The comments said I was deeply affectionate, I just added points by using an alternate account.

Chen Guan didn't know how long he had held on; every second felt like an eternity.

My arm went from excruciating pain to numbness, and then to feeling like it didn't belong to me. Sweat soaked through my school uniform, and my breathing was heavy like a bellows.

His stamina of 1.4 seemed insufficient under such intense exertion; he seemed to have truly reached 1.4.

But he cannot retreat; if he does, he will be overwhelmed by the beast tide.

His eyes were fixed on the surging black tide ahead, and only one thought occupied his mind: Hold on! He had to hold on!

This is not a real death, but a test. He must demonstrate his strength. Even without superpowers, he still has this coffin, and... an unwavering will to never give up.

Just as he felt his consciousness beginning to blur and his strength about to be completely exhausted.

boom!

It was as if a certain critical point had been reached, or some mechanism of the illusion had been triggered.

The endless tide of beasts suddenly vanished like a phantom.

On the wilderness, only Chen Guan remained, still in the posture of swinging the coffin. Before him were the illusory afterimages of the beast horde and bloodstains that were slowly disappearing.

The scorched earth, the wasteland, and the leaden sky began to blur as if fading.

A calm, emotionless voice resounded directly in Chen Guan's mind:

"Assessment complete. Willpower: A-level, Adaptability: B-level, Endurance: A-level, Special item utilization: A-level, Overall potential: Pending."

"Next test, get ready."

There was no time to rest, and the scene changed again.

Chen's coffin, along with his black iron coffin, disappeared into this desolate wilderness.

Inside the auditorium, countless small images were rapidly flashing and switching on a huge circular light screen, showcasing the different freshmen's performances in their respective illusions.

One of the small shots was a fleeting glimpse of a boy using a coffin as a spear to fight off a horde of beasts. Although it was just a brief shot, it made the eyes of the mentors on the viewing platform flicker slightly.

Vice Dean Situ Ming stared at the light screen, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest, his gaze deep.

This kid didn't use any superpowers...

The coffin… He looked down at the coffin with its eyes closed, walked down the platform, reached out and touched the material of the coffin, a look of surprise flashing across his face.

This is ancient black iron!

It's already difficult enough to get such a large piece of ancient black iron, let alone that this kid actually carried a coffin on his back? On the campus forum, the name of the coffin carrier naturally did not escape Situ Ming's ears.

This kid treated such a huge piece of ancient black iron like a foam board. Just how strong is he? Situ Ming wouldn't be wrong. In the illusion just now, Chen Guan relied on nothing but power and will, besides the coffin itself.

This is extraordinary...

……

The dizziness from the scene change hadn't completely subsided when the new environment became clear.

No longer a barren, scorched wasteland, but a deep, tranquil... underwater world?

Chen Guan found himself floating in a deep blue body of water, his body enveloped by gentle currents.

Light shines down from above, forming swaying beams of light.

The surrounding area is covered with colorful coral reefs, and fish of all shapes and sizes swim leisurely among them, creating a tranquil and beautiful scene.

However, beneath this beauty lurked an invisible pressure. The water pressure squeezed his body from all sides, making him feel a slight tightness in his chest and a noticeable sluggishness in his movements. Even more troublesome was breathing.

He instinctively held his breath, but quickly realized that this was not a short breath-holding test; the illusion simulated a real underwater environment, and he needed oxygen.

Fortunately, the illusion transformed into a human, granting him the ability to see underwater, preventing him from going blind.

The black iron coffin floated silently beside him, its lid tightly closed. The coffin seemed to have been given a certain following attribute by the illusion, always within his reach.

[Underwater scenario? What does this test? Survival? Decryption?]

What can a coffin do in water? Use it as a submarine?

[This guy doesn't seem to know how to swim? His movements look a bit stiff.]

The focus isn't on swimming, but on how to breathe and move underwater.

[It's amazing that this guy didn't sink to the bottom while carrying a coffin; his coffin seems quite heavy.]

The barrage of comments flashed by rapidly.

Chen Guan forced himself to calm down and quickly analyzed the situation. Underwater testing could only lead to a few possibilities: adapting to the underwater environment, fighting underwater, or finding a way out.

Breathing is the first priority.

He tried to mobilize the meager power within his body and attempt to circulate his internal energy, but this was clearly beyond the current capabilities of the Vest, and the feeling of suffocation began to slowly spread.

His gaze fell once again on the black iron coffin.

How well is the coffin sealed? Can it provide temporary air?

The thought flashed through his mind, but he immediately rejected it. Not to mention whether opening the coffin was feasible, the situation inside was unknown. Furthermore, if water entered the coffin after it was opened, or if it caused other unpredictable changes, the risk would be too great.

So, what about using the coffin itself?

He recalled some simple physical principles from his previous life.

The coffin was made of solid, ancient black iron, which has an extremely high density and would sink in water.

But what if there's air attached or an internal cavity? No, the key isn't buoyancy, but rather...

He looked at the smooth, hard surface of the coffin, and then at the fish swimming around him, seemingly indifferent to the two strange objects—one man, one coffin, and two other creatures.

Perhaps we can try a different approach.

Chen Guan stopped trying to fight the resistance of the water and the difficulty of breathing, and instead relaxed his body, letting himself move slowly with the propulsion of the water flow.

He reached out and grabbed one side of the black iron coffin, using it for leverage to adjust his direction.

He did not attempt to surface, because while there appeared to be a light source above, the exit from the illusion might not be there. He began to observe his surroundings.

Coral reefs form a complex underwater labyrinth, and the distribution of light beams seems to follow a certain pattern.

Some bioluminescent algae or jellyfish dot the landscape, resembling road signs or traps.

Several larger fish with sharp teeth were faintly visible in the shadows in the distance, exuding a predatory aura.

It tests... observation skills, judgment in underwater environments, and composure and strategy when actions are limited and resources are scarce.

The coffin was pulled along by the coffin and began to move slowly along a coral passage that seemed to be the widest and had relatively good light.

He tried to keep his movements slow and gentle to reduce oxygen consumption, while keeping his eyes peeled for anything around him.

He soon noticed that at certain coral nodes, the water flow would become unusually turbulent, forming small whirlpools.

When small schools of fish accidentally get caught in these whirlpools, they are quickly sucked in and disappear.

trap……

He carefully avoided these vortex nodes.

After traveling a while longer, three forks in the road appeared ahead.

One slopes upwards, leading to brighter waters; another stretches straight ahead, its depths unknown; and yet another meanders downwards, disappearing into dense shadows.

Which one should I choose?

Chen Guan stopped and carefully sensed the surroundings.

As you ascend, the water pressure seems to decrease, but the current becomes more rapid, with a faint roaring sound, like an undercurrent or a waterfall.

The road ahead is the calmest, but the darkest and the visibility is extremely poor.

The downward path was the most stressful and the darkest, but... he seemed to sense a very faint ripple, different from the flow of water, coming from below.