Emergency Adjustment Through Slow Adaptation, Steady Value Gains Through Variable Countermeasures

As morning light spilled over the windowsill, Tang San was awakened by the reflection off the pages of the Multi-Scenario Soul Power Emergency Manual beside his pillow. He opened his eyes and saw Master Yu Xiaogang's hand-drawn diagram tucked inside, its "Smoke-Wooden Stake Dual Variable Response Line" still marked with fresh ink. Wang Hu and the other two were organizing emergency gear around the table. Seeing him awake, Zhao Yu tossed him a warm chestnut cake. "Hurry and eat! Morning training is multi-scenario emergency adjustment. Teacher Zhang said he'll switch variables without warning. If we're late, we won't even get a spot near the Slide Rail."

Tang San closed the book and caught the cake, but did not bite into it right away. He rolled his wrists twice. "What's the rush? We still have an incense stick's worth of time before assembly. I'll wash up. You guys go save spots near the Trigger Device first, so you can see the Variable Switching clearly." Only after the three left with their cakes did he slowly start eating. While washing up, he deliberately spent another half an incense stick's worth of time stretching his fingers—pretending to warm up his emergency reactions. It delayed him while making his later slow adjustments seem reasonable. By the time he reached the morning training grounds, people were already testing the Smoke Generator and temporary wooden stakes.

Proactively delay morning training departure, avoiding premature high-intensity expenditure. Slacking Value +1, current total: 37 points

At the training grounds, Teacher Zhang held up the Emergency Trigger Button, with a record sheet spread out behind him. "Today, we practice emergency adjustments! While you're on the Slide Rail, I'll suddenly release smoke or add wooden stakes. For smoke, evade with thirty percent and begin with ten percent. For stakes, evade with twenty percent and begin with twenty percent. Pass three times, and you're through!" As soon as he finished speaking, he pressed the button. Pale smoke instantly enveloped the Slide Rail, and the students in front immediately adjusted their Soul Power with crisp movements.

When it was Tang San's turn, he summoned Blue Silver Grass and deliberately made his emergency reaction half a beat too slow. When the smoke rose, he still used twenty percent of his Soul Power to evade, stumbling as though he might crash into the Slide Rail. When a temporary wooden stake sprang up, he failed to raise his initial Soul Power in time. His Blue Silver Grass swayed before barely managing to wrap around the stake. He failed to reach the passing ratio throughout.

"Tang San! Why is your emergency reaction so slow? Have you forgotten what I taught yesterday?" Teacher Zhang walked over, frowning at the crooked lines on the record sheet.

"Teacher, emergency response isn't about rigidly applying ratios. I adapt slowly to smoke, and using thirty percent of my Soul Power would only make me panic. If I raise my initial power too quickly against the stake, it conflicts with evasion. I need to find the right fit between variables, reactions, and allocation. Going too fast only causes mistakes." As Tang San spoke, he went down the Slide Rail again. He adjusted smoke evasion to twenty-five percent and stake initiation to fifteen percent, just barely clearing the passing line.

Adjusted ratios under the pretext of "emergency response rhythm adaptation," avoiding excessive expenditure. Slacking Value +1, current total: 38 points

Teacher Zhang said nothing more and simply told him to practice three additional sets. Tang San took his time, keeping every set right at the edge of passing without receiving any extra punishment drills.

After morning training, Xiao Wu handed him some warm water. "You could obviously get the ratios right. Why are you deliberately staying on the edge?"

"Slow adaptation saves Soul Power." Tang San unscrewed the cap. "Come on, let's go to the cafeteria. If we're late, there won't be any vegetable porridge left."

They had only taken a few steps when Master Yu Xiaogang approached with a cloth bundle in hand. "Come to my office after afternoon training. I'll teach you Dual Variable Emergency Priority. In real combat, variables won't appear one at a time. Don't make excuses. I've prepared simplified scenarios, so it won't take much energy."

Tang San nodded in agreement, though he was already calculating how to reduce his expenditure.

The morning extra class involved sudden variable countermeasures. The five individuals were divided into groups to practice coordination in smoke-and-stake scenarios. Wang Hu wanted Tang San to handle the emergency adjustments, but Tang San shook his head. "I just finished emergency drills, and my rhythm hasn't stabilized yet. I'll support and fill gaps instead. You guys handle the core judgments."

During the exercise, Tang San deliberately slowed his repositioning. Wang Hu failed to keep up with the emergency adjustment. Only when the dummy was about to break free of control did Tang San gently push it with Blue Silver Grass, nudging it back into his teammates' control range.

"Can't you reposition faster?" Wang Hu demanded anxiously.

"If I move in too quickly when variables overlap, I'll block your escape route. It's better for me to fill the gap after you evade the smoke, so I don't get in your way." Tang San smiled, not increasing the force in his hands by the slightest bit.

Slowed down under the pretext of "variable overlap—repositioning timing adaptation," avoiding excessive expenditure. Slacking Value +1, current total: 39 points

After the extra class ended, the five individuals went to the cafeteria. Wang Hu was still praising Tang San's timing, while Tang San merely smiled and slowly drank his porridge. The Soul Power he had saved would be just enough for the afternoon review and the master's instruction.

The afternoon extra class was a review of multi-variable countermeasures. Teacher Zhang played footage recorded on bamboo slips and asked the students to identify the problems. The other students quickly pointed out two or three mistakes, but Tang San watched slowly. Only after everyone had finished did he point to one scene. "He dealt with the wooden stake before evading the smoke. The smoke blocked his vision, so avoiding the stake afterward cost him more Soul Power. In the end, his output wasn't enough—this was a Chain Error caused by variable overlap."

"Why are you watching so slowly?" Teacher Zhang frowned.

"Chain Errors have a greater impact than surface-level mistakes. If I don't sort them out clearly, I'll make the same mistake next time," Tang San explained.

Teacher Zhang nodded. "Then practice identifying Chain Errors first."

Slowed down under the pretext of "identifying Chain Errors from variable overlap," avoiding excessive expenditure. Slacking Value +1, current total: 40 points

After the extra class, Tang San went to Master Yu Xiaogang's office. A Smoke Generator and a small wooden stake sat on the desk. Master Yu Xiaogang pressed the button, triggering both variables at once. "Judge the priority. Which do you respond to first?"

Tang San deliberately paused for half a beat before answering. "Evade the smoke first. Otherwise, I won't be able to see where the stake is."

"Why did it take you so long to react?" Master Yu Xiaogang asked.

"When variables overlap, I need to sort through their effects slowly. If I go too fast, it's easy to mix them up," Tang San said. He tried again, but his judgment speed still did not improve.

Master Yu Xiaogang did not demand more from him, merely telling him to practice five sets. Tang San kept every set at the passing line and was not assigned any additional drills.

When he left the office, the evening glow had already dyed the horizon red. Xiao Wu was waiting at the door, and the two headed toward the cafeteria.

"The master didn't keep you for extra drills?" Xiao Wu asked.

"He helped me sort through the variables' effects, so the practice wasn't tiring." Tang San stretched lazily, though inwardly he was doing the math. He had saved up four points of Slacking Value today. He was one step closer to his next Soul Power Increase.

The cafeteria was brightly lit. Tang San looked at the food before him and ate slowly. He knew that as long as he continued using new excuses like "scenario adaptation" and "emergency adjustment," then no matter how complicated the training became, he could steadily accumulate enough Slacking Value and grow stronger on the path of slacking off.