"It was black rain..."
"We had just finished collecting several samples." The man said in a numb voice, "Now my samples and equipment are ruined, and my people have run off... How am I supposed to pay back the company?"
Xia Ling was desperately trying to keep the corners of her mouth from curling up. She did not dare say a word.
She was afraid she would burst out laughing the moment she opened her mouth.
If she had to describe Xia Ling's mood right now, it would probably be: It's in the bag. It's all in the bag!
The man before her had undoubtedly helped confirm the name of the node before her.
Unexpected Encounter - Rain!
This node was also a safe event. Depending on the choice made, it rewarded either Anti-Interference Index or Shield points.
With a blank little face, Xia Ling held up the detector he had scattered across the ground.
The equipment was clearly intact and completely dry, yet the man seemed to see an entirely different scene.
The man irritably slapped the device away. Just as he was about to shove Xia Ling aside, he glanced at her somewhat petite frame and merely waved his hand, telling her to take whatever she wanted and leave quickly.
Recalling the contents of this Unexpected Encounter, Xia Ling symbolically tried persuading him a few more times. Once the man completely ignored her, she briskly left the area.
After walking dozens of meters and confirming that the strange man had completely vanished from her sight, Xia Ling found herself before the next node. She no longer restrained the joy on her face and cheered.
Omedetou.
The system clapped beside her, even using surround sound.
Congratulations, Host. You cleared the first two floors on your very first trial.
"Easy, easy. There'll be plenty of time to pop champagne after I clear it."
Xia Ling deftly took out the final two Cipher Plates, removed their outer protective layers, and slammed them together.
Begin declaration.
Soul's Kovachian Concord triggered.
Walk high above like the stars, looking down upon frost and snow. Grass, trees, beasts, and feathers all wither and flourish; may the wish endure for long.
On the detector's map, the emptiness representing the Unexpected Encounter gradually faded away, replaced by a building marked with an arrow-shaped icon.
"Oh, right, System." Looking at the strange house not far ahead that represented the First Step node, Xia Ling asked, "What would happen if I sent myself into First Step for Elite Evolution right now?"
Are you trying to exploit a bug here?
The system complained helplessly.
"Hehe, it's just that this node is pretty different from the one in the game, so I wanted to make sure."
Nothing would happen. The enhancement system turned this node into a teleportation device.
An Operator who enters the device would directly reach Elite 2 and then be transported to the next floor. However, someone in the squad had to remain outside to activate the device for them.
If you do not enter the device, the system will automatically add two Hope to your panel.
"I thought it would send me straight to the Third Floor."
Xia Ling entered the strange house and circled the teleportation device twice. Only after the Hope on her panel increased by two did she leave the node.
"Final stop: the Wish Fulfilled node fixed on the second floor."
Looking at the little general store before her, Xia Ling took a deep breath and walked straight inside.
Although Wish Fulfilled appeared in the form of a shop, items could not actually be traded here. Instead, after chatting with the general store owner, he would voluntarily offer several goods for the player to choose from.
In the trials modified by the enhancement system, the process was even simpler. Thanks to her understanding of the shop owner Big Bob's experiences, Xia Ling easily hit it off with him and successfully obtained a collectible.
"Tsk, tsk, tsk. Broken Staff - Curse of Suffering." Xia Ling flipped through the book-shaped collectible in her hands and sighed. "This is good stuff, but unfortunately, I can't use it."
So, Host, are you ending this week's trial here?
"Huh? Why not go up and take a look at the Third Floor?" Xia Ling asked in confusion.
Trust me, Host, you would not want to. You have not gone through any battles, so the growth in Collapse Degree has not been obvious yet. But on the Third Floor, accumulated Collapse Degree will reach the condition for Collapse Paradigms to appear. Before you complete Elite Evolution, I advise you not to go to the Third Floor.
"Fine, if you say so." Xia Ling went along with it, summoned the system panel, and directly chose to exit the trial.
System Shop
Following Xia Ling's command, the surrounding environment began peeling away layer by layer like shattered mirror fragments, turning into darkness.
Then, four words that Xia Ling found incredibly familiar appeared on the system screen: "Wind and Snow Obscure Eyes."
After skillfully skipping the results screen, the system panel returned to its initial interface. The Originium Ingot and Hope counts in the upper-right corner also changed from zero to 3 Originium Ingots and 1 Hope.
Once the system finished calculating the results, the surroundings returned to the original Research Team Camp: two tents, a campfire, and Xia Ling sitting cross-legged beside it.
"It's finally over!"
Xia Ling leaned back and fell directly onto the endless white snowfield.
Although the scene simulated by the system's initial interface looked like a snowfield, the snow only felt soft and cool. It did not carry the bitter cold of the polar regions.
Lying on the snowfield and gazing at the stars, Xia Ling swiped her finger through the air and summoned the system panel again. At the lower left of the interface, the original Start Exploration option had turned gray, replaced by a line of small text and a countdown.
The research team is being rebuilt...
16:43:29
"Huh? Only sixteen hours?"
"Didn't you say the interval was a week, System?"
I said it refreshed weekly. This is not a Parametric Transformer; why would the cooldown only start after you finished it?
Trials refresh at a fixed time: every Thursday at midnight.
"Awesome! I'm another week closer to getting out of here!"
"But System, what can I do in the meantime?"
You can check out the system shop first and familiarize yourself with the system's functions. The system also comes with a simulated training ground, where you can practice using weapons.
"Ah, right, I haven't looked at the shop yet!"
Only then did Xia Ling realize it and reopen the panel she had just closed.
"Let's see... Ah, here it is!"
On the system UI, Xia Ling easily found the shop marked with a little red dot.
After opening the shop and briefly scrolling through the list, Xia Ling found that there did not seem to be very many items in the system shop.
That is because your current permissions are insufficient, Host! Once you get stronger, I can upgrade the system. More items will be unlocked then!
"Sure, sure. As long as you're not just making empty promises."
After teasing the system, Xia Ling turned her attention back to the merchandise.
Random Operator Recruitment (First Purchase Half Price) 4-Star Recruitment Voucher 10 Originium Ingots 2 Hope 5-Star Recruitment Voucher 20 Originium Ingots 4 Hope 6-Star Recruitment Voucher 30 Originium Ingots 6 Hope
"Wait, they're this expensive?" Xia Ling's tiny eyes were filled with enormous question marks. "The Operators recruited by this can only be controlled by me in the real world, and they might not even be useful in trials. For that price, I might as well strengthen myself."
No, no, no, Host. This Operator Recruitment may be different from what you think.
In the real world, you can act alongside your Operators. It will not be a case of one side going offline when the other comes online.
To force an analogy, you can think of your soul as something like the cloud, while every body is a computer. Fundamentally, you are still one person.
But both computers can run at the same time without interfering with each other.
Furthermore, the system will localize the character cards you draw, replacing their underlying nature with things from the world of Honkai Impact 3rd while keeping the manifestation of their abilities unchanged, such as Stigmata or Fusion Warriors. In addition, you can purchase Elite Evolution for these character cards.
"I see." Xia Ling nodded with a perfectly serious expression. "I completely understand. In other words, I can cuddle with Dumb Goose at Schicksal, cuddle with Kiana at St. Freya, and cuddle with Elysia at World Serpent all at the same time, getting triple the happiness!"
You understand my hammer!
Xia Ling continued looking downward.
One-Time Items Random Tribe/Nature/Soul Cipher Plate (Layout) 20 Originium Ingots Random Tribe/Nature/Soul Cipher Plate (Essence) 20 Originium Ingots Random Collapse Paradigm 10 Hope
"I can understand this one. After all, using these things in the real world is basically for saving your life. But how would the abilities of these Cipher Plates manifest in reality?"
It is exactly what the words say. For example, if you combine them to declare Proliferation, you might gain an opportunity to escape.
"Damn, causality! Then this thing really is a bargain." Xia Ling exclaimed. "What about Collapse Paradigms?"
Those are for your opponents. Likewise, they take effect according to their literal meaning.
"I can't wait to invite someone to experience Nation." Xia Ling smiled like the head chef of a certain membership-only restaurant.
At the very bottom of the shop, Xia Ling finally saw the personal enhancement section she had been eagerly awaiting.
Personal Enhancement Elite Evolution Stage 1 6 Originium Ingots Elite Evolution Stage 2 18 Originium Ingots 3 Hope Weapon Customization First Time Free
"Free?!" Xia Ling's eyes practically sparkled. "System, System, I want this!"
I know you are in a hurry, but do not be in such a hurry.
Weapon Customization only has one free opportunity. You should decide what you want before customizing it.
My suggestion is that since you still have at least half a month before Elite Evolution Stage 1, you should first try things out in the system's simulated training ground before making a decision.
It is not going anywhere anyway... By the way, is there a weapon you want?
"It would be easy with my other bodies. I could just customize weapons from the original works. But for my main body..."
Xia Ling pondered for a moment before coming up with an idea.
"A girl should obviously be paired with a huge scythe. I want Crescent Rose from RWBY! Who doesn't like a scythe that can be used as a sniper rifle?"
I see. Then we should customize it ahead of time... But Host, you should still prioritize what suits your own use. In the next few trials, if you recruit yourself with a Guard Voucher, I will set your default weapon as a scythe.
But you should prepare yourself mentally, Host. Scythes look cool, but they are actually very difficult to use.
"Doesn't matter. I'll learn slowly." Xia Ling put her hands on her hips. "There are still two years before the main story officially begins. I refuse to believe I can't even figure out how to use a weapon."
Since you are so confident, why not go practice in the training ground?
As the system spoke, the system space changed again, transforming from the Research Team Camp into a pure white space.
A massive red scythe appeared before Xia Ling.
Do not worry. I specifically reduced its weight for you, Host. You should be able to swing it without too much effort.
Next, Siracusan thugs will spawn in the scene. Do not ask why it is this enemy. I can only simulate enemy units you have seen.
Be careful next, Host. A Siracusan thug's knife will not kill you in one blow, but wounds that do not kill can sometimes be even more torturous.
Do your best to defeat him!
The Transformed Girl
One month later...
Bang—
It was the sound of a metal blade colliding with a greatsword.
Feeling the immense force transmitted through the scythe blade, Xia Ling took a step back. She used the force to reverse her grip on the scythe and spun backward, her rotating body driving the blade through the air in a beautiful semicircle.
The Sarkaz mercenary wielding the greatsword was naturally no pushover either. His extensive combat experience made him immediately prepare to pull back his blade, retreat, and block.
But at that moment, the difference in weapon quality became apparent.
Before you continue