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Chapter 229 Practical Simulation Course

After completing Mr. Shao's "General Knowledge of Contemporary Mazes" course, the next course is "Detailed Explanation of Numbered Mazes".

The lecturer was a middle-aged woman with short hair named Wei Yixue. She had a cheerful personality and always had a smile on her face. What was particularly striking was the strand of white hair on her forehead.

Unlike Shao Zhenkun and Madam Du, Ms. Wei is not a retired "Taiyu" but is still in service, currently responsible for guarding Dongzhou Antelope City.

This trip was only at the invitation of the Kunwu Camp in Central Continent, lasting three days, after which I will return to Eastern Continent.

There are quite a few specially invited lecturers like Ms. Wei. The Kunwu Camp leadership hopes to leverage the expertise of "Taiyu" from various regions to impart their valuable experience to the elite trainees.

This lesson, "Detailed Explanation of Numbered Mazes," covers the "Gladiator Arena," a maze from the Diamond 4 series of ghost stories.

The maze is classified as "special".

Three years ago, a "Mobile Disaster (Red)" level disaster zone with an energy level of 130 was created in Xuanzhou in the northwest of the Federation.

It originated from the "Gladiator" labyrinth.

It is also the only disaster zone to have been created in this labyrinth.

After multiple investigations and studies by officials, it was discovered that the location of this disaster area is fixed and its shape resembles an ancient circular amphitheater built of mottled boulders.

Its surface is covered with cracks and bloodstains, the broken archway is tens of meters high, and the tiered audience seats seem to proclaim its former grandeur.

The disaster area is shrouded in an ever-present haze, and the entire structure presents an eerie, solidified appearance, covering an area of ​​over a thousand square meters.

This disaster area is limited to one hundred people at a time, and requires a large number of magic stones as "tickets".

Those who enter will automatically become "participants" and will take turns participating in "gladiator matches," where they will fight against monsters that appear out of nowhere in the arena and continuously progress through the levels.

As you progress through the levels, the monsters become increasingly dangerous, and the number of "spirit" spectators in the stands also increases, ultimately leading to richer rewards.

The official conclusion is that the levels in the "Arena" seem to be infinite, meaning that you can never reach the final level.

The person who discovered this result was none other than Zhang Yinglong, the principal of Kunwu Camp and one of the Federation's chief "Disaster Hunters," also known as "Dong Lingzi."

According to Ms. Wei Yixue, a fellow participant, Zhang Yinglong reached level 101, where the monster's strength became extremely terrifying; it was a giant crocodile-headed, human-bodied priest, resembling a mythical creature.

The two sides fought fiercely, but Zhang Yinglong was too exhausted to continue and was eventually forced to leave the arena, ending this endless battle.

It's unclear whether this is a rule or a loophole in the "arena"—as long as you leave the arena voluntarily, it's considered an admission of defeat, rather than a fight to the death.

For this reason, the authorities assessed the disaster area as a "controllable special red natural disaster" and have kept it to this day so that they can continue to extract reward resources from it.

At the same time, since the "Arena" disaster area is unique, it can be regarded as the exclusive property of the Mountain and Sea Federation... As a result, the other four major countries of the World Alliance often apply to visit and send strong people to enter and challenge it.

"All of you here are geniuses and elites carefully selected by our Federation, and you will be the backbone of the future fight against disasters... Sooner or later you will go to the 'Arena' disaster zone for a baptism."

Standing on the podium, Wei Yixue gestured to the ancient, dilapidated arena projected on the screen, her smile fading, and slowly addressed the crowd below.

Upon hearing this, the students below the stage showed no fear whatsoever; instead, their eyes gleamed with a sharp, piercing light. Which of these elites from the Federation of Nine Provinces, gathered here, didn't possess a few trump cards?
Who doesn't harbor a bit of pride deep down?

Zhao Leng'an, the "big sister" of Spade Academy, toyed with her mint-green curly hair, her ankle boots propped on the table arm, and chuckled:

"It seems that most of our practical lessons this year will be spent in the 'Arena' disaster zone."

As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Ziming, sitting in the back row, pondered:
"If that's the case, according to Ms. Wei's 'Gladiator Arena' admission limit of 100 people, graduation qualification will probably be limited to the top 100 on the Kunwu List."

A murmur arose around them, and Wei Yixue's lips curved slightly, a strand of snow-white hair brushing against her forehead, her smile unfathomable.

She did not participate in the discussion or provide a clear answer; she simply tapped the podium lightly to signal the end of the class.

After the two morning classes were over.

Wang Xi followed the crowd to the Kunwu Camp canteen for a meal.

The food here is quite good.

Dozens of windows offer a dazzling array of products, all made with the latest top-quality ingredients flown in by air, and the chefs' skills are truly masterful.

Wang Xi sat alone by the window in the corner of the restaurant, wolfing down his food.

He took out his phone and sent a text message to Chu Nai:

Have you had lunch yet?

Waited for a while.

Wang Xi had almost finished the food on his plate when the other end replied, "Eating now... By the way, beef, lamb, pork, guess what my favorite meat is?"

"??"

Wang Xi's expression was strange.

beep.

Another message came from the other end:
"—It's you, my precious darling!"

"..."

Wang Xi stared at his phone screen and fell silent.

For a fleeting moment, he even wondered if the girl had been possessed by some extraterrestrial demon.

"Xiao Nai, don't you have class this morning?"

Wang Xi changed the subject and asked a question.

beep.

"No, I'm with Ning Meng and Yu Zizi."

Chu Nai replied.

"The two of them rented a luxury apartment near Longcheng University, and the environment was quite nice."

now.

Inside a duplex apartment next to Longcheng University, three young and beautiful women sat at a dining table.

It was Chu Nai, Ning Meng, and Yu Zizi.

They are having a meal.

The delicious food on the table was prepared by Ning Meng, a master chef.

Chu Nai put down her chopsticks, gripped her phone, and asked Ning Meng, a short-haired woman beside her, for advice: "What should we do next?"

Ning Meng thought for a moment and said seriously, "The sweet talk just now should have worked, otherwise he wouldn't have changed the subject. He must be shy. We can continue..."

As she spoke, she took Chu Nai's phone and sent another message: "Don't you think I'm acting strange today?"

Wang Xi: "Uh, a little."

Ning Meng switched to her camera, pointed it at Chu Nai, and took a picture, capturing Chu Nai's slightly surprised expression.

Click.

She immediately sent the photo over, adding the comment: "So cute!"

"..."

Wang Xi silently typed a question mark.

He has basically confirmed that this is not Chu Nai himself.

Chu Nai was getting a little anxious.

She took back her phone, her expression slightly conflicted: "He sent a question mark, is he unhappy?"

Ning Meng shook her head and said seriously, "Absolutely not, all men are like that, he was definitely laughing."

"Pfft-"

Yu Zizi, who was standing to the side, finally couldn't hold back anymore.

She rolled her eyes at the two love idiots.

"Sigh." She sighed and held out her hand, gesturing for Chu Nai to hand her the phone. "I'll do it."

Chu Nai hesitated for a few seconds before handing over the phone.

blah blah blah...

Yu Zizi lightly touched the screen with her slender fingertips and typed: "Why did you send a question mark, Brother Xi? I was just kidding. (The kitten looks aggrieved)"

Wang Xi noticed the sudden change in the information style and immediately understood.

'Ning Meng and Yu Zizi are taking turns...'

He shook his head.

He directly posted: "Inspector Yu, stop interfering. I only like one person, and that's Chu Nai. (Serious face from an elderly man)"

At the apartment, the three women were staring at the phone, all of them stunned.

Chu Nai's cheeks immediately turned red.

...

...

three days later.

We arrived at the practical simulation class at the end of September.

It is also a team points competition between the four colleges.

As a freshman, Wang Xi was not on the list this month, but he still had to represent Spade Academy in the practical course to familiarize himself with the process.

He and more than thirty students from the Spade Academy followed Madam Du across the corridor bridge between the academy area and the training area, entering a magnificent building that gleamed with a cold metallic luster. The interior of the building was a completely different world.

Stepping through the gate, one is greeted by an extremely spacious hall. The high ceiling resembles the ceiling of a small stadium, and the overall space is open and airy.

Around the hall and in the central area, there are hundreds of independent, enclosed metal rooms arranged in an orderly manner.

They resemble neat, silver cubes, perfectly embedded in the floor, their surfaces smooth as mirrors, their doors tightly shut.

Apart from Wang Xi, the other trainees were all familiar with this, and their faces showed only eagerness to try.

At that moment, an elegant figure in a deep red dress appeared on the high platform in the center of the hall.

It was none other than Rosa Butler, the Dean of the Spade Academy, the "Rose Sage".

She was now wearing a warm yet insightful smile, slowly scanning the students.

“Very good.” Ms. Rosa’s voice was not loud, but it reached everyone’s ears clearly, carrying a soothing power, like a gentle breeze caressing rose petals:
"Now that everyone is here, let's prepare to begin this month's practical simulation class."

Her gaze lingered briefly on Wang Xi.

"Before we go on, let me explain the rules again."

"The team points competition is jointly organized by the four academies. First, the battle will take place in a simulated space, and all damage will be simulated data feedback. There is no need to worry about injury or death... So don't worry, treat it as an opportunity for you to hone your skills and test yourselves, and give it your all."

"Secondly, wins and losses determine the points coefficient. Each victory will increase the Spade Academy's points coefficient by 1%."

"This coefficient will accumulate and be multiplied by your original points at the monthly settlement, and added as an extra bonus point to the Kunwu Ranking. This will be an important help to widen the gap and strive for a higher ranking."

"For example, if all 33 of you students win one game, then you will get a total of 33% of the coefficient points... If your personal score was originally 100, then you will get 33 points."

"Third, each participant has three chances to fail. If you accumulate three failures, you will be disqualified from continuing to participate in this simulation. Therefore, please treat each battle with care, but do not panic because of the first one or two losses."

Ms. Rosa's voice was calm.

Wang Xi easily understood the rules.

"Once you enter the simulation cabin, the system will automatically match you with opponents. The matching mechanism is based on your current Kunwu ranking and your real-time performance in the simulation environment."

"The initial opponent's ranking is usually slightly lower than your own actual ranking... After defeating the current opponent, the system will increase the difficulty of your next opponent based on the algorithm, and vice versa."

After explaining the core rules, Ms. Rosa smiled gently and waved her hand:
"Children, you may begin."

After speaking, everyone entered the metal room in an orderly fashion.

"By the way, Wang Xi." At this moment, Ms. Rosa said to the young man in the crowd, "As a freshman, you haven't made the list yet this month, so focus on the experience and don't feel pressured."

Wang Xi stopped and bowed slightly to the figure on the platform, smiling as he said, "Thank you for the reminder, Ms. Rosa. I understand."

Soon, he entered a room.

Similar to the assessment in Lucheng, Nanzhou, the space was less than five square meters, with only a uniquely shaped metal chair placed in the middle.

Wang Xi sat down, and the chair automatically adjusted to his body shape, with the armrests, backrest, and leg support all fitting snugly against him. Finally, the metal helmet was fastened onto his head.

Suddenly, everything went dark.

The cool contact points inside the helmet pressed against key nerve nodes such as the temples, forehead, and back of the neck. Then, an extremely subtle, tingling sensation, like a high-frequency electric current, swept through the entire body and disappeared instantly.

"Welcome, student Wang Xi."

A cold, electronic voice echoed in my mind, and then the darkness before my eyes faded, replaced by an endless expanse of pure white.

"Combat simulation begins."

My consciousness wavered.

As if emerging from the deep sea, Wang Xi found himself standing in a boundless, pure white space.

Beneath my feet was a white, intangible ground, and above me was the same white "sky," with no light source and no shadows.

Not long after.

About thirty meters away from him, a white light slightly distorted and converged, and a figure quickly went from blurry to clear.

He was a short-haired young man who looked to be in his early twenties. He was lean and muscular, with dark skin, and wore a uniform from Plum Blossom Academy. His eyes were scrutinizing.

"Match complete".

As the electromechanical sound began.

Both sides displayed their respective messages above their heads:
"Black Spade Academy, Wang Xi (ID: ▇155), Kunwu Ranking: Not listed."

“Plum Blossom Academy, Aldan Coria (ID: ▇107), Kunwu Ranking: 97.”

This is clearly a foreign exchange student.

Wang Xi also saw the other party's entry—

"Plum Blossom Academy Student - Ardan (Friendly/High-Rank Three-Star/Elite)"

The copper frame is a top-tier Samsung.

Similar to the disciples of Mojianzhai.

When Aldan saw the bright "Not on the list" above Wang Xi's head, the sharpness in his eyes softened noticeably, and a hint of friendliness appeared in his gaze.

He flashed a hearty smile and said in a loud voice, "Oh? So you're a freshman."

They were speaking in the language of mountains and seas.

Moreover, it was very standard and fluent.

"You go first."

Aldan made a "please" gesture, exuding confidence, clearly not taking a freshman who hadn't made the list too seriously.

In his view, this was more like a sparring opportunity.

Wang Xi smiled slightly, nodded gently, and replied politely, "Okay."

The moment he finished speaking, he made his move.

Without any exaggerated movements, he simply raised his right hand and waved it in the direction where Aldan was.

wow——

Ink suddenly appeared in the void.

It was as if a drop of ink-laden brushstroke had been slammed onto pure white Xuan paper, and the surging black energy instantly erupted, condensed, and took shape.

A black dragon, over ten meters long, covered in thick scales, and with claws growing from its belly, appeared out of thin air.

It spiraled up, its enormous head grotesque and terrifying, and lunged at Aldan.

—"The Dance of Fish and Dragons in the Sleeves"

This sudden attack caused Aldan's pupils to shrink abruptly, his smile freezing instantly and replaced by astonishment.

He instinctively wanted to mobilize his magic to defend or counterattack, but the moment the thought arose, the black dragon's lantern-like eyes locked onto Aldan.

A grayish-white light suddenly burst forth from the black dragon's pupils, sweeping across its body.

—"The Petrified Eye"

Aldan felt a cold, heavy force sweep over his entire body, forcibly freezing him in place.

"Petrification magic?!"

Aldan was stunned, and even his thinking became a little sluggish.

next second.

The black dragon had already reached him, biting down and seizing Aldan's left shoulder, then tightly entwining him.

Aldan felt excruciating pain all over his body, as if all his bones were about to be crushed, and he was completely unable to move.

what happened?

In the end what happened?
In a single glance, I was subdued...

The battle took place in the blink of an eye, and Aldan suddenly caught a glimpse of a pair of yin-yang fish out of the corner of his eye.

He didn't even know when the yin-yang fish appeared... Wang Xi's figure silently stepped out of the ink stain, as if he were a part of that ink.

Wang Xi's smile remained unchanged, his eyes were calm, and there was not a trace of murderous intent in them.

He lightly raised his right hand and thrust it out with his palm.

Like a great seal, it was stamped on Aldan's brow.

Bang! !

A deep, resounding bang echoed through the simulated space.

There is no suspense.

The terrifying impact of that palm strike blasted Aldan's entire head apart, even causing his upper body to lean backward.

The entwined black dragon dissipated with Aldan's death, leaving only its remains transformed into countless shimmering specks of information light.

"The battle is over."

Mechanical and electronic sounds rang out at the right time.

"Wang Xi of Spade Academy wins."

"It took 9 seconds."

(End of this chapter)