Chapter 48: A Simple Test of Wits
“So-called mastery means enhancing your survival skills in a particular area. For example, your mastery of Gang Qi, or the combat enhancement that comes with Tai Chi. According to your current state, we’ll let you choose between easy, medium, hard, and extreme modes to simulate battlefield scenarios, so you can survive and develop a basic survival instinct. However, because your system isn’t fully refined yet, data can’t be provided.”
This was what the spirit within the Martial Artist’s Spatial Stone explained, and Yang Fan understood immediately.
“Then, I’d like to ask, based on my current state, what do you recommend I master?” Yang Fan inquired, unsure if it would respond.
To his slight surprise, it did answer, though mechanically after a short silence: “Given your current state, you possess some strength, but your combat awareness is still quite weak. Detecting the state of your present world, the recommended mastery is Cold Weapons.”
The system’s voice echoed.
“Very well, I’ll choose Cold Weapons Mastery,” Yang Fan replied without hesitation; there was no time to dawdle.
“Now, since you have chosen Cold Weapons Mastery, and because this is your first time using the Martial Artist’s Spatial Stone, we will grant you a complimentary simple training session in other areas as a gift. Do you accept the system’s offering?”
Surprised by this, Yang Fan naturally chose to accept, and the system continued.
“Please choose: easy, medium, hard, or extreme mode,” the system said.
“Which do you think suits me? And if I fail, what’s the penalty?” Yang Fan asked, recalling what Zack had said about penalties upon failure. If the punishment was severe, he wouldn’t dare to risk it, but if not too harsh, he intended to try a higher difficulty.
“Unable to determine which mode suits you. Please explore and decide for yourself. If you fail on easy mode, ten times the stone’s points will be deducted, and your level will drop by two. On medium, five times the value will be deducted, and your level decreases by one. On hard, three times the value will be deducted. On extreme, only once the value will be deducted.”
This was the system’s response.
Yang Fan pondered and understood: the easier the mode, the harsher the penalty for failure; the harder the mode, the lighter the punishment.
“Uh… I choose medium mode,” Yang Fan decided.
“Very well. You’ve successfully chosen. The system will now simulate a map for you. You will face obstacles suitable to medium mode. Strive to survive, and upon completion, you may receive a random lottery draw.”
As the system’s voice faded, Yang Fan suddenly felt darkness envelop him. When he opened his eyes, he found himself in a classroom—but not his own. The room was empty.
[Because you’ve chosen medium mode, your strength is suppressed to three times that of a normal person. All your weapons have been confiscated and will be granted when the system deems fit. In this stage, you have ten chances to revive. Once exhausted, you fail and will face the corresponding penalty. Current stage: Simple Intelligence Mastery.]
The system’s voice faded, and a harsh alarm blared.
“Warning, warning, five minutes remaining before this location explodes. Please evacuate fifty meters from the area. You are currently on the eleventh floor.”
Yang Fan stood stunned for a moment before reacting and dashing out of the room—only to be confronted by four or five zombies, each of considerable strength.
“Damn it, how is this medium? This is practically extreme!” Yang Fan cursed as the zombies lunged at him. He braced himself, unleashing Gang Qi to ram one zombie aside, sending it crashing into several others.
Yang Fan wasted no time. In the lower left corner, an electronic timer was counting down; over a minute had already passed, leaving about three minutes or two hundred seconds.
“Go!” Yang Fan sprinted for the stairs, but more zombies blocked his path. After dispatching several, he glanced at the timer—barely a few dozen seconds left, and he was only on the seventh floor. The zombies were relentless. Dripping with sweat, he forced himself onward, enduring wounds, and reached the third floor.
“Boom.”
A thunderous explosion filled his ears. Yang Fan knew he was finished...
“First death. You have nine revivals remaining.”
The system’s cold, emotionless voice made Yang Fan wipe his brow. He finally understood: this must be the simple stage of Intelligence Mastery, one of the complimentary challenges mentioned earlier.
Over the next twenty days, he would face Simple Combat Mastery, Simple Battle Mastery, Simple Firearms Mastery, Simple Reconnaissance Mastery, and Medium Cold Weapons Mastery.
Twenty days to master so many skills—calling it medium difficulty was an understatement; it was a fight for survival. At this moment, Yang Fan felt utterly hopeless.
Such training was only suitable for the gifted. If he’d known, he wouldn’t have accepted the gifts—he should have just taken the easiest one. Now…
But steeling his resolve, Yang Fan, upon reviving, burst out again. The scene remained unchanged: the classroom, zombies at the door. He used Gang Qi to clear them and dashed downstairs, faster and more agile with each attempt, the pressure slowly transforming him.
This time, he made it to the first floor...
“Boom!”
“Second death. You have eight revivals remaining.”
The system’s merciless voice sounded again...
At his third revival, Yang Fan’s mind raced. From here to the ground floor took barely three minutes, but with the zombies, it was far more complicated. The mission was to escape fifty meters from the school—an eight or nine minute run, possibly more. It seemed impossible.
This time, he didn’t rush out, but spent the five minutes thinking through the situation. On his previous attempt, he’d reached the ground floor and saw the exit. From there to the gate took a minute, and another two minutes to reach fifty meters beyond, assuming no further obstacles. From the top to the ground floor was five minutes.
In total, about seven or eight minutes—if nothing went wrong. With mishaps, at least ten minutes. And this was simple mode. What about medium, hard, or extreme? Was this really a human trial?
He forced such thoughts aside and calmed himself. And then… Boom. Death again!
“Third death. You have seven revivals remaining.”
Once again, the system spoke. Yang Fan took a deep breath, sat quietly, and thought.
“Boom!”
“Fourth death. You have six revivals remaining.”
...
“Boom!”
“Fifth death. You have five revivals remaining.”
...
“Boom!”
“Sixth death. You have four revivals remaining.”
...
“Boom!”
“Seventh death. You have three revivals remaining.”
...
“Boom!”
“Eighth death. You have two revivals remaining.”
...
Finally, as the system’s voice echoed again, Yang Fan had a sudden revelation. He rose to his feet...
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