Chapter 596: Three Hundred Sixty-Five Miles
As the prelude began, many players were already frowning.
They felt the melody and accompaniment were a bit too traditional, and there was absolutely no Western fantasy style—the music simply didn’t match at all!
But the moment the singer opened their mouth, everyone was floored.
What was this?
Many even suspected they had opened the link wrong, deliberately closing the interface and clicking the link again. No mistake—this was indeed the theme song for the prequel to *Dark Souls* that Chen Mo had mentioned!
“Sleepy stars in the sky, can’t stop my journey on high”
“Years of drifting, eating and sleeping in the open night and day”
“For my ideals, I’d rather endure the solitude”
“Drink up that loneliness”
“Shake off the dust of a foreign land, set foot on a distant road”
“With full passion, I pursue my dreams”
“Three hundred sixty-five days, year after year I pass”
“Each day I go, each mile I tread”
...
Many players were dumbfounded. Had Chen Mo pasted the wrong link?
Whether from the melody or the lyrics, this had absolutely nothing to do with *Dark Souls*!
The lyrics clearly described a wanderer far from home, passionately chasing dreams, reminiscing about their homeland while pressing forward...
But wait! What the hell did this have to do with *Dark Souls*?!
Was it implying that these Undead left their homeland from afar, embarking on a journey to fulfill their mission as Undead and become Lords of Cinder, fighting with dreams in their hearts?
...That seemed like a bit of an overreach!
The singer continued, and it was clear the song had reached its chorus. The singer’s voice suddenly turned more impassioned, the emotion richer:
“Three hundred sixty-five miles, from hometown to foreign land”
“Three hundred sixty-five miles, from youth to gray hair”
“How many three hundred sixty-five miles, crossing spring, summer, autumn, and winter”
“Three hundred sixty-five miles, how could I let it be wasted”
...
In the later chorus, these lines looped endlessly. It sounded good, but the players were all baffled.
Even after listening to the entire song, many players still couldn’t believe this was the theme song for the *Dark Souls* prequel...
Many were puzzled. This made no sense at all!
Why had Chen Mo made a Chinese song for the *Dark Souls* theme?
Even if it was a Chinese song, it didn’t mention anything about *Dark Souls*, not even a hint of Western fantasy elements!
It felt like this song would be more fitting for a variety show gala...
After repeatedly confirming that Chen Mo hadn’t been hacked, and that this song titled “Three Hundred Sixty-Five Miles” was indeed the theme song for the *Dark Souls* prequel, players began to flex their imaginations, trying to decipher Chen Mo’s intent.
Clearly, when something is this abnormal, there must be a reason. Chen Mo must have had his reasons for choosing this song as the prequel’s theme.
After all, Chen Mo understood music and had a deep grasp of Western fantasy; he wouldn’t make such a rookie mistake.
The only explanation was that Chen Mo had done this on purpose...
Many players let their imaginations run wild, speculating on the song’s hidden meaning.
“I think this song is Chen Mo’s encouragement to us! As Undead, we bear the mission to link the fire, and the journey of linking the fire is inherently about leaving home and crossing three hundred sixty-five miles. Chen Mo is praising our spirit!”
“Ha, would Chen Mo be that positive? You must be a fake fan!”
“I think Chen Mo just indulged himself. This song might reflect his true feelings. Look, he’s not originally from the capital; he was probably a drifter there before, leaving home to chase his dreams. How tough that must be!”
“...You think Chen Mo’s life is tough? He’s practically losing money to become the richest man...”
“I think this song perfectly captures the mindset of us young people! Look at all these drifters in big cities—not just the capital, but other metropolises too. Young people today are bravely pursuing their dreams...”
“Maybe it’s nostalgia? Or a gesture of goodwill toward the Game Committee? Don’t you think this song is very traditional, fitting the tastes of the authorities?”
The comments under Chen Mo’s Weibo quickly surpassed a thousand. Players were all speculating on the song’s meaning in their own ways, trying to solve Chen Mo’s riddle.
Among them, a few comments that seemed very philosophical were upvoted to the top, liked by hundreds.
Players were treating it like a reading comprehension exercise, digging into every lyric and every possible meaning of the song. Many analyzed the musical style and melody, dissecting the emotions embedded in the song...
Some even speculated whether Chen Mo was considering retirement, planning to leave the gaming industry after finishing the *Dark Souls* prequel.
However, the players who had tried the *Dark Souls* prequel at the experience store immediately understood the song’s meaning.
They could only smile wryly. Chen Mo really had a twisted sense of humor! He even wrote a song for this?!
Although these people wanted to tell the players the truth, most held back. After all, such a fun thing would lose its charm if spoiled. Players needed to experience it themselves to truly grasp the emotions in the song...
And even if a few players tried to hint at it, no one listened, because the top comments were already dominated by those philosophical analyses overinterpreting the lyrics. Those trying to reveal the truth couldn’t make a splash...
...
With boundless anticipation for the *Dark Souls* prequel and lingering confusion over “Three Hundred Sixty-Five Miles,” players finally awaited the day of the prequel’s release!
Just like *Dark Souls*, the prequel launched globally, with multiple language versions and built-in voiceovers in both Chinese and English.
Clearly, with the massive influence of *Dark Souls*, the prequel’s popularity was a given. All fans of *Dark Souls* worldwide were eagerly awaiting its release!
The unresolved mysteries.
The masterful level design.
The combat system built with the Pangu Engine.
The heart-pounding gaming experience.
All these factors made *Dark Souls* a unique game and drove the prequel’s hype to new heights!
Moreover, both *Dark Souls* and its prequel were also released on the Switch.
Although the handheld version’s immersion was far inferior to VR, it was cheaper and could be played anywhere. So, it was predictable that most Switch owners would also give it a try.