Talent Born from Death

At night, black clouds veiled the moonlight. Ruthless He Zhao wore the clothes stripped from his ambusher, wrapping himself up tight against the bitter cold.

In the latter half of the night, he could no longer endure and fell into a deep sleep amid the biting wind.

He was already a starving vagrant, and after killing two people that afternoon, his mental strength was truly limited.

"Pfft—"

He Zhao woke from his sleep in searing pain.

His eyes bulged wide with fury, but no matter what he did, he could not see who had ambushed him.

[Congratulations, you survived for 8 hours. Being wary of what lies behind you was undoubtedly a wise choice, but even in sleep, you must remain vigilant against Reapers wandering in the darkness.]

[Rating: None.]

[Kills: Xuandu Army New Recruit Infantry (1), vagrant (1).]

[Reward: 1 Simulation Coin (Kill).]

[Would you like to replay your simulated life?]

[My Wallet: 14 Simulation Coins.]

"Damn it!!"

He had died again.

"Despicable, shameless, lowly!"

No martial virtue at all.

He had actually ambushed a newbie who was inexperienced in the world, newly emerged from the nest.

He Zhao touched his neck, recalling the assassination from the dream.

Pain, suffocation, shock, and fury were all tangled together. The ambusher's brutality was simply outrageous.

Though he could not see anything in the darkness, that chilliness which pierced straight into his soul made his heart turn cold.

"I refuse to believe it!"

[Life After Life, Endless Joy!]

He Zhao expertly stabbed the Black-Armored Infantry to death, followed him into the village, and pulled off a desperate counterkill against the Despicable Local.

Then he endured an entire night in the freezing wind, his back against the wall and his eyes wide open. Even if he died, he had to see who exactly had killed him.

Yet an entire night passed in complete calm.

"Something isn't right. I could sense it—last night, it felt like someone's gaze was watching me."

"Sleep during the day and tough it out at night. I absolutely, absolutely have to see who you are!"

He Zhao closed his eyes, his heart finally at ease. This time, he would not rush it. Pfft!

A familiar, agonizing pain came from his throat. Before he could open his eyes, his corpse collapsed limply to the ground.

"Thud!"

[Congratulations, you survived for 16 hours. After making it through the dangerous cold night, you ultimately lost by a single move.]

[Rating: Grade G.]

[Kills: Xuandu Army New Recruit Infantry (1), vagrant (1).]

[Reward: 2 Simulation Coins (Rating), 1 Simulation Coin (Kill).]

[Would you like to replay your simulated life?]

[My Wallet: 16 Simulation Coins.]

"Replay! I couldn't see that lowlife who only knew how to ambush people in the dead of night, but in broad daylight, I refuse to believe I still can't see him."

He Zhao controlled the Simulator and quickly fast-forwarded to around eight in the morning on the second day.

Then he shut off the replay in bitter disappointment, because the attack had come from beyond the frame. A sharp wooden javelin shot over with a whoosh and pierced his throat.

A one-hit kill!

"With skills like that, why aren't you going head-to-head with the cavalry? Why come ambush a little vagrant like me? Are you even human?"

The fellow lurking in the shadows was like a seasoned hunter. Not only were his methods superb, but he was also exceedingly patient. He insisted on waiting until He Zhao relaxed his guard and closed his eyes before suddenly dealing a killing blow.

"Fine, you've got patience, right? Today, He the Person is going to lock horns with you. Let's see who gives out first."

He Zhao closed his eyes and entered the simulation scenario of [Campaigning] once again.

"Pfft—"

Another javelin through the throat. Better than last time, he was finally able to open his eyes in time.

Unfortunately, there were only ruined walls and broken rubble before him. Clearly, after throwing the weapon, the other party had quickly changed positions.

[Congratulations, you survived for one day.]

[Rating: Grade G.]

[Kills: Xuandu Army New Recruit Infantry (1), vagrant (1).]

[Reward: 2 Simulation Coins (Rating), 1 Simulation Coin (Kill).]

[Would you like to replay your simulated life?]

[My Wallet: 18 Simulation Coins.]

The third time he entered, he forced himself to endure two days and two nights. At the very instant his upper and lower eyelids began to droop, agony exploded in his throat.

Game Over.

[Congratulations, you survived for two days.]

[Rating: Grade G+.]

[Kills: Xuandu Army New Recruit Infantry (1), vagrant (1).]

[Reward: 4 Simulation Coins (Rating), 1 Simulation Coin (Kill).]

[Would you like to replay your simulated life?]

[My Wallet: 22 Simulation Coins.]

Unprecedented!!

Surviving one day in the village was worth a full four days of survival in the military camp.

"Again!"

The fourth time.

"Pfft—"

"Again!"

The fifth time.

"Pfft—"

"Again!"

The sixth time.

"Pfft—"

"Again!"

The—

"Huff, huff, huff—"

He Zhao woke up in bed.

After dozens of simulation scenarios, his longest survival time had reached a full four days!

His rating had finally risen from Grade G+ to Grade F. That alone had earned him 10 Simulation Coins.

During that time, he had died countless times. So long as his attention wavered, he would die to a thrown weapon.

Of course, it was not just his rating that had broken through. He had also figured out some of the other party's methods, and he seemed to have developed an extraordinary perception of danger.

In the final simulation scenario, He Zhao had actually dodged one fatal throw!

It was an indescribably mysterious feeling. The moment he instinctively sensed danger, he tilted his head aside. The sharp javelin brushed past his neck and shot into the mud-brick wall.

Then, before he could make any move, another whistle of something cutting through the air rang out. His vision went dark, and he woke with a start in his bedroom.

"Within three days, as long as I let my attention slip even once, he launches an assassination. But once the fourth day arrives, he seems to go berserk as though he's taken some kind of drug, throwing javelins without restraint, like a hunter who has run out of patience."

Speaking of the time he had earned a Grade F rating, even He Zhao did not want to try it again lightly.

With his back against the wall, his eyes fixed forward, and every shred of focus concentrated—it was a feat no human should have been able to accomplish.

He Zhao had managed it only because the resentment in his heart ran too deep. He had steeled himself and endured to the bitter end.

"Come to think of it, the Talent of Endure Hunger is truly terrifying."

For four days, without a drop of water or a grain of food, his body had not felt exhausted at all.

Though hunger gnawed at his belly, it still did not affect his stamina.

"If I had a Talent like cold resistance, why would I have to remain trapped in this village?"

He did not fight the village hunters to the death every time. He had tried forcing his way out, swimming across while armed, and every method he could think of. But most of the time, he could only kill the Black-Armored Infantry pretending to be dead and break even—neither profit nor loss.

"One last time today. If I keep dying, I'm going to throw up."

Everything seemed like a prearranged routine. Dozens of experiences had made every step He Zhao took as smooth and effortless as drifting clouds and flowing water.

Pretend to be dead, kill, follow, hide, eavesdrop, counterkill, wait.

Ruthless He Zhao leaned against the wall, eyes fixed ahead. Blinking occasionally would not make the hunter hidden in the dark strike, unless he revealed a fatal opening.

When the sun rose on the fourth day, He Zhao's mind was faintly on the verge of collapse. He truly admired the version of himself who had endured the first time. Just how blazing had his anger been for him to grit his teeth and hold on until death?

"It's coming!"

When the first ray of morning sunlight fell, the hunter would descend into a frenzy. One sharp javelin after another would turn him into a pincushion.

"Whoosh!"

The sound of air being torn apart rang out. He Zhao tilted his head like a programmed machine.

"Bang!"

The javelin nailed itself into the earthen wall.

The next one followed immediately after, determined to nail him to death!

Yet as though aided by God, He Zhao relied on the special Talent of [Endure Hunger] and his abundant stamina to forcibly turn a certain-death situation around.

"Bang!"

He dodged the consecutive double kill once more.

Something seemed to be gestating within his body, wanting to burst through the earth.

"Whoosh, whoosh!!"

Two consecutive whistles ripped through the air. He Zhao focused completely, dodging left and right.

"Bang, bang!!"

His face flushed crimson. That intense premonition within him was ready to burst forth.

The next second, his whole body abruptly dove to the ground. A cold wind swept across his back as four sharp javelins in succession missed him by a hair and embedded themselves in the earthen wall.

Then, like a wriggling insect, he used his legs to raise his buttocks and forcibly dragged himself backward some distance.

"Bang!"

A wooden javelin grazed his scalp and plunged into the wall.

So close—just that little bit closer.

At the same time, that intense premonition within him, which had wanted to burst through the earth, finally erupted.

[Congratulations, you have independently awakened a Talent!]

[.]