Chapter 35: The Simulation Match

As Fang Zhen logged off to rest, the livestream chat exploded.

"Why are you logging off so early today? I haven't seen enough!"

"Get back here, you slacker! I want to see the Goddess's trembling form while she cultivates. I'll pay you, just lie there like a corpse!"

"This is unbearable. They've already started formal cultivation and are even preparing to open up wilderness dungeons, while we're still stuck on the qualification test. The worst part is that I can't even last three seconds. I’ll pay—can anyone help me carry through this? As long as I pass, I’ll transfer one hundred thousand immediately."

"One hundred thousand? Don't you know, brother? A while back, a professional god-tier player was hired by a wealthy patron to play for them. Do you want to guess what happened?"

"Did they pass?"

"Nope. Not only did that professional get beaten, but he was beaten so badly he was crying out in pain. The money spent on death respawns that day alone exceeded one hundred thousand. The patron was furious and put up a one-million-credit bounty in the boosting industry, swearing to pass the test. Now, many top-tier boosters are frantically researching how to beat it."

"That’s not all. I heard that Su Wuming, the 'Blade Saint of No-Life' from Pilgrimage, took the recruitment test for Heavenly Might. The test was the 'High Martial Arts Advent' assessment. He ended up stopping at eleven seconds and failed. Although he eventually joined Heavenly Might, it became a running joke within Pilgrimage."

"I heard that too. A dignified Saint-ranked expert from Pilgrimage couldn't even pass a new game's qualification test. Many people suspected that Su Wuming’s title as a Blade Saint was somewhat inflated. In response, Su Wuming laid down a challenge: if any other Saint-ranked expert could perform significantly better than him, he would retire from Pilgrimage and even leave Heavenly Might."

"Exactly! Because of that, some other Saint-ranked experts seem interested in giving it a try. After all, it's rare for them to cross paths in Pilgrimage; this is a chance. Especially for the other four giant guilds—this is a golden opportunity to discredit Heavenly Might. I expect quite a few Saints will attempt it."

"Damn! This is getting good. With so many Saints in Pilgrimage, if they really start taking the test, someone is bound to pass. Once we study their methods, doesn't that mean we have a chance to clear it too?"

As the audience in the chat went back and forth, they stopped caring that Fang Zhen had logged off and instead became filled with anticipation for the "High Martial Arts Advent" test.

Pilgrimage was a masterpiece of martial arts gaming; anyone who could claim the title of Saint was a peak-level expert. For such a group to tackle the "High Martial Arts Advent" test, surely it would be a piece of cake.

***

Kurong City, Storm Shadow Club.

As the morning sunlight hit the club’s small building, over a hundred people gathered in the lobby. They were all wearing uniform blue-and-white high-collared jackets, with the Storm Shadow three-headed shadow wolf emblem printed on their sleeves.

"Captain, the six starting members and the 120 reserve members are all present," a young man with a buzz cut under twenty years old reported loudly to the Storm Shadow team captain, Li Ranxing, while checking the time on his phone. "The coaches have gone to welcome the Blue Enchantress team; they should be here in five minutes."

"Good. Return to formation."

Li Ranxing scanned the six starting members. Aside from Fang Zhen, whose mental state seemed a bit off, everyone else appeared in top condition.

"Everyone, although today is just a simulation match, it is a very valuable one for us, Storm Shadow."

"Our opponents today are Blue Enchantress, frequenters of the national tournament's top four. We are unlikely to encounter such opponents again unless we make the top eight in the national tournament."

"So, I hope you all perform well. Based on your performance today, the coaches will likely readjust the roster. This is the final confirmation for the national tournament list. Choose your path wisely."

Following Li Ranxing’s words, both the starters and the reserves grew solemn. Their attitudes toward this simulation match shifted entirely. If they had been treating it casually before, they were now ready to fight with everything they had.

This exchange match was divided into two parts: the formal simulation match between the two teams, and a secondary session where Blue Enchantress would observe the group matches of the Storm Shadow reserves.

Originally, this match didn't matter much to the reserves, but after hearing Li Ranxing, they realized the roster for the national tournament wasn't fully finalized.

The Mecha Continent national tournament usually consisted of seven starters and three reserves, with every match being a 5v5 team battle. Lineups were adjusted based on the arena and the opposing team. Since the list wasn't finalized, everyone had a chance to fight for a starting spot today.

"Xiao Zhen, are you alright? Why are you shaking?"

Li Ranxing frowned as he looked at Fang Zhen, who was shivering while standing in the front row.

This simulation match was the most important one to him. It wasn't just about gauging the gap between Storm Shadow and Blue Enchantress; it was about settling a score with the "Bloodflame Gun Goddess," Chen Ya. The only reason Blue Enchantress agreed to this match was because Chen Ya wanted revenge.

If this match were compromised by Fang Zhen, it would deal a massive blow to the team's morale.

"I? I'm fine." Fang Zhen quickly stopped his limbs from shaking.

"Fang Zhen, you’re playing backline support. If I see you messing up, I’ll swap you out immediately!" Li Ranxing’s face was grim. He had thought this would be Fang Zhen's final opportunity, but looking at him, it seemed Fang Zhen wasn't taking this seriously at all.

"Yes!" Fang Zhen replied hastily.

As Li Ranxing turned his gaze toward the seven members of Blue Enchantress walking through the front door, Fang Zhen let out a sigh of relief.

*What is happening to me?* Fang Zhen looked at his hands and legs in confusion.

Ever since he logged off from *High Martial Arts Advent*, his body felt strange—as if it no longer belonged to him. It wasn't that he lacked control; it was the exact opposite. His control was too precise. Not only could he flex his ten toes individually, but every muscle in his body seemed to respond to his will. He could move any specific fiber he wanted. It was only because he had been experimenting with this that Li Ranxing saw him shaking so violently.

Li Ranxing had already stepped forward to greet the seven members of Blue Enchantress.

"Captain Chen, I didn't think we'd meet again so soon." Li Ranxing looked at the woman before him. She was 1.8 meters tall, wore a single ponytail that swayed with her hips, and even behind her sunglasses, she was stunningly radiant.

"Captain Li, it has indeed been a while." Chen Ya took off her sunglasses, her gaze slightly provocative. "Three months have passed. I wonder if your skills have improved? If there’s been no progress, I’m afraid I’ll be disappointed."

"Improvement is a certainty," Li Ranxing said with great confidence. "Since I started, no one who has been surpassed by me has ever caught back up. This time will be no different, Captain Chen."

"We shall see." Chen Ya ignored him and glanced toward the game pods prepared in the lobby. "I'm in a rush. I have to meet with another top-four team in an hour, so let's get started."

The other six members of Blue Enchantress didn't even bother to coordinate with Storm Shadow; they simply walked toward the virtual game pods. This scene left the club members, who had intended to show off their strength, looking grim. The coaches’ faces were especially dark, but they could only signal for the simulation to begin.

Although Blue Enchantress initiated this exchange, everyone knew they were only here for Li Ranxing. The others were not even on their radar.

Before long, both teams selected their five participants and climbed into the virtual game pods.

"You guys take care of the small fry quickly. As for Li Ranxing, leave him to me," Chen Ya commanded before clicking the Mecha Continent icon to enter the game.

The other four members of Blue Enchantress said nothing. A team that barely made the national top thirty-two wasn't worth their full attention. They logged into the game one after another.

"I don't know what's going on, but my mental state is incredibly sharp today!"

"Mecha Continent, initiating!"

Lying in the virtual pod, Fang Zhen stopped questioning what had happened to him and clicked the icon to enter the Mecha Continent.