother,albeitwithanetherealglowandadetermined,ifslightlybewildered,expression.
Confusionturnedtodisbelief,andthentoapanickedrealization.Thegame’sAI,initsinfinitewisdom(orperhapsacosmicjoke),hadsomehow“summoned”hismotherintothegame.Notjustanypartofthegame,mindyou,butasaplayablecharacter,a“魅族”ofsorts,albeitonewithaveryreal,flesh-and-bloodanchor.Heravatar,initiallyashimmeringsilhouette,quicklycoalescedintoasurprisinglyaccurate,albeitslightlystylized,representationofherself.Sheworeaflowing,ancient-lookingrobethatseemedtobewovenfrommoonlightanddetermination,andhereyes,usuallynarrowedindisapproval,nowblazedwithanunfamiliar,digitalfire.
LiMing,initiallyfrozeninastateofshock,couldn’thelpbutletoutadisbelievinglaugh.“Mom?Isthat…isthatyou?Inthegame?!”
Hismother’sspectralform,hervoiceechoingwithastrange,synthesizedquality,responded,“LiMing!Whatisthisnonsense?WhereamI?AndwhyamIwearing…this?”Shegesturedtohertranslucent,flowingattire.
Theinitialchaosgavewaytoabizarreformofcollaboration.LiMing,armedwithhisknowledgeofthegameandhismother’snewfound(andinvoluntary)participation,foundhimselfnavigatingaworldhethoughtheknew,butwithanentirelynewdynamic.Hismother,itturnedout,possessedanuncannyknackforstrategy.Herpragmaticapproach,honedbyyearsofmanaginghouseholdbudgetsandfamilyaffairs,translatedsurprisinglywellintothegame’sresourcemanagementandtacticalcombat.She’dscoldLiMingforrecklesscharges,pointoutenemyweakpointswithanalmostsurgicalprecision,andevendeviseingenioustrapsthatleftLiMingspeechless.
“LiMing,don’tjustchargeheadfirst!Lookattheirformation!They’reclearlyweaktofire.Useyourphoenix’sultimateabilitynow!”herspectralvoicewouldboom,cuttingthroughthedigitaldin.
Hefoundhimselfrelyingonher,notasabegrudgingparticipant,butasavaluableally.The“summoned魅族”thatwashismotherbecamehismostunexpected,andmostformidable,weapon.Theytackledqueststogether,conquereddungeons,andevenroseinthegame’srankings.Thevirtualworld,onceLiMing’ssolitaryescape,nowbecameasharedadventure,astrangebutprofoundbridgebetweenhimandhismother.Theinitialfrustrationanddisbeliefbegantomeltaway,replacedbyaburgeoningsenseofcamaraderieandasharedthrillofvictory.Theywerenolongerjustmotherandson;theywerealegendaryduointheworldof《召唤魅族》.
Thesuccessin《召唤魅族》begantosubtly,yetundeniably,influencetheirreal-worldinteractions.ThegruffpronouncementsfromLiMing’smothersoftened,replacedbyacurious,almostplayful,tonewhendiscussingthegame.She’daskabouthisprogress,notwiththeusualsigh,butwithgenuineinterest.“Didyoumanagetodefeatthattroublesomeicedragontoday,
