Ominous Sign

In just half a minute, the coach's mind raced from Zhang Heng's rapid improvement in archery under his tutelage, to his stunning debut in his first competition, then to his crushing defeat at the national championships where he almost gave up archery but was reborn through the coach's motivational speeches, ultimately leading to his entry into the national team and winning an Olympic gold medal. He had even almost finished drafting the follow-up press interviews.

However, this passionate youth story was stillborn due to the person concerned's polite refusal.

Archery was merely a hobby for Zhang Heng; he had no intention of making a living from it.

Furthermore, he knew himself best. His archery skills were built on countless hours of practice, not exceptional talent. While he might be unrivaled in amateur circles, reaching the pinnacle in the professional world would be difficult.

This was the second time Zhang Heng had refused his coach. The latter finally realized that the young man before him truly had no interest in pursuing this path and felt a deep sense of regret.

A forcefully plucked melon wouldn't be sweet, and he couldn't hold a gun to Zhang Heng's head and force him to become his disciple.

After shooting a few arrows and getting his answer, Zhang Heng didn't continue practicing.

He still had classes that morning, but thankfully they didn't start until 9:45. After returning his bow and arrows to storage, he slipped back to school.

His roommates in the classroom all gave him knowing smiles. Zhang Heng found it difficult to explain, like saying he had actually spent a year and a half on a desert island last night and had finally found a man to live with.

During the break, Wei Jiangyang came over from his seat, wanting to force him to hand over the 800-word essay. However, Zhang Heng didn't seem like he was lying, nor did he show any signs of blushing or guilt.

Convinced that nothing scandalous had happened to him last night, Wei Jiangyang regretfully changed the subject.

"Next week, Xiaoxiao's dorm wants to go camping, but it's not very safe with just a few girls. They want to find a few more guys. Chen Huadong has already agreed, Ma Wei isn't going, what about you?"

Xiaoxiao was Wei Jiangyang's girlfriend. Since Xiaoxiao was going camping, Wei Jiangyang naturally had to follow. However, with him as the only guy, his combat power was a bit insufficient. Moreover, couples always attracted attention wherever they went, and they would definitely be teased by the other girls in the dorm. Thus, Xiaoxiao had assigned Wei Jiangyang the task of recruiting people.

Wei Jiangyang hadn't held out much hope. Zhang Heng was famously detached from the group; he had his own rhythm of life and rarely participated in any group activities.

Unexpectedly, this time Zhang Heng thought about it and agreed.

If it were his past self, he probably wouldn't have participated in similar activities. However, this time he had indeed been detached from society for too long and needed a lively environment to heal himself. Although Ma Wei was still around, he was the type to spend all his time in the library and often returned to the dorm after the lights were out. So, if Zhang Heng didn't participate, he would be the only one left in the room over the weekend.

"That's great," Wei Jiangyang said excitedly. "Except for Xiaoxiao, all the other girls in her dorm are still single. Don't say I didn't warn you, Shen Xixi, who shone brightly at this year's freshman welcoming party, is also from their dorm. Oh, I forgot you didn't go... Anyway, when she sang, she captivated many of the guys below. If you can win her over, you'll definitely become a celebrity in our department."

Zhang Heng had no interest in becoming a department celebrity. With one thing after another happening recently, he had no desire for romance. This camping trip was purely for the excitement, something to do for fun.

There were no classes scheduled for Friday afternoon, so Zhang Heng began preparing for the game a month later. He had completed his initial plans at a budget hotel and adjusted his schedule.

After lunch, he found a 24-hour gym near the school and signed up for a yearly membership.

In addition, he increased his practice time for rock climbing and running. Zhang Heng didn't know what kind of situation he would face next, but improving his physical fitness was always a good idea.

This was because he used his own body at the start of each game. In other words, different physical fitness levels could lead to entirely different game experiences.

For example, during the Desert Island Survival instance, players with average physical fitness could only save Ed, while players with excellent physical fitness could swim further to save Shorts Kid or Bear. Of course, the most tragic were those who couldn't swim at all and could only watch from the shore.

Zhang Heng's physique was ordinary among college students, mainly because he hadn't undergone any targeted scientific training. However, he did have his own advantage: his preparation time between games was twice as long as other players.

While others had a one-month interval between games, he had a two-month interval.

If these two months were utilized well, his physical fitness could improve significantly. Zhang Heng had also considered signing up for taekwondo or boxing classes, but such things couldn't be rushed. He could only take it one step at a time, starting with the basics, as he could practice skills in the game as well.

The following week passed in a flurry of activity.

In the gym, Zhang Heng began training his core, limb strength, and flexibility. In addition to long-distance running, which primarily focused on endurance, he also incorporated shorter sprints that tested explosive power into his training plan.

He also made time to visit the City of Desire bar in Still World.

That place was full of secrets. Now that Zhang Heng was in this game, he naturally wanted to understand it better. Since he couldn't get more information from the bartender, he decided to take matters into his own hands.

At the very least, he should be able to glean some clues from the furnishings of the tin house and the collection behind the bar. He also wanted to see if the rule that players couldn't be identified in that place was still effective in Still World.

However, when Zhang Heng arrived outside the bar, he felt a strange sense of foreboding. This feeling reached its peak when he placed his palm on the doorknob of the tin house.

Zhang Heng hesitated for a moment and finally withdrew his hand.

He didn't know where this sense of foreboding came from, but its message was clear enough.

—Do not attempt to enter the game points in Still World.

Despite his curiosity, Zhang Heng decided to prioritize safety, as the matters he was currently facing could not be explained by common sense.

Thus, Zhang Heng's first secret exploration ended there, without yielding much useful information.

On Monday, while he was in class, his phone suddenly vibrated. Zhang Heng saw the contact labeled "Customer Service."

"Your items have been delivered and are on your desk in the dorm. This is a notification message; no reply is needed."

Zhang Heng placed his phone under his desk and secretly replied, "Where's my game point service list?"

After clicking send, he received a second message from the bartender after a long while, "Forgot. Wait until I'm done with what I'm doing."

"..."