A Tiger in the Heart
Welcome to the VR Training Grounds, a highly realistic environment similar to a virtual reality game space.
[You will experience many interactive elements, from terrain and weather conditions to enemy and friendly troop strength, all of which closely resemble real-world scenarios.]
In other words, if you can defeat the typical characters of Shinto City in this scenario, then you can defeat them in the real world as well.
[You will undergo rigorous physical and cognitive training, including reaction speed and tactical awareness, to better prepare you for unforeseen situations on the battlefield.]
[This training ground is also equipped with a projection system that can present you with realistic battle scenes, gunshots, and explosions. The audiovisual effects and physical collision effects are also extremely detailed.]
In short, entering this training ground is like entering a combat simulator, where you will encounter dangerous tests and challenges. Victory is unlikely through individual combat alone; you must quickly hone your teamwork and adaptability.
"Teamwork?" Meteor stepped through the stone gate into a new scene. "Hot Wind, are you fucking sure I have such a thing as teammates?"
[I'm just reading this from the VR training course outline; just take it as a casual remark.]
Meteor looked up at the monochromatic space, observing the surrounding environment, and saw that Shimura Chidō was still hanging in mid-air—the old man was putting the finishing touches on the renovation of this community.
He told Hot Wind, "I like your sense of humor."
[Kid, you're starting to get the hang of it, aren't you?]
A row of traditional weapons and equipment lay on a wooden cabinet. Meteor walked over to examine them closely. They were all weapons he had used, the signature weapons that Hot Wind had retrieved from Meteor's memories.
[Just practicing?]
Meteor grabbed the samurai blade, checked the weapon's status, put it into an empty magazine, and tested the timing of the empty-load release.
He listened intently to the soft clicks of the gun's slide and its various parts moving, his expression turning serious—while working, the boy seemed to grow up in an instant, becoming a ruthless killer like his older brother, his carefree naiveté replaced by a touch of chivalry.
"Give me the target." Meteor lowered his head and began loading the magazine.
[The appetizers will be here soon!]
Before he finished speaking, several ghostly figures were projected from about fifty meters in front of the long table; they were all images of executioners.
Meteor: "Where's the timer?"
Are you ready?
Pulling the slide to chamber a round, Meteor checks the ammunition again.
He wasn't quite used to the physical laws of [Extreme Bliss Space] yet, especially his right arm. It originally belonged to the Hot Wind, and its muscle structure was completely different from that of a meteor. It was like Bu Jingyun receiving the Qilin Arm but not being able to break through the Sanjiao Xuanguan (a point on the body's energy channels); there would always be things he wasn't used to.
"Not ready, but we can try."
[Preparation]
Meteor held his breath and closed his eyes.
[Beat!]
The moment the command was given, A Xing suddenly opened his eyes, emptied the magazine using a triangular firing technique, the sound of the bullets exploding created a strong gust of air, and his hair swayed slightly.
Before the first magazine even hit the ground, the second magazine had already been reset and a bullet was being chambered.
Hearing the gunshot, the old man from Shicun turned his head to look at the energetic young man.
The old man paused for a moment, then looked at the timer and scoreboard at the shooting range, feeling a sense of unreality.
If we only consider shooting performance, this anonymous soldier is far superior to the Fēngfēng Battle Group from fifty years ago.
"This kid must have a really good pistol instructor."
The virtual avatar was hit and disappeared the moment it appeared. A Xing had already fired more than a hundred bullets, but his concentration showed no signs of decreasing, and he maintained an efficient and deadly continuous firing posture.
Shimura Chidō stared at the boy in his early twenties with his mouth slightly agape in surprise.
"This guy might actually... actually be able to do it!"
"There's a tiger in his eyes! Hot Wind! He's a tiger!"
Meteor was wearing earmuffs and couldn't hear what Grandpa Qiantang was saying. He only knew that he had to keep shooting, and if Hot Wind didn't tell him to stop, he would have to keep firing.
The firearms in his hands couldn't hurt the executioner at all. The nano-armor on these androids could stop bullets. The dragon-slaying skills he had learned over the past decade would be obsolete in the Shinto City —he was well aware of these things.
He witnessed his brother Ping An being forced to his knees by the executioners, but he was powerless to do anything about it and was almost crushed by his inner fear.
Along the way, Meteor witnessed many strange and bizarre stories. He didn't say anything, but became taciturn, because Ming Ge had said that you can't defeat an enemy with words, nor can you shut them up.
This city is like a rotten coffin. Just as Brother Ping An said, many ghosts are still imprisoned here and have become demons.
He was seething with anger, which now manifested as a torrent of bullets. This was all he could do, and it was everything he had to do.
[Entering the indoor CQB phase, get ready.]
Meteor nodded, put the pistol back in his waistband, then slightly bowed his head, hunched over, and glared angrily.
Layer upon layer of partitions stood up in the comprehensive training room, transforming it into a complex room environment. He picked up the Wild Wolf ACE and various types of shotguns with different functions and rushed into the building area.
For the past six years, he has been constantly at war, fighting against the monsters raised by the Madness Butterfly Sect, against the Bloodstained Beasts, and against the vicious cultists. Time and again, he has rescued hostages and killed enemies in intricate rooms.
This is the environment he knows best, and this is what he does best.
From above the crane boom, Mr. Ishimura could see more clearly.
--Bright red flames burst from Meteor Boy's arms, the order in which he took down the targets in the building was logical, and the reloading and firing logic was also very clear.
Taking advantage of his physical strength, he opened doors and cleared obstacles. That old-fashioned double-barreled shotgun was like Magic Wand; whatever bullet he wanted to fire, whatever effect he wanted to create—fragmentation or a single bullet, a flashbang or an incendiary grenade—it all seemed to be calculated in advance.
Shimura Chidō murmured in surprise, "Such a quick reaction."
It was a bright red star, like a dancing sprite, leaping and bounding through the buildings. It hardly lingered, only firing probing shots to get a clear picture of the target and environment inside the room before immediately carrying out the kill plan.
After rushing out of the building area and running through the complex alleyways for over 400 meters, Meteor still felt full of energy. Perhaps it was because [Extreme Bliss Space] gave people abundant physical strength that the cyborgs didn't feel tired at all in the virtual world.
The barrel of the Wild Wolf ACE was slightly red. Continuous high-intensity firing had caused metal wear on its muzzle and smoothbore barrel, resulting in a decrease in accuracy in the latter part of the firing. However, A Xing was very familiar with this gun, and it had almost become a part of his body.
The basic combat capability assessment phase has concluded.
Meteor: "How was it? Not bad, right?"
[Your combat skills are rated outside the standard range at the station.]
Meteor was not surprised at all by this result. His earliest stats were A, and after many transformations and evolutions, he was stuck at S level. After the destruction of the Mercy of Eros in Eureka Volcano City six years ago, the Polarized Sextant's evaluation of him was that he was out of the ordinary.
At this moment, Hot Wind and Qiantang began to look at this seemingly reckless young man with new respect.
Shimura Chidō climbed down from the crane arm and ran and jumped to Meteor. The old man cheered and jumped for joy, full of energy.
"Wow! This young man is amazing! He's incredible!"
Meteor grinned and patted his chest. "Of course! I am the nameless warrior!"
"I bet!" Grandpa Qian Tang said, beaming. "Without Venom, let alone these typical people, even Hot Wind wouldn't be a match for you!"
Upon hearing this, Meteor paused for a moment, then his expression turned serious—because there are no "ifs" in this world. No matter how powerful your martial arts skills are, they can't compete with technology, and even the most powerful martial arts skills can be shattered by bullets.
[Kid, have you rested enough?]
Meteor nodded. "Okay, the test is over, time to get serious?"
[That's right, I really didn't expect you to possess such powerful combat skills.]
Meteor: "Can't you look into my memories?"
[No, no, no, you seem to have become stronger. Stronger than ever before.]
The meteor excitedly asked, "Really?"
[You can manipulate this right arm naturally; its strength helps you control the weapon, achieve better shooting dynamics, and gain superior body balance—this is something I didn't expect—you seem to have a deconstructive logic regarding limbs and the essence of the physical body that transcends ordinary understanding.]
"Of course!" Meteor grinned. "My personal trainer is world-class! My older brother is the best surgeon! And I'm a genius! Hehehe!"
[I've decided to skip the next test and go straight to using the Executioner's soft prosthetic body for a simulated battle against you.]
Four walls rose up around the open area where the meteor was, trapping him inside a square room measuring sixteen by sixteen meters.
[You need to be mentally prepared, you're a genius.]
[You've witnessed the executioner's power, but what you don't know is that it's just the tip of the iceberg of the Shinto People Order's many violent institutions. The executioner didn't even use firearms to defeat your Brother Hean.]
An elevator rises from the floor of the room, the executioner's virtual avatar steps onto the solid floor tiles, and the artificial body walks barefoot, producing heavy musical notes.
Pale muscles covered in jet-black fullerene nano-armor, and almost immediately, Meteor raised his gun and fired!
The grenade slammed into the simulated enemy's body, unleashing a violent burst of fire!
A Xing's eyes lit up, and his nimble Five Fingers quickly manipulated the magazine of the Wild Wolf ACE, unleashing a torrent of fire from the Dragon Breath bullets.
[Very clever. You knew the weakness of the nanoarmor and noticed it almost immediately.]
Most heterogeneous carbon isotopes disintegrate at around 1000 degrees Celsius, and their melting point is only 260 degrees Celsius. Can a shotgun enchanted with fire subdue this technologically created beast?
The imaginary enemy staggered, seemingly battered and bruised, its muscles trembling and armor shattered, half of its torso exposed, with high-temperature graphite debris erupting from its nano-armor.
Leaning on his greatsword, the guy steadied himself during the first volley of bullets. His left arm, left side ribs, left hip, and left leg were all drenched in bullets, exposing parts of his divine beast essence to the air, and his flesh strips turned bright red and translucent.
The meteor's pupils contracted; Inspiration was frantically sounding the alarm.
--That familiar feeling is back!
That was the chilling murderous intent that Brother Ping An sensed when he was fighting to the death with the executioner in the Stone Hill Town Cemetery!
Suddenly, the executioner's sword expanded! It transformed into a shield! This bizarre and unpredictable transformation, following the low, shifting movements of the imagined enemy, swiftly transformed into a mobile fortress with a limb-flipping motion that was beyond the comprehension of a meteor!
What kind of strange thing is that?!
Meteor instinctively dropped the Wild Wolf ACE to avoid having the useless shotgun tied to his hands.
The executioner had almost broken his knee while trying to avoid injury; he'd hidden inside the shield wall!
The execution sword, resembling a fan, an umbrella, or a peacock spreading its tail feathers, swiftly transformed into a large circular shield with a radius of over 150 centimeters!
Meteor almost immediately removed the Iron Knight's belt, preparing for close combat, when he felt a heat at the tip of his nose—
The strong wind hitting him almost made him unable to open his eyes.
The airflow emanating from the ventilation holes all over the executioner's body was like the chaotic notes produced when a dull flute is struck and rubs against the air; these ultrasonic howls disturbed him.
The rapidly advancing shield wall gradually disintegrated, reshaping and returning to its original form as the executioner's greatsword.
The massive sword strikes, aimed at A Xing's face, forced him to retreat step by step!
He instinctively tried to block, and just as he lifted the hilt of the Iron Knight to separate his light sword, the relentless pursuit made him breathless!
Is this the monster that fought and battled with Brother Ping An in the darkness?
He could find almost no opportunity to draw his light sword and retaliate.
The weapon's length is a significant disadvantage!
The executioner's pursuit was relentless; his slow advance and sudden bursts of speed were like a robotic arm in a factory!
The sound of the electronic brakes was a sign that the Execution Greatsword was suddenly slowing down and changing direction. As Meteor fled in panic, he dared not use any movement techniques that made contact with the ground.
Once the executioner slows down, the surging column of air that bursts out when he suddenly starts moving again is like a turbocharged engine installed inside his body. It will immediately catch up to that tiny distance and quickly cut him in half!
Meteor finally understood why Brother Ping An had been fighting so hard and suffering so much!
This pressure is like Homo sapiens wrestling with a car, or competing with a nimble multi-rotor drone in steering and braking capabilities!
Bionic humans do not need to consider the structural stress on muscles and bones, nor do they need to worry about joint dislocations, tendon contusions, and other factors, so they can naturally perform many actions that defy common sense about the human body.
The weapon in Meteor's hand is the remains of Mingde; although it can harm the executioner, it can also destroy the opponent's weapon.
But he had no way to fight back and could only flee.
Kid, you can't win by running away.
Meteor had no chance to speak; he was even deprived of the right to open his mouth and make a sound. He needed to hold his breath and continuously pump his diaphragm to power his upper limbs.
He was covered in cold sweat, and there were horrific marks on the floor.
The continuous alternating steps and darting maneuvers were rapidly depleting A Xing's concentration. The dark greatsword, like a hammer, pulled the executioner's burly figure, creating a series of bizarre attack routes.
Meteor felt like he was fighting a bull; unless he was absolutely certain, he had no intention of testing the decapitation sword's power with his own body.
The familiar sound of electronic brakes rang out again!
He tensed up, breaking out in a cold sweat!
The greatsword swept towards us like a baseball bat! It relentlessly attacked, reeking of rust and iron oxide!
This sudden, unexpected interception and strike nearly blew A Xing's head off! In the previous round, he had used a backbend and sway to dodge the attack, but before the round was even over, the executioner's sudden, illogical sword strike almost wiped his brain out!
A Xing's head and neck were bent to the side at a 270-degree angle. He barely managed to avoid the combined attacks of the imaginary enemy by turning his body to the side. His whole body was almost twisted into a pretzel!
--Hot Wind is right!
I can't run away! If this guy realizes that launching an attack is a no-holds-barred move, and he doesn't need to worry about a counterattack.
His attacks will only intensify and accelerate!
A raging fire erupted from his bright red right arm, and in an instant, he flipped over, hooked his legs, and delivered a vicious spinning kick that nearly knocked the executioner's jaw off balance. The force of the greatsword's strike caused him to stagger.
You little rascal!
Chido's jaw nearly dropped to the ground.
"Hey! Hot Wind! This kid's fighting spirit is incredible! Can he even think of counterattacking in that situation?"
A Xing is like an agile ape. It's hard to imagine how he can move so skillfully with all those muscles. His flexibility has improved dramatically compared to six years ago.
"Brother Ping An has already pushed you into the second stage, I can't lose face like this."
Meteor finally found a chance to catch his breath, drew his light sword and wielded it as a sword and hammer.
The executioner was thrown off balance when he was turned over and his leg was hooked and struck. A white crack appeared on his iron chin, and the terrifying force almost exposed his jawbone. The nano-armor quickly filled the gap in his jaw, as if it had been patched up.
The imaginary enemy's eyes suddenly lit up, as if a composite sight, like double pupils, was scanning A Xing's limbs.
[He's conducting a more detailed assessment of your combat capabilities and will likely deploy more powerful weaponry.]
Meteor switched his dual-wielding weapons to a higher stance, adopting a steady and composed posture.
"Just what I wanted."
Seemingly unable to get a response from the security center, the executioner's soft prosthetic body seemed to have triggered a bug. Instead of acting immediately, it unleashed a surge of air from its heat dissipation vents and entered a halftime break.
Meteor dared not be careless, swaying the light sword in his front hand, trying to relax his muscles, and gradually approached the executioner.
It happened in the blink of an eye!
The bright red double pupils merged into one, the electronic prosthetic eye stacked to form a complete pupil, and in that instant, the familiar cherry blossom light shone again!
[It's a high-frequency weapon, kid!]
"My spirit! Respond to me!"
Meteor roared through gritted teeth, advancing boldly forward instead of retreating!
Brilliant plasma sparks erupted from the execution sword! Beneath the dazzling light—the executioner's nanoarmor vibrated and disintegrated due to intense electromagnetic activity! The high temperature and pressure environment made it almost impossible to maintain the stability of VENOM!
Meteor didn't back down! He knew—Brother Ping An had fallen at this very hurdle!
If we can't overcome this hurdle, we won't be able to defeat these typical individuals!
Last time, Brother Ping An didn't release his spirit, and there was no sign of his soul power radiating outwards!
At this moment, Meteor simply wanted to confront this high-frequency weapon that could slice through everything in the world head-on!
Use his courage to forge his soul and will!
The spirit responded to Bu Liuxing, and a blazing flame of Rose Shining Stone burst forth from the VENOM in its right arm, and two spirit arms emerged from its body!
They joined their palms in a Buddhist gesture of respect, and at the very moment the executioner's high-frequency weapon swung wildly, they tightly gripped the greatsword and struck!
A Xing was affected by the immense force exerted on the spirit body and was immediately overwhelmed by the monstrous strength of the artificial body, forced to kneel down, but his knees had not yet touched the ground!
His eyes, illuminated by the light of the plasma blade so close at hand, made him appear like an angry Vajra, his sword and hammer striking from both sides in a pincer attack—
--The wind stirred up a bit!
The executioner's disheveled hair flew wildly! His head was split open!
The energy of the VENOM device scattered, causing the simulated enemy's legs to buckle. Without the electronic brain, his command function immediately failed. The plasma from the execution sword, no longer restrained by the blade's strong pressure and magnetic field, quickly splashed onto A Xing's face and skin, instantly burning out terrifying craters. He screamed in agony and rolled on the ground.
[Reboot VR immediately! Qian Tang! Qian Tang! What the hell are you doing?! Don't stand there like an idiot!]
Shimura Chidō was almost so frightened by this bold young man that he became incoherent and at a loss for words.
"He did it! He did it?! And he did it on his very first try?"
Since the completion of the Fifty-One Pillars of Shinto City, this is the first warrior to defeat a typical human in a direct confrontation.
Meteor endured the pain, feeling as if her hair was about to be burned off. Due to the drastic temperature change and the pressure difference between the inside and outside of her face, the scalding flesh and blood were squeezed out, and festering fluid spurted from her throat and chest.
The lights in the training space flickered on and off, then came back on.
The meteor was astonished to find itself completely unharmed and back at the long table.
[First round of simulation training completed.]
[Nameless, congratulations! You have defeated the violent mechanisms of Shinto City and killed the Night Patrol executioner.]
Meteor was still in shock; the pain signals simulated in the VR space had almost driven him mad—the pressure change at the moment the scalding hot plasma came into contact with his body tissue caused a violent steam explosion in his upper body.
[But you didn't survive; you need to think of a more appropriate solution.]
Meteor patted his chest, a surge of courage welling up from the bottom of his heart.
"No problem! I'll beat the crap out of him!"
[The next wave of enemies will consist of two.]
Meteor: "What did you say?"
[You'll be facing two imaginary enemies simultaneously. In the real world, the enforcers of Shinto City won't reason with you.]
Meteor: "What did you say? Two?!"
Are you scared?
Meteor's voice began to tremble as she spoke.
"You might think I'm weak, but to answer your question, listen up! My combat strength is unknown, but I become stronger when facing stronger opponents—that perfectly describes me."
Let's begin.
The wall rose again--
--Fifteen seconds later.
A Xing was hacked to pieces, cut into more than twenty pieces, with only his head remaining conscious.
After restarting VR, he appeared calm and in a very good state of mind.
"That's right! Just like you thought! I proved with my skills that I'm still really bad!"
Should we lower the difficulty?
Shimura Chidō also looked worried. "Nameless, everything should be done step by step."
Meteor plopped down on the ground and rested for a few minutes. His cloudy eyes gradually cleared, and he rekindled the flame of the Rose Shining Stone from the VENOM mechanism in his right arm.
"Two it is! Let's keep going!"