Life and Death Adventure

"Xiao Ning, well done."

Zhao Ruo clapped Guan Ning on the shoulder with a carefree grin.

"Guan Ning, not bad," Shi Jiang praised.

"Junior Brother Guan Ning, you really are the sort who never makes a sound until you suddenly astonish everyone!" Chu Qiang exclaimed, full of admiration.

"Junior Brother Guan Ning, I'd love to spar with you." Luo Feng's eyes shone as he watched Guan Ning.

"Senior Brothers and Sisters, you're too kind." The look in Luo Feng's eyes made Guan Ning shudder. He didn't have the confidence to accept Luo Feng's challenge just yet, so he shook his head. "Senior Brother Luo Feng, you're one of the top ten talents on the Black Dragon Ranking. I'm no match for you."

"Junior Brother Guan Ning, I'm with the HR Alliance. I was wondering..."

"Junior Brother Guan Ning, I'm with the Demon Blade Mercenary Group..."

"Junior Brother Guan Ning, I'm..."

The onlookers introduced themselves one after another. Some wanted to befriend him, while others invited him to join their factions. They were all very enthusiastic.

Earlier, when Guan Ning had broken into the top fifty of the rankings, news that he had joined the Limit Martial Hall had also spread, but nobody had bothered him.

Things were different now. Guan Ning had defeated Adolf, ranked twenty-third, proving that he had the strength to break into the top thirty. Even if he couldn't match Luo Feng, who was in the top ten, he was still an exceptionally rare talent.

Whether they befriended him or managed to bring him into the factions backing them, it would be a great boon to these trainees.

Guan Ning was now worth having their factions risk snatching a bite of food from the Limit Martial Hall tiger's mouth.

"Senior Brothers and Sisters, I'll head out first. I'll treat you all to a feast later."

Faced with the crowd, Guan Ning felt a headache coming on. He said his piece and vanished.

"Let's go, too."

Zhao Ruo and the others could only smile wryly as they left the Challenge Room.

Guan Ning had left, but the storm he had stirred up was only beginning to spread.

The great powers and organizations across Earth valued talent highly, so the betting frenzy Guan Ning had sparked at the Elite Training Camp drew particular attention.

They wanted to see just how strong Guan Ning was, given that he had entered the Training Camp at the same time as Luo Feng.

In a villa three kilometers from the Elite Training Camp,

"Damn, even Adolf, ranked twenty-third, lost! He may not be as good as Luo Feng, but he's still an exceptionally rare talent!"

As soon as the results came in, someone immediately reported them. A burly man with short, dyed-blond hair widened his eyes, clearly stunned by the news he had just received.

The world's five great powers, the HR Alliance, and the various factions all began to stir.

Guan Ning and Luo Feng were also known as the Twin Stars of Jiangnan Base City.

Having made a fortune, Guan Ning generously treated Zhao Ruo, Shi Jiang, Luo Feng, and Chu Qiang to a grand feast.

At the Elite Training Camp, aside from the two months of vacation in January and February, the trainees spent nine of the remaining ten months training there. It was an extremely safe place.

Every August, however, the Elite Training Camp held its "Life and Death Adventure." Most of the deaths and injuries among its trainees came during this annual challenge.

The "Life and Death Adventure" was meant to train the warriors they produced to survive in the wilderness and hunt monsters. Without going through this, it was difficult to become an outstanding warrior.

Without weathering the storm, how could one see the rainbow?

These elites, selected from all over the world, grew and transformed at the Elite Training Camp. The top thirty on the Black Dragon Ranking had generally reached War God strength, and the highest-ranked few could even rival high-level War Gods.

But because of the Training Camp's rules, they could usually only hunt Beast General-level monsters, which didn't give them enough real combat experience.

That was why the Life and Death Adventure existed. It usually took place in one of the Three Great Perilous Lands: the African Savanna, Australia Continent, or the Amazon Jungle.

The Three Great Perilous Lands were the three most dangerous places on land after the Great Nirvana. They were considered the most dangerous because, even before the Great Nirvana, they were known for their rich variety of species and remoteness from human habitation. After the Great Nirvana, all three became monster paradises. King-Level Monsters were plentiful, and Lord-Level Monsters could be found everywhere. Ordinary warriors simply didn't dare enter these places.

Even among trainees at the Elite Training Camp, nearly one in ten died during the Life and Death Adventure, and even more were crippled. Fortunately, the Water of Life could restore severed limbs, making such injuries less frightening.

Before the Great Nirvana, Australia Continent already had an abundance of animals, while its entire population numbered only a little over ten million.

When the Great Nirvana Period arrived, the monsters that had mutated on Australia Continent reproduced until their numbers were said to be the highest in the world. There were no humans left on the continent. The entire land had become a monster's lair.

This time, the Life and Death Adventure would take place on Australia Continent.

Guan Ning sat before his computer, its dim glow casting shadows across his face.

"Australia Continent really is dangerous! But none of that can stop me. Australia Continent, here I come!"

Guan Ning looked at the map he had researched and chuckled.

Although Australia Continent was remote from human habitation, teams of warriors still entered for all sorts of reasons, and there were also the accounts of past Training Camp trainees. Combining their information with satellite maps, Guan Ning had already pinpointed Mist Island.

He looked at the tiny lake marked on the map, shut down the computer, and went to sleep with hope for the future in his heart.

August 1, early morning. The 194 trainees gathered on the grass in front of the Nine-Story Tower. They chatted in groups of three or five, all fully equipped with backpacks, weapons, and other gear. Today was the day they set off for the "Life and Death Adventure"! Before they could leave, though, they were waiting for one person—

The world's strongest, Hong!

Guan Ning, Zhao Ruo, Shi Jiang, and Luo Feng sat on the grass chatting. Guan Ning listened quietly to the other three. Zhao Ruo's infatuation with Hong and Shi Jiang's admiration for him had both piqued Guan Ning's interest.

He was intensely curious about the man who had risen to prominence during the Great Nirvana Period and ascended to the throne of the world's most powerful man—the most powerful in authority and wealth, and a grandmaster of the mind.

Hong might not have seemed especially impressive in the early and middle parts of the original story, but later he became a True God. Even after Luo Feng obtained Duan Donghe's legacy and the Jin World, the entire human race had only ninety-eight True Gods. That showed just how impossible it was to underestimate Hong.

"Boom!"

A sonic boom rang out. The trainees all looked up at the sky and saw a blurry silhouette appear above the Elite Training Camp. It took shape, revealing a Blood-Red Triangular Fighter!

"The Hall Master is here!"

"Quick, get up!"

All the War God instructors and trainees sitting on the grass sprang to their feet, standing ramrod straight.

The Blood-Red Triangular Fighter had sleek lines, and it looked like a fierce flying monster poised to attack. It slowly descended from high above. Below, all the trainees and War God instructors at the Elite Training Camp stood silent.

No one dared make a sound.

The fighter touched down. "Whoosh!" Its hatch opened!

Two figures stepped out at once, crossing the threshold as if walking through the air. Everyone knew what that meant: they were beings beyond the War God level, Planetary-Level warriors.

The two Patrol Envoys stood on the grass, one on either side, and waited quietly. The trainees and instructors watched expectantly. At last, a figure emerged from the hatch.

Guan Ning finally got a clear look at Hong. He was about 1.9 meters tall, dressed in black from head to toe, with a neat crew cut.

He looked to be in his twenties. His features weren't especially striking, but he had a presence that ordinary people could never possess. He was like a spear piercing the heavens, radiating a sharp, imposing aura.

Though it was early morning and the sun had just risen, Guan Ning's vision was swallowed by darkness. The man in black was the only light in the world.

But Guan Ning's soul had grown considerably stronger after being nourished over this period. He was dazed for only a moment before coming to his senses. Then his heart filled with shock. He had the feeling that if the man in black wished it, he could take Guan Ning's life in the blink of an eye.

"Is this the domain?"

Guan Ning wasn't sure whether it was a domain. He knew Hong had mastered one, but didn't know whether he was using it now.

"Oh? Interesting!"

The man in black had also noticed Guan Ning's reaction. The other trainees and instructors were still immersed in his aura, yet Guan Ning had awakened on his own. Guan Ning didn't know that he had already caught Hong's attention.

"This batch of Elite Training Camp trainees is pretty good," a cold voice rang out.

As soon as the words fell, the endless night that had engulfed the trainees and instructors vanished. The morning sun reappeared.

"Hall Master, this batch has quite a few promising trainees," said Inspector Wang, the leading figure from the Elite Training Camp.

"Hmm?" Hong took a step and appeared off to the side as if he had teleported.

"You're Luo Feng and Guan Ning, aren't you?" His voice was gentle, yet still carried a ringing force. The black-haired man looked down as he examined the two young men before him.

"Yes, General Hall Master," Guan Ning and Luo Feng replied respectfully.

The black-haired man grinned, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly.

The General Hall Master actually knew Luo Feng and Guan Ning. Everyone else, including the War God instructors, looked at the two with envy.

Only the three Patrol Envoys knew that the General Hall Master had been aware of them for a long time.

But even they didn't know that Hong had noticed Luo Feng and Guan Ning because of Guan Ning's consciousness and Luo Feng's powerful Spiritual Force.

"You're very good," Hong said with a smile after looking them over. Then he turned to Luo Feng and exclaimed, "Such powerful Spiritual Force!"

Luo Feng shuddered. The General Hall Master really had seen through him. He couldn't help glancing at Guan Ning. Thank goodness Guan Ning had warned him; otherwise, he really would have been caught off guard. Now, though, it was anyone's guess who would come out on top.

"Vulture Li Yao, Poison Scorpion Venina, come on!"

Luo Feng shouted inwardly.